COPPER CANYON TRADITIONAL

Maya Expeditions trip to the Copper Canyon: CCAT

Day 1: Arrival

You will be met at the airport in Los Mochis by an English-speaking representative of Copper Canyon Adventures and taken to colonial El Fuerte, a city where you can still see old Mexico at every turn.

On arrival in colonial El Fuerte, you will settle in at the Hotel El Fuerte, a charming hotel known for its personal service and great food. This hotel is uniquely located for exploring our adopted "hometown".

Following dinner, you will enjoy a folkloric dance show highlighting both regional Sinaloan dance, including and the Yaqui/Mayo Indian "Deer Dance", and nationally performed dances from other regions of Mexico.

To complement this wonderful hotel, take a stroll to the "Plazuela" of El Fuerte, a short distance away. This wonderfully maintained central plaza is indicative of both the pride of El Fuerte's citizens and the richness of their history.
Meals included: Dinner

Welcome to Mexico-Enjoy!

Day 2: Petroglyphs, Ocolomito, El Fuerte town tour
After breakfast, you will take a river trip and short hike to the "Cerro de la Mascara" (Mask Hill), a little-known petroglyph site featuring carvings anywhere from 800-2000 years old-their exact age is unknown. Little else is known about these carvings,
but they are incredibly interesting and thought provoking.
Lunch will be a special treat, combining great nature watching and a chance to examine the flora and fauna on the Fuerte River at Ocolomito with traditional cuisine served in a scenic riverside setting. This will be a great afternoon for naturalists.

After lunch, you will take a city tour of colonial El Fuerte, enjoying the friendly ambiance, wonderful architecture and rich history of this 438-year-old city. In addition, you will be able to visit the new museum of El Fuerte, with its excellent rotating exhibits on topics of local and regional interest.
BLD

Day 3: The Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad
You have reserved seats on the Copper Canyon train after breakfast today, enjoying tremendous views from one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The three-level loop at Temoris is especially photogenic-so be sure to bring lots of film!
Your destination today is Bahuichivo (5400'/1645m), the station serving Cerocahui and the Paraiso del Oso Ranch, your hosts for the next two nights. Members of the ranch will meet you at the station.
Tranquil and refreshing, I am sure you will enjoy the warm, comfortable rooms at the Paraiso del Oso-with kerosene lamps, plush comforters and pillows, you will certainly feel pampered.
If you are interested, this afternoon you will have time for a short hike to the "Cave of the Crosses", once the home of Rarámuri Indians. Well-preserved and striking, this cave will give you an idea of one way the indigenous peoples of this area live.
Dinner will be an ideal setting for enjoying both the mountain atmosphere and great hospitality of your hosts, Doug and Ana Rhodes. In addition, if you like stargazing, this is a great place for it, and the ranch has a professional telescope at your disposal.

BLD Day 4: Cerocahui, Cerro Gallegos and Urique

After breakfast, you will travel to Cerocahui, one of the oldest mountain communities in the Sierra. Cerocahui is also home to one of the oldest (and prettiest) churches in the region—a church with a surprising Asian connection. There is also a lovely Rarámuri children’s boarding school that you can visit while there.

From Cerocahui, you will travel past the Mesa del Arturo before enjoying great views of both the Palestine and Urique Canyons, and Rarámuri homesteads from Cerro Gallegos. The views of the Urique canyon from Cerro Gallegos are truly epic and justifiably famous—most consider them the best views in the Copper Canyon.

A highlight of this excursion will be your descent to the floor of the second deepest canyon in North America (deeper than the Grand Canyon)—the road is unforgettable. You will lunch in Urique, one of the oldest mining towns in the Sierra, and have time to explore this unique town—and a nearby suspension bridge that crosses the Urique River.

Leaving the canyon will provide still more great photo opportunities, especially with the different sun angles of the afternoon. You will never forget the panoramas of the Urique Canyon!
BLD

Day 5: Bahuichivo to Areponápuchi
Your morning will be free before you re-board the Chihuahua al Pacifico train bound for Posada Barrancas, the station serving the small community of Areponápuchi.
Close to Divisadero and located just below the canyon rim, Areponápuchi is ideally situated for great excursions and unique views. At 7200' (2200m), take your time until you are acclimated to the higher elevation.
Your lodging for the next two nights is the Mansion Tarahumara, a small hotel nestled in the trees a short distance from the canyon rim. Quiet and natural, the Mansion is a wonderful place to stay in a beautiful area.
BLD

Day 6: Three Canyons
You can spend this morning enjoying great vistas of three canyons-Urique, Copper and Tararecua-from a variety of overlooks. These overlooks are part of a vehicular excursion that includes:
A visit to the "Piedra Volada" (Flying Rock), with its spectacular overlook and moving stone,
"Lago Pilares" (Pillar lake), a beautiful alpine lake nestled in the woods,
"Las Escaleras" (The ladders), a unique vista overlooking a trail which leads down to the bottom of the canyon, and
Divisadero, the halfway point of the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad, and home to an open-air Rarámuri Indian artisan's market.

This evening would be a lovely time to include a quiet and private walk along the rim. I am sure your day at the edge of the canyon will be special.
BLD

Day 7: Return to El Fuerte
After enjoying your morning at the edge of the canyon you will have lunch and get back on the train for the return trip to El Fuerte.
The timing of your return trip should provide some great photo opportunities, as you will be seeing the most dramatic part of the trip in the late-afternoon sun.
Your farewell dinner and lodging will be at the Hotel El Fuerte-your home away from home in Copper Canyon country.
BLD

Day 8: Departure
You will be transferred to the airport in Los Mochis for your flight, and there assisted with checking in.
Thanks for coming! We look forward to staying in touch.
B

Trip price includes:
Round-trip first-class travel on the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad, considered one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world,
All lodging,
All meals, as noted (including the riverside lunch at Ocolomito),
All excursions (including the folkloric dancing demonstration, the Fuerte River trip to the Cerro de la Mascara petroglyphs, The El Fuerte town tour with visit to the Mayo Indian museum, the full-day cultural, canyon rim and canyon bottom tour of Cerocahui, Cerro Gallegos, and Urique, and the Three Canyons cultural and canyon rim tour at Areponápuchi),

All hotel and baggage handling tips,
All airport/train station/hotel transfers upon your arrival in Los Mochis, and
A detailed trip information package with maps and supporting documentation.

Accompanied by a personal bilingual guide throughout the trip:

(Single Supplement: $225)

Not included in trip price:

Tips for trip guides.

Personal purchases such as souvenirs, handicrafts, snacks and alcoholic beverages.

Mexico tourist card ($17 per person; normally added into the price of your airline ticket)

Airfare to and from Los Mochis, Mexico (airport code LMM), where the trip begins. Note: when booking airfares to Los Mochis, it is best to book the round-trip from your home airport to either Los Angeles, Phoenix or Tucson. Then, make a SEPARATE booking from one of those three US airports to Los Mochis, making sure all the connection times work with the first booking. Booking separately like this will often save you upwards of $200 per person on your flight to travel with us!

(Try these airline links for flights to Los Mochis from Tucson, Phoenix or LA)

http://www.reservaciones.com/airlines/aerocalifornia.shtml for AeroCalifornia.

http://www.aeromexico.com/ingles/home.html for AeroMexico.