Mexico’s Copper Canyon National Park is often compared to the Grand Canyon in the United States. And this is not surprising: deep dangerous gorges, located in the middle of a hot desert and connected to each other by six picturesque rivers, make a really strong impression on everyone who happens to be here.
According to CachedHealth, the canyon owes its name to the slopes covered with greenish moss. The Spaniards mistakenly mistook moss for copper. By the way, in Russian the name of this place is often translated as Cooper Canyon or Cooper Canyon (from the English “copper”).
How to get there
The trip to the Copper Canyon is a real journey. You can get here only on a comfortable El Chepe train from Mexico City along a 655 km long railway. The train route passes through 35 bridges and 80 tunnels. Throughout the road, you can admire the magnificent landscapes spread on the sides: green mountains, rivers, waterfalls, picturesque bridges.
Weather in Copper Canyon
It is noteworthy that the air temperature is always different at the tops of the canyon and at its bottom. This is due to a large elevation difference, reaching 1.5 kilometers. In winter, for example, the slopes are always covered with snow, and subtropical forests grow at the bottom of it. Due to its climate, the area near the canyon is considered the most biologically active in Mexico. A third of the country’s mammals live here: puma, black bear, Mexican wolf. Copper Canyon is home to a huge number of birds and a place where more than three thousand species of plants grow.
Where to stay
You can stop for the night in the city of Creel, located close to all the main attractions of the canyon. There are many hotels in Kreel where you can book in advance. The hotels offer tourists various tours led by professional guides.
Natural beauty of the canyon
On the territory of the Copper Canyon National Park there are a considerable number of attractions created by nature itself. Among them are the highest waterfalls in Mexico, Piedra Voladai and Basaseachi, the dream of climbers and rock climbers, the steep rock of Pena del Gigante, the Valley of the Monks, the Valley of Mushrooms, the Valley of Frogs, the Recowata thermal spring, the settlement of the ancient Tarahumara Indians.
A lot of entertainment has been prepared for tourists in the Copper Canyon. Everyone can ride horses or mountain bikes, take part in rafting, climb a high mountain in climbing equipment, walk through the labyrinth of trails.
By the way, the size of the Copper Canyon is four times the size of the North American Grand Canyon. That is why climbers from all over the world flock here to test their strength in extreme sports.
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta (885 km from Mexico City) is a seaside resort city located on the shores of Banderas Bay, the largest on the Pacific coast of Mexico in the state of Jalisco. This cozy colonial town with cobbled streets was founded in 1851. Today, its picturesque old buildings with tiled roofs harmoniously coexist with ultra-modern hotels.
Weather in Puerto Vallarta
In addition, Puerto Vallarta is famous for its sunny weather: more than 300 days a year here are sunny. And this is not surprising – Puerto Vallarta is located on the same latitude as Hawaii ! It rains here, but rarely, as a rule – from mid-June to mid-October. But from December to March, the resort is filled with fans of marine mammals from the order of cetaceans (they are also whales). See also the current weather forecast in Puerto Vallarta for 10 days.
How to get there
10 km from the city center is the international airport Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, which also operates regular flights to the country’s capital – Mexico City.
The beaches of Puerto Vallarta
Directly on the coast of Puerto Vallarta includes about ten gorgeous beaches. The most popular are La Manzanilla and Destiladeras, located in the north. They are famous for a large number of people and developed infrastructure. Much larger and more popular is Los Muertos Beach – this is the largest public beach in the resort, it is located near the old town.
Entertainment and attractions of Puerto Vallarta
The symbol of Puerto Vallarta is the picturesque Church of the Virgin of Guadeloupe (1951) with a red stone bell tower. At the very top of the bell tower rises an exact copy of the crown of Empress Carlota, who ruled Mexico in the 18th century.
The atmosphere of this resort is considered almost unique today: the charm of old Mexico has been preserved here, and the resort itself is considered one of the friendliest, safest and cleanest in the country. This resort will certainly appeal to fans of water sports, diving, windsurfing, and fishing.
Dozens of huge cruise liners and yachts dock at the port of Puerto Vallarta every day.
