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Mexico

Copper Canyon: Ancient Culture and Nature’s Grandeur

Program No. 24571RJ
Experience Copper Canyon — a natural wonder in Mexico four times larger than the Grand Canyon — and the culture of the indigenous people that call this region their home.
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Start
Small Group New
Length
10 days
Rating
New
Activity Level
Starts at
3,699

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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DATES & starting prices
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Jan 16 - Jan 25, 2024
Starting at
3,699
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Oct 15 - Oct 24, 2024
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Oct 29 - Nov 7, 2024
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Nov 12 - Nov 21, 2024
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DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Jan 16 - Jan 25, 2024
Starting at
4,539
Limited Space
Oct 15 - Oct 24, 2024
Starting at
4,539
Select Date
Oct 29 - Nov 7, 2024
Starting at
4,539
Select Date
Nov 12 - Nov 21, 2024
Starting at
4,539
Select Date
Deposit, Transfer & Cancellation Policy
Optional Trip Protection Plan
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
10 days
9 nights
26 meals
9B 8L 9D
1
In Transit, overnight El Paso, Orientation, Welcome Dinner.
El Paso, Texas
2
Cross the Border into Mexico, Transfer to Chihuahua.
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
3
Historic Murals, Mennonites, The Sierra Madre
Divisadero, Chihuahua
4
Canyon Rim, The Tarahumaras.
Divisadero, Chihuahua
5
Waterfall and Lake, Steep Descent, Canyon Floor
Batopilas, Chihuahua
6
Tropical Canyon Floor
Batopilas, Chihuahua
7
The High Plateau, Pastoral Life, Trading and Logging Town
Creel, Chihuahua
8
Chepe Train, Farewell to the Sierra, Colonial Town
El Fuerte, Sinaloa
9
Indigenous People, Los Mochis, Flight to TIJ. Transfer to SD
San Diego, California
10
Program Concludes
San Diego, California
View Full Itinerary

At a Glance

In the grandeur of Copper Canyon, nature dominates — four times larger than the Grand Canyon, this series of eleven canyons is a land of sharp drops, abundant vegetation, amazing geology and rock formations. As you explore several of these outstanding canyons, you’ll learn that Copper Canyon is more than a natural wonder — it is home to the Tarahumara people, who have lived in the Sierra Madre Mountains for over 2,000 years resisting outside intrusion. Experience nature and culture as your experts take you through the history, landscapes and villages of a part of Mexico that lies off the beaten path.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Moderate walks on uneven terrain, narrow paths with ups and downs. Optional hikes during free time. Must be able to climb one flight of stairs, walk through cars on a moving train and ascend and descend high train steps independently carrying hand luggage.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Ride a gondola into Urique Canyon and descend into stunning Batopilas Canyon.
  • Experience the “Ride in the Sky” train journey or explore a stunning waterfall in Basaseachi Canyon.
  • Gain insight into the indigenous culture of the Tarahumara people and their past and present traditions through discussions and local music and dance performances.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Isabel Sanchez
Isabel Sanchez was born in Ensenada Baja California, Mexico. She began working as a group leader at a young age in the mid 1980s in her hometown. In 1998, she moved to Southern California where she continued her career as a successful group leader specializing in the Sonoran Desert as well as the Mojave Desert. In the fall of 2004, Isabel began leading groups through San Diego, Calif., the peninsula of Baja California, and the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Isabel Sanchez
Isabel Sanchez View biography
Isabel Sanchez was born in Ensenada Baja California, Mexico. She began working as a group leader at a young age in the mid 1980s in her hometown. In 1998, she moved to Southern California where she continued her career as a successful group leader specializing in the Sonoran Desert as well as the Mojave Desert. In the fall of 2004, Isabel began leading groups through San Diego, Calif., the peninsula of Baja California, and the Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Search for a Title
The Silver Magnet: Thirty Years in a Mexican Silver Mine
by Grant Shepard
A first-hand account of Batopilas, the rich Mexican silver mining town located in deep in the Copper Canyon. The author was the son of Alexander Shepherd who came to Batopilas from Washington D.C. in 1880 with his large family. He discovered and developed one of the richest silver deposits in Mexico.
Pancho Villa and the Mexican Revolution
by Manuel Plana
Excellent introduction to Mexico’s northern desert, a richly illustrated compact history that traces the legacy of Pancho Villa.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
by B. Traven
First published in 1927, this atmospheric novel of three desperate men searching for gold in the mountains of Mexico was the basis for the classic American movie. A great storyteller, Traven wrote a series of compelling novels set in Mexico. The true identity of this author, who contributed so much to the pop mythology of the Wild West, is still unknown.
National Parks of Northern Mexico
by Richard D. Fisher
Veteran travel guide and photographer Richard Fisher has put together a stunning selection of color photographs for this slim, oversize paperback.
History of Copper Canyon and the Tarahumara Indians: Unknown Mexico and the Silver Magnet
by Carl Lumholtz
The Life and Times of Pancho Villa
by Friedrich Katz
Pancho Villa is one of the best-known figure in Mexican history. The author analyzes the nature of Villa’s revolutionary movement and the impact of Villismo as an ideology and as a social movement. The book in based on decades of research trying to separate myth from history.
Tarahumara: Where Night is the Day of the Moon
by Bernard L. Fontana
With 60 black-and-white photographs, this accessible, illustrated portrait covers not just the famous running matches but also the history, traditions, food, dress, and villages of the Tarahumara.
Copper Canyon Mexico
by Richard D. Fisher
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