This is an adventurous expedition riding in the innermost recesses of the Sierra Madre, one of the most wild and spectacular areas of Mexico. Your adventure will begin with a guided tour of Chihuahua before travelling on to Creel. From there we head to Cusarare where we mount our horses and head deeper away from civilization into the dizzying canyons del Cobre. The ride takes us through the deepest canyons of this remote area: Urique (1870m), Batopilas and Sinforosa (1800m). We finish in Bahichivo where we catch the famous Chepe train through the Sierre Madre Mountains descending on this spetacular rail journey to Los Mochis on the coast. Meeting with the remote Tarahumara Indians in the mountains is a rare privilige and they still lives lives largely untouched by contact with modern Mexicans. We will be there during the great celebrations of Holy Week witnessing processions which combine Catholicism and traditional rites. Lastly we see Mexico City before departing for home.
No single rooms available (on some or all nights). Riders must be prepared to share.
SAMPLE ITINERARY - COPPER CANYON TRAIL
Day 1: Arrive Mexico City. Fly on to Chihuahua and transfer to your overnight hotel. No lunch or dinner is included today.
Day 2: Visit Chihuahua - Creel
This morning you will go on a city tour of Chihuahua; visit the Place d'Armes, the "Quinta Gameros" built in 1910 in the Neo-classic Second Empire, the "Quinta Luz" and residence of the famous Pancho Villa. There will be an optional visit to the Museum of the Revolution.
Road transfer to Creel (around a 4 hour drive) - one of the towns most far-west of Mexico! Here you will meet your riding guide and settle into his guesthouse. Welcome dinner with typical Mexican food, and chat about the riding plan. Overnight
Day 3: Creel - Cusarare - El Tejaban
Transportation of horses and riders to Cusarare (30 minutes) to start our ride adventure riding on the high sierra(from 2000 to 2400 metres of elevation) and its alpine forest to El Tejaban, located at the ridge of the Copper Canyon where impressive views of the Canyon and its steepness can be seen. Camp overnight. 6 hours of riding.
Day 4: El Tejaban - Barranca Del Cobre - Guaycavo
Our first canyon descent by the Camino Real (Colonial trail which connected Batoplias with Chihuahua city) to the ruins of Barranca del Cobre and its river Urique (3 hours). Visit the abandoned mines where the whole canyon
took the name from and swim at the river. Ascent to Guacayvo, a small and half abandoned village located on a very narrow canyon. We also realise the diversity of flora and fauna of the high sierra and the bottom of a canyon. Camp overnight. 5 hours of riding.
Day 5 Guaycavo - El Cebollin - La Renga
We continue our ascent to El Cebollin (sawmill) where we´ll have our first Canyon´s crossing completed. At this point we will be able to see our first camp site, not far at all on a straight line, but with a canyon of 1100 meters deep below our horses hooves. Then ride by the sierra to La Renga, a strategically located nice little valley with apple trees where vehicle support can meet us. Camp overnight . 5 hours of riding.
Day 6 La Renga - Cieneguita De Morales
Ride by the high sierra by a long range enjoying great views of Hondo, and Urique Canyon on our right handside, and Batopilas on our left all the way to Cieneguita de Morales. Camp overnight. 6 hours of riding.
Day 7 Cieneguita – Munerachi
After riding for 4 days almost straight south, we veer to the southeast, mostly by high Sierra and a short descent at the end of the day to Munerachi. Today we´ll be able to admire the magnificent of Batopilas Canyon and it could be here where we also hopefully see the celebration of Semana Santa Tarahumara (it is not usual that tourists visit their celebration since they are in a very isolated place, we might be welcome to stay and watch, and we might not). Camp overnight. 6 hours of riding.
Day 8 Munerachi - Batopilas
If we were welcome to stay and watch Semana Santa celebration, then Saturday morning is also a good day to watch the Judas´ arrowing and burning which is the end of Semana Santa celebration. This celebration usually ends in the morning, so we could still be able to ride down hill to Cerra Colorado (an old mining town) then arrive to Batopilas (460m above sea level) late in the afternoon. Accomodation overnight. 7.5 hours of riding.
Day 9 Batopilas
Today will be a "day off" for the horses, who still have three more days to go. We will visit Hacienda de San Miguel, built by Alexander Shepherd, "the Silver Magnet" at the end of the XIX century. By car visit the "Lost Mission" of Satevo, a big nice Jesuit Mission built in XVII century. Accomodation overnight.
Day 10 Batopilas - El Manzano - Barrance De Urique
After a good breakfast we will ride up the hill heading to Urique via El Manzano. Camp overnight. 5 hours riding.
Day 11 Barrance De Urique - Los Alizos
We ride along high Sierra, but, with an exotic tropical weather feelling as we ride through a corridor with two big canyons either side of us. We head towards Los Olizos. After noon we´ll be able to marvel the Urique Canyon and the deepest part of it. Here we will compare the narrowest part of the canyon (with a depth of 1100m) we crossed the day three and four and the open view of the same canyon and its Urique river many kilometres down stream and 1870 m below. Camp overnight. 5hours riding.
Day 12 Los Alizos - La Laja - Urique
Today is our last canyon descent via La Laja, cross the Urique river again to Wapalaina. We’ll be searching for the best place to swim with our horses. Arrive to Urique. Acomodation overnight. 6.5 hours of riding.
Day 13 Urique - Bahuichivo - El Fuerte
Transportation from Urique back to Creel, (5 hours) where a
special farewell dinner await us. Accomodation overnight.
Day 14: El Fuerte - Los Mochis – Mexico City
Free morning in El Fuerte. Transfer to Los Mochis (1:30 drive) and fly back to Mexico City. Transfer to hotel. No meals included.
Day 15: Mexico City
Visit Mexico City in the morning (Zocalo, National Palace, Basilica of Guadalupe and the exterior of the Temple Mayor). In the afternoon, discover the site of Teotihuacan (1 hour transfer by road), formerly the largest Aztec city and capital of the largest pre-Columbian empire which is still dominated by the huge pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. Free Meals in Mexico in the busy streets and colonial architecture of the Centro Historico
Day 16 Depart
Free morning in Mexico City, transfer to airport and flight home.
Please note: This itinerary is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.
The weight limit for this ride is 14 st/198 lb/90 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.
FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
All flights within Mexico, train from Bahuichivo to El Fuerte on Day 13, airport transfers, all accommodation, all tours and entry fees, all riding and equipment, full board from breakfast on Day 2 to lunch on Day 13. Staff comprising:1 riding guide, 1 English speaking guide when not riding, 1 driver, 2 gauchos. Luggage carried on 3 mules or pack horses.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
International flights, tips, entry to the Museum of the Revolution in Chihuahua (around $25), drinks, lunches and dinners in Mexico City, El Fuerte and Chihuahua (around £5-£15 per person per meal) and items of a personal nature.
Riders who booked this ride also considered:
Ladakh Trail - India
Ladakh is sometimes also known as little Tibet due to its location at the heart of the magnificent Himalayan mountain range.
Snow Adventure - Russia
Come and ride in fluffy snow, hearing the sounds of the troika sled’s bells seeing magnificent monasteries topped with cupolas and the northern lights.
Luxury Sacred Valley - Peru
See Peru in a way few are privileged to experience. By day, explore the Sacred Valley of the Incas on horses descended from the steeds of the Conquistadors. By night, enjoy the luxury and comfort of the finest hotels in Peru.
What you see on our web site is exactly how much your invoice will come to and this will not change once booked. Unlike some other companies the prices on our web site are fully inclusive of often hidden extras such as: VAT, Sales Tax, state taxes, city taxes, service charges, non-optional tips, fuel surcharges which can add 20% or more to the advertised cost. Prices are available in £ sterling, Euros and US$. Once invoiced, prices are guaranteed against adverse currency fluctuations. Contact us for package prices which include flights from the UK and see each ride for exact details of all items in individual itineraries.
21, The Acorn Centre, Chestnut Avenue, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, SG18 ORA, England
Tel: +44 (0)1767 600606 Fax: +44 (0)1767 312555
Office hours 9am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday
Email: enquiries@unicorntrails.com http://www.unicorntrails.com
This Website and all of its contents are copyright of Unicorn Trails.
Under no circumstances is any part of this site to be copied or used without written permission.
