Mexico’s Copper Canyon – 5 times larger and 1½ times deeper than the Grand Canyon captures the magic of nature.
A journey through the Copper Canyon begins in the northeast corner of Chihuahua state of Mexico where you find yourself standing atop the majestic heights known as Las Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon), a name that derives its meaning from the stunning greenish copper hue of the canyon walls.
Tarahumaras, the indigenous people of this area have made the canyons their home for centuries and their lives are entwined with the rugged mountains. Their way of life has largely been preserved Due to the remoteness of the region and you will have an up close and personal glimpse of their, traditions, cultural and cuisine.
Riding on the Chihuahua Al Pacific Railroad, on the edge of Divisadero,” el ojo de la barrancas”, or the eye of the canyons lies the continental divide and one can see 100 – mile vistas of the many canyons within this geographical landscape. Your hotel in Disasdero literally sits on the canyon rim and from your room or the grounds at any time of the day; you will experience magical changes of light across canyons below, created by shadows of clouds, lifting fog, rainbows, or an incredible sunrise or sunset.
But what is better than learning about a destination than from those who can speak to the experience. Avid Wells Gray Tours travellers, Carole and Wayne Bridges enjoyed our Copper Canyon Tour in 2009 and Carole recently sent me the following the notes about their trip.
“I love it when The Experience Quarterly arrives and we can have a look at the new offerings from Wells Gray Tours. In January 2014 issue I noticed the inclusion of a tour to Mexico’s Copper Canyon which we enjoyed in 2009. We decided on this trip after hearing great things about it from other travelling friends. I like to keep a daily journal noting the food and the sights and was inspired to re-read my jottings from this trip. Hibiscus tea and rum are mentioned along with the fabulous scenery, new tour friends, the excellent accommodations along with dips in the hotel pools. In El Fuerte (I love rolling those words over my tongue) our hotel was like something out of a magazine spread. There were masses of twining flowers everywhere, up brick steps to our colorfully tiled room with sticks across the ceiling. The Indian Deer Dancers who performed in the hotel entrance were the highlight of our time here. The next few days began with boarding the Chihuahua Al Pacifico Railroad (I have a shirt to prove I was on it) and feasting our eyes on the spectacular scenery, tunnels and switchbacks of the Copper Canyon. Other stops and sights filled our days splendidly until we arrived by train to Hotel Divisadero perched on the edge of the cliffs. The stone balcony of our room provided us a phenomenal view of the surrounding landscapes. On our tour we saw awesome scenery, visited locals in their cave homes, met students attending a mission school, watched weaving and learned a lot about the areas we were travelling through from our knowledgeable guides.
Our itinerary was a little different from the one now offered by Wells Gray Tours in 2014 but it sounds just as inviting and those going on the 2014 trip will be lucky to ride the Aerial Tramway that was built in 2010 that goes down into the Copper Canyon. I speak for us both when I say we would highly recommend this trip!”
Joan Niemeier and Carole and Wayne Bridges
Mexico’s Copper Canyon
October 8, 2014 — 17 Days
