With Juan Manuel

Juan Manuel is a shaman who knows the flowers ... plants ... herbs ... and birds ... with a vast knowledge of the area, the history and the folk lore of San Miguel de Allende ... who wants to share his joy in the campo.


What do we do? We take a walk in the campo ... have a picnic or bar-b-q ... and usually take a burro to carry what we don’t want to. Occasionally we ride a burro.


Burro Trekking has recently been optimized in that all treks are now custom designed for you and your group.


If you want a trek ... Contact us and we will begin working together. What kind of trek do you want? Easy? Challenging? Overnight? Something from our list? Something new? Something for kids? (They trek at half price.) Talk to us!!


Unless otherwise noted, for a short day trek prices are 200 each with a minimum of 1,000 pesos. If transportation has to be arranged ...that is ... more than 3 people need a ride provided ... then there is an extra fee.


For a longer day trek, it is 250 per person, with a minimum of 1,200 pesos. Transportation same as above


These prices include food ... burro ... some transportation ... perhaps a guard for the vehicles.


If you would like to add to your group, then we can help you advertise on the forum and / or we can send out a mailing to see if other Trekkers would like to join you.


You get to decide things like ... we want dogs ... or ... no dogs cause we want quiet times to watch for birds. You can specify no smokers. You decide if time is important to you cause you have an evening appointment ... or ... we are relaxed and let the day have its way with us.



Changing info, like dates, is in the blog to your left

Descriptions, photos and fixed info is to your right


This site is designed to be interactive. Email us ('contacting us' right column) or leave comments below entries.



Reservations are by email. Use link in each trek description ... or ... see Contacting Us in your right column.


Trek: Rancho de Cabra

This trek can be longer or shorter ... but it is always up.  Not for the faint of heart.  Still it is doable as we have had two 70 years olds come along on the longer version.  And despite rumors ... they returned ... alive and well. 

We go up.  There is a lovely resting area ...an old indian ceremonial spot.  From there three options are available, take your pick or take all.  Further up for more views.  A side trip to a spring.  And another side trip to petroglyphs.  

A look at the pictures that follow will give you a good idea if this is for you.  And for many ... it is their favorite. 

Driving       30 minutes, 15 minutes each way
Trekking     3 hours 
Lunch 1 hour 
Cost 250 pesos
Level Not for the faint of heart ... 
                however those building fitness can do just part 
Meet Mega 9:30am 


Reservations are by email.  Click here to reserve


This magical inaugural trek was with 10 people.














The flowers get thick as we turn off the highway.









Despite the downpour the morning before, all went well until we got to the Rancho ... and no burro to greet us!  So Adàn, who often performs as a sherpa ... and at 60 has the physique to prove it ... was our burro for the day. 



By 10 we were into the plants ... learning to identify them, their properties, which parts to use for what and how to prepare them ... sticking the fragrant ones in our caps so those behind us could enjoy!





The first half of the trail is on a 400 year old Indian highway, about 5 feet wide, with terraced steps ... to which the rain and weather and time ... has not been kind.  You can see the rocked edge and note the wise trekkers are using walking sticks. 


The view keeps getting more and more jaw dropping til we hit 8,000 feet ... where on a clear day you really can see forever ... including San Miguel at 6,300 feet.  The shorter trip has lunch a wee bit higher.   Near where we sampled some tuna, the fruit of a cactus.  These tunas are much more flavorful than those sold in the local market.




On this day, the last rain of the season, there was more scrambling up 'til we finally reached our picnic spot.  We each picked a rock, and gazing out over the presa ... and then to the horizon across the Bajìo ... we rested.  Daniel used his techy stuff to announce ... we were just shy of 10,000 feet ... but that has been seriously questioned.



Juan Manual began the fire so we could enjoy our bar.b.q:  Blue corn quesadillas with home made tomatillo salsa / spinach strawberry salad / chicken or beef shish kabobs / roasted rosemary potatoes / pink lemonade.



The higher parts of the trail pass thru free range herds of cattle, horses and burros.  Daniel Tirado reckons it was the spinach salad that attracted them as they kept peering ever closer while we ate.



The weather kept cooperating ... cool and only some sprinkles.  Coming down would have been uneventful ... except ... here came the cows!   One longhorn so close it was nibbling on the orange umbrella now carried by Daniel.   Turbo, our border collie mascot, stayed busy herding his people to safety. 




At about the half way point ... on the way up ... we had ditched our bags in a tree and those who wanted went sideways along the cliff line to a spring, an ancient watering place.  Near the tree Adàn whistled making horses on the next knoll cavort, kick and whistle back.   Those were the horses that wanted our lunch!







Back down at the mid-point, most of the group, including one sprightly 70 year old, descended into another canyon to inspect prehistoric petroglyphs.  The beauty of the area also makes this side trip worth it. 






We got back to the rancho about 4:00 ... and there was such a feeling of gratitude at the total love fest this magical trek had been.   Funny moments, are these cows real moments, wet moments ... but truly a totally perfect day. 

Trekkers:  Daniel, Marcela, Deb, Jack, Rob, Lyz, Kathie, Zoë, Adàn ... and Juan Manuel. 




Tags:  burro donkey trek trekking san miguel de allende guanajuato mexico plants flowers attraction adventure countryside tourist things to do shaman wild crafting


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