A Not Crowded Archaeological Tour In Cañada De La Virgen

I truly enjoyed this tour. The guide for this tour was Jesus who was very knowledgeable about many things including vegetation, timelines of the other pyramids and their peoples. There is walking up to the pyramid area and then back down so mobility is needed. The information we got was complete I felt. I appreciated the ride to the pyramids area and then the ride back to San Miguel.

This was an amazing tour. It was a small group, so there was plenty of time to ask questions and not feel too crowded. was a wonderful tour guide and really seemed passionate about the site. The tour includes a 2 mile hike with some parts uphill, but it was not too difficult. It was fun, climbing the pyramid at the end! Would definitely recommend.

A magnificent temple in a very beautiful and peaceful area. There were a few other tour groups present but visitor numbers are strictly controlled and it's a great place to visit for this reason. Jesus was a very friendly and knowledgable guide.

Bumpiest road but smooth sailing with Jesus who got us through with safe driving and an extensive knowledge of the site

Great experience overall with Jesus who is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about the archaeology, history, and even medicinal plants native to the area! Jesus has an eagle eye and he was pointing out 800+ year old pottery shards in the ground as we walked along!

Jesus was a friendly and knowledgeable guide. From the time he picked us up, he was giving us history and context for Cañada de la Virgen but also about the areas of SMA that we were passing through. We had a great time and will definitely recommend this to friends of all ages. The site had a lot to offer — the structures, the views, the history, the flora and fauna, and some artifacts along the way. They have complimentary lockers as well at the entrance since you can’t bring in bags. While heftier shoes wouldn’t hurt, I readily did this in Keds-styled shoes. As the description indicates, the cobblestone and mild uphill walking (necessary) and stair climbing (optional) might be challenging for those with limited mobility or ankle/knee/hip challenges.

This was a great experience, very different from spending time in San Miguel de Allende itself. I didn't realize it was a two-mile walk to the pyramid, Canada de la Virgen! We appreciate the crowd control measures--the site was not overrun by tourists. Climbing all those stairs (six, up and back) was a bit intimidating, but we were the only two in the group so our guide could afford to be quite solicitous, helping me to find the right places to walk up and down, making sure I did not fall. There was a small museum at the place where we picked up the bus, but it was not lit so we could not see all the exhibits, which was a bit disappointing. I was very impressed that the Otomi knew so much about astronomy. Walking up the ceremonial road made me feel like I was part of their culture, at least for a little while. It was a fabulous way to spend my 80th birthday!

Very interesting and informative tour! I’ve recommended it to friends.

Very enjoyable trip to see the Otomi pyramids at this impressive archeological dig. Jesus was a knowledgeable guide who clearly enjoys his work. I would have liked more time to see the exhibit hall and also possibly watch the video. I hope financial constraints don’t prevent a continuation of the excavation. This ancient site adds significantly to the tourist appeal of San Miguel.

I usually look into Victor wherever I go. I know it is the one that I can trust around the world. The guides are good.

This excursion to Canada de la Virgen was simply amazing! Our guide was so knowledeable and passionate about the history and all that has been learned from this site ... and he was friendly, enthusiastic, and accommodating of everyone on the tour. Can't recommend this tour highly enough, it's a can't miss experience!

We recently had the pleasure of touring this magnificent archaeological site outside SMA. Jesus was an exceptional guide who was well versed in the history of the site and passionate about sharing its heritage. A very easy and practical way of exploring this amazing place!

Jesús Rodríguez was an excellent guide for our trip to Cañada de la Virgen. He was very knowledgeable about the site and its history! The site itself felt very special to visit as they only allow small groups in at a time.

Jesus was a fun & knowledgeable guide. I loved learning about the Otomi people & how they filled up the bottom of the pyramid with water to observe the sky.

We chose to do the English tour with Jesus since we wanted to learn more about the archeological site and we didn't understand a lot of Spanish. Jesus was prompt at answering my questions after booking the tour. We started right on time and it was a comfortable car ride to the Cañada. It ended up being just my husband and I in our tour. We had plenty of time to walk, learn about the site, and take pictures. Visiting the archeological site is also well- organized. I highly recommend the tour with Jesus since he is very knowledgeable about the site.

We had a fantastic experience on this tour. Jesus was maybe the most knowledgeable guide we could have hoped to have. He knew the site inside and out and had studied under the archeologist Joe performed the excavation. I would recommend him to anyone going !

We were lucky enough to have no one else book at the same time we did. The result was a private tour. There were no other groups there either, so we had the entire site to ourselves. Jesus was incredibly knowledgeable, not just about the archeological site, but also the animals and plants too. His passion for the area was wonderful. He was kind in answering our questions and remembered them to incorporate into things we talked about later. We learned so much today!

This was a great informative tour. Our guide Jesus was very knowledgeable about the pyramids. On our walk to the pyramids, Jesus had a deep knowledge of the local landscape. He pointed out many plants and their medicinal uses.

Jesus was a knowledgable tour guide that gave a great historical talk on the ruins. He talked a lot about the native landscape and how the area looked when inhabited from 400 AD to 1100 AD. Only suggestion is that it would have been nice to have our group of four able to ride in the same car to and from the site.

Jesus, was absolutely amazing. The tour was so informative and Jesus was an excellent guide. His knowledge of the ruins was outstanding and his experience with the site was so very interesting. The tour was small and we could ask as many questions as we wanted. At first I was surprised at the length of the tour but we learned so much that the time just flew by. Highly recommend this tour! Plus Jesus if he is available.

The walk to the pyramid wasn’t hard and the guide was great! Jesus was very informative and shared lots of valuable information.

Very professional, organized, educational and interesting tour with a uniquely experienced guide, Jesus. He was such a great guide! Jesus was so knowledgeable about the history and current details related to the pyramids, San Miguel, Mexico's historical journey and even local vegetation! We had the best experience on this trip!! Highly, highly recommend doing a tour with Jesus!!

This was an awesome experience. Jesus was wonderful and knowledgeable. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. Hat is highly recommended.

Fantastic family experience. Jesus is so knowledgeable. A beautiful hike to the pyramids. Lots of wildflowers in the rainy season. Would recommend for sure!

Jesus was a fabulous tour guide. He didn’t keep us bunched up with the other tour groups. We stopped and enjoyed the quiet beauty of the Canyon hills avoiding the mad dash from the other groups. Jesus was thoughtful and informative. Did you know he was a part of the early excavation of the site in the 1990’s?? You can’t get better guide!! We toured in the cool, rainy season morning. The green is almost overwhelmingly beautiful. So many wild flowers!! AND a few pyramids, too? What’s not to like?! La Cañada de Virgen is a small complex, but diverse! Book your tour with Jesus today. No regrets!

Canada de la Virgin is a must see. Set within private land, the now government protected Archaeological Site, provides a glimpse into a pre-Mexican culture. The history of these people, as provided by our guide, Jesus, is fascinating. His passion and first-hand knowledge of this time period made the tour all the better. You walk along cobblestone walkways and reach an ancient path leading up to the pyramid and other revealed sites. Topping it all off, the visit up the pyramid provides a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Not to be missed! The main negative that we experienced was the lack of a comfortable 30 minute ride up to the site. While this was corrected for the return trip, the provided seven passenger car, containing eight people was very uncomfortable and we were preparing to leave the tour and find our own transportation home. The tour guide recognized this and engaged another car/driver for the return trip.

Jesus was a wonderful guide to this magical place. Very knowledgeable and funny. He gave us all the history and context to truly appreciate what we were seeing. Thank you!

Fantastic history lesson! Our guide, Jesus was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fun. We couldn't have asked for more. I recommend 100%

Everything about this tour was smooth and enjoyable. The company was great—offices were easy to find, we left right on time, and the ride to the site was comfortable. Jesus was a fantastic guide: knowledgeable, passionate about the site and nature, and super friendly and positive throughout. The total experience lasted about 4 hours. Jesus took care of everything, including getting our tickets once we arrived. He also provided water, which was much appreciated. Be aware that bags are not allowed inside the site and this rule is strictly enforced, though you are allowed to bring water with you. The walk to the pyramid is about 20–25 minutes along a stone pathway, with a mild to moderate incline. It’s well worth it—super fascinating history and absolutely beautiful views. Highly recommend this tour and especially Jesus as a guide!

Our trip was fantastic to Canada de La Virgin pyramid tour! We booked night before and had Jesus as our tour guide. He was very knowledgeable about history of the pyramid and the local history and culture integration. He was very pleasant and spoke very good English. He showed us the entire area and finished with the pyramid ! The history is so important in understanding how and why it was built where it stands. We highly recommend this tour company and encourage everyone to visit the ruins. It is a bit of a hike up but we had plenty of time to take it all in and get back to the pick up spot ! 5 stars plus ! Wear comfortable shoes with good traction and immerse yourself with this wonderful group !

Jesus was an excellent tour guide. He was very informative, had a lot of archeological knowledge that he passed on. It was a small group, some of the other groups were large. Jesus was very punctual. Overall, it was a great experience, I would highly recommend it.

Jesus and his driver Juan met us at the Rosewood Hotel and were friendly and knowledgeable making the morning trip to the ruins hassle free. Travel logistics can be stressful but they handled the transportation and education with humor and ease. Jesus was a student archeologist on the Canada de la Virgen site and knew fascinating inside stories, the history of the Otomi, and the archeologists, his teachers, involved in the project. The educational trip was genuine. We were the only participants in his group and compared to the large typical touristy guided tours going on around us, our experience was like walking and learning from a true historian and friend. We felt privileged to hear his personal, botanical and archeological stories. I highly recommend booking with Jesus.

It was clear that Jesus really loves what he does! He was an engaging guide, and knowledgeable not only about the archeology and history of the ancient peoples who built the temple site, but also held a lot of knowledge of the medicinal properties of the local plants we encountered along the route to the ruins. We were very impressed with the site in general and Jesus’ enthusiastic sharing of the beauty and potency of the place. It was more than we expected!

We had a great tour, we were picked up on time and taken to the site in aircon mini bus with a really pleasant and knowledgeable guide (I don’t think it was Jesus but didn’t catch his name I’m afraid) At the site everything went really smoothly, there was no one else there apart from our group of 7 which made it really special, although I don’t get the impression it’s ever very busy. It’s a very interesting site and the information we were given was good. Bring water and be prepared for a little hike in the heat, nothing too strenuous!

We (2 couples) had a wonderful trip to the ruins with our English-speaking guide (Jesus) and 3 other people on a comfortable van. They picked us up at our hotel, made a pit stop for drinks/snacks on the way and water bottles were provided. Jesus was very knowledgeable about the ruins as he is a SMA-native and has been giving tours for over 25 years. It was about 30-45 minutes to the visitor center where we used the restrooms and boarded a bus with other tour groups. The bus dropped us off at the trail head to make our ascent to the ruins. Thankfully Jesus didn’t make a bee-line for it so we were not gasping for air (high altitude) like other groups. We slowly made our way up with stops here & there to hear more information. The ruins were spectacular at the top and we were allowed to climb them to reach the pinnacle. The view is amazing from the top. Highly recommend this tour as it’s not rushed and Jesus is an excellent guide with years of experience.

I loved this experience end to end. Doing it with Jesus as our guide gave my friend and me a much more personalized experience than the larger tour companies. Jesus really knows his stuff about this exquisite archeological site, and was friendly and professional with excellent English. It is also useful to know that this site is strictly capacity controlled—only 140 people are allowed in each day. The ride out from SMA was smooth and pleasant in Jesus’ sedan. At the site, ALL tours are bussed/shuttled from the parking area into the site, and then it is a two mile walk around the site with minimal shade. Jesus made sure we found bits of shade and was always quick to point out things like bits of ancient pottery or arrowheads in the ground we were walking on…I don’t think the larger groups got anything like that!

Guide never showed up. Never answered texts, or the message I sent through Viator's site. Dealing with Viator was also a nightmare - rude, condescending, inept representatives that could care less about resolving this issue. Feel entirely swindled. Still waiting to get my money back from this fraudulent enterprise.

Wow! Such a beautiful, interesting, and peaceful experience. Our guide Jesus was the best. He was so knowledgeable and explained everything to us... in English which was great! Thank you Jesus for an unforgettable experience.

Jesus was prompt, a careful driver to site, very knowledgeable, discussion of site and history in both English and Spanish, we’re happy to recommend him as a guide.

We really loved this tour. Our tour guide Jesus Rodriguez was really great 👍👍👍👍👍 Jesus was very knowledgeable of the location and surroundings areas. We would highly recommend him as a guide 👍👍👍👍👍

Jesús was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable and made Cañada de la Vircome alive for us. He also picked us up promptly at our hotel and explained much about the area during the drive. It was a worthwhile experience.

My wife and I took the tour with JJesus Rodriguez and had a very pleasant time. He was on time, polite and easy going. The best part of the tour was Jesus sharing his lifetime of experience and information about the area. Canada de la virgen was quite impressive but it really came to life as our guide told the story of the place. His knowledge of local history, the evolution of the site, the flora and fauna was impressive. If you really want to get a feel for the place this is the guide for you.

I highly recommend this trip to the Archaeological experience in Canada de la Virgin with Jesus Rodriguez. He knew important facts about these impressive ruins? It is well protected by Mexico with check points toget into it. I walked 1.8 miles to view it which was so worth it. Jesus was an outstanding tour guide of our three person group in a car. We changed to a bus when we arrived at the ticket area. We could not take our purses or backpacks into the site and was given a bottle of water to carry. Wear a hat and sun glasses and comfortable shoes. We saw eagles flying overhead. They had samples of pottery shards from the ruins in the gardens. The ruins have had restoration and he had some great stories to tell about them. You will not be disappointed. It was an English tour. The trail was different surfaces, cobblestones, rocks, and rock path. It has only been open for 10 years and no crowds w limited access. You can only visit with a guide.

We had a great time seeing the ruins and learning about the history of the Omoti tribe. Sorry I don’t have more too say. Dint ask me to add more. Great tour worth the money.

We had Aldo as our guide and he was very knowledgeable. The tour was conducted in English and we learned so much. It was 2 miles hike round trip from the point where the shuttle drop off. The end result was worth it. I would definitely use this tour company again.

Very knowledgeable and friendly guide. Taco lunch was delicious. Would recommend! Tour takes about 3 hours total from pickup to drop off.

If you have rented a car or have your own vehicle, it is better to go on your own; admission costs 100 Mexican pesos paid to the INAH, and from the site museum, a van (already included in that cost) takes you to the archaeological zone with a guide. Once inside the zone, you have to walk; it is a cobblestone path that is very beautiful right at this time of year, and it is full of beautiful landscapes. You should bring your water in a thermos; they do not sell much in the area, so you have to go prepared. One fundamental thing: you CANNOT arrive at the zone with any type of handbag, so the basics can go in your pockets. Wearing a hat or using an umbrella is ideal since there is a lot of sun, and although there are places to rest, if it is very hot (wear appropriate clothing and footwear, as well as sunscreen and some repellent already applied because there are mosquitoes in the rainy season). At the site, there is an expert available who will guide you and explain everything about the zone, including the flora and fauna, so it is very enjoyable. There is a dry toilet in the archaeological zone. It is very much worth it; it is possible to climb each of the ruins, and the view from the top is spectacular.

Pretty pre-Columbian ruins, in a protected natural area, surrounded by nature, they are little used. Access to the site is highly regulated, which allows good management of visits. Jesus was a very good guide, very competent.

Debes llegar a tiempo. El guía Jesús muy amable y apasionado por la historia del lugar. La zona arqueológica preciosa!