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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
8 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  •  Journey by train through the Sierra Madre Mountains along one of the world’s most spectacular  railway routes 
  •  Our Expedition Leaders take us on private, guided walks through a dramatic landscape of deep canyons, pine forests and waterfalls 
  •  Meet the Tarahumara people, famous runners and artists who call this remote region home
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Parks & Nature Reserves, Rail, Sightseeing
Other: Horseback rides, wine tasting
$2995USD
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8 SPOTS AVAILABLE
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ONGOING PROMOTIONS
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Applies to Departures Between:
4/25/2012 and 1/1/2013
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From 4/25/2012 To 6/1/2012
TRIP MAP
See the locations you'll visit!

Journey Through Copper Canyon

Remarkably, few travelers know about Copper Canyon, one of the most unique and dramatic natural formations on earth. A collection of chasms well over a mile deep and 60 million years in the making, this impossibly rugged region is also home to one of North America’s most traditional native cultures.
Remarkably, few travelers know about Copper Canyon, one of the most unique and dramatic natural formations on earth. A collection of chasms well over a mile deep and 60 million years in the making, this impossibly rugged region is also home to one of North America’s most traditional native cultures, the Tarahumara, who live in caves below the rim. We reach the canyon’s remote heights on a stunning railway journey, arriving at a destination that feels caught decades ago in time. Languid sunsets, pine air and unparalleled natural beauty await in the hidden reaches of Copper Canyon country.

Larger in size than the U.S. Grand Canyon, northern Mexico’s Copper Canyon is actually a series of several canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental range, each with its own unique ecosystem. Although remote and sometimes rugged, the area’s stunning beauty and rich culture are well worth the journey. Please be prepared for a variety of weather. Los Mochis and El Fuerte have tropical climates, while the rest of the trip is at higher elevation where temperatures can become chilly at night. The “El Chepe” train is a highlight for most Copper Canyon travelers, taking us through breathtaking scenery we could not otherwise access. On some days our itinerary is dependent on the train, which occasionally falls off schedule. We may have to wait for the train or make adjustments to itinerary if this happens. Our train rides range from three to four hours up to five to six hours.
Day 1: Los Mochis, Mexico
Arrive in Los Mochis in the heart of the Sinaloa Valley, one of Mexico’s richest agricultural areas. Transfer to the Hotel Santa Anita, where we gather this evening for a welcome dinner.
Lodging Hotel Santa Anita
Description Santa Anita Hotel is located in downtown, 110 miles from International airport. 121 guest rooms with double, king or queen size beds, as well as junior suites. Landmark hotel of the city, with continental restaurant and fine dining, also a live music lobby bar with nightly entertainment. Convention facilities and meeting rooms, also a new executive business center for executive travelers. Gift shop and travel agency specilalized in tours to Copper Canyon Mexico.
Day 2: Topolobampo / El Fuerte
At Topolobampo on the Sea of Cortez, we take a boat ride to Isla de los Pajaros, cruising close to friendly dolphins in the bay. After lunch at the famous El Farallon seafood restaurant, we continue to El Fuerte, a 16th-century colonial town with cobbled streets. We overnight at the Hotel Posada del Hidalgo, a Spanish colonial mansion set among lush gardens.
Lodging Hotel Posada del Hidalgo
Description Hotel Posada del Hidalgo is a beautiful colonial mansion. This attractive structure was built in 1890 by Señor Rafael Almada, a wealthy and influential "alcalde" (mayor) who spent five years and 100,000 gold pesos on its construction. The wooden trim was made from 285 Canadian red pine beams. Colonial Mexico's exquisite charm has been superbly blended with today's modern conveniences to creat the Posada del Hidalgo Hotel. Be sure to notice the historical documents and artifacts displayed in the hotel as you stroll the lovely tropical gardens.
Day 3: Copper Canyon by Train
Superlatives simply fail to capture the scenic drama of today’s journey. We board the Chihuahua-Pacifico Railroad, inaugurated in 1961 after decades of construction and heralded as one of the world’s most extraordinary engineering wonders. Winding from sea level to nearly 8,000 feet through the Sierra Madre Mountains, the railway traverses 37 bridges and 86 tunnels in its journey over the Continental Divide. The route penetrates 25,000 square miles of canyons, the eight largest of which are known collectively as Copper Canyon – more than four times the size of the Grand Canyon. At the highest point on the rim we disembark to check in at the Hotel Posada Mirador, perched like an eagle’s nest on the edge of the chasm. Nearby we visit the dwellings of the local Raramuri people, known commonly as the Tarahumara, who have made their unlikely homes along a ledge of the canyon walls. After a sunset dinner we retire to our guest rooms, each with a stupendous view over the abyss.
Lodging Hotel Posada Mirador
Description Posada Mirador Hotel offers 65 accommodations with welcome amenities and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to balconies. Rooms are equipped with complimentary TV Internet access. Bathrooms include showers, makeup/shaving mirrors, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Additionally, rooms include fax machines and windows that open. Housekeeping is offered daily and in-room massages can be requested.
Day 4: Copper Canyon / Divisadero
We hike though pine and oak forest this morning to the most spectacular overlook into three different branches of the Copper Canyon. The deepest canyon, carved by the upper reaches of the Urique River, is more than 6,100 feet below us, and we feel very small as we gaze into its shadowy depths. Later, an exhilarating cable car ride affords yet another perspective of the immense canyons below. This afternoon we gain more insight into the lives and culture of the Raramuri people as we visit a local community.
Lodging Hotel Posada Mirador
Description Posada Mirador Hotel offers 65 accommodations with welcome amenities and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to balconies. Rooms are equipped with complimentary TV Internet access. Bathrooms include showers, makeup/shaving mirrors, complimentary toiletries, and hair dryers. Additionally, rooms include fax machines and windows that open. Housekeeping is offered daily and in-room massages can be requested.
Day 5: Creel / Cusarare
Today we drive to Creel, eastern gateway to the Copper Canyon. En route we stop at the 18th-century San Ignacio Mission and Arareko Lake, ringed by granite boulders and pine-studded outcroppings. Rustic Creel feels like a 19th-century logging town. We then continue to Sierra Lodge, a haven of simplicity and beauty. While the lodge has no electricity, kerosene lamps lend an atmospheric glow, and wood stoves take the chill off cool mountain evenings. From here we hike to Cusarare Falls, a 100-foot cascade that plummets over a rock ledge into a series of pools.
Lodging Sierra Lodge
Description Twenty minutes from Creel, this charming and very rustic lodge built of logs sits on the banks of a river overlooking pine-covered slopes. There is no electricity but rooms have kerosene lamps. Dinner is by candle-light and very romantic. Food is freshly prepared and delicious.
Day 6: Cusarare / Cerocahui
After a tranquil morning of birding and hiking, we return to Creel to board the train for Bahuichivo. On arrival we transfer to the Mision Hotel in Cerocahui. This small village sits in a valley of apple orchards on the edge of Urique Canyon, deepest in the system. Its 900 residents are part of an ejido, a government-established community cooperative dedicated to forestry. This afternoon we visit a Tarahumara girls’ boarding school, followed by a tour of our hotel’s own vineyard and wine-tasting.
Lodging Hotel Mision
Description Named in honor of an impressive 300-year-old Jesuit Mission in the picturesque village of Cerocahui, the Hotel Mision is located in a high fertile river valley of apple orchards and vineyards surrounded by The Sierra Madre. You can stroll through the lush courtyards and the adjoining vineyard which produces table wines for the hotel. Then you can warm yourself before a huge stone fireplace in the lobby, enjoy a meal in the dining room or relax in the bar. Guided horseback trail rides are available to a spectacular waterfall, or you can hop on the sightseeing bus to The Majestic Urique Canyon Overlook.
Day 7: Cerocahui / Los Mochis
Today begins with a choice of adventures. On a round-trip excursion to Cerro del Gallego, behold one of the most expansive and magnificent views of Urique Canyon. We pass Raramuri villages and natural springs along the way, always keeping an eye out for any of the hundreds of bird species inhabiting this region. Alternatively, this morning you may opt for a gentle, scenic horseback ride in the valley surrounding Cerocahui. Our route takes us through a forest and alongside a river, highlighting the beauty of the landscape around us. After lunch we head once more to the train station for a final trip aboard “El Chepe,” back down the spectacular line to El Fuerte. Upon arrival, we transfer via road to Los Mochis, enjoying our farewell dinner at the hotel.
Lodging Hotel Santa Anita
Description Santa Anita Hotel is located in downtown, 110 miles from International airport. 121 guest rooms with double, king or queen size beds, as well as junior suites. Landmark hotel of the city, with continental restaurant and fine dining, also a live music lobby bar with nightly entertainment. Convention facilities and meeting rooms, also a new executive business center for executive travelers. Gift shop and travel agency specilalized in tours to Copper Canyon Mexico.
Day 8: Los Mochis / Home
Transfer to the airport this morning for flights home.
Overall Rating
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Accommodation Rating
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F. Byers
“The accommodations were just fantastic! All of the places were simply beautiful, and the staff people were so helpful and kind. Each place had its own atmosphere and made you feel like you were 'at home' wherever we ventured! Astrid and Karel were excellent guides and constantly provided knowledge, professionalism, patience, and great humor daily! Their presentations each night were so instrumental in learning about the culture and the environment. There were only three of us, but they did everything possible to make sure our needs were met. I can't begin to tell you all I learned from them! What a wonderful couple they were, and I can't say enough about how they both made this trip a truly magical experience! Excellent, excellent guides and the greatest of diplomats for Mexico! AS ALWAYS --- PERFECTLY PLANNED!!! I truly love NAT HAB!!!! I LOVED IT ALL! If I had to list something that I enjoyed the least, it would be that I wish the trip would have been longer! :0) You are theeeee best!!!! Everything is always so well-organized and planned, and it is always a learning adventure! Thank you for providing such amazing environmental experiences!!!!”
Overall Rating
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Accommodation Rating
Itinerary Rating
Value Rating
TRIP INCLUDES
  •  Travel by train and van within the canyon
  •  accommodations
  •  meals (except on Day 8)
  •  beer with meals
  •  services of NHA Expedition Leaders and local guides
  •  most gratuities
  •  airport transfers on Day 1 and final day
  •  entrance fees
TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE
  •  Travel to and from start and end point of trip
  •  meals on Day 8
  •  alcoholic beverages except beer with meals
  •  some gratuities
  •  items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, etc.)
  •  airport and departure taxes
  •  optional travel insurance
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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