Mexico City: Desierto De Los Leones Hike & Ex-Convent Tour – A Detailed Look

Are you seeking to escape the intensity, I mean the pretty intense hustle and bustle, the day-to-day city life, in Mexico City for a day? That sounds like a pretty fine plan. That the Desierto de los Leones National Park, complete with its ancient ex-convent, arguably is among your top spots is also a pretty fine plan too, I guess. This spot, basically a big green area not that far outside the city, gives people, I mean everyone a combination of both local past and just nature. In this article, you are going to get a super-detailed run-down of exactly what to expect when you visit Desierto de los Leones. So, you know things like: is it worth the trek? Are you more or less on your own getting there and walking around? And very importantly: is it haunted?

Getting There: Making Your Way to the Desert of the Lions

So, the Desierto de los Leones is not smack-dab in the middle of Mexico City, and, arguably the travel to get there is like the initial mini-adventure. Getting there does often feel a bit like you are more or less venturing off the typical traveler’s map, which is what a bunch of us are searching for, right? But trust me, it definitely is achievable, too. Several ways are around, arguably appealing to diverse comfort and expenditure levels.

By Car: Driving yourself, very possibly using ridesharing for it, does offer the greatest level of control. So you can just plug “Desierto de los Leones” straight into your mobile phone, like your preferred device. The drive could take around 45 minutes to like an hour, that kind of time, so the exact length depends somewhat on the place where you begin in Mexico City and even what traffic does. One slight issue to think over is where to park. At peak times, mainly on weekends, the lots could get full. Showing up kinda earlier gives you a stronger likelihood of grabbing a spot without way too much waiting around. Another element worth considering is that highways to get to the park could have tolls. Keep a bit of extra money on you only for that, arguably.

Public Transport: I mean this could be quite the budget choice, but just so you know, getting there will eat up a good deal of time. To start with, head for the Metro station Observatorio. Next, catch a bus going toward La Venta. Ask the driver to drop you at Desierto de los Leones; typically they do know the spot pretty well. Keep in mind, so these buses don’t go quite as frequently as you would like, more or less plan your arrival with sufficient padding built-in. Besides the lower expenditure, choosing the public transport option does also provide a peek at everyday existence for the locals, it’s almost. The bus gets crammed, and very likely there’ll be a lot going on while driving!

Taking a Tour: If you’d like something super hassle-free, look at doing some of the pre-planned tours. I mean you are likely going to see bundles advertised that pair a trip to the Desierto de los Leones with several different adjacent tourist destinations like Coyoacan or even Xochimilco. I mean, sure it could cost you more than taking the bus or ridesharing, the trade-off is you won’t be the person driving, or reading city maps! These types of tours just wrap up the journey from your accommodation as well, transport into the park, as well as the knowledge from tour guides too it’s almost.

The Ex-Convent: Exploring the Historic Heart

Now, very much central of the Desierto de los Leones actually is the former convent, so basically why almost everyone goes there in the first place. The build dates entirely back to the 17th century. Back then, Carmelite monks got the site built to be able to be more by themselves. So they wanted to have a space that could be isolated for spiritual practices, so just cut themselves off, basically. Even better for atmosphere, there are reports that the place actually is haunted!

Architectural Highlights: Very well-preserved, the convent demonstrates just the spare styling traits that construction during those days possessed. That you can explore some of the monks’ former chambers could just bring a shiver down your back. So this is due to seeing in what ways that their lifestyles used to be.

Courtyards and Gardens: Make certain you are going to wander the courtyards and gardens outside of the construction. That in this part you could just take some time to reflect on how things were actually once different is good. Also they serve as just fine scenery for pictures and whatnot.

Museum and Exhibits: Inside the convent, usually a museum showing old spiritual artifacts alongside details pertaining to just how the monks stayed here just can be visited by you. Arguably browsing it deepens that in which that the place has to offer for you more, or less. You can just consider things to have happened a little closer to what really occurred.

Hitting the Trails: Hiking and Nature Walks

Next, as the park actually is called Desierto de los Leones—aka Desert of the Lions—the trails can’t just be ignored. That is kind of an immense woodland. So, what would really be the level, walking it might well suit many different physical conditions and ambitions just wonderfully.

Trail Options: Around there are quite a few routes, starting through simple, flat trails and proceeding on approximately to the types having sharper climbs, like you might more, or less know already. Very simple walking tracks round the convent can give just casual amblers just pretty pleasant scenes in to nature.

What to Expect on the Trails: Depending that in which route is selected to be taken on for going ahead, you can be facing all terrain forms. In spots, you need climbing over a set of rocks; through others it can just mean getting approximately close to streams plus the mud it brings. Check that those hikers getting prepared should wear hardy footwear with perfect traction because these areas potentially do prove rather hazardous!

Safety Tips: Keep to signaled tracks; tell another where those trips are bound for! Very surely, bring quite enough drink and potentially edibles in respect of sustained amounts of energy, just only due to things being just more far away from things.

What to Bring: Packing for Your Adventure

How the outing ends up like is based approximately completely on planning. Ensure you are bringing everything to let there basically not even be much bad affecting your great visit: wear suitable stuff alongside items to just take your time out at some stage around the area for maximum satisfaction!

Essentials: That there’s not really much except wilderness there does mean bringing drinking water, foods and some of it to possibly keep sunrays away such as creams that act as filters with it, basically. What exactly those requirements can comprise would involve factors about activities planned there and period spent. Assuming trails of length appear tempting get those boots fitted first!

Clothing: Choose multiple things in stages; climate here goes up fast only before chilling pretty sudden-ish. Perhaps consider bringing just raincoat given these are somewhat inclined upon rainfall during midyear point periods there!

Extras: Camera or smartphone? Surely make sure whatever gadgets do get enough charging from battery! Don’t discard having tiny toolkit alongside a little of treatment material given grazes frequently occur even while out in the area – never become sad that they’re just simply in stock just while at locations needing its help though!

Things to Do Around Desierto De Los Leones

Why do a small trip to a lonely space like Desierto de los Leones become almost that little small extra special one by planning in some local fun after? Pretty easily, there is too often the fun-like chance to have an even greater visit round the neighborhood that could take no time whatsoever at all only if scheduled alright!

La Marquesa: What’s close is it, I would just have to ask you something like that. This one has activities like bicycle tours and possibly getting approximately nearby mountains, that, possibly may turn out fun as things occur now though really; take a try out with visiting.

Coyoacán: How approximately wandering neighborhoods having art as key topic here given many small businesses are almost here for people as such or just visiting just like you all and perhaps have the chance eating possibly food they got ready!

Xochimilco: Finally maybe even wander canal paths while upon flat bottom vessel while there’s going through a great evening following those hiking around with only Desierto – that possibly might very very easily change things though and take us towards getting done now rather!

Final Thoughts: Is the Trip Worth It?

After I’ve presented you the bits there might be by taking time from Desierto de los Leones, those thoughts are: should people visit given this really is even going to turn pretty well with the efforts and such taken?

By blending nature spots that can let someone step apart for minutes or simply that space housing bits dating too very long gone – not forgetting fun things too – yes is my thought of answer! Just picture for that moments those breathing around crisp areas even if stepping throughout ancient buildings too given bits of what someone needs becomes obvious soon- I can not recommend things just strongly! The trip lets someone just totally reconnect plus see facets that often may be almost hidden otherwise inside center parts regarding the big area as being the center point.