Today’s hike begins at the ruins of the never-completed Dominican monastery near the center of Cuilapam de Guerrero and proceeds on city streets and country lanes to Zaachila where the group will stop for lunch. The grand monastery was begun in 1555 but abandoned about 40 years later. The admission fee of 45 pesos will gain you entrance to the cloister area of the monastery at Cuilapam, the second floor of which is used to identify, catalog and store artifacts taken from archeological digs in the area. After spending about 30 minutes at the monastery, the group will commence hiking through south Cuilapam, then proceed along unpaved country roads to Zaachila, once the political capitol of the Zapotec empire. You will note the street names in Zaachila are in Zapotec. In the center of town we will explore the archeological site which was excavated in the mid-1960’s and features the tomb of Lord Nine Flower. There is a 65 pesos charge to enter the archeological zone. After the hike we will dine at the marketplace nearby.

Time frame: 9 am to 2 pm / Distance: 7.9 Km (4.9 Mi) / Elevation change: 86 meters (180 feet) / Type: point to point / Trail: city sidewalks & streets, unpaved roads / Exposure: full sun / Rating: easy to moderate

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