Just back from a miserably humid and hot New York sidewalk power walk. I re-started walking during my first visit to Ixtapan. A former runner, walking was boring, so gradually I stopped altogether. At Ixtapan, the daily walk is 7AM during cool sunrise-August is cool. No hot pavement, minimum humidity and wide open mountainous vistas. What is sublime, is someone else has coffee and a recently picked banana ready at 6:30AM. Some guests do not walk, but if you enjoy it, read here.
The walk begins with 2 guides: long time employees of the hotel. A gentle stretch lasts about 10 minutes, then we divide up into easy and more challenging groups. Vamanos is the start call. Walks vary day to day, usually easy on Mondays, when most guests arrive, then gradually rising to more difficult. For the easier ‘stroll’ the guide always loops around so the slowest is never left behind. Altitude is 6100 ft. That makes even stroll ing difficult for us sea level folks. It takes a day to adjust. The cool result besides burning more calories, is when you return home, you speed walk without realizing it.
What you need: a bottle of water, (free in your room), decent sneakers, a top you can remove once you warm up and your camera—the scenery is gorgeous. If you intend to continue to a stretch class in mineral water, you need to leave near the mineral pools, your robe and bathing suit.
In the last 2 years the hotel has created hiking paths. In Ixtapan, foliage is between desert and high plateau varieties. There is bamboo, cactus, pine, cedar, ash, purple flowering jacaranda. Along the way is bright bougainvillea in yellow, red, pink, white and moonscapish flowering desert weeds, some like spiky heather. Some seasons we pass gigantic elegant spider webs high in the trees. Or hummingbirds and edibles: sweet tamarind for example which you can order in your margarita. We always stop to take photos of the eagle couple who nest on a lake on one trail.
One year we saw a meteor. It was a flash in the early sunrise sky. Juan one of the guides shared with us that the area is known for meteors and brilliant rainbows. On festival days, we see smoke rising from fireworks at the local colonial church.
All years we pass locals doing their exercises or horseback riders. In Mexico everyone says Buenos Dias even if you do not know them.
Returning from the walk, the temperature is a touch warmer, you still need a fleece or sweatshirt. Your reward is the best breakfast imaginable: all fresh fruit and fresh juices, yogurt and cottage cheese with European creaminess, fibrous cereals, freshly baked bread and rolls, eggs that taste like eggs again. Mexican or American style both available and yes more coffee.
Don’t we all deserve this treatment! Last spots at Ixtapan in August 2025 a full week at $1500. Call 646 309 5607 or email us at https://www.thewomenstravelgroup.com/contact/
You can sleep through the walks also.
