Thinking about taking a hike in beautiful Mexico? I highly recommend La Malinche. Let me tell you a thing or two about my experience in the mountain.

Malinche is the name of the native Mexican woman that began the interaction between the old and the new world. She was the translator between Hernan Cortez and the Aztec emperor, Moctezuma.

Basic Mountain info:

4, 680m (15, 355ft) a. s. l.

Technical Level: Medium

Trail Length: 4.5km

Trail Time: 5–8 Hrs

Glaciar Trail: no glacier

Getting there

The mountain can be accessed either from Mexico city in around 2 hours by car or 1 hour from Puebla city. I like Puebla´s city road more as you get to travel through the forests on the outskirts of the mountain. Although be careful, it´s painfully easy to get lost with google maps and end up on an endless dirt road that requires a pick-truck to get you through, trust me, been there twice on a small car, no bueno amigo. If you come from Mexico City, however, you’ll reach the mountain from Tlaxcala, the ancient land of the “Tlaxcaltecas” which is a no less gorgeous road through ancient Mexico.

La Malinche will receive you with the fresh smell of pine trees and wood burning from the señora’s (ladies) wood stoves making delicious home-made tortillas. The landscape is green and full of life. Once you arrive at the national park, it’s hard to get lost as you’ll find many signposts indicating the way to the mountain, the locals are always happy to provide directions if you get lost.

The trail-head is right beside a parking lot with two buildings. Besides it, there´s a hotel called “Malintzi”. The hotel offers beautiful and cozy cabins with a fireplace, they are perfect if you want to chill before or after the hike. Nothing better than arriving at your cabin after the hike, light up the fireplace, make yourself a hot soup, take a hot shower and have hot chocolate with your favorite book, Infinite Jest will do.

The hike

The hike can be done by any person that is in a “not terribly bad” shape. I’m not going to lie, it will be demanding, especially if you are coming from lower altitudes, but if you rise up early enough and take your inspiring music with you, you should be able to do it.

I recommend bringing with you plenty of water, around 3 liters is more than enough, and a lunch box. I like to put in my lunch box a peanut butter sandwich, avocado with chips, granola bars, and some candy. If you forgot to bring snacks or water, don’t worry, there’s a little store at the trailhead where you can buy water, Gatorade and peanuts.

The hike begins at the bar gate close to the parking lot. There´s an old car road that is no longer used and is slowly being claimed back by nature. It’s really hard to get lost as the road is fairly visible even in the night, although if you’ve never been to the mountain, I highly recommend hiking it by day only.

At this point, you can either follow the road or you can cut through the marked trails you´ll be able to see that cross the zigg-zaggy road across. You´ll find a marked light post with a number that indicates that you are correct on your way, there´re 7 light posts total until you get to the last trail that will dive you into the forest and up the way to the summit, the trail will be at your right.

From there, you go up, up, up, following the trail until you get to the 4000 meters, you’ll see a clearing and what seems to be the summit far ahead.

It will get demanding here, what I recommend to do is to get to the crest of the mountain on your right first. If you do that, you will skip a super sandy part, where it’s super fun to go down, but not up, trust me. Then, once you get to the crest you’ll just have to follow it through until the top. By this moment, you’ll be able to see the mighty Pico de Orizaba on your left and Iztaccihutal and Popocatepetl volcanoes on your right (sunrise at this point is the absolute best). It’s really common for Popoctaepetl to erupt in the distance.

The trail will lead you to a rocky part that you have to traverse until you get to the point where you can actually see the summit. My recommendation is walking close to the right, it’s easier. And… Congratulations! You’ve reached the summit. Well done!

Now, you go down the same way, but, my last piece of advice, you remember the sandy part I was telling you about? Take that way down, it’s super fun.

I hope this post helps you if you decide to go there on your own, honestly the mountain is beautiful and amazing, plus people around are super friendly.

If you are looking for an easier trip, why not choose us? We are Ana, Luis and Ricardo and would be more than happy to take you ourselves. Save yourself all the logistics and leave to us, just enjoy the mountain.

Just send us an email, we will answer shortly

yacanaoutdoors@gmail.com

Thanks for reading!