Hike in Copper Canyon - Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Copper Canyon, located in Mexico's Sierra Madre Mountains, is four times larger than the Grand Canyon and almost 300 feet deeper.

Most tourists to this area take the train journey to Chihuahua and do not venture into the canyon, however our clients love wild terrain and learning about the lives of local people. If this is your thing too, join us on a very special trek. We have a number of scheduled trips way into the Copper Canyon, this particular itinerary gives exposure to a wider range of experiences, as it includes Easter celebrations. Similar trips are available at other times of the year.

 

This 9 day trip gives you a trekking experience that ranks very high on the list of places that must he hiked and for extra interest this particular departure is set during the Semana Santa Holy Week.  We will delve into remote Tarahumara villages and experience the preparation and culmination of the processions, dances and rituals that mark this incredible amalgam of native Raramuri (the Tarahumara indigenous people refer to them selves as Raramuri - "bare footed runners") creation myth and Catholic tradition in the High and Low Sierra Tarahumara.  Visits to logging outposts, frontier mining towns and colonial cities are peppered with nights in traditional Tarahumara villages and rancherias.  Our rugged hike culminates in the town of Munerachi on the walls of the Batopilas Canyon where we will participate in the most intense night of celebration in one of the most traditional Tarahumara villages.

The main attraction is the hiking in a wilderness area along rugged trails.  We hike for 5 days, from the High Sierra of the Tarahumara at 6380 ft. to the bottom of the sub-tropical Batopilas Canyon at 1690 ft.  We will share the trails with the native Tarahumara indigenous people and occasionally pass by their dwellings perched high above the canyon floors.  This remote expedition will visit ancient missions, cascading waterfalls, and remote communities that rarely see outsiders.  This adventurous escape from the trappings of the modern world will immerse you in a world of land, sky, and water that few people have the opportunity to experience.  Come and see for yourself, the remote reaches of the Barrancas del Cobre await.  

This trip is a rugged adventure taking in the awesome canyons of Northern Mexico. It is ideal for active travelers wanting to combine remote hiking in pristine wilderness settings and wildlife viewing opportunities with visits to indigenous villages and towns very much off the beaten path (most tourists to the area only see the canyons from the train window. There are only a few groups trekking in this region and as a result the local people are not contaminated by mass tourism. 
 

Activity Grade: Moderate to Hard (on a scale of Easy / Moderate / Hard / Very Hard / Extreme).
 

Highlights include:

• Hiking over 5 days on sections of two enormous canyons in the vast Copper Canyon system.
• Wild campsites near remote indigenous family compounds perched on canyon walls with mule and walking access only.
• Visits to remote settlements of native Tarahumara and sharing the canyon trails with indigenous farmers and ranchers.
• Spending good Friday in the indigenous village of Munerachi and participating in the most intense celebrations of the Semana Santa holly week - a remote and fascinating community.
• Overnight in the frontier settlements of El Fuerte and Batopilas with excellent facilities.
• The famous train journey on the Chihuahua al Pacifico railroad from the Pacific coast through some of the canyons and up into the High Sierra. This train ride is available on other trips we offer. You will enjoy the transition between the dazzling Sea of Cortez and the arid canyons of the Sierra Tarahumara. If you are not hiking in the canyons you can alight the train at various points and join a later train, allowing time to get to know some of the area.

You could add an additional itinerary (try sea kayaking, and / or whale watching or maybe exploration of the ruins of Yucatan) to this, to extend your time in Mexico.

Itinerary
 

Day 0  Fly to Mexico  Although it will cost you extra, we suggest you arrive before day 1, so that there is less disruption for you should you experience a delay in your travel to Mexico.  Baggage delays are not common, but it can happen.  The extra cost will be based on personalised situations, but a guide to the likely costs is GBP45 / USD80 per person for a shared transfer and a shared room (add another GBP / USD40 if nobody to share the room with).

Day 1  Transfer (cost included in trip price below) from the airport (Los Mochis (airport code: LMM) - located near the Eastern mainland coast) to the charming colonial town of  El Fuerte (a drive of 1 hr 45 mins.), the gateway to the Copper Canyon.  Check in to our beautiful historic lodge and then roam the cobbled streets for a taste of old Mexico.  Relax and wander the quaint and historical city. Meet your guide at 6:00 PM in the hotel lobby for a general trip briefing and then dinner.  D.

Day 2 All aboard the world famous Chihuahua al Pacifico train trip into the Sierra Madre Mountains. This comfortable first class train takes us through many tunnels and over countless bridges providing exceptional opportunities for photographs or just enjoying the view. We arrive mid afternoon in Creel and transfer to The Sierra Hiking Lodge at Cusarare. Depending on arrival time there may be time in the late afternoon for a short walk to enjoy the rugged canyon terrain. A Mexican dinner at the lodge and a briefing from the guide about the hiking. Comfortable en-suite lodge accommodation. B, D.

Day 3 Transfer by vehicle to the trail head for the start of our hike. We start by traversing the rolling hills of the High Sierra and then we gradually climb and and later descend.  Lunch is provided on the trail and in the afternoon we arrive at Mapichi, where we will camp. B, L, D.   Hiking Facts: ½ day; distance 6 miles.  Altitude gain 1200 ft. / loss 1500 ft.

Day 4 We climb out of this small canyon and onto the ridge with spectacular long views.  Descending from this broad Mesa we will pass through the Lopez farm, where an isolated Tarahumara family continues to survive in the rugged canyon in much the same way as their ancestors have for hundreds of years.  After a pleasant lunch break in a shady nook we continue a short while more arriving in Taxon on the edge of the mountain where we set up camp, a great location with amazing views of the canyon below. B, L, D.   Hiking Facts: ¾ day; distance 6.8 miles. Altitude gain 1800 ft. / loss 1320 ft.

Day 5 After a hearty breakfast we will start our hike with a steep decent into the canyon, losing almost 2,000 ft as we watch the myriad of ecosystems and microclimates morph from high alpine forest to desert chaparral.  Passing by a handful of native communities and small ranches, we are reminded of the beauty, simplicity, and difficulties of subsistence life in this challenging environment.  We set up camp at Chinovo. B, L, D.  Hiking Facts: ¾ day; distance 6.8 miles.  Altitude gain  700 ft. / loss 2,220 ft.

Day 6 (Good Friday) Our destination for tonight is Munerachi, a larger community with a colonial mission established by the Spaniards, where we set up camp.  This afternoon and evening, we will witness the traditional dancing and processions that mark the Semana Santa holy week.  After a refreshing dip in the small river, it’s time for dinner a well-earned nights sleep or continue into the night with the mystical Semana Santa festivities.  B, L, D.  Hiking Facts: All day, distance 9.5 miles. Altitude gain  800 ft. / loss 1780 ft.

Day 7 Our last day hiking, finds us following the Munerachi river down to Cerro Colorado and from there the home stretch on to Batopilas.  Along the river we will see two aquaducts built by the miners in the 1800s to work and transport the ore from the the mines of Cerro Colorado and Batopilas.  Our final hiking day is shorter as we enter the frontier town of Batopilas. A fantastic setting to end our journey here in the Canyon, we will enjoy some free time to explore this historic mining outpost with an optional excursion to visit the lost Cathedral of Satevo.   Dinner and relaxing in our lovely hotel.  B, L,D. Hiking Facts: ¾ day; 10.5miles.  Altitude gain 120ft / loss 780ft. 

Day 8 (Easter Sunday) After breakfast we will have a chance to further explore the Batopilas area as we hike to the “Lost Cathedral” of Satevo.  While not truly a cathedral, its ornate grandeur is still a mystery and it conjures up an image of a once great religious centre.  Here too we will see the preparations for Easter as a constant flow of Tarahumara indigenous inhabitants come bringing their offerings, demonstrating ritual dances and the unique intertwined story of native and catholic Easter stories.  In the afternoon, we wander the streets of this historic mining town with free time to visit the ruins of the Sheppard Hacienda, laze by the river, or have a beer with the locals.  Night back at our lovely hacienda.  B, L, D.

Day 9 After breakfast, early morning finds us beginning the incredible climb by vehicle out of the Batopilas Canyon up a spectacular array of switchbacks to our mid day stopping point of Creel, the frontier logging outpost turned tourist centre for the Copper Canyon.  After lunch and some perusing the local crafts, we continue across the high plains to Chihuahua.  Early evening arrival to this important cultural and economic centre of north western Mexico.  Night on the town for our farewell fiesta. B,L,D

Day 10  Transfer to Airport for flight to home. B.

                                                                   Email for current price / availability
 

What is Included

Wilderness first aid & CPR Certified, bi-lingual Mexican naturalist/hiking guide throughout.  Satellite telephone (for medical emergency use only). Local guides, pack mule handlers (for transportation of your main luggage - you carry day packs only). Airport transfers on the designated arrival and departure days only (we can collect / deliver you on other days too, but there is an extra cost).  All transfers throughout in private vehicles.  Camping equipment except sleeping bags.  Copper Canyon train tickets. All meals as indicated in the detailed itinerary according to the code (B,L,D).  All accommodation. Occupation of tents based on twin share in a 3 person tent. Top of the range Thermarest mats. Gratuities / Tips for all the staff at the hotels and restaurants, except the main tour guide and the local guides.
 

What is Excluded

International and internal flights.  Airport taxes.  Immigration / visa costs. Airport transfers not on the designated arrival/departure days.  Meals not detailed in the itinerary by the code (B,L,D).  Gratuities / Tips for the main tour guide and the local guides.

Airfare (from the UK )
As a guide, the international airfare should be in the range GBP580 - GBP690 for economy class.

Travel Insurance

Comprehensive personal insurance, including search and rescue is required on this trip. For UK clients we recommend the policies of the British Mountaineering Council, for their expertise in evacuation from remote areas worldwide. Details at www.thebmc.co.uk  As Insurance is always provided by a company based in your home country, we are unable to suggest suitable insurance companies unless you reside in the UK.