Just outside of Mexico City perched on the north face of the Popocatépetl volcano at 3,600 meters (11,811 feet) above sea level, you will find a magical retreat centre called the Pachamama Village (Aldea Pachamama).
It is a place to experience reconnection with nature overlooking the central valleys of Mexico, which have been the cradle for so many ancient civilizations.
It is the ideal place for a digital detox from the overstimulation of modern life because there isn’t any wifi here. The founders of the Pachamama Village have made a conscious decision to make this mindful refuge of peace and tranquillity free from mindless scrolling.
Perched on the slopes of the second-highest mountain Popocatépetl, the Pachamama Village offers sweeping vistas of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano to the north. This is a sacred place to reconnect with nature away from the hustle and bustle of Mexico City to the west and Puebla to the east.
The summit of the Popocatépetl Volcano is 5,393 m (17,693 feet) and it is known locally as El Popo. Its name is derived from the Nahuatl word for “smoking mountain” and it features prominently in the ancient mythologies of the Aztec, Toltec and other Nahuatl-speaking peoples of Central Mexico.
The Iztaccíhuatl Volcano is the third-highest mountain in Mexico at 5,230 m (17,160 feet) and the mountain cabins and treehouses of the Pachamama Village feature epic views of this majestic volcano that towers over Mexico City.
The Aztec Legend of Popocatépetl And Iztaccíhuatl
In ancient Nahua legend, there was a romance of the princess Iztaccíhuatl and the warrior Popocatépetl.
In Aztec mythology, Iztaccíhuatl was a princess who fell in love with one of her father’s warriors, Popocatépetl. The emperor sent Popocatépetl to war in Oaxaca, promising him Iztaccíhuatl as his wife when he returned (which Iztaccíhuatl’s father presumed he would not).
Iztaccíhuatl was falsely told that Popocatépetl had died in battle, and believing the news, she died of grief. When Popocatépetl returned to find his true love dead, he took her body to a spot outside Tenochtitlan (the great Aztec city upon which Mexico City is built) and kneeled by her grave. The gods covered them with snow and changed them into mountains.
Iztaccíhuatl’s mountain is called “The Sleeping Woman” or “The White Lady” because it resembles the princess lying on her back, and it is often covered with snow while Popocatépetl became an active volcano, raining fire on Earth in blind rage at the loss of his beloved.
The Aztecs have many fascinating myths and a different way of seeing the world that is unique to the indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica so we’re happy to visit such a storied place during the annual Day of the Dead celebration.
He started Mindful Ecotourism in 2016 and he has spent the last decade leading workshops, retreats and hiking adventures around the world teaching ecological mindfulness and experiential learning practices for learning about flora, fauna and fungi.
He offers training, mindful hiking adventures and educational field guides.
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