The Copper Canyon region - larger, and four of the canyons in it are deeper than the Grand Canyon in Arizona has been inhabited by the indigenous Tarahumara, "the running people", for over 500 years. They are extraordinary endurance athletes, and routinely run 200-250 miles in one session, barefoot, or in their deerskin sandals.
We could spend weeks exploring this vast area, it is so mesmerizing, but we can get a very good idea of it on this 9 night adventure, concentrating, as usual on Nature, and developing community - a perfect place to do so!
We begin in the town of Los Mochis (where there is an airport) where we will meet for a Welcome Dinner at our hotel. The next morning, we'll take a van 1.5 hours up into the mountains to the beautiful Colonial town of El Fuerte, where we'll spend the day exploring, and one night. Our hotel was once a majestic mansion where the young Diego de la Vega was born, alias '' El Zorro ". We may even experience thousands of bats emerging from the masonry of the museum nearby at dusk as they begin their nightly search for an insect dinner. For hundreds of years, El Fuerte was the hub of all of the silver and gold mining trade in the area. Perched next to the Rio Fuerte which supplies the water for the vast agricultural areas in the coastal plain, El Fuerte is our gateway to the Copper Canyon.
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We'll take the famous Ferrocarril Chihuahua-Pacifíco, the only passenger train still operating in Mexico (except for the new Mayan train that just runs from Campeche to Cancun as of December 2023) and considered the most scenic train ride in North America. Called "El Chepe", we'll stop at the little village of Bahuichivo, and stay at a winery/hotel nearby in Cerocahui, and visit a boarding school for some of the Tarahumara who walk 3 days from their homes to stay there (no roads).
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The next day, our van will take us to the top of the canyons and the town of Creel at 7,694 ft. elevation. But, no trip is really complete without exploring what's way down in the bottom....and we'll meander down from the pine forests into the tropics, stopping along the way to hike to a beautiful waterfall, and then stay in the historic silver mining town of Batopilas for two nights. From the early 18th century until the mid-20th century, this was a thriving town and it is really a unique place to visit, virtually at the ends of the earth.
In Batopilas, we'll stay at a mansion built in the 1800's that covers an entire block, with private gardens, and filled with antiques - each room has a claw foot tub for soaking off the dust of our journey before we walk through the soft light of the Plaza to a quaint restaurant for dinner.
In Batopilas, we'll stay at a mansion built in the 1800's that covers an entire block, with private gardens, and filled with antiques - each room has a claw foot tub for soaking off the dust of our journey before we walk through the soft light of the Plaza to a quaint restaurant for dinner.
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An American, Alexander Shepherd, ran the silver mines in the late 1800's and we can walk along the river to the ruins of his former mansion. and further down a few miles, the exquisite Satevo mission church built in the late 1800's - the first church ever built in the huge state of Chihuahua.
After we've wound our way back up to the top of the canyons, our home for two nights will be a hotel dramatically clinging to the escarpment...each room has a balcony that looks into the silence of the canyons and I have often sat for hours staring into this powerful place, watching as night descends and little fires are built by some of the Tarahumara indigenous people who live miles from any road, tucked deep in the labyrinth of canyons. From our hotel, it is a very short drive or walk to a park along the rim, home of the longest zip line in the world - over the canyons! For those who prefer something a little less thrilling, there is a sturdy cable car ride with views that go for miles. We can also walk along the rim trail, if we like. We'll also have an afternoon with some of the Tarahumara people who will explain more about their culture.
Our last full day in the Canyon, we'll take El Chepe's new Express train from our hotel back to Los Mochis, and have dinner together before our last night. We'll say "Adios" the next morning, April 12.
Price: $2950 USD per person/double occupancy and includes all lodging, all professional guides, all ground transportation including First Class train tickets, day tours of the locations we are visiting, more than 1/2 of our meals. Airfare is not included. This trip is limited in size, and is incredibly planning intensive. If you would like to be included, please reserve your space with a $800 USD deposit by clicking the purple button below. It will take you to a secure site to do so. The balance will be due February 1, 2025.