Tarahumara into an epic world
11 Days | Chihuahua, Mexico
Take a look at where we're going
Yes! All those shots are of the same canyon! There truly is no place like this out there.
Take a look at where we'll be going
A mind blowing, spectacular canyon that has remained hidden to the outside world
QUICK DETAILS
SKILL PREREQUISITES
ITINERARY
Arrival and Orientation – City of Chihuahua
We’ll begin our journey with a check-in at our designated hotel. Once everyone is settled in, we’ll go out as a group for a welcome meal at some local authentic tacos! Here, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your new friends who will embark on this expedition with you! We’ll have a group orientation in the afternoon which will provide a comprehensive overview of the trip plan, fostering an understanding of the exciting days ahead. We’ll also head to a grocery store to pick up some fruits, snacks and any other food items for the expedition, and finish off the day with a gear re-pack at the hotel to make sure packs and gear are ready and good to go for an early departure the following morning.
Canyon Entry – Sierra Madre Occidental
Float day – Indigenous Settlements
Float day – High Alpine Frontier
Float day – Great Copper Canyon
Float day – Jurassic Confluence
Float day – The Pink Canyon
Float day – The Amazonian Gates
Extraction – Desert Tribes
Copper Canyon Train – Chihuahua to Areponapuchi
Copper Canyon Train – Creel to Chihuahua
PERSONAL PACKING LIST
Lightweight backpacking tents are best for this type of trip. We recommend a I to II person tent if you’re traveling solo. Good tents brands that we can recommend are Big Agnes, MSR, Mountain Hardwear, and REI Co-Op. The tent our guides use is the Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 2. — We have found this tent to be lightweight, durable, and has a quick and easy setup. This is just a recommendation though. Most backpacking tents will work on this trip as long as it has a rain-fly / tarp, and they’re not too big and heavy.
Keep in mind we will be in and out of water everyday. Choose footwear that is comfortable while wet, and comfortable enough for the final hike out of the canyon. Adidas Terrex Hiking Shoes are a great choice, and can be worn throughout the entire trip. Another good option are Solomon Trail Running Shoes. As we walk along the river, our shoes will get small rocks in them, so we recommend decent hiking socks or NRS Hydroskin 0.5 socks. You can also bring some sandals / slides for at camp. We don’t recommend rafting in sandals as you’ll need good traction and entire-foot protection while walking on and around rocks.
We will be getting wet every day while on the river. Water clothing during the day is best. Be sure to bring at least one long sleeve shirt and leggings / pants to protect against sunburn, and river safe sunscreen. We also recommend bringing a swim suit, lightweight rain jacket, light puffy jacket or fleece and dry clothes for camp / evenings. Merino wool is best for quick drying and smell resistant properties.
We will be boiling water for meals two times per day–for breakfast and dinner. The best meal solution is backpacking meals. These are pre-made, freeze-dried and dehydrated meals that are prepared simply by adding water. Popular brands include Mountain House, Good To-Go Meals and Backpackers Pantry. We will spend 7 days on the river. We recommend bringing 2 meals per each day on the river.
Any personal belongings left unprotected will get submerged and wet at some point on the river. Whether you want to have quick access to your camera gear, or snacks and sunscreen consider bringing a small < 12L drybag which you can keep in between your legs while paddling.
Our drinking water along the river comes from clean, natural springs. To be extra safe we still recommend bringing a water bottle that doubles as a filter. We recommend the LifeStraw Go Filter Bottle.
Light and compact sleeping bag for temps down to 40f. Try to avoid big bulky sleeping bags so you can have more space for food and other gear in your pack.
Small, inflatable, compact and light pads are best. Sea to Summit and Therm-a-Rest are two brands we would recommend.
Our guides use the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow.
Like all nights out camping in the wild, a headlamp is a must. We recommend the Black Diamond Storm series headlamps.
Long spoon, fork and a foldable knife. The Sea to Summit Alpha Spork is a great utensil and is long enough to comfortably eat out of backpacking meal pouches.
This is an optional item. If you choose to bring one be sure to pick a lightweight option. We recommend the Helinox Chair Zero along with the Chair Zero Groundsheet to avoid having the chair legs sink into the sand.
INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
Included
-
Guide Services
-
Fees and Permits
-
Transportation
-
Accommodations as indicated in the itinerary
-
Canyon extraction
-
Packrafting gear: pack-raft, paddle, lifejacket, helmet & 65L drybag
-
Pack-raft, paddle, lifejacket & helmet
-
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
-
Camping stoves, gas and pots for boiling water
-
Luggage storage during the expedition
Not Included
-
Airfare to and from destination
-
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
-
Personal gear (included in Personal Packing List)
-
Backpacking food (meals on the river)
-
Meals (backpacking food and meals on & off-river)
GETTING THERE
Your final destination airport is Chihuahua International Airport (CUU). Most incoming flights to CUU are domestic, from cities such as Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. International arrivals come in from either Dallas or Denver. Your flight itinerary will most likely include a transfer or connection in any of these cities. Flight times from Dallas to Chihuahua are around 2 hours and times from Mexico City to Chihuahua are around 2.5 hours.
Chihuahua International Airport is located 22km/13mi approximately a 24 minute drive to the hotel where our group will be staying and meeting on day 1.
We highly recommend landing at least a day prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. You can easily find clean and reliable airport taxis upon arrival outside the airport. They typically charge no more than $15 USD to take you anywhere in Chihuahua City. Hotel and restaurant recommendations will be made if you are landing prior to the expedition.
SKILL PREREQUISITES
GETTING THERE
Most travelers coming from abroad will need to take a connecting flight at either Mexico City International Airport or Guadalajara International Airport before landing in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas. Your final destination Airport is Angel Albino Corzo International Airport. Flight times from Mexico City to Tuxtla are around 1.5 hours and times from Guadalajara to Tuxtla are around 2 hours.
Angel Albino Corzo International Airport is located 32km/20mi (approx. a 35min drive) to downtown Tuxtla Gutierrez, where our group will meet at hotel and attend orientation.
We highly recommend landing at least a day prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. You can easily find clean and reliable airport taxis upon arrival outside the airport. They typically charge no more than $15 USD to take you anywhere in Tuxtla. Hotel and restaurant recommendations will be made if you are landing prior to the expedition.
QUICK DETAILS
SKILL PREREQUISITES
ITINERARY
Arrival and Orientation – City of Chihuahua
We’ll begin our journey with a check-in at our designated hotel. Once everyone is settled in, we’ll go out as a group for a welcome meal at some local authentic tacos. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your new friends who will embark on this expedition with you! We’ll have a group orientation in the afternoon which will provide a comprehensive overview of the trip plan, fostering an understanding of the exciting days ahead. We’ll also head to a grocery store to pick up some fruits, snacks and any other food items for the expedition, and finish off the day with a gear re-pack at the hotel to make sure packs and gear are ready and good to go for an early departure the following morning.
Canyon Entry – Sierra Madre Occidental
We’ll have an early 6:00am start. Drive to put in 6 hours. We’ll inflate rafts and commence the expedition. Paddle 9km to our first river camp. Surrounded by pillars and spires
Float day – Indigenous Settlements
We have an 8km paddle ahead of us. Experiencing the canyon’s gradual transition into a more remote and serene environment, evoking the ambiance of an old western movie.
Float day – High Alpine Frontier
Float day – Great Copper Canyon
Float day – Jurassic Confluence
Float day – The Pink Canyon
Float day – Amazonian Gates
Extraction – Desert Tribes
Copper Canyon Train – Chihuahua to Areponapuchi
Copper Canyon Train – Creel to Chihuahua
PERSONAL PACKING LIST
Any personal belongings left unprotected will get submerged and wet at some point on the river. Some people opt to put their stuff inside lightweight drybags that fit inside their backpack. Others opt for a drybag with backpack straps. Both work great and it’s really up to you. We like to use the Watershed Westwater 65L. The 65L gives you storage for all your camping gear, food and clothing while providing straps for carrying. We do not recommend bringing a drybag smaller than 60L capacity. Watershed drybags are available for rental through us for $60 USD.
Lightweight is best. If you and someone in your group decide to share a tent, you’ll benefit from having less weight to carry, and more space amongst you in your packs.
Light and compact sleeping bag for temps down to 40f. Try to avoid big bulky sleeping bags so you can have more space for food and other gear in your pack.
Keep in mind we will be in and out of water everyday. Choose footwear that is comfortable while wet, and comfortable enough for the final hike out of the canyon. Adidas Terrex Hiking Shoes are a great choice, and can be worn throughout the entire trip. Another good option are Solomon Trail Running Shoes. As we walk along the river, our shoes will get small rocks in them, so we recommend decent hiking socks or NRS Hydroskin 0.5 socks. You can also bring some sandals / slides for at camp. We don’t recommend rafting in sandals as you’ll need good traction and entire-foot protection while walking on and around rocks.
We will be getting wet every day while on the river. Water clothing during the day is best. Be sure to bring at least one long sleeve shirt and leggings / pants to protect against sunburn, and river safe sunscreen. We also recommend bringing a swim suit, lightweight rain jacket, light puffy jacket or fleece and dry clothes for camp / evenings. Merino wool is best for quick drying and smell resistant properties.
Our drinking water along the river comes from clean, natural springs. To be extra safe we still recommend bringing a water bottle that doubles as a filter. We recommend the LifeStraw Go Filter Bottle.
Any personal belongings left unprotected will get submerged and wet at some point on the river. Whether you want to have quick access to your camera gear, or snacks and sunscreen, consider bringing a small 12L or smaller drybag which you can keep in between your legs while paddling.
Small, inflatable, compact and light pads are best. Sea to Summit and Therm-a-Rest are two brands we would recommend.
Our guides use the Sea to Summit Aeros Premium Pillow.
Like all nights out camping in the wild, a headlamp is a must. We recommend the Black Diamond Storm series headlamps.
Long spoon, fork and a foldable knife. The Sea to Summit Alpha Spork is a great utensil and is long enough to comfortably eat out of backpacking meal pouches.
This is an optional item. If you choose to bring one be sure to pick a lightweight option. We recommend the Helinox Chair Zero along with the Chair Zero Groundsheet to avoid having the chair legs sink into the sand.
INCLUSIONS & EXCLUSIONS
Included
-
Guide Services
-
Fees and Permits
-
Transportation
-
Accommodations as indicated in the itinerary
-
Canyon extraction
-
Packrafting gear: pack-raft, paddle, lifejacket, helmet & 65L drybag
-
Camping stoves, gas and pots for boiling water
-
Luggage storage during the expedition
Not Included
-
Airfare to and from destination
-
Trip cancellation insurance or any other travel insurance
-
Personal gear (included in Personal Packing List)
-
Meals (backpacking food and meals on & off-river)
GETTING THERE
Your final destination airport is Chihuahua International Airport (CUU). Most incoming flights to CUU are domestic, from cities such as Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara. International arrivals come in from either Dallas or Denver. Your flight itinerary will most likely include a transfer or connection in any of these cities. Flight times from Dallas to Chihuahua are around 2 hours and times from Mexico City to Chihuahua are around 2.5 hours.
Chihuahua International Airport is located 22km/13mi approximately a 24 minute drive to the hotel where our group will be staying and meeting on day 1.
We highly recommend landing at least a day prior to the start date of the expedition in case of any travel delays or unforeseeable circumstances. You can easily find clean and reliable airport taxis upon arrival outside the airport. They typically charge no more than $15 USD to take you anywhere in Tuxtla. Hotel and restaurant recommendations will be made if you are landing prior to the expedition.
Out of this world
OUT OF THIS WORLD
It's really real.
This canyon we'll be venturing down is one of the most epic and wild canyons in all of North America. We'll float through beautiful high altitude mountain range, inhabited only by the Tarahumara people, Indigenous natives to this region. Challenging to access, and extremely remote, you'll be amongst the first people to ever packraft this river. A truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, as some of the local settlements we will float past have never interacted with people from the outside world! The canyon itself is difficult to access due to remoteness and lack of human contact, so to experience the entirety of the river, a lightweight, inflatable kayak known as a pack-raft is necessary. Pack-rafting is a relatively new sport, and because of this there are places out there that have been able to remain hidden and untouched.
No experience needed
The canyon provides you with a gradual progression of difficulty, allowing you to develop your paddling skills in a fun and engaging way. People with no paddling experience have done this trip, and by the end they're looking like pros. A good attitude comes above any physical skill on this trip!
DIY Journey
This is a DIY journey! Meaning you will be required to carry your own raft with your own gear; you will be responsible for setting up and taking down your own camp; cooking your own meals on the river, and packing your own gear to and from the canyon.
Pueblo Mágico
After our group exits the river, we'll make our way back to Chihuahua, where the next morning we'll board the breathtaking Copper Canyon Train to Creel, a picturesque mountain town nestled in the heart of the Sierra Tarahumara. Known as one of Mexico's "magical towns", we'll spend two days exploring the town and it's surroundings before taking the Copper Canyon Train back to the city of Chihuahua to finish off this spectacular trip
Connect
This 11 day experience will challenge you, introduce you to like-minded adventurers, and leave you with memories of a place still hidden from the outside world. This adventure is designed to push you beyond your comfort zone, making every day a journey of personal growth and exploration. Along the way, you'll forge deep connections with new friends who share your passion for pushing boundaries and embracing the unknown.
Connect
This 11 day experience will challenge you, introduce you to like-minded adventurers, and leave you with memories of a place still hidden from the outside world. This adventure is designed to push you beyond your comfort zone, making every day a journey of personal growth and exploration. Along the way, you'll forge deep connections with new friends who share your passion for pushing boundaries and embracing the unknown.