Montebello, the bluest lakes of México

Chiapas is not like any other state in the republic; it is one of those places where nature, gastronomy, and culture converge in an almost magical way. Here there is everything from a village lost in the mountains, a jungle, a border, to a place called Montebello, where the bluest lakes in Mexico are located.

Although these eyes of water look like a group of deep pools at first glance, in reality, they are “uvalas”, ancient cenotes that for natural causes became lakes and formed a network of at least 60 aquatic bodies that have 6022 hectares of extension. The depth of the lakes varies from three and seven meters to the deepest of 162 and 198 meters. The most striking features of this place are its distinctive turquoise and emerald hues and its location, as they are located south of Chiapas, right on the unnoticed border between Mexico and Guatemala.

It should be noted that Montebello is currently a Natural Protected Area, and thanks to its beauty, in 1959, it was declared a National Park. In 2009 UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve MAB (Man and the Biosphere).

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Flora and fauna of the Montebello Lakes, México

But beyond the water, these lakes are covered by a beautiful atmosphere. They are surrounded by a cloud forest of pine and oak trees. Here you can find up to 50 species of orchids and at least 93 types of mushrooms.

As far as its fauna is concerned, here you can find 65 types of mammals and 35 types of reptiles. Although all of them are valuable, the most important of this site is its birds, since it is estimated that 277 varieties of birds live here. For this reason, this space is considered an area of importance for the conservation of these animals. Of these species, 106 are endangered, and 27 are endemic to the region; among them is the quetzal, a sacred bird for the Maya.

Tziscao, the natural park of the Montebello Lakes

The Tziscao Ecotourism Natural Park is located within the Montebello Lakes. It is famous for its natural beauty because of the leading lakes of this area; the Pojoj, Cinco Lagos, and the International Lake that serves as the border between Mexico and Guatemala. On the other hand, the largest lake in the park is Tzicao, which has a surface area of 200 hectares and is surrounded by hills and ravines.

The communities in charge of the care and preservation of the village are the Mam and Chuj. They welcome visitors and are in charge of preserving the beauty of this site. They also prepare unique homemade food in Chiapas.

Escape from routine and relax

Connect with nature in Mexico: Montebello Lakes
Activities offered by Junkolal

Here in the turquoise heart of Mexico, you can live a unique agro-ecotourism experience since, in addition to getting to know the beauty of this great forest, you can actively help the communities to preserve this paradise where they were born. Among the activities that can be done here, there is the opportunity to taste the local and organic coffee and honey, you can learn about nature with the inhabitants of the area and as if that were not enough, enjoy the starry sky with a campfire made with logs from the river bank.

It is advisable to get up early to take a walk and see how the colors of the lake change at dawn. In the afternoons you can spend your time kayaking, biking or even fishing. There is also hiking around the lakes, as some are only accessible on foot.

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The Montebello lakes are a must-see paradise in Chiapas. In addition, the village of Tziscao is responsible for making a cultural union between Guatemala and Mexico.

Montebello lakes is a destination verified by Rutopia entirely away from any tourist route.