The Place:
The Pantzingo Ecotourism Center, belonging to the Indigenous Community of Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, is surrounded by a vast forested area, where the very essence of the forest is palpable. In the area, you can visit the deer sanctuary and the La Alberca cave paintings, or participate in various adventure activities. You can enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Pico de Tancítaro National Park and the Paricutín volcano, admire and cross the enormous expanse of lava to reach the old town of San Juan Parangaricutiro and the ruins of its church. The eruption of the Paricutín volcano in 1943 buried the town of San Juan Parangaricutiro, leading to the migration of its inhabitants to the town of Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro, where the new Church of the Lord of Miracles stands out.
Available Activities:
Spiritual and religious activities
Adventure and sports
Cycling
Ecology, nature, and wildlife
Education, research, and volunteering
Walks and hikes
How to get there:
Nearest international airport: Francisco J. Mújica International Airport (Morelia).
Nearest local airport: Uruapan.
Buses depart from the Uruapan bus station to reach the town of Nuevo San Juan. From Nuevo San Juan to Pantzingo, it is 16 kilometers (10 miles) on a gravel road.
To access the Pantzingo bus service, you must contact the operators. Please note that access to the forest and natural attractions is difficult if you plan to explore independently.
Making a Difference:
The Nuevo San Juan Parangaricutiro community has a strong social organization, infrastructure, and the machinery and equipment necessary for harvesting and processing timber and non-timber forest products. They manage, protect, and conserve their natural resources and, with the goal of diversifying their income, have undertaken various activities, one of which is ecotourism, which takes place on communal lands, where they offer quality services.
In order to learn how to manage this new resource, the community sought to exchange experiences with other ejidos and indigenous communities, which allowed it to become a founding member of the Michoacán Community Ecotourism Network (ECOMICH), A.C. in 2005. This network is made up of ejidos and forest communities from different regions of Michoacán that develop sustainable activities focused on the conservation of natural resources and aimed at strengthening community-based ecotourism businesses as a viable alternative for generating employment and income while also contributing to environmental improvement. These activities are carried out responsibly and in a planned manner, with the participation of ejido members and community members, without engaging in extractive activities or any other activities that could jeopardize the sustainability of natural resources.
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