09 Jan 2020
Amazing gardens, comfortable transportation, delicious food, and friendly guides... but it was NOT an English tour. The Spanish guide talked for 5 minutes and the English guide said "this is the river." The Spanish guide explained the lunch schedule and gave times to meet. The English guide said "let's go eat." I had to ask bi-lingual tourists what to do. In the gardens the Spanish guide told stories, explained the art, and gave history. My guide spoke beautiful English but did not know the information. I finally gave up standing still and just moved around to take photos. We took an unscheduled stop in downtown Xilitla and then arrived late at the abyss Huahuas. We hiked an hour in the rain to look at a hole in the ground in the dark. We were too late to see any birds. Other people at the abyss had seen them. There are cheaper tours of the gardens. I wish I had taken one. I would hesitate to take a tour from Ruta Huasteca Expeditions. They did not reply to any of my messages. I sent 3 in one week and never heard about pick-up. My hotel called the night before and they did not have record of my tour (though viator had sent me a ticket). I did not get what I paid for.