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I'm planning a trip to Mt. Iztaccihuatl this November and want to find out how safe travel is now in the region. The plan is to drive from Mexico City to Amecameca, then to San Rafael to take the El Caracol trail. Have any of you been to Iztaccihuatl or Orizaba within the last year or so? If so did you have any trouble with crime or crooked authorities? Anyone had success with leaving a car at a trailhead there, or would it be almost guaranteed to get burglarized / stolen? Do you think it's safe to travel in Central Mexico or would you steer clear?

I haven't been down that way since Dec 2012 but made 4 trips down in 2011 and 2012. on those trips I had no problems at all, left the rental car overnight in Amecameca in the parking lot in front of the Hotel San Carlos several times on all 4 trips, also at the La Joya trailhead on Izta's normal route.

I don't know where the Caracol route starts but if it leaves from Dos Aguas you should be able to park inside the fee area and I would think that a car would be safe inside that area. I've never done that overnight so I don't really know. Ask at the gate where you pay the fee. The guards there should know.

I was just talking to a friend earlier this afternoon about a possible trip down that way in late Nov, early Dec for the Skyrace Malinche and a trip or 2 up Izta, maybe Toluca or Orizaba. It didn't occur to me to be concerned about safety in that part of Mexico at all. Sorry my information isn't more current but unless there is specific information otherwise, I wouldn't worry about general travel safety.

JimS


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I've hiked these twice, most recently last January. I parked at the Altzomoni hut this year, and wan't worried about a break-in. Of course, you shouldn't leave anything in your car you can't be without: passport and credit cards.

Don't try to drive the road to Piedra Grande where the hut is located. This year local farmers dug deep ruts to make the road impassable for most vehicles. We spent a couple of hours refilling the gaps to help our driver's truck get past them. (We hired a ride in Tlachichuca.)

Woodie

Thank you both for the info. I didn't think this part of Mexico was supposed to be particularly dangerous, but I had family members trying to tell me the entire country is a war zone. It's good to hear that you found it to be pretty safe.

While generally safe, I had small valuables (cell charger, harmonica, technical clothing) stolen from Orizaba's Piedras Grandes hut while I climbed in Feb 2016. Theft is absolutely real. Be advised.