| El
Cielo Biosphere Reserve is a 144,530 hectare (356,442 acre)
biosphere reserve situated in the Sierra Madre Oriental in the
state of Tamaulipas in northeast Mexico.
The reserve is known for its spectacular cloud forest
that serves as a rainwater catchment for the low tropical forest
and commercial agricultural region to the east and southeast.
El Cielo was established in 1985 by the state Secretariat of
Social Development - Tamaulipas (SEDESOL) and the predecessor
agency to the federal Secretariat of the Environment, Natural
Resources, and Fisheries (SEMARNAP). However, it is managed by
SEDESOL, while SEMARNAP acts more as a silent partner. Shortly
after establishment, the United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
accepted El Cielo as a Man and the Biosphere Reserve (MAB)
of international significance.
Since I started my ecotourism studies in the reserve
in 1995, a variety of web pages have appeared on the world wide
web regarding the Reserve. Much of this research is already
featured in Planeta.com. Thus, there is no reason to go into
great detail about the magnificent flora and fauna of the area,
as it is available elsewhere. The missing information regarding
El Cielo is how to get there and where to go when you do, as
well as what to expect when you arrive. This article should
help you get started.
Arriving in El Cielo: Texas Border to Ciudad Victoria
El Cielo is relatively close to the Texas-Mexico border. If
you are driving from McAllen or Brownsville, Texas, the first
leg of the drive is to Ciudad
Victoria, the capital of Tamaulipas, about 320 km (202 miles)
from the border. Between the border and Cd. Victoria you'll
find only three or four Pemex gas stations. I would advise starting
off with a full tank of gas.
Once upon a time this leg of the trip could take up
to five hours when bus and tractor-trailer traffic was heavy.
However, a long series of high-speed, four-lane sections now
exist, and Mexican drivers often treat the two-lane sections
as four lanes, allowing faster drivers to pass. On the other
hand, military drug inspections have taken the place of slow
traffic. Mexico is attempting to demonstrate its commitment
to curtailing drug trafficking. On my August 1999, trip I was
"inspected" six times by friendly Mexican army troops.
You'll also pass through an ADUANA/Migracion inspection, as
well as an inspection by the federal police. Just smile, leave
your illicit items at home, including fish, yes, fish and used
and enjoy the security of knowing that few people on the highway
are carrying guns or aquafauna!
If you arrive in Cd. Victoria in March you'll smell
the sweet fragrance of orange blossoms blooming in nearby orchards
as you approach the city. For those of you intending to drive
straight through to El Cielo, buy gas as you arrive in Cd. Victoria
or immediately before leaving. You'll not find any Pemex stations
that are reliably open south of town, yet there are two on the
north side.
As you approach the interior of town stay in the left
lane. Turn left at the intersection with the sign to Tampico
(Highway 85 to Cd. Mante or Madero). This road will take you
to, or past, the Torre Gubernmental. The Government Tower houses
the offices of the SEDESOL Department of Ecology (8th floor)
which oversees the reserve. The city's bus station is also just
off this road, on the right, a few blocks before the Government
Tower.
Just as you approach the Government Tower, the only
multistory, mirrored building in sight, the highway splits.
Left is the highway, right takes you downtown. Go left unless
you plan to explore.
If you plan to stay overnight in El Cielo at the research
cabins at Canindo Station, you'll need to stop in the SEDESOL
office to obtain a permit. Arrive early, because you will have
to drive across town to pay the fee once you have obtained a
signed bill. You have to pay at the state fiscal office (closes
at 1:00 p.m.). Then you have to return to the SEDESOL office
with a paid receipt in order to obtain a "ticket"
or permission letter to take with you to El Cielo. The cost
to stay overnight is US$10 per night, plus a smaller fee to
enter with your vehicle. Obtaining permission to stay in the
research cabins in a real pain in the ass. You can easily waste
an entire day jumping through bureaucratic hoops. Alternative
places to stay are located in Alta Cima and San JosĪ.
Cd. Victoria to G“mez Far'as
The second leg of the trip takes about two and a half hours,
although it's only 85 km (~53 mi.). I've never clocked the exact
mileage for this portion of the drive because the distance does
not really matter. The road, while in good repair and much less
congested than before Cd. Victoria, becomes a mountainous, twisting,
turning slow tour. Take your time along this stretch, don't
drive it at night, and get used to driving very slow up the
hills behind 18-wheelers. Despite the slow truck traffic, I
find this to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip
because you have emerged out of the low coastal plain and into
the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental. From time to time
you pass through heavily vegetated cloud forest and then back
down through small ejidos. The challenge now is to find the
cut off to the Reserve. There is a sign indicating the road
to G“mez after you cross the steel-frame bridge over Rio Sabinas.
One kilometer past the Rio Sabinas bridge, look for a paved
road to the right. At this intersection is a bus stop in the
middle of a Y, or triangular intersection. This is the road
to the town of G“mez Far'as, which, for clarification, is the
capital of the municipio of G“mez Far'as that encompasses much
of the area. A municipio is similar to a large county or parish
in the U.S.
On the way to G“mez there is a cut off to the left.
This dirt road takes you to the ejido of El Naciamiento. If
you're looking for a diversion, ask for directions, or, once
you're in Naciamiento, look for a road to the right that will
take you to a local swimming hole (Balneario Florida). This
is a great place to wash the road grit off and stretch your
legs. If you are a bird lover, don't miss this stop, as this
is one of the better places to glimpse avifauna inhabiting the
low tropical forest. If you're hungry, there is a restaurant
called La Bocatoma that serves longostino, or river lobster.
This is excellent eating for a very low price.
Back on the road to G“mez you'll find yourself climbing
up and traveling along a ridge. The town is situated on this
ridge and one road serves the whole community. This is where
you'll want to stock up on fresh snacks or cold beverages. You
can make a phone call at the telefono rural at the 20-year old
La Cabaña Comedor (restaurant) next to the palacio municipal.
(Note to computer users, take a short telephone cord with you,
you'll need a 'male' end to plug into the wall to make a data
connection.) Across the street is the tourism office of the
Direcci“n de Turismo Municipal. They have some information about
the area.
The Hotel Posada Campestre has seven clean rooms in
G“mez. Six rooms have double beds, hot water, televisions, and
fans for N$170 per night. One room sleeps four, check on the
price of this room when you arrive. Campestre also has a limited
amount of space for camping. The fee is N$150 for up to eight
people. You can hire a driver/truck here to do a round-trip
excursion to Alta Cima for N$1000. Reservations: 01 (123) 2-66-71.
When this was written, the access to the Reserve was
free and open. This may change in the future, although it hasn't
in five years, as SEDESOL is trying to develop a way to help
support their management activities in the Reserve. Expect to
have to pay a nominal fee in the future.
To Alta Cima
The hour drive up to Alta Cima is rough and rocky. Four wheel
drive is not required, but high clearance helps. Although, I've
seen VW bugs and vans, as well as small pickup trucks in Alta
Cima, I wouldn't recommend a low-slung automobile. One couple
e-mailed me after they returned from their first trip to Alta
Cima to complain that they had punctured the fuel tank of their
camper/pickup truck because I wrote that pickups could make
the trip. Be prudent in your choice of driving in rough country.
There is no one to repair campers in Alta Cima.
If you happen to arrive in G“mez by bus (bus service
arrives daily from Cd. Mante) you might be able to catch a rare
ride up the mountain with someone, or hire a truck for about
US$50-60, which is a steep price, but not bad for a large group
(not a bad pun either).
In Alta Cima you will find La Fe (The Faith), a store
with sodas, homemade wine, and a small variety of other locally
produced goods. Behind the store is a restaurant that serves
local food. The local food is very basic, consisting of more
tortillas than any one person can eat, rice, eggs, black beans,
nopales (cactus) when in season, and available meats (often
just charizo, sometimes canned tuna fish). Instant coffee is
always available, as well as softdrinks (Coca cola with real
sugar, Orange Crush, and Escuis Roja). They don't use menus,
but meals are around N$25 (US$3) each.
I would not want to characterize Planeta.com readers
as insensitive travelers, but please keep your cultural sensitivity
on alert when you order a food or beverage and find they don't
have it. You may say, "I'm in rural Mexico and that wouldn't
bother me," but I've seen visiting Texas Tech entomology
students whining, getting mad, and raising their voices because
the ladies at La Fe didn't have a Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke.
La Fe is more than a store/restaurant, it is the hub
of activity in Alta Cima. People meet here, eat here, and you
can get most information here. The restaurant opens around 8
a.m. and closes around 6 p.m. each day; often earlier on Sunday
when most visitors have gone. Last time I was there I asked
what time they opened so I could eat breakfast. The reply was,
"what time would you like to eat." If you want to
stay in the rustic hotel El Pino or camp, just ask one of the
ladies at La Fe. If your Spanish is poor, try to ask for a room,
smile a lot, and wait. A man will soon arrive to take you to
the hotel. Or, you can open the gate next to La Fe (be sure
to close it behind you) and drive the .4km (.25 mile) or so
to the hotel.
El Pino was built by the Alta Cima Men's Coop and is
operated by a rotating shift of local men in the cooperativa.
You can camp on the hotel grounds (N$10/night) too if you choose.
No one is there at night to open the rooms or gate, so arrive
during the day if possible (at least during daylight hours).
Each room has a solar powered fluorescent lamp and four beds.
The bathrooms are separate from the rooms and a sink is outside,
next to the showers. The price is N$70/double/night. A newer
building has private bathrooms in three rooms. Ask about the
price of these rooms.
If no one has told you about rural Mexican toilets yet,
I'll take this opportunity to do it here: First, always carry
your own toilet paper. Generally, used toilet paper in Mexico
goes in the trash can next to the toilet, not in the toilet.
To flush, look around for a bucket and either a faucet or a
barrel filled with water. Fill the bucket and pour the water
in the toilet bowl. The weight of the water flushes the toilet.
If at first you don't succeed (with the flushing), use more
water and try again.
The choices of daytime activities are plentiful around
Alta Cima. You can hire a guide or a pack animal if you ask
at La Fe. The Servicios de Gu'as and Servicio de Transportaci“n
Animal are both operated by the men's coop. Below is a guide
to the services provided. The prices were current in August
1999:
Servicios de Gu'as
Five persons or less. Campesino guides with a general
knowledge of biological and cultural information.
Alta Cima to El Salto (4 km) N$50
A pleasant hike up a narrow canyon that finally dead ends into
a waterfall during wet weather. Caution: Rocks may be slippery.
Alta Cima to Casa de Piedra (6 km) N$50
A hike along the road leading up a nearby mountain that ultimately
ends up in a pine forest/meadow. Look for a clear stream in
wet weather. Take plenty of water and expect to hike up hill
to get there.
Alta Cima to San JosĪ (7 km) N$50
San JosĪ is the next ejido up the mountain. The hike
is mostly up hill to get there.
Alta Cima to Rancho El Cielo N$50
Alta Cima to La Perra N$80
La Perra is an old sawmill town. No structures remain,
but it is located in the nucleus zone of the reserve in an open
field. It's a nice change of scenery.
San JosĪ to Joya Obscura N$50
San JosĪ to La Gloria N$50
San JosĪ to Cueva del Infiernillo N$50
This is an interesting cave where you can see the water
table in a clear lake within the cave. No bats, unfortunately.
La Gloria to El Elefante N$50
La Gloria to Las Palomas N$50
Servicios de Interpretaci“n
Five people or less.
Sendero El Vigia (about 3 km/45 minutes) N$30
This easy trail is around the hill next to La Fe. Look for a
cave and a variety of lichens and bromeliads, as well as a great
view.
Sendero El Oso (2 hours) N$50
Birdwatching (4 hours) N$80
This is a walk from Alta Cima to Casa Piedra.
Palmilla Habitat (5 hours) N$80
Photo 'Safari' (5 hours) N$90
San JosĪ to Joya Obscura
Servicio de Transportaci“n Animal
The sign reads "No carque como burro, mejor viaje en burro!
Burros o mulas. Caballos s“lo para montar."
Prices are quoted per person/four
bags of 10kg in pesos. |
Burro/Mule |
Horse |
| Alta Cima to San JosĪ (7 km) |
40 |
50 |
| Alta Cima to Casa Piedra (6 km) |
40 |
50 |
| Alta Cima to Rancho El Cielo (10 km) |
80 |
100 |
| San JosĪ to La Gloria |
40 |
50 |
| La Gloria to El Elefante |
40 |
50 |
| La Gloria to Manantales |
60 |
70 |
Servicio de Transportaci“n Vehiculo
- G“mez Far'as to Alta Cima N$300
- G“mez Far'as to Casa Piedra N$900
- G“mez Far'as to San JosĪ N$1000
- G“mez Far'as to La Gloria N$1200
- Alta Cima to Casa Piedra N$700
- Alta Cima to San JosĪ N$800
- Alta Cima to La Gloria N$1000
- Alta Cima to Manantiales $1500
Canindo Station
Canindo Station is 7 km (4.3 miles) beyond Alta Cima. To get
there you must either walk or have a rugged four wheel drive
vehicle. The rocks on the road can be very slippery during wet
weather, thus making the road dangerous. Pay attention if you
drive it. There are numerous steep grades along the slick rock
road.
At the station there are several cabañas, most have
cold running water, indoor plumbing, and solar powered lighting.
You must have paid at the SEDESOL office in Cd. Victoria, or
obtained permission via fax in order to stay overnight. No food
is available. The phone/fax number for SEDESOL's Office of Ecology
is (5) 2-32-42. Don't expect to communicate in English. The
caretaker of the research station is Don Goyo. Often you will
have to go find him at his home in San JosĪ if you are not expected.
San JosĪ
San JosĪ is about .8 km (.5 mile) beyond Canindo. San JosĪ has
little in the way of services for the visitor although a 'hotel'
is in the works. You might find someone selling fresh sweet
bread or be able to buy a meal at Don Goyo's house. His wife,
Doña Romanita, often cooks simple meals for tourists. There
is also a very small store with sodas, coffee, and cookies.
You'll see it, it's the little red building next to the abandoned
truck body beyond the church.
Visitors can camp in and around the ejido. For some
privacy you can follow the road veering to the left and go into
the next valley to camp. Please remember to take out what you
carry in. There is no trash service here, or anywhere in the
Reserve for that matter. If you follow the road to this valley,
you will come to a trail that follows a cascading stream through
a narrow canyon. Go up the trail along the stream and it will
eventually take you all the way back to San JosĪ if you stick
to right turns at any trail intersections.
Two large caves are near San JosĪ off of the road to
El Elefante. Inquire with the locals for a guide. These caves
provide much needed cool, refreshing air in the midst of a warm,
humid forest.
If you go to El Cielo, buy from the locals, pick up
your trash, and keep the radio low or leave it at home. Trash
left behind by tourists is the biggest complaint of the local
people. The second biggest complaint is that people pass through
without spending any money. Your spending is your business,
but keep this in mind: the average weekly income for a working
adult in Alta Cima is US$3 and unemployment due to the lack
of any industry base is 70%.
Terra
Nostra, a nongovernmental organization that works with the
people of El Cielo provides a communication link between travelers
and the people in El Cielo.
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