Two hours north of the city, the air turns cool and pine-scented. This is the Sierra Norte, home to the Pueblos Mancomunados — eight Zapotec villages that share their land and run a pioneering ecotourism project.
A trail network
More than 100 km of footpaths link the villages through cloud forest and mountain ridges above 3,000 m. You can do anything from a half-day walk to a multi-day village-to-village trek.
What makes it special
- Community-run cabañas, guides and comedores
- Birdlife, waterfalls and viewpoints
- Cooler weather — a perfect escape from the valley heat
Get a taste of the mountains
Prefer a day trip? Our Sierra Juárez glass-viewpoint tour samples the same highlands.
