Discover Tepoztlán and the Tepozteco
Tepoztlán is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Mágicos, towns that acquired the title by being of great historical and anthropological importance. It is set at an altitude of 1,715 m-s above sea level, surrounded by mountains which create a microclimate of pleasant weather all year round. Being just about 80 km-s from Mexico city, it is a favorite weekend destination of many chilangos as well as travelers from around the world.
In Mexican tradition Tepoztlán is considered to be the birthplace of Quetzalcóatl, the serpent god of the ancient Aztecs. The area therefore posesses a great spiritual importance and draws healers and spiritual seekers from all over the world. One can find many massage therapy centers, traditional temazcals (sweat lodges) and all kinds of spiritual activities here as well as an abundance of spiritually meaningful objects, such as incense, crystals and the like. In the city center there is an artisan market every weekend and even organic food market on Fridays. There is also a museum and the Ex-Convento Dominico de la Natividad.
One of my favorite places to go is the local food market in the center. Here you can try typical foods from all parts of Mexico, as well as artisanal pre-Colombian dishes, such as armadillo meat, vegetable patties made with hibiscus flower, rose petals and herbs, dishes containing roasted grasshoppers - chapulines - and other exotic vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The market is set in a lower plane than the center and is completely covered by tarp, which makes me feel every time as if I was ascending to a mysterious place. While eating my breakfast I was offered some chapulines by a kind old Mexican lady, which became some of my favorite snacks here, although I only eat them occasionally. You can eat them with or without lemon juice and are prepared with garlic and various other spices. They are truly a unique delicacy and an acquired taste at such.
After having my breakfast at the market along with locals and tourists - at the fraction of the price of restaurants - I headed out for my trek up the Tepozteco. This is in my opinion the most fascinating part of Tepoztlán. The Tepozteco is the name of the ancient temple of Tepoztēcatl, the god of Pulque - a local alcoholic beverage made of agave - set at an altitude of 2150m, which is a steep 595m elevation gain considering that the hike up to the mountain is only about 2.5km-s long. But don’t be fooled by the short distance! This route can only covered through steps and you keep ascending as you go, with only a handful of platforms to rest along the way. It’s highly important that you have a relatively good fitness level and that you are used to altitude changes, otherwise it might become more of a struggle than an enjoyable hike. That said, people of all ages take on the mountain, from little children to the elderly, so if you want a worthwhile challenge, this one is definitely it.
It took me three hikes to the top to finally get access to the temple, which came as a result of unexpected weather conditions and changes in the opening hours. As I see it though, all three times were well worth the effort. As it stands right now, the Pyramids are only open from Wednesdays to Sundays between the hours of 9 AM and 5:30 PM, but it’s always worth double checking right before you go. I definitely recommend getting as much of an early start as you can. Both for the heat and for the crowds of people that take on the trek, especially on the weekends.
I hope you get the chance to visit this magical town. It certainly keeps drawing me back and I can see myself returning just as a form of personal pilgrimage. Have you already visited Tepoztlán? Share your experience in the comments!
