Mexico by Rail

After touching down in Los Mochis airport in Sinaloa, you’ll be met by one of our drivers and whisked to El Fuerte – where you’ll check into your hotel, and meet the rest of the group. Bags dropped, you’ll head out for dinner in Fuertes – a great opportunity to get to know your fellow adventurers a bit better, and get excited for what lays ahead. 

After breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to get this trip on track – literally. You’ll be transferred to El Fuerte station to board the legendary El Chepe train to Divisadero Barrancas – around six hours away, in the heart of Copper Canyon country. The journey is a stunner – you’ll rattle along teetering cliff-edge stretches of track, dive through mountainside tunnels, and clank across spindly bridges high above the Rio El Fuerte. Hopping off at Divisadero Barrancas, you’ll be able to stretch your legs with a walk along the lip of Urique Canyon, before returning to your hotel for the night. 

Today, it’s all about experiencing Copper Canyon from new angles. After breakfast, you’ll be taken to La Piedra Volada, where a cable car – suspended above the canyon’s plunging depths – will give you an eagle’s eye view of the landscape. Once your knees have stopped knocking, it’s time to lace up your hiking boots and hit the trail. This is no ordinary hiking route, however. Following the canyon’s rim, the rocky path – to the village of Bacajípare and back – has been beaten over the centuries by the indigenous Rarámuri people, known for their extraordinary long-distance running ability. After the hike, you’ll be transferred to the mountain town of Creel – and your hotel for the evening. 

Today, it’s back on board the El Chepe for the final leg of your journey – to Chihuahua City. But first, Creel has a few treasures to show you: the Rarámuri cave houses, where residents have quite literally carved out an alternative way of life; the Valley of Mushrooms and Frogs, dotted with toadstool-shaped rock formations; the mirror-like Lago de Arareco; and the historic San Ignacio Mission church. Afterwards, it’s on to Chihuahua City, via another scenic six-hour journey aboard the El Chepe. 

Today’s the last day of the trip, so savour breakfast at your hotel this morning. Then meet up with one of our Local Insiders for a whistle-stop tour of Chihuahua City, including a stop at the impressive Museo Casa Chihuahua. After the tour, you’ll be transferred to the airport, where you’ll part ways with your new travel pals – and head back home, or onward, to other adventures.