By Susan Dearing

From the moment you mount your powerful 4-wheel-drive steed, you're in for a ride of a lifetime and an experience that will be the highlight of your Manzanillo vacation.

Please click on photos to enlarge

This incredible off-road encounter encompasses two states, Colima and Jalisco.

It begins by  traveling down a winding "arroyo seco" (dry creek bed) where you're surrounded on both sides by tropical foliage, birds flying overhead, domestic animals, and innumerable butterflies enjoying the many fragrant flowers blooming in a myriad of colors.

Beast of Burden

Cacique's nest

When passing underneath, the hanging nests of cacaques (a large, raven-like bird with brilliant yellow wing-stripes) can be seen gently swaying in the breeze. Legend has it that when the cacaque's nest is low, it will be a strong hurricane season, and when high, a mild one.

The amazing part of this 3½-hour trip, is that you'll never know what you'll see. Lizards crossing the road, iguanas sunning themselves on warm rocks, an armadillo, coatimundi, large Brahma bulls, cows & their calves, work burros laden with their burdens, tarantulas, horses, mules, pigs, turkeys, goats, and much more. 

Much of this area of Colima and Jalisco is free range, so it's possible to see almost every domestic animal (and some wild ones, too) watching as you pass by.

A wave and a smile, and a simple "Buenos Dias," (good morning) or "Buenos Tardes," (good afternoon) will get you one back almost every time. The few vehicles you'll see--mostly trucks--will almost always pull over to the side of the road to let you pass.

Cattle grazing

Get your motor running...

The first pueblito you'll visit is La Lima, Colima. (Lah Lee-ma, Coh-lee-ma--it has a ring to it, doesn't it?) 

Your guide, Federico, will be able to point out lime trees (hence its name), bananas, mangoes, papayas, sugar cane and corn fields, and much more. If you want to know what something is, just ask. Federico is a native of the area, and can give you information and background on almost everything.

Nearing the state line to enter into Jalisco, you might be surprised to find Colima's newly instituted state preventative police (PEP) driving around in black pick-up trucks. Don't be alarmed--they're one of the reasons Colima is the safest state in Mexico, and they're just doing their job, patrolling areas outside of municipal jurisdiction.

Head out on the highway...

Lookin' for adventure...

Chacala River
in October

The first pueblo you'll stop at in the state of Jalisco is Seguaya (Seh-why-ya). It is a charming little mountain town, with burros free-grazing lazily, crossing the cobblestone streets, and virtually no vehicle traffic. 

The town water supply (brought up from the river) is delivered twice a week to a cement storage tank, and  from there flows to individual homes. 

You can have a snack and a drink at a small convenience store, use the cement outhouse (flush the toilet with a bucket of water), and get up-close-and-personal with the various farm animals. 

Burros

Do you know where the "Loofah" sponge comes from? They're grown here. See how they look when they're still on the vine. 

How about unusual double-gourds, used in ancient times (and even today) for hauling water.  Locally, they are made into lamps, and used by street vendors in downtown Manzanillo to store Tuba (a drink made with coconut water and lime, with crushed peanuts sprinkled on top). 

Walk up a trail to Federico's new ranchito (little ranch), and see an odd-looking cuastatecomate tree, its strange leaves and green fruit interesting and unusual. One could use this tree in a horror movie!

Leaving Seguaya, you'll see that rural life hasn't changed much in centuries. Women hang their wash on fences, farmers tend their cattle--men riding horses, mules and burrows to do their daily chores--it's all there to experience. 

Are you ready to go further back in time?

You're entering the jungle now, with its enormous vine-covered trees, lush vegetation, strange sounds, and exotic aromas. Your guide, Federico, can answer any questions you have about the history of the area, and about the flora and fauna. Learn about the "tourist tree," with its peeling, skin-like red bark that resembles a badly sunburned vacationer.

Sample a freshly picked lime, and look up in the tree tops to see flowering bromeliads and orchids.

You'll see the bull ring, where charreadas (Mexican rodeos) are held every Sunday in October and on special occasions. You'll drive through the centuries-old cemetery, and see the original Catholic church in its center. Check out the old brass bell on the left side! Though the church has  been added on to and repaired after numerous earthquakes that affected the area, the structure is more than 200 years old.

A chacal  (cha-cal´) is something like a crawfish (some call it a fresh water lobster), and the Rio Chacala is filled with them. They are considered a delicacy and are much sought after by locals and tourists alike. To catch them, fishermen use a woven, straw, cone-shaped basket, which is placed in the stream. As the chacal move from rock to rock searching for food, and are gradually swept downstream, they end up in the strategically-placed woven  baskets. The force of the water keeps them there until the fishermen return to harvest their catch.

The final village to visit is El Chico, Jalisco (El Chee-coh, Hah-leese-coh), and near there is the incredible Chacala River, with its massive rock formations that are too awesome to explain, and too incredible for a photograph to do it justice. Huge, water-polished, multi-colored granite boulders look like an out-of-this-world landscape. There are waterfalls, eddies, rapids, pools, and small creeks emptying into the larger river, and sand beaches perfect for camping or picnicking. In all of Mexico, you will never see anything like this extraordinary place!

By now you will be totally infatuated with the remarkable beauty of nature and the feeling that you've gone back in time to a place few people will ever see.  Are you ready to return to the real world? Make sure you still have some film left, because you never know what will happen. You may be lucky enough to witness a cattle drive, or see children bathing in the creek. There are small waterfalls and giant "elephant ear" plants with leaves of up to 2 feet. You'll see bananas, mangoes, papayas, coconut palms, royal palms, and coffee trees. Ask your guide, and he'll point out a termite nest larger than you are, and explain how parrots make nests in them so that their babies will have food.

This adventure is for ages 16 to adult. You do not need to have prior knowledge of Honda ATVs (all terrain vehicles) to take this tour. Goggles, bandanas and helmets are included. Cost is $70/person. Large groups can be accommodated. Suggested apparel: shorts or jeans, T-shirts, tennis shoes. Bring sunscreen, and glasses if you need them to drive.

Be an
Off-Road Warrior!