Epic Rock Climbing Adventure at Apoala 2 days + 1 night

WHAT YOU’LL DO

We’ll meet at the Coyote Aventuras Office at 7:00 AM where you’ll be able to enjoy a little coffee and refreshments before we set out on the road.  Then, we’ll begin driving out through dense forests, arid landscapes, and corn fields to the community of Santiago Apoala.  We’ll take a minor pit stop at the community’s lookout point so that you can get a full picture of the geography of the region.  Here, we’ll make a small offering to the ancestors of the territory and ask for permission to safely climb their astounding walls.

Upon arrival, we’ll drop our bags off at the communal cabins which will be our home for the night and we’ll gear up to head out to the crag.  Apoala’s short approach of roughly 20 minutes winds through the canyon alongside a transparent river, where you’ll be able to observe massivebromelias (air plants) dangling from rock faces and grey heno moss decorating the trails. Apoala’s climbing development is currently centered around one stunning rock face, La Peña Colorada.  This crag offers up to 20 single pitch and multi pitch routes with a wide array of difficulty levels to satisfy all adventure seekers.  Once we arrive at la peña we will check all necessary safety protocols, ensure our gear is put on correctly and start warming up.  Let’s get ready to climb!  We’ll spend the next couple hours playing on this massive 200 meter (650 foot) canvas of high quality limestone rock.  

After a nice picnic on the riverside, we’ll keep climbing until we’re nice and tired, gathering and cleaning up all the equipment before we head back to the community cabins for a little rest and relaxation. This is a perfect time for reading, introspection or individual exploration of Apoala.  We’ll meet again for a traditional dinner and campfire where one of our local guides will join us to comment on some local legends in the town.  We definitely encourage a little exchange of your best campfire ghost stories!

We’ll wake up nice and early the next morning for a light breakfast, then hike down to the exquisite pool of Mini Tidaa where legend has it, the entire Mixteca culture was born.  According to the Vindobonensis Codex, the most important spiritual beings of creation spawned out of this great pool and began to populate the earth.  This sacred cold plunge is sure to wake you up and make you feel ready for a great day ahead!  After spending some time at the pool, we’ll begin hiking up to Apoala’s emblematic turquoise waterfall, where you’ll have yet another opportunity to swim in these healing Mixtecan waters. 

Following the waterfall, we’ll walk back up to the community for a delicious traditional lunch accompanied by some local refreshments. The last experience on our journey is a quick trip into the cave of Yavi ko ó má, Mixtecan for Cave of the Dark Serpent.  Here, we’ll provide all of the necessary equipment and flashlights in order to respectfully enter into the cave with our local guide who will tell stories of the Mixtecan cosmovision surrounding thegrutas of Apoala.  This community offers us many tales of how to find divinity within nature and respectfully enter into sacred space.  Following our brief trip into the cave we’ll pack our bags and head out to Oaxaca at approximately 4:30PM.

ACTIVITY ADVISORY

Outdoor activities carry risks, and you may be exposed to dangerous situations as part of this experience. Make sure you can participate safely given your abilities and the conditions (such as location, weather, and equipment).