Todos Santos Cuchumatán

About this place

Todos Santos Cuchumatán is a mountain town in the Cuchumatanes range, at about 2,500 m in Huehuetenango Department. It is one of the few places in Guatemala where men still wear traditional dress along with the women, with red and white striped trousers, making it a draw for lovers of mountains and culture. Its people are mainly of Maya descent, and most speak the Mam language. The municipality covers about 269 square kilometres, with the town, six villages and dozens of rural communities. Coffee grows on the lower slopes and potatoes and broccoli higher up. A big festival runs from 31 October to 2 November, with dancing, marimba music and famous horse races. The town sits in a narrow valley between slopes covered in farmland, with dirt tracks clear on the hillsides. High points look over the town's roofs, terraces and clouds crossing the valley. On market days people in traditional dress gather in the square, and at the festival riders charge down a dirt street lined with big crowds. It is 25 km in a straight line from Huehuetenango by a winding mountain road, so allow a night. Bring warm clothes, as nights are cold. Always ask before photographing residents, and respect local customs, especially at festivals. The festival can be rowdy and accidents with horses happen, so stay behind the barriers. Long hikes are better with a local guide.