Travelers can choose to take a tour of the sombreros jipi business, witness a hat weaving demonstration, participate in creating these hats, or simply shop around for the sombrero that suits them. 

Chari learned how to make jipi hats from her parents, and she is undoubtedly an expert when it comes to creating a beautiful sombrero! Two types of palms used for the creation of sombreros de jipi: the palma and the jipijapa. To create hats of various rich colors, other plants and roots are used to serve as the dyes. The practice of creating these hats has been well-preserved for years, and to this day the making of these cultural icons remains the same: the creations take place in humid caves so that the jipi plants don’t dry out in the hot sun.

Anyone! Do you enjoy learning new skills, getting crafty, and gaining hands-on experience? If so, taking a tour or class with this local sombrero business is right up your alley. Sign up today!

Right here! Our friends at SAVE Campeche will make sure your reservation gets to Chari and that you easily find your way to this business in Calkiní.

If you are a SAVE sending organization, inquire with us about how to send passionate travelers on this sombrero-making experience.

For many years, the artisanal practice of the people of Becal has been the weaving of sombreros de jipi, frequently compared to the famous Panama hats and made from different types of palm trees. In 1800, two brothers were told about palm plantations and decided to plant jipi shrubs in the Calkiní community. This new plantation eventually led to the making of sombreros as the main activity for locals, providing them with years of prosperity within the hat industry. These hats spread to other regions and states in Mexico and helped boost economies in the community. These hats represent a hard-working community putting in immense effort to create better lives for their families.

The Spanish and Maya Center of the Faculty of Humanities, located in the Autonomous University of Campeche, is a multifunctional education center that offers courses to university students and to the general public. Through the Spanish and Maya Center as well as the Spanish Language Center, SAVE Campeche is excited to connect students with UAC courses in Spanish language, Mexican and Mayan history and cultural heritage, and Mexican art. Students can audit classes or officially study and receive certificates in a chosen field.

The Autonomous University of Campeche works hard to help the people of Campeche receive a top notch education, and those opportunities are expanding to international visitors as well! SAVE Campeche is excited to connect academic travelers, such as study abroad and research students, to the UAC. The university offers classes in Mexican and Mayan culture and history, Spanish language, and Mexican art to SAVE Campeche students seeking a well-rounded and immersive academic experience. A Campeche study abroad opportunity is invaluable. Students will gain academic credit in pertinent courses, improve in a foreign language, become educated on a new culture, directly interact with local students and professors on a daily basis, and develop into locals themselves.

Students seeking a study abroad experience and who wish to further their knowledge in Mayan Culture, Mexican art and history, and the Spanish language would be a great fit for this experience. Sign up today!

Right here! Our friends at SAVE Campeche will make sure your class registration is successful and that you easily find your way to the UAC upon arrival.

If you are a SAVE sending organization, inquire with us about how to send students to this immersive academic program.

The courses offered through the UAC are as follows:

Campeche is rich in culinary delights: famous & fragrant breads, Mayan chocolate and ‘cohinito’, the most celebrated savory treat in the region. Travelers craving delectable cuisine have the opportunity to experience a 7-day food tour. This tour includes so much more than meals in world class restaurants: expect to explore the city and its beautiful sites, participate in numerous cooking and baking workshops, and tour Edzná’s archaeological zone.

Educational moments don’t just happen in the classroom. Instead, we continue to learn and grow through our real-world experiences and pushing ourselves to explore new destinations both in our backyards and at the far ends of the earth. Culinary education is important because food is a foundational part of our lives. It sustains and nourishes us while allowing us to connect and partake in enjoyable culinary occasions. Campeche’s flavors are bold and delicious: seaside access means the freshest catches; traditional Mexican fare melds effortlessly with exotic Mayan flavors, and here in the peninsula, where Habanero is king, you don’t have to look far for thrilling food. This tour evokes Campeche’s authentic and beautiful culture, elevating this state’s identity through its delicious cuisine.

Any food-lover can sign up for this tempting tour of culinary delights! Campeche consists of more than beautiful architecture and deep historical significance. It is quickly emerging on the international food scene as a hotspot for high-quality cuisine. Sign up today!

Right here! We will make sure your questions and requests get to the tour operators.

If you are a SAVE sending organization, inquire with us about how to send foodies on this deliciously unforgettable culinary tour!

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in San Francsico de Campeche in time for a delicious meal at El Bastion Restaurant, perfect for starting your trip off on a tasty note! Enjoy an afternoon walking tour of this charming city and an optional dinner at Los Portales Restaurant.

Day 2: If you have been wanting to learn how to cook authentic Campeche cuisine, you will love this workshop on regional dishes of the area! After spending time in Casa 6, a cultural center displaying Campechano life of the past, you will be treated to a traditional dinner at Marganzo Restaurant near the city’s beautiful coast.

Day 3: Ready for another fun and informative cooking class? Learning how to create local delicacies will be an unforgettable experience. Enjoy a relaxing late lunch at followed by an evening tour of Campeche’s ancient and alluring legends.

Day 4: After a regional cooking course, enjoy a fresh seafood lunch at Faro del Morro Restaurant and take a tour of a nearby pirate ship replica! The sweetest part of your day will be a chocolate lesson at Chocolatería de La Mora.

Day 5: Your morning will start off with a trip to Hecelchakán where you will enjoy a traditional breakfast of cochinita, a mouth-watering Mexican pulled pork. Explore the Blanca Flor Jewelry shop where you will find gorgeous jewelry handmade by three sisters. Next, you will be transferred to the community of Pomuch, where you will take part in a bread-making class at the famed Panadería de Pomuch.

Day 6: Back in San Francisco, take a tour at the nearby archaeological zone of Edzná. It’s easy to spend hours here exploring the wondrous ruins and learning about ancient Mayan traditions and culture.

Day 7: After a delicious goodbye breakfast at La Pigua Restaurant and an exciting exploration of the city market, it will be time to end your tour and make your way to the airport with a full belly and happy heart.

Located in San Francisco de Campeche, the Chocolateria De la Mora is a chocolate shop specializing in ethically sourced chocolate from cacao beans. Luz Angélica De la Mora, sales manager and founder of this local business, offers chocolate-making lessons and workshops to travelers seeking to satisfy their sweet tooth.  In addition to her growing business, her range of chocolate products has developed into a large variety as well, like drinks and desserts.

Luz Angélica De la Mora has been in the chocolate-making business for over nine years but has been observing the practice of making rich, pure chocolate all her life. One of her dreams for this shop is to preserve a long-standing family tradition. Like the majority of grandmothers in Campeche, De la Mora’s grandmother made chocolate bars for the family. 

All chocolate-loving travelers are welcome to sign up for this sweet experience. Sign up today!

Right here! Our friends at SAVE Campeche will make sure your class registration is successful and that you easily find your way to the chocolate shop upon arrival.

If you are a SAVE sending organization, inquire with us about how to send chocolate-loving travelers to this sweet shop.

Mexico has played an historical and important role in cacao and chocolate-making. Unfortunately, much of today’s chocolate is very sweet and has lost its pure cacao flavor due to an increase in mass production and a decrease in natural creation. The chocolate that Campeche grandmothers made was from pure cacao and was 100% natural, so it had immense value. For De la Mora, her business started with making chocolate just for the family, but over time it kept expanding to friends and other families in the community. What started as a small, informal hobby has grown to the established and successful business it is today. According to De la Mora, she wants to save the traditions, like chocolate-making, that gave her people its identity.

Embedded in the jungle of Calakmul, Valentin is a community that highly values sustainable tourism. The goal of Valentín Natural, an ecotourism project is to teach both local and international visitors to observe and get to know their surrounding environment. This project, housing 140 species of Orchids and 500 hectares of land dedicated to scientific study, sets a positive example for other common land spaces. 

The Fundación Haciendas del Mundo Maya (FHMM) has been active in the Calakmul communities for several years, collaborating with community members on development, education, nutrition and learning artisanal skills. This workshop is a product of community commitment to growth- and their products speak to the incredible skills they’ve learned and can now share with visitors.

Scientists and students seeking a research or conservation experience in a nature reserve will greatly benefit from time spent at Valentín Natural. Travelers hoping to become educated on the local flora and fauna will also enjoy exploring this nature reserve. Sign up today!

Right here! Our friends at FHMM will make sure your reservation gets to Valentin Natural and that you easily find your way to this sanctuary.

If you are a SAVE sending organization, inquire with us about how to send students, researchers, and those with a passion for nature to Valentín Natural.

Are you curious about the origins of this outstanding project? Locals in Valentín were motivated to commence Valentín Natural, an ecotourism project offers both local and international visitors the opportunity to carry out adventure tourism and fully coexist with the environment, implementing activities such as camping, bike tours, and zip-lining in order to fully enjoy the large variety of flora and fauna in the community.