Magical Mexico Photo Tour – Last Mayans Edition
"Sina made this experience unique because of the love she has for Mexico and for the indigenous people she has made her friends. I can guarantee you that there is not another tour in Mexico that goes where we went and does what we did." — Vera Hershenberg, USA
Welcome to Sina Falker's Magical Mexico photo tour workshop! Mexico is one of the most photogenic countries in the world, with diverse and colorful cultures to go with a stunningly beautiful variety of landscapes & wildlife.
This trip is designed & led by award winning German travel photographer Sina Falker, who calls Mexico her second home. She speaks fluent Spanish, English and German, and is deeply connected to the people here. Most especially to the last Mayans, whose 3,000 year old culture is quickly vanishing into greater Mexico. Getting to know and document the last of those living traditionally in the jungles of Chiapas presents a rare and wonderful opportunity.
The Mayan sections of the journey include the awe inspiring pyramids of the Yucatan, where among other things you will have specially arranged night photography access at both Tulum and Chichén Itzá. Imagine the stars shining brilliantly under a long exposure, with a great pyramid in the foreground…awesome! Don’t worry if you are not familiar with this type of image making, as Sina will teach a workshop on how to best capture these images, including the editing process.
Things just get better as the trip goes on… In the Chiapas jungle, past the many striking turquoise pools and waterfalls, you will spend a full day of quality time with the Lacandon Mayans, including an authentic Lacandon dinner feast. The Lacandon, who remained hidden from the Spanish conquistadores and were not discovered until the 20th century, now number less than 300.
In addition to traditional Mayan life, other cultural and photographic highlights include the “Flying Men of Papantla”, and the Ballet Folklórico of Mérida. There are a variety of landscapes and wildlife, plus three stunning cenotes (naturally lit sunken caves with azure blue pools), in the Yucatan. Two are remote and virtually untouched by travelers.
Sina and her logistics people will always have you in the right places at the right time for the best possible light. This Mexico photo tour takes place during the late Mexican winter, when temps are mild, the flora is lush, the colors vibrant, and the mountain landscapes tend to have excellent visibility. The variety and abundance of high quality photo ops over the two week period is something no travel photographer worth their salt will want to miss.
To get some personal insight into how Sina works in the field, please check out this great article on Photography Life.
Photo Tour Highlights
Tulum & Chichén Itzá Under the Stars
Last Mayans - The Lacandon
Private Model Shoot – Jungle of Muyil
Unique Mayan Pyramids of Uxmal
Remote Cenote Caves w. Azure Blue Water
Yucatán Ballet Folklórico – Private Shoot
The Flying Men of Papantla
Wild Jungle Waterfalls of Chiapas
The Wonderful People & Cuisine of Mexico!
Itinerary Brief
Magical Mexico Photo Tour - Last Mayans Edition
Day 1 – Cancún Arrival – Welcome to MÉXICO!
Group orientation and travel photography workshop will be conducted by Sina at our hotel near the beach starting at 4 pm. She will cover some key points on the itinerary that showcase the unique nature of Mexico and tips on how to best take advantage of its extraordinary photo opportunities during this Mexico photo tour workshop. The Cancún lighthouse shoot and special Welcome Dinner follow.
Day 2 – Cancún – Tulum – Of Flying Men & Starry Ruins
Arrive in Mayan Tulum early afternoon to see the “Flying Men of Papantla” and photograph their breathtaking performance on a rotating tower. Afrer lunch we meet again with these “Voladores” and have a private photo shoot in a jungle with an open cenote! Tonight at Tulum we will be the only ones there to photograph the exquisite ancient temple scene at nightfall, utelizing slow shutter speeds.
Day 3 – Tulum – Muyil – Colorful Huipil & Temples Wild After our exciting night shoot, we enjoy a free morning. In the afternoon we will photograph the ruins of Muyil – only few tourists stray into this magic place. Afterwards in a nearby jungle we meet a model wearing a traditional Mayan attire, the "huipil". During a walk through the dense green we will portray the young Mayan woman in this very extraordinary ambience. Dinner tonight in a surprise location!
Day 4 – Tulum – Valladolid – A Cave of Light and a Rural Mayan Village
We leave Tulum to visit a grotto-like cenote with crystal-clear blue water. After this somewhat otherworldly excursion, we drive to the colonial city of Valladolid. After lunch, we meet a Mayan family in a remote village to learn about and photograph traditional life in rural Yucatán. Our last photo stop for today will be a very special cenote. off the beaten path and rarely visited by other travellers. It's an enthralling place to be!
Day 5 – Valladolid – Rio Lagartos – Azure Blues & Vivid Pinks
Again we venture remote to a magical cenote rarely seen by travelers. You will be blown away being inside this massive, sunken cave w/ its azure blue water. Here you will have an opportunity to photograph a Mayan ceremony. Then we head to Río Lagartos. First for a photo walk in the vibrant fishing village of San Felipe, followed by a meet up with wildlife & landscape phoptographer William Cruz Canto. A private boat will be your perch as we photograph bright pink flamingos, crocodiles and other coastal denizens.
Day 6 – Valladolid - Chichén Itzá – Modern Day, Ancient Night
Free time morning to do as you please, including sleep in! Optional day trip to the historic city center and colorful Mayan market. Early afternoon drive to the legendary Chichén Itzá. Some rest at the hotel and for anyone interetesd, Sina will conduct a workshop on image editing, Lightroom and Photoshop, with a focus on night sky-scape photography. Tonight a glorious highlight of this Mexico photo tour awaits - Chichén Itzá under the stars! This is a permit only shoot which is never 100% certain in Mexico, but we have always succeeded in the past.
Day 7 Chichén Itzá – Spanish Hacienda- Morning Dreams, Hacienda Fiesta
After the long great night of shooting under the stars, a well earned Free Time morning is all yours! After lunch we venture south past Mérida to a Spanish Colonial Hacienda where we spend the night. The region is known for its expressive dance performances in colorful costumes, which we will photograph tomorrow, But this afternoon we get to photograph Mexicans on the hacienda during the traditional production of sisal, a derivitive of agave used to make rope. This evening is a fiesta, with Yucatecan specialties and local adult beverages.
Day 8 – Hacienda – Uxmal – Yucatán Dance & Spanish Hacienda
Today we spoil you with a private performance of the Ballet Folklórico of Mérida, with unencumbered freedom to photograph! The performance takes place at the Hacienda in grand old rooms and agave fields! A private performance just for us follows, with various dances in traditional Yucatán regalia. Portait sessions in the hacienda gardens wrap up the very memorable afternoon. Next we travel to the unique & fascinating ruins of Uxmal. There we have a relaxed evening with optional image review at our gorgeous hotel near the ruins.
Day 9 – Uxmal – Palenque – Unique Pyramids & the Road to Palenque
Uxmal was an inimitable Mayan Dynasty in many ways, including its beautiful & massive pyramid structures with their detailed stone carved facades. The grounds do not open until 8 am, but we will be the first to enter the UNESCO World Heritage site and take advantage of some awesome clean frames. After lunch we will say goodbye to the Mayan peninsula of Yucatán and head south to Palenque in the state of Chiapas, with photo stops along the way.
Day 10 – Palenque – Chiapas – Jungle Waterfalls & The Last Mayans
Jungle falls galore today! The river winds through the jungle for several miles with multiple waterfalls and turquoise pools until finally going over a cliff’s edge. It’s a brilliant opportunity to get stunning long exposure photographs. Then continue deeper into the Chiapas rainforest to the region of the last Lacandon Mayans, and our charming Eco Lodge. There we meet the Lacandon and go for a cultural photography deep dive.
Day 11 – Chiapas Jungle - Day of the Lacandon
An extraordinary opportunity to befriend and document the last of the Lacandon Mayans is yours today. The once lost Mayans are now – due to assimilation into Mexican culture – the Last Mayans. We have a full day here to visit with and photograph the Lacandon. In their houses, in their rainforest of giant tropical trees, etc. This wonderful day will end with joy and laughter over an authentic Mayan dinner.
Day 12 – Chiapas Jungle – Villahermosa - Cancun – Vaya con Dios! Saying goodbye is never easy, but you return with unforgetable experiences and a portfolio that has no doubt jumped up a level. This morning we set off for Villahermosa with our guide to catch the ealiest flight back to Cancun. We arrive in the evening so you will want to plan for a flight out tomorrow. Or if you prefer to relax on the white beaches of the Caribbean and need a few good tips, we are happy to help!
Note: Approximately 100 days prior to photo tour start date, you will receive a 30+ page Magical Mexico photo tour pdf with full details, inc. visas, hotels, flights, equipment, etc. Also please note that small changes in the tour or sequencing of the photo shoots may occur. Discovering new, unplanned things in such a diverse country with its lively inhabitants is also part of the experience.
Workshops on Photoshop and Lightroom, as well as opportunities for image review, can all be flexibly integrated into a suitable timeframe as your Mexico photo tour unfolds.
What’s Included in the Price of Your Mexico Photo Tour?
Included:
Pick-up at the airport
Photo Tour Leader – Speaks fluent English, Spanish & German
Local English speaking guides
All tour accommodation
All meals (water included)
All tour ground transport
One in-country flight
Local model & entrance fees
Excluded:
International flights to and from Mexico
Any kind of insurance (Trip cancellation, medical, etc.)
Medical expenses
Other personal expenses
Tips for local guides and staff
Drinks at Meals other than water
Any OYO excursions
Getting Cultural
More Knowledge – Better Pictures
The Maya Lacandons
In the Selva Lacandona, a rainforest area in southern Mexico, the last Mayas were able to survive undiscovered for many centuries. Their escape from the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century enabled them to live out the traditions of their ancestors in peace. Only when they came into contact with our civilization about 100 years ago the time of change began.
The Lacandons call themselves Hach Winik, the “True Men”. For many decades, research interest from all over the world has been directed towards them, including by documentary photographers. But hardly anyone tried to make them aware of how important the preservation of this heritage is for the survival of their own culture. The Lacandons believe that all things in this world have a soul and are connected to each other. But the close connection to nature and its gods seems to disappear more and more.
The population of the Maya Lacandons nowadays counts a little less than 300 people, as more of them move to towns and cities and assimilate with Mexican culture. Their mother language is still the Yucatec Maya Lacandon. The children start learning their second language, Spanish, as soon as they get to school. It’s language that does not easily transalte into the traditional Maya way of thinking and interacting the world.
Fiesta de la Guelaguetza
Every year during the last two Mondays in July the most important and most famous fiesta of the state of Oaxaca is celebrated, the “Guelaguetza”, also known as “Fiestas de los Lunes del Cerro”. Guelaguetza means “give and take” in Zapotec and includes the mutual willingness to give.
From the entire region of Oaxaca, the indigenous peoples come to the Guelaguetza and offer an event that captivates by its diversity, its traditional folk dances and extraordinarily colorful costumes.
The festival was already celebrated in the Spanish colonial period, and in fact the roots go back to the pre-Columbian past. With colonization this tradition was influenced more and more by missionaries of the church. Meanwhile the Fiesta is considered as a Christian festival with native roots. The festival is also held in honor of the corn goddess Centéotl and in memory of the offerings to the gods, small gifts are distributed to spectators.
