Mexico Guide
Oaxaca
Benito Juárez
Perched on a ridge overlooking the Oaxaca valleys and surrounded by pine trees, the little village of BENITO JUÁREZ is known for its spectacular sunsets – in clear weather you can see all the way to Mexico's highest mountain, Pico Orizaba, from the mirador. The village is also the starting point for more than a hundred kilometres of signposted rural foothpaths and country roads through the Pueblos Mancomunados (literally "joint villages") of the Sierra Norte towards Ixtlan , suitable for hikers and mountain bikers of all abilities. All in all it's a relaxing place to spend a few days, enjoying nature and getting firsthand experience of rural Oaxacan life.
The paths have been used for centuries by local people accustomed to sharing resources with surrounding communities. The villages are an impressive example of social organization in Mexico, with eight small towns perched on common land. The landscape is spectacular – some sections of the pine forest have been classified by the World Wildlife Foundation as being the richest and most varied on earth. The biodiversity is also phenomenal, with birdlife, butterflies and mammals, including ocelot, puma and jaguar. Locals can take you on horse or donkey rides (ask at the tourist office), and there's a river where you can fish for trout. The high-altitude footpath between the villages of Latuvi and Amatlan, which passes though mystical cloud forest, is believed to be part of a larger pre-Columbian route that connected the Zapotec cities in the Central Valleys with the Gulf of Mexico – you can still see the remains of an old road along the trail.
Don't expect one afternoon to be enough time to really see this area; a visit requires forward planning and at least a couple of days in order to be worthwhile. The most efficient way to go is through one of the tour operators in Oaxaca. Tierraventura and Expediciones Sierra Norte organize two-day trips with guides, transport, accommodation and meals for around M$1500. If you prefer to travel independently, the small but extremely helpful tourist information office (Mon– Sat 9am–5pm; 
951/545-9994) in Benito Juárez, next to the town square, has excellent maps which show the varying demands of each trek, and rents out reliable mountain bikes, but only with a Spanish-speaking guide (M$250 for bike and guide). Next door, the simple and friendly restaurant serves cheap breakfasts, comidas and hot drinks, and sells sandwiches and water.
Basic accommodation is limited to a pleasant Tourist Yú'ù (Price: Under $200), which has bunk beds and cabins with kitchens (make sure the caretaker switches on the hot water before he disappears for the night). You can reserve in advance through Oaxaca's tourist office (see "Information"), although it's not strictly necessary in the low season. Camping is also an option in well-organized campgrounds. You can also indulge in temazcal, which can be arranged through the Tourist Yú'ù, for about M$110. Bear in mind that this area has extremes of altitude and temperature – it's advisable to let your body acclimatize before engaging in any strenuous physical activity, to drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen. Temperatures drop dramatically at night, so take warm clothing and a sleeping bag (the Tourist Yú'ù can provide wool blankets).