Dominating the skyline north-east of Puebla is the 4460m, dormant volcano La Malinche. It was named after Cortés' interpreter and indigenous lover. The volcano is the fifth tallest peak in Mexico, and is snowcapped only for a number of weeks a year, normally in May. Located in the Parque Nacional la Malintzi, you need to register at the entrance before you can get access to the mountain.

Getting there
The mountain, although so high up, is accessible by road very conveniently, especially via Hwy 136, turning south-west at the Centro Vacacional Malintzi. The peak, unlike the base, is not accessible by car, so beyond the vacation centre the real mountain hiking starts. It’s a five hour trip up to the top after a 1km walk up to the ridge.