Description

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The 6-day Tour will begin on the day following the Conference, Thursday, October 9. We will explore oak-rich sites in the State of Oaxaca and return, most nights, to our hotel in Oaxaca. Each day will take us to a different site with contrasting oak species and landscapes. We will spend one night in Yanhuitlán, so as to have two days to explore the UNESCO Global Geopark Mixteca Alta. Note that the Tour package includes the night of October 8, and Tour participants not already staying in the Conference hotel (Hotel Victoria, which is also the Tour hotel) should transfer hotels on the last day of the Conference.

 

Thursday, October 9: San Pablo Etla. Located just 14 km north of Oaxaca City, the municipality of San Pablo Etla lies within the Oaxacan Central Valleys and extends into the lower foothills of the Sierra de Juárez, an area rich in oak species. It is a celebrated destination for ecotourism and birdwatching, home to voluntary conservation zones and reforestation projects.

 

Friday, October 10: We will cross an amazing altitudinal transect from San Bautista Cuicatlán to Santos Reyes Pápalo, where we will see the transition from tropical dry forests to temperate forests with more than 10 oak species along the way.

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Saturday, October 11: Our destination for the day is Ixtlán de Juárez, where we will find species typical of the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca, including Q. laurina, Q. castanea, Q. crassifolia, and the microendemic Q. macdougallii.

 

Sunday & Monday, October 12 & 13: We will head for Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán, where the headquarters of UNAM’s Geopark are located, in the heart of the Mixteca Alta region. We will explore the outstanding landscapes and be able to appreciate many species including Q. rugosa, Q. glaucoides, Q. liebmannii, Q. conzattii, and the enigmatic Q. “Autopista".

 

Tuesday, October 14: El Árbol del Tule (Taxodium mucronatum), our goal for the day, is one of the largest and oldest living organisms on earth. With a trunk diameter of about 14.5 m, a crown width of 58 m, a height of 42 m, and an age of more than 2,000 years, this spectacular tree is one of the highlights of central Oaxaca. After visiting the tree, we will have the opportunity to visit the magnificent ancient city of Monte Albán, capital of the Zapotecs and one of the most important Mesoamerican cities during the classic period. 

 

The Tour will end in Oaxaca on the evening of Tuesday, October 14 (lodging for that night is included in the Tour package).

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​The map below shows the approximate itinerary of the Post-Conference Tour:

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