Chilpancingo

Chilpancingo is the capital of Guerrero, Mexico. It is a popular stop on the drive between Mexico City and Acapulco and is known for a large festival the week before Christmas each year.

Understand
It is a mid-size city with a population of about 283,000 in 2020.

By bus
From Mexico City's Taxqueña bus terminal, there are many buses on various lines including Futura, ETN and more. Hourly buses on Estrella de Oro depart throughout the day. The 3½ hour bus trip costs about M$500.



Get around
Car or taxi is best.

See




Do

 * Paseo del Pendón  - Sunday before Christmas, since 1825 this festival has filled the streets of Chilpancingo with dance, music, and masks. Over 1,500 dance groups come to participate in the event. The largest and most popular of the regional dances is the Tlacoleros dance (tigres y tlacoleros). As tigers (jaguars) threaten the farm hands, the boss organizes everyone and gets them to dance with thunderous stamping to scare away the threatening tiger. This dance is an iconic part of local culture.
 * Grutas de Juxtlahuaca - about 45 km southeast of Chilpancingo is a natural park featuring an archaeological site in a natural cave system. The caves feature drawings created during the Olmec civilization around 1200-900 BC. The caves are open to the public but a local guide is required.
 * Gral. Juan Alvarez National Park - about 50 km east of Chilpancingo on federal highway MEX 93 is a remote mountainous natural area with forests of pine and oak. A number of animals live in the park including lynx, coyote, skunk, grackle, opossum, badger, iguana, deer, rabbit, partridge, quail, dove, rat, snake, vulture, and hawks.

Go next

 * Acapulco
 * Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
 * Iguala
 * Taxco