San Cristóbal de Las Casas – Day 2: Sumidero Canyon
SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS
Day 2: Sumidero Canyon
August 17, 2022
Chiapas, widely renowned for its jungle, is home to many natural wonders – one of which I’d be visiting. Once again, I went for the bougie day tour instead of having to figure out the logistics on my own. Together with about ten other Mexicans, I found myself on yet another tour bus, along with Rubert, our guide.
Having planned my itinerary back when I was still in Malta, this was one of the highlights of Chiapas I was most excited to visit – the Sumidero Canyon. The chasm is a natural gorge formed around 36 million years ago, around the same time as the Grand Canyon. Its highest point reaches about one kilometre above sea level, with the thirteen-kilometre-long Grijalva River coursing through it.
As soon as we arrived and entered the national park, we could already see the entire thing right below our feet – a wall of overgrown grey rock covered in vegetation, the sheer drop leading directly down to the muddy brown river, all kinds of birds soaring above. Taking a deep breath in, I couldn’t help but feel so, so grateful to be able to admire such a splendid view. There’s nothing like a lush jungle to make me feel connected and at peace!
Into the canyon...
After spending some time trying to take in every single detail of such an incredible vista, we then went for a short hike through the jungle around the visitor centre before heading down to the base of the canyon, where a boat was waiting for us.
Getting to see the canyon from above and then again from the river itself whilst on a boat was spectacular to say the least – the gorge swallowing us whole with every bend and turn. Distracting us from the natural beauty surrounding us from every angle was the Chicoasén Dam – a massive rock wall built to store water in the artificial reservoir behind it, while also acting as a power plant to generate hydroelectric energy.
As we made our way down the river, we had the opportunity to observe all kinds of wildlife, which, as always, was the highlight for me. From spider monkeys jumping from one branch to another to black vultures flying overhead, from blue herons perching on the riverbank to whistling ducks floating gracefully in the water, we were entertained throughout. Oh, and so, so many crocodiles! And these crocodiles? According to Rubert, they’re special. Turns out, they’re all vegetarian – eating just (intestinal) flora, palms (of monkeys), and apples (of someone’s eyes).
The deeper we went into the river, the denser the jungle became, with the shallow, green waters slowly giving way to a deeper, muddy-brown river. Small bays were covered in vultures and crocodiles, with the occasional pelican, heron, or egret gracing our eyes. Much can be said about the animals we saw, but an honourable mention also goes to some geological features in the area – like the Cave of Colours (aptly named for the multicoloured rocks making up its interior) and the Christmas Tree Waterfall (yup, looks exactly like one!).
On the way back...
After the boat ride, we were dropped off at a small city called Chiapa de Corzo, where we spent an hour wandering the street markets and roaming around the central square before we headed back.
You’d think coursing over the Grijalva River through the Sumidero Canyon would’ve been enough adventure for the day. Well, not quite. On our way back, we were stopped by some thugs brandishing machetes and wearing balaclavas. We’d be allowed to go on only if we paid the stipulated amount — or else. And the amount? A measly twenty Mexican pesos – which is equivalent to one US dollar.
I can’t say I was shocked or amused by this, mostly because I slept through the whole ordeal and was only told about it after we got back to San Cristóbal. What’s shocking, though, is the fact that people would go through such things for one dollar. Once again, I was forced to come to terms with the reality of poverty, the dire circumstances some of these people live in, and what they would resort to in order to make some money.