This Mexico tour explores the Copper Canyon, the largest canyon in North America. Board the El Chepe train on the Chihuahua-Pacific Railway for a scenic train trip through the Copper Canyon as you travel from El Fuerte to the canyon's rim at Posada Barranca. Visit Tarahumara villages with your local guide to learn about the traditional culture and life in this beautiful and isolated region.
Warning: Due to sporadic train service this tour may not yet be operational in 2023
Highlights
Journey through the Sierra Madre's on a scenic six hour train ride
Boat the El Fuerte river in search of wildlife and petroglyphs
Visit Creel to learn about its history as a railroad and logging town
Book excursions in the canyon such as hiking, ziplining and via ferrata
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive to Los Mochis airport where you will be greeted and transferred to the gateway of Copper Canyon, El Fuerte. In the afternoon meet the guide for an orientation of El Fuerte and take a walking tour and streetcar ride of this cobble-stoned, colonial city.
Your bilingual guide will meet you at your hotel to head to the river to start your boat trip along El Fuerte River. As you cruise along the water, you will see tropical forest all around that is home to an abundance of wildlife. Your guide will point out local flora and fauna and explain all about the important of the river. Along the shores of the river, you will observe the ancient petroglyphs, which are believed to be over 4,000 years old and depict sun gods and shamans.
Upon completion of your visit, return to shore and drive back to your hotel, followed by an historic tour of El Fuerte city with a short visit to the town's eclectic museum with its collection of pre-Columbian, colonial, and modern artifacts, including items once belonging to outlaw Pancho Villa. Your afternoon is free for lunch and to independently explore El Fuerte.
All aboard the world famous, first-class El Chepe train of the Chihuahua-Pacific Railway for the six hour journey into the Sierra Madre Mountains. Considered one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys and an engineering marvel, the train crosses 36 bridges and passes 87 tunnels along its 655 km route from Mexico’s interior to the Pacific coast.
Arrive to Posada Barrancas after lunch (on your own in the restaurant car) and be greeted at the station and transferred to the hotel. Meet the guide, your host for the next three days, who will give you an orientation and discuss the options for the next day's activities. The evening is free to take a short walk to explore the grounds, or relax on your private balcony that overlooks the canyon before dinner.
Today's activities are completely customized based on your preferences and interests, and the guide and a vehicle are at your disposal. Visit a Tarahumara village or the Copper Canyon's most spectacular view points at Oteviachi, Barranca de Laja, or Urique. Light walking excursions or more extensive day hikes can also be arranged, and ziplining and via ferrata (rock climbing/ropes course combination) are options with an additional cost for any thrill-seekers.
Lunch and dinner provided at the hotel, and the spectacular views are complimentary!
Spend the morning free to explore on your own. In the afternoon travel to Creel with stops along the way at Piedra Volada, the tallest waterfall in Mexico. Next, visit the Valley of the Mushrooms, known for its namesake-shaped rocks, and Lake Arareko with unusual rock formations and surrounding pine forest.
Creel's history as a railroad and logging town and its picturesque location among the pine forest makes it an interesting stopover. Spend some time visiting the main plaza or the arts and crafts cooperative that contributes directly to the Tarahumara community. Settle in for the evening at the cozy lodge.
Continue north from Creel towards Chihuahua and stop en-route for lunch and to visit a "Menonita" community near Cuauhtemoc. After arriving to Chihuahua and settling into your hotel, you are free to explore the parks, plazas, impressive cathedral, and museums of this important historic, regional capital.
Day 7: Return Home
1 Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your flight to return home or to your next destination in Mexico.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is $400, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.