| I met Rubén Cortés a couple of weeks | | | | the temple of Ometochtli (the pre-hispanic |
| ago during my stay in Cuernavaca when he | | | | rabbit god of liquor) and then do some |
| filled me in on a variety cultural and | | | | rock-climbing or use ropes to practice your |
| adventure sports tours that his company | | | | descents. |
| provides in the Mexican state of Morelos. In | | | | |
| addition, he took me on a 2 hour hike through | | | | - Chalcatzingo: Located among the higher |
| the "Barranca de Santa Maria", one of the | | | | mountains of Morelos, this is one of the one |
| many ravines in the city of Cuernavaca, where | | | | most ancient archeological zones of Mexico, |
| we walked beside a tiny river through a | | | | dating to 1500 B.C. Here you can also |
| forested area to a local trout farm. It was a | | | | rock-climb and rappel. |
| fascinating hike through somewhat challenging | | | | |
| terrain that introduced me to the fauna and | | | | - Chimalacatlán: Here you can enter into |
| flora around Cuernavaca. The most interesting | | | | the depths of a temperate rainforest, cross |
| thing about this walk was seeing the variety | | | | the entire state and admire one of the last |
| of rubber pipes that local families use to | | | | natural frontiers of Morelos. You can go |
| tap into the river to deliver water to their | | | | horse-back riding and reach an archeological |
| homes since they live in areas without | | | | zone located at the top of a mountain, also |
| municipal water supply. We also met a local | | | | among the most ancient zones of Mexico. |
| family who was doing their washing in the | | | | |
| river, again a very interesting vignette of | | | | 8. You also provide guided tours of the |
| local life in Mexico. | | | | museums of Cuernavaca. Please elaborate. |
| | | | |
| Rubén runs two hotels in the Cuernavaca | | | | There are a variety of different museums in |
| area and also started a tour company last | | | | Cuernavaca, we can offer you a variety of |
| year that provides local cultural tours as | | | | guided tours: |
| well as adventure travel. Rubén filled me | | | | |
| in on the variety of cultural and adventure | | | | - The Cuahunauac Museum was the palace of |
| activities in the area surrounding | | | | Hernan Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico. It |
| Cuernavaca: | | | | also used to be a jail and now you can find a |
| | | | great mural by Diego Rivera. |
| 1. Please tell us a little about yourself and | | | | |
| your background . | | | | Museo Muros: this art museum has the greatest |
| | | | collection of contemporary Mexican art, with |
| I am a certified excursionist & cultural | | | | paintings by Diego Rivera, David Alfaro |
| guide, as well as a PADI scuba diving | | | | Siqueiros, Rufino Tamayo, Frida Kahlo, and |
| instructor, with recognition by SECTUR | | | | many more. |
| (Tourism Secretary of Mexico). I started my | | | | |
| own company "Morelos Trails" last year, and | | | | - The Borda Gardens: This property used to be |
| we offer complete touristic services | | | | the weekend house of the Emperor Maximilian |
| (adventure, culture & nature) in the states | | | | of Habsburg during the French occupation of |
| of central Mexico states, with a special | | | | Mexico in the 19th century. |
| emphasis on the State of Morelos. | | | | |
| | | | - The Robert Brady museum: An eclectic |
| I speak English, Italian, and of course | | | | collection of art from all parts of the |
| Spanish. I studied at "La Salle University" | | | | world, donated to the city by Mr. Brady, an |
| and got a degree in International Business. I | | | | American painter and millionaire who used to |
| have been working as the general manager of a | | | | live in this house. |
| small hotel in downtown Cuernavaca, the | | | | |
| "Hotel Royal" , since 1997 and as a scuba | | | | - Etnobotanic museum: Here you can discover |
| diving instructor at "Cuernavaca Gold's Gym" | | | | over 5000 species of plants in Mexico and |
| and at "Las Estacas", a natural river park. | | | | learn about the medicinal proprieties of |
| | | | these plants. |
| 2. How did you come up with the idea to | | | | |
| create an adventure travel company? You | | | | 9. You also provide tours of "ex conventos", |
| mentioned that a trip to British Columbia had | | | | former convents created by Spanish monks. |
| a major influence on you in terms of your | | | | Please give is an overview of their |
| interest in nature, please tell us more. | | | | locations, their history and the tours that |
| | | | you provide. |
| Well, the original idea for the creation of | | | | |
| my company came about as a result of my | | | | These former convents were among the first in |
| thesis at the university (Marketing as an | | | | the Americas. They are very interesting |
| alternative for exporting tourist services in | | | | because their locations are very close to the |
| the State of Morelos). I discovered that in | | | | Popocatepetl volcano. These convents have |
| the State of Morelos and in central Mexico we | | | | beautiful wall paintings and they have also |
| have a lot of points of interest for | | | | been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. |
| travellers, including national parks and | | | | |
| biosphere reserves. The fact that there was a | | | | We provide 5 different tours, depending on |
| real absence of professional adventures | | | | the distance and the number of ex conventos |
| companies in the area pushed me to start on | | | | you want to see. There are a total of 11 |
| the project. | | | | former convents and it is feasible to see |
| | | | them all in one day during a whirlwind tour |
| And as you said, a trip to British Columbia, | | | | where much of the time is spent in the car. |
| crossing from Seattle to Juneau with my | | | | We also offer less compressed tours where you |
| family in a camper vehicle 18 years ago, | | | | see a smaller number of former convents and |
| planted the seed for my love and passion for | | | | have more time to explore the main features |
| nature and culture, which have become my main | | | | of each one. |
| hobbies. | | | | |
| | | | 10. Morelos Trails also offers a variety of |
| 3. Please tell us a little bit about | | | | Scuba courses and certifications. Please tell |
| Cuernavaca and the cultural and sports | | | | us about these opportunities. |
| opportunities that this region offers. | | | | |
| | | | The State of Morelos offers great |
| Cuernavaca is known as the city of | | | | opportunities to begin your diving experience |
| everlasting spring. It is blessed with one of | | | | at one of the crystal clear rivers. You have |
| the best climates in the world, and for | | | | the option of becoming certified with the |
| centuries this feature has attracted a lot of | | | | PADI credential if you complete a course. The |
| historic characters, from Aztecs emperors to | | | | final exams can be completed in Acapulco or |
| famous painters and scientists such as Diego | | | | in Veracruz, two places with great beaches |
| Rivera or Alexander von Humboldt. The culture | | | | and lots of fun. |
| and history of Mexico is featured at | | | | |
| Cuernavaca's museums, mansions, churches and | | | | 11. What about alternative sports? What |
| archeological zones. | | | | sports do you offer and in which locations |
| | | | are these sports activities available? |
| The State of Morelos as a region offers | | | | |
| everything you can imagine, from rafting, to | | | | We offer the following alternative sports: |
| excursions in temperate rainforests, pine | | | | |
| forests, natural wall climbing in the canyons | | | | - Rafting at the Amacuzac river, the largest |
| (the so-called "barrancas"), scuba diving in | | | | river in Morelos. A full-day tour is |
| crystal clear rivers, and culture at the | | | | available only during rainy season. |
| archeological zones (of which there are more | | | | |
| than 10), and at the former monasteries | | | | - Flying an ultra-light plane: these small |
| dating back to the 16th century. We even have | | | | planes have no exterior walls, so you can |
| prehistoric paintings in this area. | | | | feel the wind on your face and body during |
| | | | the entire time that it takes to fly above |
| 4. You know a lot about the geological | | | | Tequesquitengo Lake, the largest lake of |
| history and topographical situation of | | | | Morelos. |
| Cuernavaca. Please give us an overview. | | | | |
| | | | - A speleology walk underground for 3 or 5 |
| Cuernavaca is located at the south end of a | | | | hours, following a subterranean river that |
| neo-volcanic zone, so the inactive volcanoes | | | | lets you discover complete darkness while |
| of the north absorb all the humidity and | | | | learning more about geology. |
| produce frequent rains which provides a | | | | |
| source of fresh water to the city. The water | | | | - High mountain climbing at one of the 3 |
| descends from the volcanoes to the city in | | | | tallest volcanoes in Mexico - Iztaccihuatl, a |
| streams that produce natural canyons known as | | | | 2-day tour in the company of a specialized |
| "barrancas". These ravines vary in size and | | | | guide. |
| the larger ones reach 50 m of depth and 150 m | | | | |
| in length. Cuernavaca is crossed by more than | | | | 12. You offer interesting local hiking |
| 20 "barrancas" and among other things, this | | | | excursions within the Cuernavaca city limits. |
| unique topographical situation makes it | | | | Please tell us about those. |
| difficult to plan the streets and services | | | | |
| for the city. | | | | In Cuernavaca we have two different kinds of |
| | | | hiking excursions: the more basic one |
| 5. Your family also operates a hotel in | | | | consists of a walk through the Santa Maria |
| Cuernavaca. Please provide us with | | | | ravine, where you can follow a little stream |
| information about that. | | | | and visit a trout farm. Here you can you also |
| | | | enjoy a nice meal in beautiful surroundings. |
| The Hotel Royal is a small, economic and | | | | There is enough time to visit the city on the |
| clean place where you can comfortably spend | | | | same day. |
| the night. Our rates are inexpensive, and we | | | | |
| focus on offering you a comfortable place of | | | | The other excursion is a bit more physically |
| rest after a day full of action outside. You | | | | demanding and requires you to be in better |
| can visit our web site to get more | | | | shape. The hike goes across the undeveloped |
| information: | | | | ravines of west Cuernavaca. This is an |
| | | | all-day hike and finishes in the village of |
| 6. Please tell us about Hotel Villa Royal in | | | | Cuentepec, a small town where the locals |
| Puente de Ixtla. | | | | still speak the indigenous language of |
| | | | Nahuatl. |
| The Hotel Villa Royal is a place to rest, it | | | | |
| is a very small hotel with only 7 rooms and a | | | | 13. Where do your customers come from and |
| pool, located in the town of Puente de Ixtla. | | | | what type of experience are they looking for? |
| We provide personalized service and attention | | | | |
| to your unique needs. More information is | | | | Most of the customers for our tours come from |
| available on our web site as well. | | | | the United States or from Europe, and they |
| | | | are looking for a combination of culture and |
| 7. Please tell us about the tours you provide | | | | nature experiences. |
| of archeological zones in and around | | | | |
| Cuernavaca. | | | | 14. What is the demand for adventure sports |
| | | | and nature experiences in Mexico right now? |
| In Cuernavaca we offer a tour to the | | | | |
| archeological zone of Teopanzolco. This zone | | | | The demand for these experiences is high in |
| is very important because the main temple is | | | | the beach destinations such as Cancun, La Paz |
| a scale copy of the great temple of | | | | or Puerto Vallarta, but in central Mexico we |
| Tenochtitlán (now in Mexico City), which | | | | are just starting to promote these |
| was destroyed. | | | | opportunities to travellers and we are |
| | | | letting our future visitors know about the |
| Other important places that combine adventure | | | | great possibilities offered in the State of |
| and archeology are: | | | | Morelos. |
| | | | |
| - Xochicalco: A United Nationals World | | | | Thank you, Rubén, for taking your time to |
| Heritage Site, not to be missed if you come | | | | tell us about the broad variety of cultural |
| to Morelos. | | | | and adventure opportunities available in the |
| | | | Cuernavaca region. All the best to your young |
| - Tepoztlán: Climb the mountain to reach | | | | company! |