mountain iq logo

  • Best Hikes In The World
  • Appalachian Trail
  • European Hikes
  • Nepal Hikes
  • Patagonia Hikes
  • See All Hikes
  • Mount Kenya
  • Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Mount Toubkal
  • See All Mountains
  • South Africa
  • New Zealand
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • Packing Lists

Hiking In Mexico – 9 Top Trails For Hiking Enthusiasts

Post Template

If you're going to Mexico to experience the rich culture and delicious food, then why not take a journey through the remarkable landscapes it has to offer.

We’ve put together a list of 9 popular hiking trails in Mexico, and there is something here for everyone. Whether you're looking for some culture, a forest trail or a mountain hike, Mexico has it all!

9 Top Hiking Trails In Mexico

1. ajusco summit trail (cumbres del ajusco national park).

We begin with one of the most popular hikes in Mexico! Hiking to the 3,986m peak of Ajusco, or Malacatepetl, is not for the faint of heart, but the epic views from the top make it worth the effort. There is no better spot for panoramic views of the valley.

Hiking through the forest is breathtaking and once you leave the tree cover, the terrain gets tougher. The trail is a loop about 10km long and this is a high-altitude trek so be sure to acclimatize before attempting the summit. 

ajusco-volcano-mexico

Photo by Pulpolux

The park is known as the lung of the valley, aptly named for its lush greenery and fresh air! It can become crowded in the park with locals and tourists exploring the trails at their leisure. If you are hoping to get some peace on your trail, then begin hiking early on a weekday morning.

You may also like : Things to do in Mexico after hiking

2. Bosque de la Canada de Contreras (Mexico City)

Love being in nature surrounded by green luscious forests? This is a forest trail for you! Located only an hour from the city center is Los Dinamos Park (or Bosque de la Canada de Contreras), a protected area that is the perfect place to unwind and go for a hike.

There are rivers and waterfalls to discover on the 5km, 4-hour trek and the trail takes you to around 3,460m above sea level. The surrounding area is stunning and the views are incredible. It’s easy to forget you are just outside of the city when hiking in Los Dinamos Park!

You’ll need to be physically fit to hike this trail and prepared for the high altitude. You'll want to make every effort to reach the top of this trail and find the impressive views over Mexico city and the park.

los-dinamos-mexico-hiking

Photo by Dante

3. Paricutin Volcano (Michoacan)

Another impressive volcano trail to discover in Mexico is the Paricutin Volcano hike! One of the youngest volcanoes in the world, Paricutin has been claimed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders.

The hike takes you to the top of the steaming crater, but no need to worry, this volcano is extinct. From the peak, you can see for miles! A part of the trek involves walking on ash which can be strenuous so get in some exercise before attempting to reach the peak.

Note: The Paricutin hike is good practice for climbing Pico de Orizaba. This is the tallest volcano on the continent and one of the seven volcanic summits .

paricutin-volcano-hike-mexico

Photo by Nicolas Lantoing

4. Cusarare Falls Trail (Copper Canyon)

The Cusasare Falls Trail is one of many hiking trails in Copper Canyon. ‘Cusasare’ means ‘place of eagles’ which is the perfect name for this canyon trail! With eagles soaring high above and surrounded by pine trees, hiking the Cusasare Falls Trail is a stunning three-day trek leading to a beautiful flowing waterfall, Cusasare Falls.

The trail is about 52km long as you make your way from Cusasare to Divisadero. The waterfall is located near the beginning of the trail and is a spectacular sight! From the falls you will continue hiking along Cusasare River towards the Basirecota hot springs.

copper-canyon-hiking

Photo by Brian

The rocky path then takes you through deep canyons and has many steep ascents and descents. You’ll end up walking along an old logging road and even crossing a few rivers on the trail.

Although you can hike year-round in Copper Canyon, the best time to hike this trail is in September to November, after the rainy season. The temperatures are mild during this time and the creeks and rivers will be flowing so you'll get the most out of the experience.

5. Xinantecatl Volcano (Nevado De Toluca)

Located in the protected area of Nevado de Toluca, another volcano awaits! Hiking Xinantecatl is known as one of the more popular hiking trails in Mexico. Its summit sits at 4,640m and it takes about 8 hours to reach. The hike to the crater is intense, yet unforgettable.

If you have planned to stay in the Alpine refuge, you have the option to only go and see the crater lagoon, but if you want to hike to the summit, previous experience is not required for this trek, but you will need to be well prepared and in good physical condition. 

The hike to the top takes a full day as you ascend during the morning, and descend in the afternoon. The crater has two large lakes, the Laguna de la Luna and Laguna del Sol. The water is freezing cold and entering the lakes is only attempted by brave scuba divers. 

nevado-de-toluca-hike-mexico

Photo by Pablo Leautaud

6. Cerro San Miguel Trail (Desierto De Los Leones)

One of the most popular hiking spots in Mexico, ‘Lion Desert’ has plenty to offer hiking enthusiasts. This national park is hikers, bikers, and families exploring the outdoors. There are no maps, no official routes and the campsites are somewhat rural. So this will be a real outdoors experience!

If you feel like a challenge  then climbing to the peak of Cerro San Miguel is an incredible hike. This is the tallest mountain in the park and the route takes you along the crest of Cerro El Caballete.

The trail can take around 6 hours to the peak and back. Its a quiet, peaceful trail and a wonderful break from the crowds of Mexico. This is a high-altitude trek so it can be very tiring. Pack snacks, sunscreen, plenty of water and a jacket (no-matter the weather).

Cerro-San-Miguel-hike

The trail is wide and not labeled (none of the trails are marked in Desierto De Los Leones). There is no cell service on the trail, but there are plenty of other hikers and bikers along the way that can help you if you get lost. Don't forget to take breaks and enjoy the impressive views. 

7. Iztaccihuatl Volcano (Popocatepetl National Park)

Fondly named ‘the sleeping lady’, Iztaccihuatl is the third highest mountain in Mexico and the seventh highest in Northern America. Located in the Iztaccihuatl-Popocatepetl National Park , this extinct volcano is explored by mountain enthusiasts from around the world.

Hiking Iztaccihuatl is a must-do for hiking enthusiasts visiting the city of Mexico. As you near the snow-capped peak you’ll find the most beautiful views of the city and surrounding peaks, like the ‘Smoking Mountain’, Popocatepetl.

Iztaccihuatl-volcano-mexico

Photo by Julio Terrones

Hikers typically choose the standard route, La Arista del Sol (The Ridge of the Sun) and while the trail is not technical, many hikers experience problems with altitude sickness as you ascend nearly 4,800m. Make sure you have properly acclimatized before attempting the hike. 

Important Note

Many of the hiking trails in Mexico are high altitude treks. Please make sure to acclimatize before heading off on your hiking adventure. Altitude sickness can prevent even the most experienced hiker from completing their trek.

8. Copete del Aguila Loop Trail (Chipinque)

This loop trail is a 12km trek through nature in Chipinque Ecological Park! The peak of Copete del Aguila sits at 2,200m and is the highest peak in Monterrey.

Of the few peaks in the park, Copete del Aguila is by far the most demanding. You will make your way to the Explanada parking lot where you’ll begin on the Empalme trail.

The pathway zigzags through stunning pine forests and offers amazing views of the city and surrounding peaks. The trail gets quite steep near to the summit and you will end up at a wall where you are expected to free climb roughly 30m. There are ropes placed here to assist you with the climb. At one point you will need to jump from one rock to another, be careful at this point as it is very high! 

Chipinque-mexico-trails-hiking

Photo by Mauro Medina Susarrey

A permit is required to reach the summit, so make sure you have this on you before heading out on the trail. To the top you will have to climb a vertical ladder, so be sure you are comfortable with this if you intend to reach the summit. 

Climbing to the peak of Copete del Aguila is possible year-round. However, the summer heat can be extreme, so we suggest starting as early as sunrise to complete the climb by the midday heat. The park requires that you begin your trek no later than 10am. 

There is a fee to enter the park, and an additional fee to climb to the peak. You will also need to notify the park in advance of your intention to summit any of the peaks in the park. There are also guided tours to the peak on offer at $90 for a group of five. 

9. El Tepozteco (Tepoztlan)

Not looking for a high-altitude trek? Tepozteco is a small mountain that sits at a lower elevation than Mexico City. However, you will be ascending rather abruptly so keep a good pace and watch your step, the trail is steep and rocky.

The summit is a fascinating discovery as you’ll find a 30ft pyramid dating back to the 12th century. You will need to pay a fee for admission at the summit to see the Aztec Pyramid, but it is well worth the extra bucks! Plus you are welcome to explore the pyramid to your desire. The views from the top are amazing!

Tepozteco-pyramid-mexico-hiking

Photo by Fido

Hiking Tepozteco is quite a popular attraction for tourists and the trail can get busy during peak season and on the weekends. Heading out in the early morning hours is a good idea to beat the crowds and the unpredictable rain. Bring a waterproof jacket no matter the weather, and make sure you have good hiking shoes as the terrain can be slippery.

Trekking through the forest you’ll most likely come across Coati, curious little animals that look like a raccoon cross a monkey. They are fascinating and don’t mind helping themselves to your food! You’ll head back down the same way you came and once you have completed the trek we recommend heading to the markets for some delicious food!

coati-mexico-forest

Photo by Maret Hosemann

Best Time To Go Hiking In Mexico

Hiking in Mexico is best during the dry season which runs from October to May . Temperatures are mild and comfortable for hiking during this time.

June to September are the summer months in Mexico. It can get very hot and there is plenty of rain so it’s best to avoid booking any hiking adventures in Mexico during this time. 

pinterest-mexico-hikes

About the author 

Kayla Gallocher

Kayla lives in sunny Cape Town, South Africa. She loves wildlife and being in the mountains! Anything to get away from the city and relax in the peace and quiet of nature.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

We work with local guides to offer great value adventures at unbeatable prices.

The 6 best hikes in Mexico to explore volcanoes, canyons and ghost towns

Regis St. Louis

Oct 21, 2022 • 6 min read

Cute couple of hikers spending time together and trekking in a park during sunrise

Mexico's hiking trails remain little known – great news for those eager to experience the nation’s diverse scenery without the crowds © Getty Images / iStockphoto

Home to tropical beaches, pre-Columbian ruins and some of the world’s most celebrated cooking, Mexico has long captivated visitors. Its hiking trails, however, remain little known, which is great news for those eager to experience the nation’s diverse scenery without the crowds.

Mexico’s trails can take you through astonishing landscapes, from newly formed lava fields to jaw-dropping canyons, as well as cloud forests teeming with wildlife. Experienced mountaineers can plan a trip around the country’s famous mountains, like the challenging ascent up 18,491ft (5636m) Pico de Orizaba , Mexico’s highest peak. 

Hiking here isn't just about the panoramic backdrops, though. You can also head off on a trek through local communities, with indigenous guides shedding insight on the rich cultures that date back many centuries. Here are our picks for the top hikes in Mexico.   

A scenic view of Pico Del Águila, a mountain near Mexico City

Pico del Águila

Best hike for views.

2.8 miles (4.5km) roundtrip, 3 hours, difficult 

Less than 25 miles (40km) south of Mexico City , the Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco immerses you in a world of forested slopes and rocky peaks that seem a world removed from the bustling capital. The challenging but rewarding climb to the top of Pico del Águila will take you through forests of oaks, firs and pines up to alpine terrain where the views over the rolling valleys and the distant metropolis grow more dramatic with every step. 

Although the hike is relatively short, the going is steep as you ascend more than 2200ft (671m) en route to the lofty summit, which sits at 12,795ft (3900m) above sea level. Along the way, keep an eye out for the teporingo, aka the volcano rabbit, a rare lagomorph and one of the smallest rabbit species on earth (only the pygmy rabbit is smaller). The trail begins near El Abrevadero restaurant, a great place to treat yourself to a meal after completing the hike.   

A scenic shot of Mexico's landscape with Volcán Paricutin in the distance

Volcán Paricutín

Best hike for volcano encounters .

12 miles (19km) roundtrip, 5 to 7 hours, moderate

Most of earth’s geologic wonders can be measured in eons, but Volcán Paricutín has been around for barely 80 years. Back in 1943, a farmer was plowing his fields in the southwestern state of Michoacán when rumbling started, and steam, ash and lava spurted from the ground. Seemingly out of nowhere, Paricutín volcano rose out of the bowels of the earth, growing over the next decade to around 1350ft (411m) above the surrounding valley. 

Today, the large black cone is mostly dormant, which you can see firsthand on a walk from the village of Angahuan. From there you can hire a guide from the Purépecha community and set out across lava fields, trekking past the ruins of the Church of San Juan Parangaricutiro with its battered belfry towering above blackened volcanic rock. Later, you’ll scramble up loose rock and gravel to the summit of the youthful volcano, spying a few steam vents that are the only signs of its activity.

Panoramic view of the Copper Canyon at Chihuahua, Mexico

Bacajipare Trail 

Best hike for indigenous culture.

2.5 miles (4km) roundtrip, 3 hours, moderate

The Copper Canyon in the north of Mexico isn’t one great expanse, but rather a system of six separate canyons that are larger and deeper in places than the Grand Canyon. The rugged mountainous terrain is also home to the Rarámuri (Taramuri), an indigenous group known for their long-distance running traditions. 

You can experience jaw-dropping panoramas of the Sierra Madre while also learning about Rarámuri culture on a guided hike along the Bacajipare Trail. Led by Rarámuri members, this memorable walk takes you along an ancient path past remote homesteads and down to the small Bacajipare community. 

This is just one of several hikes you can undertake that is led by Experiencias Rarámuri , a sustainable community tourism project that's been around since 2015. Contact the guides in advance or find them at the lower cable car station inside the Parque de Aventura Barrancas del Cobre . Before or after a hike, be sure to ride the high-flying zip lines over the canyon - another spectacular way to experience this region. 

Pueblos Mancomunados 

Best hike for adventure .

6 to 60 miles (10km to 100km) roundtrip, 4 hours to 4 days, moderate

Near the center of Oaxaca state , eight remote villages are linked by some 62 miles (100km) of high-country trails in one of Mexico’s best ecotourism projects. You can plan a wide range of hikes here, from half-day excursions to multi-day treks,  overnighting in Zapotec villages along the way. Highlights include walking through misty cloud forests, crossing suspension bridges over ravines and scampering up rocky cliffs to views of snow-capped Pico Orizaba. 

The community-run Expediciones Sierra Norte based in Oaxaca City can help with planning and logistics. Among other things, they can set you up with English-speaking guides, additional activities like horse and bike rentals and reserve your lodging in advance. 

Pueblo Fantasma 

Best desert hike.

3 miles (5km) round trip, 2 hours, moderate

The mines of San Luís Potosí showered riches on boom towns like Real de Catorce. When the price of silver went bust in the early 20th century, cobblestone centers turned into pueblos fantasmas (ghost towns) and the population pulled up stakes and moved elsewhere. In recent years, boutique hotels and restaurants have breathed new life into Real de Catorce, though it still retains ghostly elements of its once-grand past. 

With its population hovering around 1000, the small city makes a great base for hikes to abandoned sites, including a hilltop ghost town hidden in the desert landscape. Along the way, you’ll ascend more than 850ft (259m) and enjoy sweeping views back toward Real de Catorce and the surrounding mountains stretching off toward the horizon. Once inside the pueblo fantasma, you can explore eerie 200-year-old houses and peek inside open mine shafts (watch your step). 

Cerro Don Lauro

Best spiritual hike .

2.7 miles (4.3km) round trip, 2 hours, easy

Surrounded by dozens of traditional Tsotzil and Tzeltal villages, San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas is at the heart of one of the most deeply rooted indigenous areas in Mexico. No matter where you walk, you’ll encounter residents with obvious pride in their Mayan ancestry. The forests and mountains here are considered sacred—none perhaps more so than the Cerro Don Lauro , a craggy, pine-covered mountain looming above San Cristóbal. 

An uphill hike takes you through pine and oak forest, past trickling streams and small community farms. As you near the top, you’ll pass an oversized drum, an altar and an area for temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremonies. This is where Chiapaneco shaman Don Lauro, for whom the peak is named, leads workshops and ceremonies in honor of the mountain. (Learn more about him in the film El Hombre de la Montaña.) At the summit, you’ll enjoy a mesmerizing expanse of San Cristóbal, fringed by lush peaks rising above the valley floor.

Explore related stories

Three friends jumping with happiness next to their car with palm trees in the background

Feb 19, 2024 • 7 min read

After years of hard work, what better way to celebrate than with an amazing adventure? Here are the best places for a graduation trip.

Hiker on the Appalachian Trail in Maine with Lush Mountain.

Mar 2, 2023 • 7 min read

Trans Bhutan Trail

Jul 13, 2022 • 8 min read

Hiker with panorama view of Lake Atitlan and volcano San Pedro and Toliman early in the morning from peak of volcano Atitlan, Guatemala. Hiking and climbing on Vulcano Atitlan.

Apr 24, 2022 • 10 min read

Keel-billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), on a branch in the forest of Costa Rica.

Apr 7, 2022 • 8 min read

September 25, 2010: four hikers cross a wooden footbridge over the head of Sandy River in Mt. Hood National Forest.

Mar 1, 2022 • 9 min read

This Oaxaca tour operator is preserving historic trails of the Sierra Madres through adventure tourism

Feb 22, 2022 • 9 min read

Hiking-what_is_backpacking.jpg

Jan 27, 2020 • 4 min read

Features - OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

May 14, 2019 • 7 min read

Features - BHills_BelAir_SU_SSB_LPT0217-92-6cc43ee8997f

Jun 22, 2018 • 8 min read

Mexico Hiking Trips

  • Start Date Select Month March 2024 April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 December 2024 January 2025 February 2025 March 2025 April 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 August 2025 September 2025 October 2025 November 2025 December 2025 January 2026 February 2026 March 2026 OR, More specific start
  • Easy Active
  • Food & Wine
  • Scheduled Group Tour
  • Solo Travel
  • Wildlife & Safari Exploration
  • Adventure Options
  • Archaeological Site Visits
  • Cooking Classes
  • Horseback Riding
  • Local Market Visits
  • Photography Seminars
  • Scuba Diving
  • Small Ship Cruises
  • Small Ship Sailing
  • Stand Up Paddle Boarding
  • Urban Exploration
  • Village Visits
  • Whale Watching
  • Whitewater Rafting
  • Wilderness Lodge Exploration
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • National Geographic Sea Bird
  • National Geographic Venture
  • Safari Voyager
  • Silver Shadow

Gray Whales and Espiritu Santo Island

  • Explore Baja & the Sea of Cortez
  • Observe curious gray whales
  • Snorkel with playful sea lions
  • Feast on freshly caught seafood

Glamping the Seas and Sierras of Baja

  • Explore diverse Sierra de la Laguna
  • Swim with sea lions & colorful fish
  • Experience rancho culture
  • Discover and be awed by Baja

Northern Gulf of California: Whales, Birds & Sealife Adventure

  • Visit Sea of Cortes UNESCO
  • Diverse Birdwatching
  • Seasonal Wildlife Spectacles
  • Snorkel with Sea Lions & reef fish

Oaxaca Hike and Bike

  • Trek the Sierra Norte Mountains
  • Bike back roads through Oaxaca
  • Visit artisan villages
  • Explore the ruins at Mitla

Sea and Sierra National Parks Adventure

  • Snorkel Cabo Pulmo National Park

Baja California and the Sea of Cortez: Among the Great Whales

  • Observe California gray whales
  • Hike across desert islands
  • Experience the Baja California
  • Snorkel with sea lions

Baja California Holiday Voyage: A Living Sea and Desert Isles

  • Explore the islands and caves
  • Search for marine animals
  • Snorkel among fish and sea lions
  • Visit the town of Santa Rosalia
  • Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites
  • Visit Isla Rasa

San Francisco, California to New York

  • Explore the West Coast
  • Experience Cabo San Lucas
  • Visit Acapulco's sandy beaches
  • Explore Aruba and St. Thomas

Mexico Travel Guide

  • All Mexico Trips
  • Mexico Cruises
  • Mexico Overview
  • Mexico Festivals!
  • Beaches in Mexico
  • Mexico FAQs
  • Shuffle your feet in the sand

Favorite Mexico All Trips

  • Yucatan Explorer
  • Chiapas Adventure
  • Chiapas Maya Heartland
  • Baja's Bounty
  • Oaxaca Traditions
  • Into the Canyon
  • Trekking Copper Canyon
  • Oaxaca Culinary Tour

Top Mexico Travel Destinations

  • Central America & Mexico

Mexico Trips by Departure Date

  • 2024 Mexico trips (20)
  • 2025 Mexico trips (17)
  • 2026 Mexico trips (12)
  • March 2024 (16)
  • April 2024 (16)
  • May 2024 (14)
  • October 2024 (13)
  • November 2024 (14)
  • December 2024 (16)
  • January 2025 (14)
  • February 2025 (14)
  • March 2025 (14)

Top Experiences in Mexico

  • Mexico Land Tours (13)
  • Mexico Cruises (8)
  • Mexico Beaches (8)
  • Mexico Wildlife & Safari Exploration (8)
  • Mexico Cultural (7)
  • Mexico Active (6)
  • Mexico Solo Travel (4)
  • Mexico Scheduled Group Tour (3)

Mexico Trips by Duration

  • 7 day trips (3)
  • 8 day trips (8)
  • 15 day trips (3)

Mexico Trips by Activity

  • Mexico wildlife viewing (15)
  • Mexico archaeological site visits (10)
  • Mexico whale watching (9)
  • Mexico snorkeling (9)
  • Mexico hiking (8)
  • Mexico village visits (8)
  • Mexico kayaking (6)
  • Mexico small ship cruises (5)
  • Mexico local market visits (5)
  • Mexico biking (3)
  • Mexico urban exploration (3)
  • Mexico cooking classes (3)

Why Travel With Adventure Life

Recognized by.

trek in mexico

8 Great Places to Go Hiking in Mexico

trek in mexico

With its beautiful beaches and abundance of warm sunshine,  Mexico  has always been a destination for travelers looking for a little rest and relaxation. But, the country also has plenty of options for active travelers too, including some great places to go hiking. We've compiled a list of our favorite trails, just in case you want to go for a walk and stretch your legs while vacationing south of the border.

Here are our picks for the can't-miss hikes to do while you're in Mexico. 

Copper Canyon

If you're up for an epic challenge, head to northwest Mexico to La Barranca del Cobre, better known as  Copper Canyon . This amazing destination is rugged, wild, and mostly undeveloped, with its namesake canyon spreading out across more than 10,000 square miles. And at 5500 feet in depth, it is even deeper than the Grand Canyon , making the rim-to-rim hike a significant undertaking, even for fit travelers.

Many of the trails are not well marked, but that is part of what makes exploring the region such an adventure. Guided trips are available for those who prefer it. To beat the summer heat and avoid the heavy rains of early autumn, the best time to visit is November through March. 

El Tepozteco

For a truly wonderful hike that is sure to delight, head south from  Mexico City to the small town of Tepozteco. Once there, adventurous travelers will discover a trail that leads up the slopes of a nearby mountain that shares the same name as the village itself. The route is a bit of a challenge due to the fact that it rises more than 1200 feet over the course of about a mile, making some of the sections very steep. The altitude isn't particularly high however, which means it is an approachable ascent for those that take a slow and steady pace. On the way up, take plenty of breaks to catch your breath and rest your legs, and you'll reach the summit just fine. 

Once at the top, hikers are rewarded for their efforts with a 30-foot tall, 900-year old stone Aztec pyramid. Lounging on the walls of the structure, visitors can soak up the scenic views of the surrounding countryside in grand fashion. Don't forget to bring a few cervezas to enjoy after the walk, you'll definitely want to celebrate your accomplishment. 

Desierto de los Leones National Park

The  Desierto de los Leones (Lion Desert) is another fantastic destination for hiking that is also conveniently located close to Mexico City, The park itself often plays host to a number of historical and cultural events throughout the year, and is home to a 400 year old monastery too. But wander deeper into the dense forest that surrounds the area and you'll find an intriguing wilderness that sits surprisingly close to the city center.

To escape the crowds, and test your fitness, make the trek to the summit of Cerro San Miguel, the highest point in the park at 12,434 feet. It is a challenging walk that can test your determination and level of fitness, but the views from the summit make it all worthwhile. From there, the countryside spills out around you, with plenty to see in every direction.

Nevado de Toluca

It's not everyday that you get to hike to the top of a dormant stratovolcano, but that is exactly what you can do on the trail up Nevada de Toluca . Located about 50 miles west of Mexico City near the town of Toluca, this massive peak stretches 15,390 feet into the air, making it a strenuous trek under the best of conditions. But even though the trail is a challenge, the scenery found along the way is breathtakingly gorgeous and includes a series of crystal-blue crater lakes found at various points throughout the walk.

Before embarking on this hike, make sure you've fully acclimatized to the altitude by spending a few days in Mexico City or other parts of the region. Once you've become accustomed to the thinner air, it is easy enough to complete the trek in a single day, as the starting point is just 1600 feet below the summit and requires about two hours to make the full ascent. Be sure to pack a warm jacket in your backpack when you set out, as temperatures can get surprisingly chilly near the top. Once there, you're likely to see a rather unexpected sight –– snow covering the summit even during the warmer months of the year. 

Cumbres Del Ajusco National Park

The Cumbres Del Ajusco National Park  is another easily accessible destination that has a lot to offer hikers. The park has a network of trails that criss-cross the region, cutting distinct paths through the pine forests that cover much of the area. But experienced hikers will want to head to the summit of Cerro Ajusco itself, a towering peak that sits 12,894-feet above sea level. There are several routes to the top ranging from moderately challenging to very difficult, but each is clearly marked, easy to follow, and offers its own rewards.

The summit trails tend to be fairly quiet and peaceful, which can be a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of Mexico City. Take your time on the way up, enjoy the views, and soak up the solitude along the way. The altitude is just high enough to be of concern, but a slow and steady pace will lead to success.

Chipinque National Park

Located in the Mexican state of Nuevo León, Chipinque is a breathtaking park that allows visitors to leave the busy city of Monterrey behind and reconnect with nature. It also happens to be a great destination for a number of outdoor activities, including cycling, camping, and of course hiking.

Spread out over 30+ miles, the park has plenty of good trails designed for beginning hikers and grizzled veterans alike. Routes range in length from just 2.5 miles to as much as 13 miles, with plenty of good options in-between. No matter how much, or little, you feel like walking, Chipinque will provide a trail for you. Just bring your sense of adventure as there is plenty to explore within this park, which features outstanding landscapes to discover.

Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve

Witold Skrypczak /Getty

Found in the southern regions of the Mexican state of Veracruz, the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve is place where culture, history, and nature come together nicely. Spread out over 600 square miles, visitors will find trails that wander up into the surrounding hills or for as much as 75 miles along a beautiful coastline. The reserve was set up to help protect a number of creatures that live within its boundaries, and sharp-eyed hikers may spot colorful rare birds amongst the trees.

Los Tuxtlas is also frequently visited by local healers, many of which will offer to cleanse hikers before starting their hike. This is tradition amongst the people who live nearby and is worth taking part in if you want to immerse yourself in the culture.

Nevado de Colima

fitopardo.com /Getty

Located a few hours drive from Guadalajara, Nevado de Colima is a wilderness park that can get busy at times on the weekend, but is practically deserted throughout the week. It features lush forests, open grasslands, and rocky peaks. The most prominent of those mountains is Zapotepetl, which stands just over 14,000 feet in height. The stunning profile of the mountain is part of its allure, drawing hikers to challenge themselves on its 5.5 mile roundtrip to the summit. But don't let the distance fool you, this is a moderately challenging hike that will take longer than you might expect and includes a bit of rock scrambling as you approach the top. The payoff is a spectacular view that makes all of the huffing and puffing well worth it.

The 9 Best Hiking Trails in Nashville

The World's Highest Places and Attractions That You Can Visit

Smith Rock State Park: The Complete Guide

5 Great Winter Hikes in New York State

The Complete Guide to Climbing Morocco's Mount Toubkal

Hanging Rock State Park: The Complete Guide

20 Top Things to Do in Mexico

Bryce Canyon National Park: The Complete Guide

The 8 Most Adventurous Things to Do in Tahoe

7 Great Hikes to Take in the Caribbean

One Week in Argentina: The Ultimate Itinerary

The Top 10 National Parks in Mexico

Desierto de los Leones National Park: The Complete Guide

The Top 12 Places to Go Hiking in Georgia

15 Places to Go Hiking in Argentina

The Best Mexico City Day Trips

You will be redirected to your dashboard shortly. We will also call you back in 24 hrs .

  • 10 Thrilling Treks In Mexico That Are Perfect For An Adventuresome Trip!

23 Mar 2023

Mexico certainly is the place for some interesting hiking spots. It has many ideal mountain ranges which generally have perfect weather to make up for the brutal weather in the nation’s capital. The best time to go hiking is surely in the dry season that starts from October and continues till May. This dry offers temperate weather which makes for some amazing hiking experiences. So, all you adrenaline junkies out there head to the treks in Mexico and don’t forget to take your trekking gear along!

10 Top Treks In Mexico

Check out this intricately made guide about the most enticing treks in Mexico which you should definitely try. Keep scrolling down and read along!

1. The Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon in Mexico

Image Source

The copper canyon actually consists of six distinct canyons which form one of the best trails for hiking along with the Tararecua Canyon. Trekkers will be able to witness indigenous cultures along with amazing scenery and wilderness while passing through. The stunning thermal springs at its base add to the beauty of this trek. This trek in Mexico takes around 5 days to complete and was ranked amongst the best in the world by the National Geographic.

Location: Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, México Cost: around M$10 admission

Must Read: 10 Hand Picked Affordable Homestays In Mexico You Should Stay At

Looking To Book An International Holiday?

Book memorable holidays on TravelTriangle with 650+ verified travel agents for 65+ domestic and international destinations.

trek in mexico

Trip to Sri Lanka at Rs 13,500/-

Plan Your Vacation Today!

trek in mexico

Trip to Singapore at Rs 20,499/-

Get Quotes From Local Experts

trek in mexico

Mauritius Holiday Starting at Rs 65,000/-

Talk to Our Experts Today

trek in mexico

Maldives Honeymoon Trip at Rs 39,800/-

Pay with easy EMI Option

trek in mexico

Europe Trip at Rs 89,999/-

All Inclusive Deals

trek in mexico

Vacation in Dubai at Rs 27,499/-

trek in mexico

Hong Kong Holiday at Rs 24,999/-

Money Safe Guarantee

trek in mexico

Thailand Holiday at Rs 7,999/-

Flights Excluded

trek in mexico

See more at TRAVELTRIANGLE.COM

2. Desierto De Los Leones

Desierto De Los Leones

This trek in Mexico is one of the most attractive and popular hiking sites and its name means Lion Desert literally. The trails found over here are of various levels of reasonable to difficult, but all can be easily located and then followed. But for people who are looking for something challenging, there is the park’s highest peak, which is known as Cerro San Miguel and it stands at a towering 12,400 feet from the sea level. All along the trails, you will get to see hordes of bikers, hikers and families who come here to climb the jagged trails of this amazing national park.

Location: Desierto de Los Leones, Ciudad de México, México

3. Chipinque

Chipinque

One of the treks near Mexico City, it is located in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; this northern natural park is full of amazing hiking routes which offer a wealth of experiences to the trekkers. It doesn’t matter if you are a newbie or are a pro in this; the trail accommodates all and introduces everyone to a new outdoor physical fitness. Officially, there are three recommended trails but in reality, there are far more than that if you want to undertake them yourselves over this 50km span of land in this national park. Monterrey is an industrial town for sure bit chipinque offers a site yet unseen for many in this town.

Location: Chipinque, Nuevo León, México Cost: M$10 approximately entry price

Suggested Read: Top 10 National Parks In Mexico That Offer The Most Incredible Wildlife Experience

4. Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve

Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve view

Situated in the south of the Veracruz state, this biosphere reserve is just the ideal trekking destination for people who love fitness, but also have a knack for exploring the rituals and culture of the place they visit. The Los Tuxtlas occupies a vast 155,000 hectares and is popular for areas like Catemaco, which are occupied by native healers. Legend here says that before undertaking any hiking expedition you have to be washed first. As for trail options, you will be spoiled for choice here with all the various trail options that range from mountainous hikes to lakeside walks.

Location: Catemaco, Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, México

Planning your holiday but confused about where to go? These travel stories help you find your best trip ever!

Real travel stories. Real stays. Handy tips to help you make the right choice.

trek in mexico

Ramya Narrates The Story Of 6 Girls On An Extraordinary Trip To Thailand

Bangkok. Phi Phi. Krabi. Why should guys have all the fun?

trek in mexico

Sandeep Illustrates On The Best Activities For A Family Trip To Mauritius

Water sports. Cocktail parties. And unlimited fun at Casela.

trek in mexico

Nisarg Can't Stop Praising His Honeymoon Trip To Maldives

There was snorkeling, sightseeing, luxury, comfort, & much more!

trek in mexico

Sabyacsachi's Romantic Trip Proves Europe To Be The Mother Of All Vacations

For Art, Culture, Luxury, & more...

trek in mexico

Srishti Talks Of Her Amazing Trip To Singapore With Her Mother & Niece

A fun-filled destination for ages indeed!

trek in mexico

67-Year Old Sridhar Tells How He Beat The Odds & Took A Solo Trip To Dubai

Desert safari. Burj Khalifa. Welcoming locals. Tell me more!

trek in mexico

Not Adventure Lovers? Saurabh's Family Trip Proves Hong Kong To Still Be Full Of Fun

Your kids will love Disney Land & Ocean Park!

trek in mexico

Ravi's Tale Of A Sri Lanka Family Tour Is All You Need To Know About Ramayana Tour

For the love of Ramayana & Travel!

5. Paso De Cortés

White snow mountain

This is a very specific hiking trail that stays inserted between the mighty volcanoes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl. The name Paso de Cortes is given after the Spanish conquistador Hernán Córtes. It should be kept in mind that this trail isn’t for the faint hearted as the altitude on this mountain proves to be an issue in this hiking route. But those can persevere and reach the top; they are rewarded with amazing panoramic views which they can capture in their hearts and cameras. Located just two or three hours outside of the capital of Mexico, this trail is unique in every way.

Location: Paso de Cortes, Estado de México, México Cost: M$10 entry price

Suggested Read: Celebrate New Year In Mexico For A Totally Worthwhile And Delightful Experience

6. Nevado De Toluca

Lake view

Situated in the capital of the State of Mexico, this is one of the country’s most famous destinations which offer hiking. The trails over here are perfect for amateurs and beginners or even for just the enthusiasts. You will have the option to either hike up to the summit of what is this country’s fourth highest peak, known as Friar’s peak which is more than a mile above ground level. Or you will have the option of heading to the twin lagoons which offer amazing views. Nevado de Toluca is versatile in the sense that you can drive and park through many points in this area which means that you can tailor the climb to various levels.

Location: Nevado de Toluca, Estado de México, México

7. Iztaccíhuatl

Snow mountain view

The Iztaccíhuatl is actually the inactive half of the nation’s set of twin volcanoes and as such it makes for a good hiking spot. It is actually said to be one amongst the best mountain hikes in Mexico, USA . This popular spot sees many climbers in hoards but it is advised that only the physically capable and experienced hikers try out this site. This is also because climbing attempts can prove fatal as well because the altitude proves to be brutal. Don’t push yourself here more than you will be able to.

Location: Iztaccíhuatl, Puebla, México

Suggested Read: 10 Hostels In Mexico For A Cosy, Comfortable, And Economical Stay

8. Cumbres De Ajusco

Cumbres De Ajusco in Mexico

Mexico’s most popular and frequented hiking destination, the Cumbres de Ajusco welcomes everyone with its well-trodden trails and beautiful panoramic views surround it. It is generally considered to be a very lighter hike than many of the capitals other trails, but it is still 13,000 feet above sea level and so the less experienced can face problems with it. There are many trails which fill this place, but all of them converge at either one point or the other so the beginners don’t have to worry about getting lost.

Location: Cumbres de Ajusco, Ciudad de México, México

9. Tepozteco

Tepozteco in Mexico

Located in the town of Tepoztlan, this beautiful Tepozteco peak is a delight to climb and hike through. Even though it is a steep climb, the altitude doesn’t factor in much for most hikers as the peak itself is a bit below that of Mexico city itself. Hikers who make it to the top are rewarded by a view of the pyramid that sits on top it and offers some views of some amazing valleys and vistas that surround it.

Location: Tepozteco, Morelos, México Cost: M$10

Suggested Read: Mexico Travel Guide: Know Where To Go And What To Do On Your Next Visit To The Country!

10. Parque Nacional Los Dinamos

Treking place

Mexico City’s singular free-flowing river, Rio Magdalena, flows through this gorgeous ravine full of 26 km of hiking trails along with high canyon walls which are ideal for rock climbing. The trails here lead to dramatic waterfalls, freshwater springs and also luscious grassy riversides which offer excellent picnic areas. The park is made up of four areas and it is the third and fourth section here which is the least crowded. You can easily reach Los Dinamos using a taxi.

Location: Camino a Los Dinamos s/n, Colonia Reserva de Los Dinamos Cost: M$10

Further Read: 10 Water Sports In Mexico For A Thrilling Vacay

The trekking spots in Mexico to offer thrilling experiences to all the climbers who undertake this task. These climbs will surely enrich your vacation. Get geared up and book your trip to Mexico right away!

People Also Read:

Treks In Brazil Trekking in Canada Treks In Northern California

Looking To Book A Holiday Package?

trek in mexico

Spellbinding Cochin Family Tour 2D/1N Package @ Rs 2,750

Plan your trip today!

trek in mexico

Himachal Family Tour Package 4D/3N @ Rs 8,750

Get quotes from multiple travel experts.

trek in mexico

Exciting Andaman Family Trip 5D/4N @ Rs 10,250

Compare & customize quotes before booking.

trek in mexico

Gangtok & Darjeeling Tour Package 5D/4N @ Rs 13,000

Have Questions? Talk to our travel experts today.

trek in mexico

Wonderful Goa Family Package 3D/2N @ Rs 6,500

Best prices guaranteed.

trek in mexico

Riveting Rajasthan Vacation 3D/2N Package @ Rs 6,499

EMI option available.

trek in mexico

Enchanting Uttarakhand Tour 4D/3N Package @ Rs 7,199

Explore best destinations with our experts.

trek in mexico

Delightful South Weekend Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Thrilling weekend full of fun.

trek in mexico

Marvelous Gujarat Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Talk to our experts today.

Recent Posts

trek in mexico

Soon You Can Take Mexico’s Maya Train To Travel To The Yucatan Peninsula

trek in mexico

Futta Saur Trek: A New Antidote To Your Adrenaline Rush Near Manali

trek in mexico

Summer In Mexico: An Ultimate Guide For Travelers To Explore The City In 2023

Best Mexico Wedding Venues

10 Charming Mexico Wedding Venues For Your Dream Wedding

Chichen Itza

Everything You Need To Know Before You Plan A Trip To Chichen Itza

Amazing Mayan Ruins In Mexico

Mayan Ruins In Mexico: A Guide To Explore The Ancient Wonders Of The Glorious Civilization

Trending Blogs

trek in mexico

20 Mysterious Places In India To Visit In 2023 More Bizarre Than The Bermuda Triangle

trek in mexico

10 Scariest Roads In India That Are A Driver’s Nightmare

trek in mexico

101 Places To Visit In India Before You Turn 30 in 2024

Skiing In Krasnaya Polyana

35 Exotic Places To Visit In December In India 2024 To Enjoy A Surreal Vacation

a couple in front of taj mahal

60 Best Honeymoon Destinations In India In 2024

Best honeymoon destinations in the world

95 Best Honeymoon Destinations In The World In 2023 For A Romantic Escape!

Best Places To Visit In India By Month

Best places to visit outside india by month.

  • TravelTriangle
  • International
  • Mexico »
  • Tour Packages
  • Honeymoon Packages
  • Family Packages
  • Budget Tour Packages
  • Luxury Tour Packages
  • Adventure Tour Packages
  • Group Tour Packages
  • Maldives Tour Packages
  • Bali Tour Packages
  • Dubai Tour Packages
  • Singapore Tour Packages
  • Thailand Tour Packages
  • Europe Tour Packages
  • Sri Lanka Tour Packages
  • Tour Packages From Delhi
  • Tour Packages From Mumbai
  • Tour Packages From Bangalore
  • Tour Packages From Chennai
  • Tour Packages From Kolkata
  • Tour Packages From Hyderabad
  • Tour Packages From Ahmedabad
  • Thailand Tourism
  • Bali Tourism
  • Singapore Tourism
  • Maldives Tourism
  • Mauritius Tourism
  • Dubai Tourism
  • Europe Tourism
  • Hotels in Thailand
  • Hotels in Maldives
  • Hotels in Mauritius
  • Hotels in Bali
  • Hotels in Dubai
  • Hotels in Singapore
  • Hotels in Sri Lanka

National Geographic content straight to your inbox—sign up for our popular newsletters here

Welcome to the Jungle: Exploring Mexico’s Lacandón

Explore the lush, green jungle of Chiapas and step into the lore of the indigenous people who call it home.

Anyone who says Mexican time runs sloooow hasn’t walked with a Maya in the jungle.

Mariano must be 200 feet ahead already. I break my gaze away from the slick roots on the trail to see him weave through a clump of hanging vines, his sheathed machete strapped to the back of his white xikul tunic.

“He must be going three miles per hour,” says Spencer Millsap, a videographer I’m traveling with. I nod, figuring that’s fast. I’m thinking more about the last half of this six-hour hike—when we have to walk back in pitch dark.

Lacandón Rain Forest

The Lacandón rain forest spills across the Usumacinta River into Guatemala from Mexico ’s southernmost state, Chiapas, where about a quarter of the population is indigenous. Relatively few visitors to Mexico make it to Chiapas, and far fewer make it here, though there are gorgeous waterfalls, excellent Maya ruins, the occasional jaguar spotting, and eco-camps with the Lacandón people, a Maya group that now numbers fewer than 1,000.

When the Spanish first appeared, the Lacandón disappeared into the jungle and only reconnected with the outside world in the 19th and 20th centuries. Now the jungle is disappearing—only about 10 percent remains virgin—but local groups here in the town of Lacanjá are trying to curb deforestation. Tourism helps.

The road we’re taking is twisting, quiet, remote, and partly paved. We pass a buffet of greens in sudden vistas of wide valleys. Hand-painted signs before simple wood-plank homes and racks of peas drying in the sun read “ Zapatista” in support of the rebel group that stands for indigenous rights. On one curve, we slow for a small brown-and-black anteater, which crosses before us, then stands on its hind legs—front legs outstretched at its sides—to look back at us.

During the last half hour of the ride, I read a local brochure to my travelmates (Spencer, Sebastian, Enrique from Mexico City ’s Nomad Republic , and our lively driver, Serafino). It says of our next stop, “everything at Las Golondrinas is a party.” We laugh at the hyperbole.

Then we get there.

Jungle Trekking

A jungle trail to the waterfalls leads past bright flowers. We hear the roar before we reach it, then are rewarded with a wide, bright blue-green pool fed by a cascade. Towering above are mud and rock formations that look like hidden elephants. No one is here. “This is so Indiana Jones ,” one of us says. We follow a trail heading up through the jungle to the right and find a second, higher pool, set below towering trees.

It’s perfect, but how do we get there?

“You have to jump,” Enrique is saying, holding out his arms in a circle the size of a manhole cover. “But you have to land in a hole this big.”

swimmers in the waterfalls at Las Golondrinas in Chiapas, Mexico

Swimmers enjoy the water at Las Golondrinas.

a swimmer in the waterfalls at Las Golondrinas in Chiapas, Mexico

A man stands under the falling water at Las Golondrinas in Chiapas, Mexico.

We agree on an alternative: climbing straight down the 25-foot steep bank of shrubs, plants, and loose dirt. It looks a little sketchy. Sebastian, Enrique, and Serafino go first. Then Spencer, ever selfless, goes down holding an underwater camera. He tumbles the last few feet, making a splash and reappearing with a scrape across his chest. (The man works hard, so be sure to watch his great video.)

Somehow I follow more successfully, and we swim upstream, over a fallen log, to reach the pool below the crash of falls. We’re cradled in jungle, in a bright blue pool—the best swimming hole I’ve ever seen.

the ruin at Xincantan in Chiapas, Mexico

Writer Robert Reid hikes up to a set of ruins at the Mayan site of Yaxchilán.

A couple of hours later, we meet Mariano, our Lancadón host in Lacanjá Chansayab, the small village we’re staying in for a few days. He's not much more than five feet tall, stocky in his traditional white tunic, with long hair pulled back into a ponytail. "Look," he says proudly of his arcing forehead and sharply defined nose. "My profile. Just like you see at the ruins."

He joins us on a boat trip to reach the Maya site of Yaxchilán , one of my favorites from previous visits. We eat veggie tacos as our driver spins around to show us crocodiles on the banks. Howler monkeys groan from treetops on either side of the Usumacinta, along the Guatemala border.

At Yaxchilán, we pass one temple’s dark tunnels, where fruit bats huddle and squeak above us, to reach the wide shaded plaza where hundred-foot-tall trees share space with temples well over a thousand years old. On the ride back, we stop at a Guatemala border town for a celebratory Gallo beer. No passport required.

Mariano, who learned to hunt by bow and arrow as a kid in the ‘70s, leads us through the jungle, over root-laced trails—and occasionally off them. We pass over a series of log bridges and ford one river by foot.

I quickly see how overpacked I am for the jungle. Sebastian and Enrique, grown-up city boys with gusto, are gamely walking barefoot with just a small bottle of water. My bag, meanwhile, is filled with four waters, some chocolate cookies, a few hard-boiled eggs, some electrolyte powder, and a rain jacket I wouldn’t need. Then, in the first 15 minutes, my strap broke.

the Bonampak Maya Ruins in Chiapas, Mexico

Colorful artwork has been preserved inside one of three main chamber rooms at the Bonampak ruins.

But it’s a fun walk. After two and a half hours—at Mariano’s brisk pace—we reach his camp at a shady crest above a reed-filled lagoon just as dusk approaches. Crocodiles are out of sight on the muddy beach below. Nearby is the start to a new home Mariano is building with materials he hauls in on foot.

He pulls binoculars from his tiny bag and uses them to survey the water. He sees a few “spirit people” on the opposite bank, perhaps a quarter mile away. “Not everyone can see them,” he says.

I take this, and the binoculars, as a challenge and soon spot a shadowy figure. I can’t quite make it out. It could be a person, perhaps even a spirit. It seems still, though I sense something moving, like arms. As the sun sets, I watch the figure gradually fade into the background. And out of sight.

Traditional Lore

Mariano, a shaman’s son, has built a fire and mentions that a TV crew came to shoot a “how to survive the jungle” show once, but a few of the participants quit after getting infected by some ivy. “But it’s easy to survive here,” he insists.

To demonstrate, he chops off an arm-size branch of a bejuco , letting us sip the sweet running sap. He whittles the bark and boils cut-up pieces of the branch, soon producing a bubbling gold broth. “Jungle coffee,” he says. I have two cups’ worth. It’s delicious.

It’s fully dark now. Above, stars are bright through the shadowy outline of treetops. I wonder when we’ll be starting back—and what sort of life will come out at night—but Mariano’s not ready to go yet.

He catches and hands over a sudden visitor. The cocuyo is a click beetle with fluorescent yellow-green lights that glow from its eyes like a penlight. Its head sharply clicks between three positions.

The thing you have to worry about here, Mariano says, are the aluxes, which are something like Maya leprechauns. They’re well-known, knee-high tricksters (as depicted in some Yaxchilán engravings). And if you’re not careful to ignore their misleading noises, you can get lost.

“I saw one near here,” says Mariano. “I thought it was an armadillo at first, but it made a human noise, then went invisible.” I ask what it looked like. “Hairy and nude,” he replies.

Mariano tells us more about spirit people, including one who transformed into a crocodile, and also about a friend who can become a jaguar. After a half hour, silence falls around the fire. “That’s the end of the story,” Mariano says.

And then we start walking back in the dark.

HOW TO DO THIS TRIP

Day trips from Palenque regularly visit the sites of Yaxchilán and Bonampak, famous for its brightly colored murals showing Maya ceremonies. I traveled with Mexico City-based Nomad Republic , which customize volunteer tours (with English-speaking guides) to indigenous communities.

It’s also possible to show up at Golondrinas Falls (the turnoff is at Nueva Palestina) as well as Lacanjá village and arrange overnight stays and activities, including white-water rafting, visits to ruins, and jungle hikes. If you don’t speak Spanish you will miss a lot.

Related Topics

  • JUNGLE EXPLORATION
  • BACKPACKING

You May Also Like

trek in mexico

Visiting Alaska? Here’s what the locals love.

trek in mexico

The essential guide to visiting Alaska

Leap year special.

Get a FREE BONUS ISSUE when you subscribe

trek in mexico

5 spectacular ways to see the northern lights in Canada

trek in mexico

Himalayan hiking for beginners: birdlife and village stays in India's Kumaon Hills

trek in mexico

The new Sri Lankan hiking trail that leads to the heart of the hill country

trek in mexico

5 game drive alternatives, from cycling to horse-riding

trek in mexico

The ultimate Costa Rican adventure, from white-water rafting to jungle trekking

  • Environment

History & Culture

  • History Magazine
  • History & Culture
  • Race in America
  • Mind, Body, Wonder
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Nat Geo Home
  • Attend a Live Event
  • Book a Trip
  • Inspire Your Kids
  • Shop Nat Geo
  • Visit the D.C. Museum
  • Learn About Our Impact
  • Support Our Mission
  • Advertise With Us
  • Customer Service
  • Renew Subscription
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Work at Nat Geo
  • Sign Up for Our Newsletters
  • Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

  • Route planner

Hiking in Mexico

Want to go hiking in Mexico to explore more of this corner of North America? In this guide, we’ve reviewed our full collection of hikes and walking routes in Mexico to bring you the top 10 hiking routes in the region. To see which of our walks in Mexico is the right one for you, browse real tips and photos uploaded by other hikers—and see what they had to say about each walk.

Top 10 best walks and hikes in Mexico

Campamento 01 malinche loop from colonia altamira guadalupe, pyramide des kukulcán – chichen itza loop from x-calakoop.

trek in mexico

Let us show you the way with the komoot mobile app

Castillo – toller strandausblick (tulum) loop from tulum, grosse pyramide von coba loop from san pedro, las cruces – cruz de marquez loop from magdalena petlacalco, la joya – iztaccihuatl cima 1 loop from amecameca, teotihuacan – mondpyramide loop from san martín de las pirámides, la joya – campement le mieux placé loop from amecameca, structure 2 – estructura i loop from dos naciones, puente arsediano – pueblo las juntas loop from infonavit planetario, mexico's best walks and hikes on the map.

Our Tour recommendations are based on thousands of activities completed by other people on komoot.

Popular around Mexico

Hiking Collection by komoot

Find the perfect Tour

Explore the most popular tours in mexico, discover the most popular attractions in mexico.

Didn’t find what you were looking for? Check out more Hikes throughout Mexico below and find the perfect Tour in your destination.

  • Sierra Madre del Sur
  • Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
  • Central Mexican Plateau
  • Sierra Madre Oriental
  • Caribe Mexicano
  • Distrito Federal
  • Sian Ka'An
  • Quintana Roo
  • Baja California

Explore more of North America : Browse the best Hikes in other regions.

  • United States
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Dominican Republic
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Washington Slagbaai National Park
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • The Bahamas

Looking for the best hiking in Mexico? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Mexico. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking Spots in and near Mexico

trek in mexico

Explore El Aguacero

trek in mexico

Explore Cenote Dos Ojos

trek in mexico

Cascada Sol de Mayo Waterfall

trek in mexico

Hike the Nevado de Toluca Cirque

trek in mexico

Hike to the Waterfalls at Cañon del Diablo

trek in mexico

Climb the Iztaccihuatl Volcano

trek in mexico

Summit Pico de Orizaba

trek in mexico

Summit Iztaccihuatl

trek in mexico

Climb the Malinche Volcano

trek in mexico

Explore El Aguacate Waterfall

trek in mexico

Night Photography at Popocatépetl

trek in mexico

Explore Ex Convento de Los Leones

trek in mexico

Hike El Tular Canyon in the Sierra de la Gigante Mountains

trek in mexico

Hike to Table Top Mountain

trek in mexico

Hiking to Cumbre de las Nubes/La Bufa

trek in mexico

Hike to Hanson's Peak in Parque Nacional Constitucion de 1857

Top activities.

  • Backpacking
  • Photography
  • Rock Climbing
  • Local Adventures
  • Tours and trips
  • Camping Nearby
  • Outbound PRO Membership
  • Add your property

Mobile Apps

App Store

© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy

Hiking in Oaxaca

Hiking in Oaxaca: Hidden Gems of Mexico’s Most Beautiful State – Sierra Norte and Camino Copalita

  • March 1, 2021
  • Travel Bucket Lists

The best on and off the beaten path hiking in Oaxaca

Table of contents.

Visiting Oaxaca for the first time in 2010 I was blown away by the diversity of landscapes, culture and food offered. The beautiful colonial town of  Oaxaca City  is the buzzing heart of the region and offers a wide range of cultural activities – colourful markets selling local culinary delicacies, stunning architecture and an eclectic art scene. Oaxaca City captivated me with its colourful streets and houses, spectacular plazas and stunning cathedrals. Oaxaca is also one of the best places  in Mexico to travel solo !

Yet there is so much to see around Oaxaca City. The surrounding mountain ranges and pine forests of the Sierra Norte and Sierra Madre invite for stunning off the beaten path adventures on foot, horseback or mountain bike. Trekking and hiking in Oaxaca is also the best way to learn about the Zapotec culture and peoples of Oaxaca who own land throughout the state.

Camino Copalita Camp on trail

Hiking in Oaxaca - Oaxaca day trips and multi-day trekking

Hiking in Oaxaca should be on every nature lover’s list – the region’s outdoors is incredibly diverse. From the pine forests of the Sierra Norte to the rolling hills of the Sierra Madre, trekking enthusiasts find a large number of day hikes as well as multi-day adventures such as the Camino de Copalita, a true hidden gem not known by many.

19112019 BH4A2828 1 e1614302132730

Pueblos Mancomunicados - Indigenous villages in the Sierra Norte

The entry to the forested highlands of the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca is just under 2 hours away from Oaxaca City to the north. The region is dominated by a series of microclimates. You’ll find deep pine forests in the east, the majestic mountain range of the Sierra Madre to the west and desert liked conditions in between.

The Sierra Norte is home to the  Pueblos Mancomunicados , a community of eight self-governing indigenous Zapotec villages working together to provide outstanding eco tourism experiences and thereby protecting their land, culture and heritage. Trekking from village to village with a local guide you will be immersed into the ancient Zapotec culture and customs. Each village has a number of basic but comfortable cabins for exclusive use for their visitors with three full meals of tasty local dishes.

Day and overnight hikes to the Sierra Norte from Oaxaca are possible but if you want to really immerse yourself in the local way of living, the complete village-to-village trek in the Sierra Norte takes about seven days to complete.

Besides daily hikes, visitors can signed up for a whole series of other activities from chocolate making, medicinal plant walks and education, traditional healing ceremonies, horseback riding as well as cooking workshops. Or simply enjoy the silence only disrupted by the sounds of nature from the comfy space of your hammock in front of your cabin.

Hiking in Oaxaca Mexico

How to book a tour to the Sierra Norte - Hiking in Oaxaca

Sustainability

Must-Do in Oaxaca and the Sierra Norte – Temazcal Ceremony

Temazcal is a sacred, medicinal and spiritual ceremony in a traditional “sweat lodge”, a type of sauna made of stone. You can find these sweat lodges in pretty much every Smudged with sage and other herbs, the hot steam is not only great for body and mind – this shaman led ancient spiritual ceremony is also meant to align your energies, releasing old and supressed fears, worries, addictions and other demons of the past. The ceremony also gives you the chance to learn about the natural medicinal plants these communities have been successfully using for centuries.

Highlight

Camino Copalita – From the mountains to the sea

The remote 5-day Camino Copalita trail stretches from the highlands of the Sierra Madre del Sur all the way to the pristine beaches of the Pacific Coast around Huatulco. Hiking in Oaxaca doesn’t get much better, more  immersive and transformational  than on the Camino Copalita. The trek crosses the lands of different indigenous communities, most of which are involved in sustainable farming and eco tourism in the region. Set up and run by Manuel Rosemberg, the founder of this incredible adventure has consistently developed sustainable relationships with the indigenous communities in the Sierra Madre mountain range.

Camino Copalita - Hiking in Oaxaca

If there was a definition of “off the beaten track”, then Camino Copalita would be it. Once on the trek, there is no easy access in or out – no major roads and no cities nearby. There is no signal along the route either, although all guides carry satellite phones in case of emergencies. 

Hiking From village to village

The trail head for the Camino Copalita lies close to the village of San Juan Ozolotepec located in the Sierra Madre mountain range, an agrarian community, whose economic activities include organic honey, coffee, tomatoes, and avocado production. The village offers breathtaking views of the mountains, and is a great example of a well-organised community.

Camino Copalita Oaxaca Mexico

A mix of crossing pine forests, rivers, mango and coffee plantations, you’ll be experiencing a range of changing climates and vegetation each day. From the alpine climate of the Sierra Madre to the coastal vegetation close to the Pacific arriving at La Bocana Beach on a raft – each day and overnight location is different. All villages you’ll be hosted in along the way are mostly self-sustaining and engaged in sustainable farming and agriculture.

Accommodation and activities during the Camino Copalita

Camino Copalita Oaxaca Mexico

On the trek you’ll be exploring the region with different local guides who are based in the villages the trek leads you to each day. The overnight accommodation consists of spacious semi permanent camps and wooden cabins close to each village. Delicious locally sourced dinners will be served around the campfire prepared by the friendly villagers, ancestors of the Zapotec people. Don’t expect showers after a long day of hiking, but you’ll find lots of rivers and natural springs along the way to cool off in – part of the fun of connecting to nature and going back to the basics. What’s better than falling asleep only to the sounds of the forest and the crackling sound of a campfire?

Camino Copalita River

Besides the hiking you’ll have lots of time immersing yourself into the Zapotec culture. You’ll learn about how life in the region has changed and how eco tourism helps keeping their land protected and traditions alive. Learn about the communities’ medicinal plant projects and sustainable farming or exchanging stories while the village’s women cook up sumptuous dinners with locally sourced ingredients – I always felt that nothing broadens my horizon more than experiencing and engaging in a very different way of life. 

Camino Copalita Zapotec Village

The last day of the trek is spent rafting down Copalita River which ends in the Pacific Ocean. An incredible transformational travel journey comes to and end with some time to rest and relax on Oaxaca’s stunning beaches around Huatulco or  Puerto Escondido  one of the  safest places in Mexi co.

Hiking in Oaxaca - Finish of the Camino Copalita on La Bocana Beach

A note about the safety on the trek: The region is considered very safe. The communities own most of the land the trail passes and are well organised and connected. The region is not used for any drug trafficking or migrant routes.

Whatever the length or route of your hiking in Oaxaca adventure, from the pine forests and mountains in the north of Oaxaca to the tropical beaches by the Pacific – the scenery is exceptionally beautiful and simply made for off the beaten path trekking expeditions. 

For more information, cost and trekking dates for the Camino Copalita, check the official website of the currently only  Camino Copalita operator . 

Looking for a the perfect backpack for this trip? Check out  these 10 backpacks , large enough for a multi-day hike and small enough as carry-on bags.

Connect with me!

Avatar

Hi, I am Toni – Adventurer and Travel Addict and I’m so happy you’re here!

I’ve been working in travel ever since graduating from uni and I’m really excited to share my travel experience, tips and tricks with flashpackers looking for that extra special journey!

Recent Posts

Digital nomads with dogs

Digital Nomad with Dog – 7 Things Travel Addicts need to know before getting a dog

Street Art Colombia

Best Places to Live in Colombia – A Digital Nomad’s Guide

Lima off the beaten path

Top 7 things to do in Lima off the beaten path

Kapawi Ecolodge Ecuador

Kapawi Ecolodge – Ecotourism in Ecuador At Its Finest

  • Your Guide to Flashpacking
  • Flashpacking in South America
  • Flashpacking in Europe
  • Flashpacking in Australia
  • Flashpacking in Africa
  • Best Flashpacker Accommodation

alpasjourneys

trek in mexico

Turning thirty a couple of years ago, I was wondering if I was too old then to go backpacking again. Although there seemed to be so many others wanting to travel the world beyond their twenties. So I came up with the idea of the Flashpack Journal, which gives advice on the best experiences, accommodation and destinations for solo travellers beyond their typically wild backpacking years! 

© 2020 All rights Reserved. Flashpack Journal

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our page.

Need an RMI account? Create an account

Register With Us

Already have an account? Sign in

  • First Name *
  • Last Name *
  • Confirm Password *

The password must meet the following criteria:

  • At least 8 characters
  • At least 1 lowercase letter
  • At least 1 uppercase letter
  • At least 1 number
  • At least 1 symbol (allowed symbols: !?@#$%^&/*()[]{}><,.+-=;)

Keep up to date with information about our latest climbs by joining our mailing list. Sign up and we'll keep you informed about new adventures, special offers, competitions, and news. Privacy Policy

Orizaba and Ixtaccihuatl - Mexico

Type in the number of people in your climbing party and the list of available trips will update.

Show Trip Info

Check availability.

  • Number of Climbers

RMI Logo for Mobile

  • International
  • Mount Rainier
  • North Cascades
  • Skills Clinic
  • Ice Climbing
  • Ski Programs
  • Women's Expeditions

trek in mexico

  • Seven Summits
  • Kilimanjaro
  • Climb & Safari
  • Vinson Massif
  • Latin / South America
  • Chile Ski Mountaineering
  • Torres del Paine Trek
  • Volcanoes - Winter
  • Volcanoes - Summer
  • Ecuador Seminar
  • Cotopaxi Express
  • Illimani and Huayna Potosi
  • Orizaba & Ixtaccihuatl
  • Machu Picchu
  • Peru Seminar
  • Everest Custom
  • Everest BC & Lobuche Climb
  • Everest BC Trek
  • Climb Programs
  • Four Day Climb
  • Five Day Climb
  • Weather Information
  • Emmons Seminar
  • Kautz Seminar
  • Muir Seminar
  • Paradise Seminar
  • Mountaineering Skills
  • Crevasse Rescue Skills
  • Denali Expeditions
  • West Buttress
  • Custom Expedition with Dave Hahn
  • Alpine Climbing
  • Little Switzerland
  • Alaska Seminars
  • Kahiltna Glacier Seminar
  • Ruth Glacier Seminar
  • Mount Baker
  • North Ridge
  • Easton Glacier
  • Summit & Ski Descent
  • Easton Seminar
  • Coleman-Deming Seminar
  • Backcountry Ski & Ride
  • Leave No Trace Instructor Course
  • LNT Level 2 Instructor Course
  • Mount Shuksan
  • Sulphide Glacier
  • Fisher Chimneys
  • Shuksan Seminar
  • Glacier Peak
  • Glacier Peak Climb
  • Forbidden Peak
  • Private & Custom Climbs
  • Custom Climbs
  • INTERNATIONAL
  • MOUNT RAINIER
  • NORTH CASCADES
  • Baker Seminar
  • LNT Level 2 Instructor & Baker Climb
  • LNT Level 2 Course & Baker Climb
  • Hyalite Intro to Ice
  • Hyalite Intermediate Ice
  • Ski Mountaineering
  • Mount Baker Summit & Ski Descent
  • Kilimanjaro Climb & Safari
  • Everest Base Camp Trek
  • Machu Picchu Trek
  • Explore something new with our Adventure Finder
  • Mt Rainier Weather Information
  • Mt Rainier Cultural Landscape
  • Denali Cultural Landscape
  • Summit Registry
  • Find Your Adventure
  • Fitness & Training
  • Technical Skills
  • Leave No Trace Videos

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

  • Why Climb with RMI?
  • Responsible Climbing
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Diversity Equity Inclusion

Orizaba and Ixtaccihuatl - Mexico

Price / Deposit

$3,900 / $ 900

Mountaineering

The volcanoes overlooking Mexico's central valleys challenge mountaineers with high altitudes and exciting glacial climbing in an expedition to two of North America's highest mountains.

Qualifications

Mexico's central valleys are home to several of the highest summits in North America; El Pico de Orizaba (18,491'), is the third highest while its neighbor Ixtaccihuatl (17,340') ranks as number seven.

trek in mexico

EXPEDITION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Scale several of North America’s highest mountains over the course of one short climbing expedition.
  • Climb with an experienced RMI Guide , benefiting from the background, training, and expertise of our guides as you venture to higher altitudes.
  • Bring your climbing to new heights with multiple ascents that combine high altitude experience with basic technical difficulty.
  • From its glaciers to the small traditional towns of the country’s heartland, visit a rarely seen yet captivating side of Mexico.
  • Take part in an RMI adventure and see why we continue to set the standard in guiding excellence.

trek in mexico

We begin our adventures in Mexico City, staying near from the quiet Zona Rosa that is one of the famous historical centers of the city. From Mexico City we head to La Malinche, an extinct volcano whose crumbling core juts above the Puebla Valley. We use La Malinche to build our acclimatization in preparation for the climbs ahead, hiking and sleeping in cabins on the mountain’s flanks.     We then turn our sights to nearby Ixtaccihuatl (Ixta), a broad ridged peak that overlooks Mexico City. Our ascent begins with a straightforward approach through alpine meadows to our high camp, Grupo de los Cien. Climbing directly up the Knees Route toward La Arista del Sol, we gain the summit ridge, making the airy ridge walk over a few "false summits" to the true summit of Ixta.  

As the highest peak in Mexico, El Pico de Orizaba is the crown jewel of the Mexican Volcanoes and our final summit of the trip.

Our climb of Orizaba starts with an exciting twelve mile jeep ride that takes us from the valley floor to our camp at the Piedra Grande Hut, perched above 14,000'. From our camp we make our way through the mountain’s rocky moraine to the toe of the Jamapa Glacier, climbing the glacier’s ice and snow slopes to Orizaba’s summit. Climbing in Mexico includes moderately steep slopes and prior knowledge of roped travel, crampon techniques, and ice axe arrest is required; a review of these basic mountaineering techniques is built into the itinerary. These climbs are ideal for mountaineers looking to build their climbing skills, reach new heights on some of North America’s highest peaks, and take part in the excitement of an international climbing expedition .

trek in mexico

THE RMI DIFFERENCE

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. was established in 1969 and is one of America’s oldest and most-trusted guide services. We are the largest guide service on Mt. Rainier and Denali and leaders in guiding climbs and treks around the globe. Our years of leading mountain adventures give us the experience and knowledge to create the best possible trips and we work hard to live up to our reputation as an industry leader. Our trip preparation before departure takes care of the details for you, from hotels to airport transfers, so that you can focus on preparing for the climb instead of the distraction that comes with coordinating logistics.

Our Mexico climbs are led by RMI’s foremost U.S. guides, who bring years of climbing experience in not only Mexico but on mountains all over the world, from the Andes to the Alaska Range to the Himalayas . As you reach higher elevations and test the limits of your experience, the value of an accomplished, highly trained RMI Guide held to our standards cannot be understated. We are also fortunate to have Servimont as our partners in Mexico. Our close relationship with them offers our trips the support needed to ensure a seamless experience and is a major factor behind our climbs’ successes. We use RMI's own climbing equipment brought from the U.S., ensuring that our expedition standards of safety, quality, and reliability are met. Our guides take the time to choose fresh food and excellent ingredients for our meals in the mountains, keeping our teams well fed, happy, and healthy throughout the climb. We use private vehicles to travel between the different peaks, minimizing our time spent on the road and allowing us to travel more safely. Our exceptional focus on detail, our unparalleled level of climber attention, and our genuine excitement for these adventures are what make our programs truly memorable.

trek in mexico

Safety has always been RMI’s top priority and we strive to create the safest mountain experience possible. RMI’s experienced team of guides focus on leading a fun and successful climb without compromising safety. We apply the same standards of safety we bring to Alaska and the Himalayas to our climbs of Mexico’s Volcanoes. Careful planning, precise ascent profiles, daily weather forecasts via satellite, and diligent attention are taken as we venture to high altitudes. Comprehensive medical kits, rescue equipment, and radio and satellite communication equipment are carried with the team throughout the trip.

As you prepare for your upcoming adventure please feel free to contact our office and speak directly to one of our experienced guides regarding equipment, conditioning, the route, or any other questions you may have about our programs. We are available Monday thru Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at (888) 89-CLIMB or [email protected] .

Climber Reviews

Mexico city •  7,300' | 2,225m.

Upon your arrival in Mexico City, a taxi ride will take you to our hotel. Our hotel is near the heart of the city and the lively Zona Rosa with its many museums, shops, outdoor cafes, pubs, and restaurants. We have an evening orientation meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the hotel lobby.

Orientaion

LA MALINCHE (14,636' | 4,461m)  •  10,000' | 3048m

We meet for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and plan to leave the hotel at 8:00 a.m. We drive in private vehicles to the cabins at the La Malintzi Resort, a facility located at 10,000' at the base of La Malinche (14,636') and initially used by Mexico's Olympic Team for training. We take an acclimatization hike on La Malinche to stretch our legs and lungs. This beautiful hike provides an enjoyable opportunity to help our bodies adjust to the altitude. (B, D)

La Malinche

LA JOYA  •  13,047' | 3,977m

We depart La Malinche and travel towards Ixtaccihuatl. We have time to visit a local market in Amecameca and purchase any last-minute items for our climb. From here, we head into the mountains and enter the Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park. This is one of the highest roads in Mexico, and at the end of the road is La Joya (13,047'). We set up camp, and take a short acclimatization hike before dinner. (B, D)

Altzomoni Hut

IXTACCIHUATL HIGH CAMP  •  15,430' | 4,703m

We leave La Joya and hike to our High Camp. We set up camp, review our mountain skills and prepare for an early alpine start. (B, D)

High Camp

IXTACCIHUATL SUMMIT DAY (17,340' | 5,285m)  •  7,000' | 2,134m

Summit Day on Ixtaccihuatl! We depart High Camp for our summit attempt. We will climb the Knees Route to the Ridge of the Sun (La Arista del Sol). After enjoying the views and celebrating on the 17,340' summit, we descend to High Camp, pack up, and return to La Joya. We transfer to the colonial city of Puebla and check into our hotel. (B)

Summit Day

PUEBLA  •  7,000' | 2,134m

Our hotel in Puebla is located one block away from the Zocalo (main square) in the heart of the downtown historic district of Puebla and has been on the city map since 1668. The day is free for you to relax and explore the city and the many historical sites. (B)

Puebla

ORIZABA HIGH CAMP  •  14,000' | 4,267m

Today we drive to Tlachichuca, located at the base of Pico de Orizaba. After lunch, four-wheel drive trucks take us to Piedra Grande, our High Camp on Orizaba at 14,000'. We spend the night in tents near the hut. (B, L, D)

High Camp

ORIZABA SUMMIT DAY (18,491' | 5,636m)  •  8,583' | 2,616m

Summit Day on Pico de Orizaba! With an early alpine start, we make our way through a maze of rock and scree. Upon reaching the Jamapa Glacier, we don crampons and ice axes and rope up for the remainder of the climb. The glaciers on Orizaba are relatively non-technical, with very few crevasses, and the ascent to 18,491' is fairly straightforward. After celebrating on the summit, we begin our descent. Upon reaching Piedra Grande, we load our trucks and descend for a hot shower and a home-cooked meal. We spend the night in a climbers' hostel in Tlachichuca. (B, D)

Summit Day

MEXICO CITY & TRAVEL DAY

After breakfast, we depart Tlachichuca and return to Mexico City. It's about a three-hour drive, and we arrive at the airport around 12:00 p.m. Your outbound flight should be booked for 3:00 p.m. or later. (B)

trek in mexico

Key: B, L, D = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included.

Travel Consultant

RMI has partnered with Erin Rountree to provide comprehensive travel support. We have been working with Erin for many years. As an independent agent of the Travel Society, she has booked countless miles for adventure travelers across the globe and is extremely knowledgeable about the travel needs of our programs. Please call (208) 788-2870 or send email to  [email protected] .

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is required for this trip. Your travel insurance policy should include trip cancellation, trip interruption, trip delay, baggage loss or delay, medical expenses, and evacuation.

Navigating through the different options for travel insurance can be challenging. When purchasing Travel Insurance, here are a few items to consider:

  • Read the fine print. Travel Insurance will reimburse you when canceling for a covered reason for prepaid, non-refundable trip costs that you insure. However, there are exclusions, so make sure you understand the "covered reasons."
  • Confirm that your activity is a covered “activity.” Not all travel insurance policies will offer coverage for activities such as mountaineering, climbing, skiing, or trekking adventures. Policies can also exclude coverage for activities due to the gear used (crampons, ice axe), activities that go above specific elevations or activities in a particular region of the world. If there are exclusions, you may need to add an "Adventure" or "Sports" package to cover your activity.
  • Verify that your state of residence is allowed with the policy that you are purchasing. Not all insurance companies offer policies in all 50 states.
  • Contact your travel protection company directly for any questions you have regarding benefits or coverage.

We have partnered with  Travelex Insurance  and  Ripcord Insurance  because they offer certain policies specifically designed for adventure travel with coverages for remote areas and activities like mountaineering, climbing, skiing, and trekking, without any altitude restrictions. 

trek in mexico

For your convenience, we offer Travelex Insurance Services, Inc.(CA Agency License #0D10209) travel protection plans to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. 

For more information on the available plans visit  Travelex Insurance Services  or contact Travelex Insurance (800) 228-9792 and reference location number 47-0370. 

The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travel Insurance is underwritten by Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company; NAIC #22276.

trek in mexico

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance is travel insurance designed for adventurers, including the best evacuation and rescue services available.

Benefits are tailored for adventurers and include:

  • Rescue and evacuation from the point of illness or emergency to your home hospital of choice.
  • Trip cancellation/interruption, primary medical expense coverage, sporting goods, baggage loss, emergency dental, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) and more.
  • Completely integrated one-stop program with a single contact for emergency services to travel assistance and insurance claims.
  • 24/7 access to paramedics, nurses and military veterans.
  • Security extraction in case of unexpected dangerous and chaotic events.
  • Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) options and pre-existing condition waiver within 14 days of your initial trip deposit.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance is powered by Redpoint Resolutions, a medical and travel security risk company. Their team is comprised of special operations veterans, paramedics, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, former intelligence officers, insurance actuaries and global security experts with dozens of years of experience in theaters around the world. The Redpoint network covers the globe, making them uniquely equipped to provide elite rescue travel insurance – in every sense of the word. Whether it’s reimbursing you for a cancelled trip, paying your travel medical bills or evacuating you home in an emergency, Ripcord takes the worry out of your travel.

Security & Medical Evacuation

Global Rescue

Travel Advisories / Warnings

Please confirm any current travel advisories/warnings as well as entry requirements with the U.S. Department of State .

Getting There

Most major US airlines offer daily flights to Mexico City (MEX). Flights should be booked to allow for an arrival time in the early afternoon on Day 1 of the itinerary.

Departing flights should be booked for 3:00 p.m. or later on Day 9.

Entry Information

A valid passport is required when traveling to/from Mexico by air. Your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the expected date of return. U.S. passport holders can stay up to 90 days without  a visa.

Upon arrival in Mexico City, you will be required to complete a currency declaration form which will be submitted to the authorities on your departure. You will also need to retain the "stub" of your immigration form for the duration of your stay, and present it upon leaving. Loss of this stub usually results in a fine.

We suggest making a copy of the first two pages of your passport and keeping them in a separate bag as a back up. A copy should also be left with your emergency contact.

Airport Arrival

Upon arrival at the Mexico City airport, follow the signs through Immigrations. They will provide you with an entrance permit adequate for your stay. After picking up your bags, proceed to Customs where there will be a random selection of bags for inspection. As you enter into the main terminal building, you will be greeted by a crowd of baggage handlers. The scene can be a bit overwhelming. Just keep your bags together and find one of the airport's Authorized Taxi booths - "Taxi Autorizado." We recommend finding Taxi Sitio 300 . Their website is in Spanish, but shows all the current fares. They have three locations right inside the airport. If exiting from the international arrivals hall "E1," there is an authorized taxi booth immediately to the right as you walk out the door. If exiting from arrivals hall "E2," there is an authorized taxi booth immediately to the left as you walk out the door. There is also a booth located at "Puerta 10." "Puerta 10" is where you will meet your taxi. Once you purchase your ticket, you will be given a receipt. Show this to the driver. The drive to our hotel is approximately 3.5 miles, and located in "Zone 5." The current fare is approximately $20 US for the ride. Unless you are coming in with a group, you only need to hire a sedan car, not a mini-van. There have been occasional reports of baggage handlers escorting tourists from one taxi desk to another in an effort to get them to pay "additional" fees - baggage fees, excess baggage fees, over-sized baggage fees, etc. These are bogus fees and only intended to take advantage of tourists caught in the hectic pace of a strange airport. Simply be aware of this. You only need to pay the fare once, and you will be given a receipt.

Using Uber may also be an option.

In-Country Transportation

The provided transportation in Mexico as stated in the itinerary is via private vans or buses.

Immunizations & Travel Medicine

For the most current information on inoculation requirements and recommendations, please refer to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention .

Traveler's Health

Travelers may suffer from upset stomachs when in foreign countries. There are some basic rules, however, that can help keep you healthy.

  • Hygiene - It is important that you wash your hands thoroughly before all meals and after using the restroom. If water is not available for washing, we recommend using a hand sanitizer.
  • Water - The number one rule is: don't drink the water; and that includes shower water and ice! Brush your teeth with purified water rather than tap water. You should check bottled water for a good seal and use a napkin to wipe excess moisture from drinking glasses. Take care with fruit juice, particularly if it has been diluted with water. Carefully clean the tops of bottled beverages before opening.
  • Food - If it is cooked, boiled, or can be peeled, you can usually eat it. Salads and fruits should be washed with purified water or peeled where possible. Be wary of ice cream and shellfish. Always avoid any undercooked meat.

Medical Emergencies

Excellent care for minor illnesses and injuries is readily available. In the event of more serious injuries or illnesses, we recommend transport to any of the level I care centers in Mexico City.

Our tour operator, Sr. Reyes, is an M.D. and is Chair of the local Cruz Roja (Red Cross). He has clinics near the base of El Pico de Orizaba, in Tlachichuca, and in Mexico City.

Mexico Country Facts

The official language of Mexico is Spanish, and little English is spoken or understood outside Mexico City.

Mexico's attractions include its mountains, historical sites, archaeological ruins, fiestas, beaches, fishing, water sports, golf, bullfighting, handicrafts, music, dance, relaxation and moderate prices.

Mexico is bordered by the United States to the north and Belize and Guatemala to the southeast. Mexico is about one-fifth the size of the United States. The center of Mexico is a high plateau with mountain chains on the east and west.

Significant ancient cultures such as the Olmec, the Toltec, the Teotihuacan, the Zapotec, the Maya and the Aztec had advanced well before the day the first Europeans arrived on scene. In 1521, Spain conquered and colonized the territory which would eventually become United Mexican States (or Mexico). Independence came in 1821. The post-independence era was marked by difficulties which culminated in the Mexican Revolution of 1910, which subsequently ushered in the 1917 Constitution and the country's current political system. Mexico today is a federal constitutional republic.

Mexico has the second-largest economy in Latin America and is a major oil producer and exporter. Though production has fallen in recent years, about one-third of government revenue still comes from the industry. Much of the crude oil is purchased by the US.

The time in Mexico City is the same as the central time zone in the United States. Daylight savings time is practiced.

Cultural Etiquette

The people of Mexico are generally very warm and friendly to tourists. Personal relationships are very important, so developing rapport and trust is important. When entering a shop or home, politely use a greeting such as buenos días (good day), buenas tardes (good afternoon), buenas noches (good night). Similarly, upon leaving, even if you've had only minimal contact, say adios (goodbye) or hasta luego (see you later). Mexicans usually also accompany greetings with handshakes. Although it is not expected that we dress formally, we should dress modestly. Casual and comfortable clothing is suggested along with comfortable shoes. Showing expensive cameras, watches, jewelry, etc. is considered unseemly and may attract unwanted attention.

Electricity

Electricity in Mexico is the same as in the United States: the ungrounded two-prong plug is used for 110 volts, 60 hertz appliances. Appliances with 3 prongs or an enlarged prong will require an adapter.

The official currency of Mexico is the Mexican Peso.  Check a financial newspaper or www.xe.com  for the current exchange rate prior to departure.

We suggest bringing $500-$600 total for personal spending money including restaurant meals, drinks, pocket money, and the Support Staff Tip Pool. Having some small denominations is helpful.

Cash machines are readily available in Mexico City, but become increasingly difficult to find outside of the main urban areas. There are several cash machines at the airport which makes it very easy and convenient to withdraw cash. While American dollars are widely accepted, we recommend changing money so that you have Mexican Pesos for airport porters, taxis, etc.

Credit cards are accepted in most, but not all, areas.

Everyone has a preferred way to carry money. Some use money belts, others have hidden pockets. Whatever you do, be aware of pickpockets and thieves in any area which caters to tourists.

Everyone approaches tipping a little differently. Whether or not a person tips, and how much, is completely dependent upon the individual; here are some suggested tipping guidelines for your trip.

Local waiters, drivers, and other service personnel expect to be tipped. Ten to fifteen percent is standard. Some restaurants and hotels add a 10% service fee to bills in which case, no further tip is required.

Support Staff Tip Pool: We recommend that each climber contribute $125 to the Tip Pool. This is collected at the beginning of the trip and will cover group tips for all our support and mountain staff throughout the program.

Our guides work hard to ensure your well-being and success on the mountain. If you have a positive experience, gratuities are an excellent way to show your appreciation. Amounts are at your discretion and should be based on your level of enjoyment. Tips for excellent service normally average 10 – 15% of the cost of the program. If you would rather not bring the guide gratuity with you on the trip, you can send a check or call the RMI office to pay with a credit card upon your return.

There are a number of books on travel health including: Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa and Latin America by Dirk Schroeder. Lonely Planet, Let's Go, Fodor's, and Frommer's are all good travel guides. Information and updates can be found on the website for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs , which provides medical information for travelers as well as the consular information.

This trip is open to all individuals in excellent physical condition with previous climbing experience. Prior knowledge and experience with rope travel, the use of crampons, and ice axe arrest is required. It is a great first trip to altitudes above 15,000'.

Our experience shows that individuals perform better and enjoy the adventure more if they have a high degree of fitness and comfort with basic mountaineering skills. This program’s high altitude and snowy terrain contribute to make this a very worthwhile challenge.

Qualifying Programs

Recommended climbing experiences prior to Orizaba and Ixtaccihuatl - Mexico include:

Mt. Rainier Expedition Skills Seminar - Emmons

Mt. Rainier Expedition Skills Seminar - Kautz

Mt. Rainier Expedition Skills Seminar - Muir

Mt. Rainier Expedition Skills Seminar - Paradise

Mt. Rainier Mt. Rainier - Five Day Climb

Mt. Rainier Mt. Rainier - Four Day Climb

Expedition Skills Seminar - Shuksan

trek in mexico

Get In The Best Shape Of Your Life And Then Go Climb A Mountain

Create a fitness and training program, physical fitness training.

Mountaineering requires a high degree of physical stamina and mental toughness. Even for the healthiest and fittest individuals, climbing mountains qualifies as an extremely challenging endeavor.

  • Start immediately. Start a rigorous fitness and training program now with the goal of arriving in top physical condition and confident in your skills.
  • Be intentional. Focus on gaining the necessary strength, stamina and skills to meet the physical and technical demands of the climb.
  • Be sport-specific. The best fitness and training program mimics the physical and technical demands of your climbing objective. The closer you get to your program date, the more your training should resemble the climbing.

For Mexico Volcanoes, you are preparing for:

  • Hiking/trekking with a 50-60 lb load
  • Steep climbing and glacier travel with a 20-25 lb load
  • A 12+ hour summit day
  • Mountaineering techniques which require core strength and flexibility

Nothing ensures a personally successful adventure like your level of fitness and training. Bottom line: Plan on being in the best shape of your life and ready for a very challenging adventure!

Please refer to our Resources for Mountaineering Fitness and Training for detailed fitness and training information.

Acclimatization

The key to climbing high is proper acclimatization. Our program follows a calculated ascent profile which allows time for your body to adjust to the altitude.

Excellent physical conditioning significantly increases your ability to acclimatize as you ascend. Climbers in excellent physical condition simply have more energy to commit to the acclimatization process throughout the days and nights of the ascent, allowing their bodies to adjust to the altitude more easily.

Finally, physical performance and acclimatization are also related to how well you have taken care of yourself throughout the hours, days and weeks prior to summit day. Arriving healthy and well-rested, maintaining proper hydration and caloric intake, and protecting against unnecessary heat loss (staying warm) are all key factors in an individual’s success on an expedition such as this.

What You’ll Need

A list of required personal equipment accompanies every RMI program, and the thought process behind each item is much greater than simply “preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.” The list for your program takes into account factors such as: seasonality, route conditions, weather, elevation and more. As such, this list is framed within the broadest of contexts and is dynamic by its very nature. Therefore, certain variables (additions and/or subtractions) are inherent within such an all-encompassing list. We make every effort to recommend only top of the line clothing and technical gear and it is never our intention for you to buy or rent unnecessary gear.

The Guide Pick is an example of the listed item, giving you an idea of the material and specifications of the item. This exact item does not need to be purchased or used; however, any item you choose must have similar characteristics and performance abilities to the Guide Pick.

RMI Guides concur on the  potential   necessity  of every item, thus every item on the list is required at gear check. However, guides may also have suggestions derived from their experience, some of which will vary from a given list. The guides’ recommendation whether to bring along or leave behind certain item(s) comes during the gear check, when the team first meets. Occasionally this recommendation comes at the expense of having previously purchased an item. If a guide presents the option of leaving behind certain item(s) on the list of required equipment, it is for a reason. Their recommendation may be related to the weather, route conditions, freezing level, perceived strength of the party, or desired pack weight.

Ultimately, there will never be a consensus for a “perfect” equipment list for an ascent. It does not exist because of the multitude of variables faced by climbers throughout the climb. Please follow this equipment list closely so that you will arrive for the gear check with all the required items. Keep in mind the list is not black and white, fine tuning will occur once you meet with your guide. Have a great climb!

Whittaker Mountaineering

Shop Your Equipment List // Rent new equipment for your climb

Equipment list, pack & travel.

Image of DUFFEL BAG(S)

120+ liter bag(s) made of tough material with rugged zippers.

Image of LUGGAGE LOCKS

Bring as needed. Make sure these are TSA-compliant.

Image of 65+ LITER BACKPACK

Your pack must be large enough for your layers, climbing gear, and food, as well as a portion of your tent and your share of group equipment. You will not need a separate summit pack.

Image of 25+ LITER DAY PACK

A 25+ liter day pack to use as carry-on or while sightseeing.

Sleeping Bag & Pad

Image of SLEEPING BAG

We recommend a bag rated between 20° and 0° F. Allow ample room for movement. We recommend down over synthetic for its light weight, warmth, and packability. If you know you sleep cold, consider a 0° F bag.

Image of COMPRESSION STUFF SACK FOR SLEEPING BAG

Full-length inflatable or closed cell pad.

Technical Gear

Image of ICE AXE

The length of your axe depends on your height. Use the following general mountaineering formula: up to 5'8", use a 65 cm axe; 5'8" to 6'2", use a 70 cm axe; and taller, use a 75 cm axe. If you hold the axe so that it hangs comfortably at your side, the spike of the axe should still be a few inches above the ground.

Image of CLIMBING HARNESS

We recommend a comfortable, adjustable alpine climbing harness. Removable, drop seat, or adjustable leg loops are convenient for managing your clothing layers over the course of the climb and facilitate going to the bathroom.

Image of TRIPLE-ACTION LOCKING CARABINER

Used for clipping into the climbing rope.

Image of CRAMPONS

12-point adjustable steel crampons with anti-balling plates designed for general mountaineering use.

Image of AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVER WITH FRESH BATTERIES

Bring extra batteries appropriate to the duration of the climb.

Image of TREKKING POLES

We recommend lightweight and collapsible poles with snow baskets.

Image of HELMET

A UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme) or CE (European Committee for Standardization) certified climbing helmet.

Image of WARM HAT

Wool or synthetic. It should provide warmth but also be thin enough to fit underneath a climbing helmet.

Image of BALL CAP OR SUN HAT

A Buff provides versitile head and neck protection. A neck gaiter is also acceptable.

Image of HEADLAMP

Start with fresh batteries and bring extra set(s) of batteries appropriate to the duration of the trip.

Image of GLACIER GLASSES

Glacier glasses are protective sunglasses that provide close to 100% frame coverage (wrap-around frames and side shields ensure no light can enter from the top, bottom, and sides of the glasses) and transmit less than 10% of visual light.

Image of GOGGLES

Amber or rose-tinted goggles for adverse weather. On windy days, climbers, especially contact lens wearers, may find photochromatic lenses the most versatile in a variety of light conditions.

Image of SAFETY GLASSES (OPTIONAL)

Helpful in keeping blowing dust out of the eyes at night. If you wear prescription glasses, make sure they can fit over.

Each glove layer is worn separately as conditions change during the climb.

Image of LIGHT WEIGHT GLOVES

Light weight liner or softshell gloves. Lighter colors absorb less sunlight while still offering UV protection.

Image of MEDIUM WEIGHT GLOVES

Wind- and water-resistant, insulated mountain gloves.

Image of HEAVY WEIGHT GLOVES OR MITTENS

Wind- and water-resistant, insulated gloves or mittens. These also serve as emergency backups if you drop or lose a lighter-weight glove.

We recommend a minimum of five upper body layers, all of which can be used in conjunction with each other. Two of these should be insulating layers, one light, and one medium, that fit well together. Today there are many different layering systems to choose from, including fleece, softshell, down, and synthetic options.

Image of LIGHT WEIGHT BASELAYER OR SUN HOODY

Long-sleeve wool or synthetic top. Light weight, light-colored, hooded baselayers (sun hoodys) are highly recommended for sun protection.

Image of LIGHT WEIGHT INSULATING LAYER

One step up in warmth and bulk from a baselayer. A technical fleece makes an ideal light weight insulating layer.

Image of MEDIUM WEIGHT INSULATING LAYER

A down, synthetic, or softshell hoody makes a great midlayer.

Image of RAIN JACKET (HARD SHELL)

An uninsulated, waterproof shell jacket with hood.

Image of INSULATED PARKA WITH HOOD

Your expedition-style heavy parka must extend below the waist, have an insulated hood, and be able to fit over the rest of your upper body layers. While the parka is worn primarily at rest breaks on summit day, it also serves as an emergency garment if needed. We recommend down rather than synthetic fill.

Image of SPORTS BRA

We recommend a moisture-wicking, active-wear bra.

We recommend a system of four layers, all of which can be used in conjunction with each other. Products which combine several layers into one garment, such as traditional ski pants, don’t work well as they don’t offer the versatility of a layering system.

Image of PAIRS OF UNDERWEAR

Non-cotton briefs or boxers.

Image of LIGHT WEIGHT BASELAYER

Synthetic or wool.

Image of SOFTSHELL CLIMBING PANTS

Softshell climbing pants can be worn in combination with a base layer on colder days, or alone on warmer days.

Image of RAIN PANTS WITH FULL-LENGTH SIDE ZIPPERS (HARD SHELL)

Non-insulated, waterproof shell pants must be able to fit comfortable over your baselayer bottoms and softshell climbing pants. Full side zippers or 7/8 side zippers are required so that shell pants can be put on while wearing boots and crampons.

Image of LIGHT WEIGHT TREKKING PANTS OR SHORTS

A light weight, synthetic pair of pants is a good option for the approach trek when hiking at lower altitudes and in warm conditions. These pants have no insulation, are typically made of thin nylon, and commonly feature zippers to convert between pants and shorts.

SINGLE OR DOUBLE MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS

Boots are one of the most important pieces of mountaineering gear, and bringing the right pair is critical to your safety and success.

Either single or double boots will work for this climb.

Most climbers prefer the single mountaineering boot because they provide the best balance of weight, comfort, and insulation. The biggest disadvantage is that they do not have as much insulation as a double boot, so your feet may get cold on summit days. Bring one pair of chemical foot warmers per summit day if you will be using single mountaineering boots.

Double mountaineering boots will also work for this climb, but they are better suited for climbs where you do not need to wear your boots on a long approach, the route is mostly on snow, or your feet tend to get cold.

Image of RAINIER AND 5000 METER SINGLE BOOT TEXT

SINGLE BOOTS: Insulated, full-shank, and crampon-compatible leather or synthetic boots designed for mountaineering. Single boots tend to be lighter and more comfortable than double boots at the expense of warmth.

Image of RAINIER AND 5000 METER DOUBLE BOOT TEXT

DOUBLE BOOTS:  Insulated double boots designed for mountaineering. Plastic-shelled models are acceptable, though modern synthetic models are lighter and more comfortable.

Image of HIKING BOOTS

A pair of lightweight boots for approaches and hiking on rugged terrain. We recommend a waterproof, mid-top boot for better stability and ankle support.

Image of CASUAL SHOES

Great for traveling and wearing around town. A pair of tennis shoes or light hikers works well.

Image of GAITERS

A knee-length pair of gaiters, large enough to fit over your mountaineering boots. This will protect you from catching your crampon spikes on loose clothing. Not needed if using a boot with an integrated gaiter.

Image of PAIRS OF SOCKS

Either wool or synthetic. Whatever sock combination you are accustomed to wearing during your training or previous adventures (whether single medium weight socks, a medium weight with a liner sock, two medium weight socks together, etc.), should work just fine for this climb.

First Aid & Medications

We recommend you speak with your physician about which medications you should have for high-altitude climbing. These medications are only used in emergency situations, and if someone is showing symptoms of HAPE or HACE, our standard protocol is for immediate descent. We do not take any of these medications prophylactically, and please talk with your guide before taking medications.

We require each climber to have the following medications:

Broad spectrum antibiotics for respiratory and gastrointestinal problems like Azithromycin (250mg tablets).

125mg tablets for the prevention or treatment of Acute Mountain Sickness. A normal prescription is 125mg tablets, twice a day. Recommend 15 - 20 tablets.

4mg tablets for the treatment of altitude illness. Recommend 12 tablets.

30mg slow-release tablets for the prevention or treatment of high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Recommend 8 - 10 tablets.

Image of SMALL PERSONAL FIRST AID KIT

Our guides carry comprehensive medical kits, so keep yours small and light. We recommend a selection of adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, Moleskin and blister care, medical tape and/or duct tape, cough drops, basic painkillers, an antacid, an anti-diarrheal, and personal medications.

Personal Items

Image of MEALS & SNACKS

See the Food tab for suggestions and quantities.

Image of BOWL

Packable plastic bowl. Collapsable models can work but must be handled carefully to avoid unintended collapsing. A lid is a great feature.

Image of INSULATED MUG

Insulated outdoor-style mug. We recommed a model with a removable lid, which helps retain heat and prevent spills. You may also choose to use 0.5L insulated bottle or a 0.5L nalgene.

Image of SPOON OR SPORK

A spoon or spork made of durable plastic or anodized metal. A long-handled spoon can be nice, especially if eating from a freeze-dried meal pouch.

Image of WATER BOTTLES

One-liter water bottles with wide mouths made of co-polyester (BPA-free plastic).

Image of STUFF SACK(S)

Bring as needed.

Image of LARGE GARBAGE BAGS

Heavy-duty trash compacter bags for use as waterproof pack/stuff sack liners. You can also use a a waterproof pack liner.

Image of POCKETKNIFE

Include toilet paper, hand sanitizer, toothbrush and toothpaste, and wet wipes. Bring a quantity appropriate to the duration of your trip.

Image of SUNSCREEN

We recommend small tubes of SPF 30 or higher, which can be carried in pockets for easy access and to prevent freezing.

Image of LIP BALM

We recommend SPF 15 or higher.

Image of EAR PLUGS

Spare prescription glasses if you wear contact lenses/eyeglasses.

Image of PEE FUNNEL (FOR WOMEN)

Practice using this before coming on the climb!

Image of CAMERA (OPTIONAL)

Many smartphones have excellent cameras. Action cameras, small point-and-shoots, and compact dSLRs are lightweight and work well at altitude.

Image of POWER BANK (OPTIONAL)

A small power bank, enough to charge a phone or e-reader several times.

For charging personal electronics while traveling internationally.

Travel Clothes

Image of TRAVEL CLOTHES

We recommend bringing a selection of clothing to wear while traveling, site seeing and dining.  

Travel Documents

Valid for six months beyond your return date.

The first two pages of your passport.

Pre-Trip Checklist

Purchase travel insurance.

Purchase airplane tickets.

Reserve rental equipment.

Be in the best shape of your life!

Provided Equipment

RMI provides the following equipment for your program: huts, stoves, group cooking equipment, fuel, climbing ropes, climbing anchors, avalanche probes, shovels, and blue bags (for solid waste disposal).

Every guide on your climb will carry rescue equipment and a first aid kit. Each climb has two-way radios and a satellite phone for emergency contact.

On Orizaba and Ixtaccihuatl - Mexico you will need 5 mountain lunches. All of your mountain lunch items should weigh 3 - 4 lb.

Breakfast and dinner meals on the mountain are included as indicated in our Trip Itinerary . With the exception of hotel breakfasts, most restaurant meals are on your own. You are responsible for your own bottled water and drinks.

MOUNTAIN LUNCHES

Mountain lunches are eaten during short breaks throughout the day. We continually snack to keep our energy levels up while we climb - lunch begins just after breakfast and ends just before dinner! Avoid packing any items that require preparation or hot water.

The importance of having foods that are genuinely enjoyed cannot be overstated. Eating properly is the key to maintaining strength while in the mountains. In order to combat the loss of appetite at altitude we aim to have a variety of foods that stimulate the whole palate, from sweet to sour to salty.

Recommended mountain lunch items: dry salami, smoked salmon, jerky (turkey, beef, fish), small cans of tuna fish, individually wrapped cheeses such as Laughing Cow or Baby Bell, crackers, bagels, candy bars, hard candies (Jolly Ranchers, toffees, Life Savers), gummy bears, sour candies (Sweet Tarts), cookies, dried fruit, nuts, energy bars, GORP mixes, and drink mixes (Gatorade/Kool-Aid).

We may have a chance to purchase additional food in Mexico but we recommend you take what you need and only supplement with local food if necessary.

The breakfast menu includes items such as instant oatmeal, cold cereals (granola), breakfast bars (Kashi, Kudos), hot drinks (coffee, tea, cocoa, cider) and local fresh fruit.

Dinner usually begins with soup and ends with dessert, followed by a round of hot drinks. Healthy one-pot meals, incorporating fresh local food whenever practical, are served as the main course. One typical main course dinner might be spaghetti with sausage and fresh vegetables. Another meal might be chicken fajitas with cheese, tortillas, onions, and peppers. There are limitations, but the menu is planned to offer good variety and ample portions.

Deposit Payments: A non-refundable deposit payment of $900 per person secures your reservation.

  • Deposit payments may be made via MasterCard, Visa, American Express*, e-check/ACH, or check from a U.S. bank.

Balance Payments: The balance payment is due 120 days before the start of your program.

  • **Wire transfers must cover all fees charged by your bank. The amount of the incoming wire to our bank must equal the balance payment amount.
  • A payment reminder is emailed approximately three weeks before your payment due date. If your balance payment is not received 120 days before the start of your program, your reservation will be canceled, and all program fees will be forfeited.
  • Payment in full is required when registering for a program within 120 days of the departure date.

*There is a 3% surcharge on all credit/debit card transactions. Credit/debit cards are not accepted for payments of $10,000 or more.

Cancellation

The $900 per person deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable .

  • If you cancel 120 or more days before the start of your program, the $900 per person deposit will not be refunded.
  • If you cancel less than 120 days before the start of your program, no refunds will be issued .

Due to the time-sensitive nature of these programs, and the amount of preparation time required for this program, we strictly adhere to our policy and cannot make exceptions for any reason.

Cancellation Insurance

We require that everyone purchase travel insurance. Please see our Travel Tab for details.

  • RMI Leadership
  • Hotel accommodations as indicated in the itinerary, based on double occupancy*
  • All park entrance fees
  • All group transportation in country as stated in the itinerary
  • All breakfast and dinner meals on the mountain and other meals as stated in the itinerary
  • All group cooking, climbing and camping equipment

NOT INCLUDED

  • International airfare
  • Travel insurance, medical evacuation insurance and security evacuation insurance
  • Passport and visa fees
  • Excess baggage fees and departure taxes
  • Meals not included in the itinerary
  • Bottled water and personal drinks
  • Customary guide gratuities
  • Support Staff Tip Pool (we suggest $125 per person)
  • Additional room charges including laundry service and other personal expenses
  • Hotel accommodations not indicated in the itinerary
  • Transfer from the airport to the hotel upon arrival in Mexico City
  • Medical, hospitalization and evacuation costs (by any means)

* Accommodations are based on double occupancy.  A Single Supplement Fee will be charged to those occupying single accommodations by choice or circumstance. The single supplement is not available in huts, tents, or in all hotels.

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. reserves the right to modify the land cost of a trip at any time before departure.

Risk Management

Please clearly understand that mountaineering is inherently hazardous. Managing risk is RMI’s number one priority. Our guides manage significant hazards inherent in mountaineering, but they cannot eliminate them.  Objective hazards include rockfall, icefall, avalanches, slides or falls by individuals and rope teams on steeper slopes, weather-related problems including cold, heat, high winds, and other unnamed dangers that can occur while climbing.

You are choosing to engage in an activity in which guided and non-guided climbers have been injured or killed. While those accidents are indeed infrequent, they may occur at any time and be out of our control. We ask that participants acknowledge the risks and hazards of mountaineering and make their own choices about whether or not to engage in this activity. 

PARTICIPANT Responsibilities

Mountaineering is both an individual challenge and a team endeavor. Each Participant is required to share in the responsibility of the safety and success of the team. For this reason, we ask that each Participant:

  • Possess the climbing prerequisites required for this program.
  • Possess the necessary physical and mental fitness required for this program.
  • Be responsible for knowing all pre-departure information.
  • Provide a signed Physician’s Certificate stating that the Participant is medically qualified to join this program.
  • Update the RMI Office if there are any changes to your health or medical information before departure.
  • Be properly attired and equipped as outlined in the Equipment List.
  • Act in a considerate manner toward all team members and show respect for local customs, values, and traditions in the areas we travel.
  • Help minimize our impact on the environment and follow appropriate Leave No Trace practices.
  • Describe yourself, honestly and accurately, in terms of fitness, health, skills, abilities, and your equipment to your guide staff.
  • Communicate with your guide staff on the mountain if there are any changes in your medications or health.
  • Adhere to the advice of your guide staff.
  • Continue to self-assess throughout the program, measuring your fitness, health, skills, and abilities against the demands required of the program.

RMI reserves the right to dismiss the Participant from a program or to send the Participant to a lower altitude at any time if the RMI Guide Staff determines, in its sole discretion, that the Participant is not physically, technically, or psychologically prepared for, or capable of participating in the program, or for any other reason that may compromise the safety, health or well-being of the Participant or the entire group. If this decision is made, the Participant will not receive any refunds or credits and will be financially responsible for any additional costs associated with an early departure, including but not limited to, evacuation, transportation, hotel reservationss, meals, etc.

Zero Tolerance Harassment Policy

Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) does not tolerate harassment or mistreatment of our participants or employees. Inappropriate conduct under this policy may include conduct that creates a disrespectful, intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for a participant or employee. Engaging in such conduct is a violation of this policy.

RMI may consider conduct to violate the policy even if it falls short of unlawful harassment under applicable law. When determining whether conduct violates this policy, we will consider whether a reasonable person could conclude that the conduct created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or demeaning environment.

Violation of this policy may result in removal from a program, as well as refusal to provide services indefinitely. We place the utmost value on the safety of our participants and employees. Please report any incidents to RMI management.

Age requirements

All participants must be 18 years old at the time of registration.

Photo Release

RMI’s Photo Release outlines the terms and conditions for using your likeness in photographs, videos, or other digital media. 

I hereby grant Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. (RMI) or its affiliates permission to use my likeness in a photograph, video, or other digital media (“photo”) in any and all of its publications, including web-based publications. By granting permission, you allow RMI to utilize these media for lawful purposes. 

Here are the key points:

  • Authorization: You authorize RMI to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute the photos.
  • Ownership: All photos become the property of RMI and will not be returned.
  • Compensation: You will not be compensated for these uses.
  • Rights: RMI exclusively owns all rights to the images, videos, and recordings and to any derivative works created from them. 
  • Waiver: You waive the right to inspect or approve printed or electronic copies.
  • Release: You release Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. and its assigns and licensees from any claims arising from these uses, including defamation, invasion of privacy, rights of publicity, or copyright.
  • Hold Harmless: You hold harmless, release, and forever discharge RMI or its affiliates from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action which I, my heirs, representatives, executors, administrators, or any other persons acting on my behalf or on behalf of my estate have or may have by reason of this authorization.

Summit Attempt

RMI cannot guarantee that you will reach the summit. Weather, route conditions, your own abilities, or the abilities of other climbers may create circumstances that make an ascent unsafe, and you or your entire group may have to turnaround without reaching the summit.

Failure to reach the summit due to a person’s own lack of fitness or to any of the events associated with mountaineering (such as weather, route conditions, avalanche hazard, team dynamics, etc.), are not Rainier Mountaineering, Inc.’s responsibility and will not result in a refund, credit, or reschedule.

General Policies

RMI’s program schedule and itineraries are subject to change or adjustment based on a number of factors. These include, but are not limited to, route conditions, weather, group strength, terrain, other environmental factors, and many other factors. RMI has complete discretion to change plans to accommodate any of these or other factors, including but not limited to increases in program fees, changes to program schedule or itinerary, and changes to guides or staff, as necessary for the proper and safe conduct of the program. Once the program has started, the Lead Guide will decide on any changes to the itinerary, including ending the program early if the continuation of the program may compromise the safety, health, or well-being of the group.

We reserve the right to cancel any program due to inadequate signups, weather, route conditions, or for any other reason. In such a case, we will make every effort to reschedule the Participant on a different program date. If rescheduling is not possible, we will issue the Participant a refund for all program fees paid to RMI, less any non-refundable payments made on behalf of the Participant to secure any of the included land costs provided for this program, including but not limited to, hotel accommodations, transportation, transfers, tours, group equipment and food, permits, and local outfitter services, prior to the cancellation of the program. Additionally, RMI cannot be responsible for any non-refundable expenses the Participant incurred in preparation for the program (i.e., airline tickets, hotel reservations, rental cars, equipment purchases or rentals, etc.).

Once a program begins, there are no refunds or credits for weather-related cancellations or for a program that may end early due to weather, route conditions, or any other circumstances that may compromise the health, safety, or well-being of the group. Furthermore, if the Participant decides for any reason not to begin a program or to discontinue a program at any time, no refunds or credits will be issued. The Participant will be responsible for all additional costs associated with an early departure, including, but not limited to evacuation, transportation, hotel reservations, meals, etc.

The Participant is responsible for any costs due to COVID-19, including but not limited to, any testing fees to enter another country, tests required to return to the US, and/or costs associated with medical care and/or quarantine such as hotel accommodations, meals, separate transportation, etc.

Land Costs are provided as a package, and refunds or credits will not be issued for any unused meals, accommodations, group transportation, or other unused costs. Accommodations are based on double occupancy. A Single Supplement Fee will be charged to those Participants occupying single accommodations either by choice or circumstance. If you are willing to share a room, we will make every effort to pair you with another same-gender team member. We will match willing same-gender team members based on the order of registration date. If we are unable to match you with another same-gender team member, a single supplement fee will be charged. The availability of single accommodations is limited in most of the hotels where we stay, and single accommodations are not available while in the mountains.

The Participant understands and agrees that RMI assumes no responsibility or liability in connection with any travel and hospitality services provided to the Participant by other companies in connection with the program, including but not limited to, the services provided by airlines, hotels, rental cars, and transportation companies and that RMI is not responsible for any act, error, omission, or any injury, loss, accident, delay, irregularity, or danger by a supplier of travel or hospitality services to the Participant in connection with the RMI program. The Participant will be responsible for all costs associated with any travel delays, missed connections, or missing baggage that requires additional arrangements (separate transportation, hotel accommodations, meals, etc.) to be made on your behalf for you or your baggage to rejoin the program.

Is it safe to travel in Mexico?

Because violence in Mexico remains in the news, questions about safety are among the most frequently asked.

We hold the perspective that travel to Mexico (and in fact any developing nation) includes risk, but not high risk. In order to safeguard our trips:

  • We have hired a reliable professional in-country tour operator to coordinate our in-country logistics.
  • We have hired a local guide familiar with the language, roads, customs, etc.
  • We follow popular tourist thoroughfares, using private vehicles (not public transportation).
  • We travel in groups and have tourist safety protocols in place (not flashing cash, not wearing expensive jewelry, etc.).
  • RMI guides are well-versed with our program and are accustomed to travel in a foreign country.
  • Very importantly, we avoid areas associated with drug activity or violence (such as the US-Mexico border towns).
  • Regarding corrupt policemen on the highways, we called our in-country operator and he offered the simple suggestion that you wear your seatbelts and don't text/use cell phones when driving, as these are illegal offenses which could prompt being stopped.

Take some time to visit the consular and travel warning pages at the U.S. Department of State. These pages offer good information and should be revisited occasionally as trip departure dates approach.

What is the food like on the mountain?

Please see our Food details for an example of meals while on the mountain.

Is the water okay to drink?

We strongly advise against drinking tap water in Mexico. Bottled water is readily available and should be used for all drinking water. Personal water filters or water treatment tablets are not needed.

What is the approach to Ixta like?

Overall, Ixta is generally considered to be the most demanding of the Mexican volcanoes we climb. Much of this is due to the 5 to 6 hour approach with heavy packs needed to get to high camp. The approach, while difficult, is also beautiful and covers varied and rugged terrain, from forests near the Altzomoni hut through fields of grassy hummocks to the barren landscape near high camp.

After reaching high camp (normally by early afternoon) we have the afternoon to review necessary mountaineering techniques for the summit climb, as well as some time to rest, relax, or read a book.

How much weight am I carrying in my pack?

Backpacks should weigh approximately 15 to 20 lbs as we only carry the day's snacks, water, clothing, etc. as needed on our acclimating hikes or summit climbs. The approach to Ixta is the exception. Then we carry 40 to 55 lbs (depending on the size of the climber) in order to establish our high camp.

What is the pace like?

We travel at an appropriate speed to cover the distance we need for the day without going too quickly or too slowly, regardless of whether we are on an acclimating hike or on a summit climb. While the actual distances are relatively short, the altitudes to which we travel are very high and the days of hiking and climbing are still challenging.

What are the camps like?

We prefer to stay in tents rather than the climber’s hut and set up camp a short distance away. We provide three-person tents for every two climbers.

What are the toilets like?

Basic pit-toilets are available near the hut on Orizaba and at the Ixta trailhead. En route, where no toilets exist, we use bio-bags to collect our solid waste so that it may be transported off of the mountain. We recommend that you bring hand sanitizer to use after visiting the toilets.

How will I be able to stay connected with those at home?

We suggest bringing a smart phone or a wi-fi enabled device and using it where WIFI and internet services are available, as in Mexico City and Puebla. On the climbs, however, WIFI access is not available. Cell service is widely available across most of Mexico, see below.

Should I bring a cell phone or a satellite phone?

Sure, cell phone coverage is generally available in and around towns. Check with your cell phone carrier to see if they offer international coverage in Mexico and make sure you have the appropriate international plans and understand the associated rates.

RMI carries a satellite phone with the group through the entire trip for emergency use.

Do iPhones function well at high altitude?

Yes. However the cold can impact the battery life making it necessary for it to be charged a few times on the trip.

Is a Kindle or Nook practical on this trip?

Yes, but if you wish to take it up on the mountain you will certainly need to recharge it once in a while using a personal solar charger. We recommend downloading all of your desired books before arriving in Mexico.

Find Your Adventure

Filter results.

CELEBRATING OVER 50 YEARS OF MOUNTAIN GUIDING EXCELLENCE

RMI Expeditions 30027 SR 706 East Post Office Box Q Ashford, WA 98304

Phone: 1 (888) 892‑5462

Email: [email protected]

Privacy Policy

An illustration of a mountain with climbers on it

Sign up for our Newsletter

Image of Mt Rainier

  • Email Address *

Keep up to date with information about our latest climbs by joining our mailing list. Sign up and we'll keep you informed about new adventures, special offers, competitions, and news. privacy policy

Thank you for subscribing to the RMI Expeditions Newsletter!

While you're at it, you can sign up some of our other mailings as well:

Please choose the programs you'd like updates on:

Book with Confidence - we want you to be as confident as possible when planning your next vacation. Learn More >>

trek in mexico

Copper Canyon Hiking Tour

trek in mexico

Price: Please inquire

This nine-day Copper Canyon Hiking Tour is a rugged adventure through the breathtaking canyons of Northern Mexico. Enjoy expertly guided tours through its undulating landscapes, nights sleeping under the stars, and stays in eco-friendly cabins.

Along the way, meet the local indigenous people and learn more about their lives in the mountains. You will also enjoy an unforgettable train ride and explore the cultural and historical significance of the area.

Any Copper Canyon hiking trip that Journey Mexico offers can also be combined with our Baja Multisport trip for more than two weeks experiencing Mexico’s finest wilderness adventures.

PHOTO GALLERY

Hiking in Copper Canyon

Chihuahua al Pacifico train ride – Enjoy a first class train ride through the Sierra Madre Mountains

Copper Canyon hike – Trek through Mexico’s gorgeous Copper Canyon

Cerocahui and Creel – Stay overnight in 200-year-old frontier settlements

Meet the native Tarahumara – Visits the remote settlements of the native Tarahumara people and share the canyon trails with indigenous farmers and ranchers

Wild camping – Stay in wild campsites near remote indigenous compounds perched on canyon walls with mule and walking access only

Day 1: Arrival at El Fuerte

After arriving in the charming colonial gateway to the Copper Canyon, El Fuerte, you will check into a beautiful historic lodge and have the chance to roam the cobblestone streets for a taste of old Mexico.

Spend your time relaxing and wandering through this quaint, historic town, which was named a Pueblo Magico by the Mexican government for its importance and beauty.

Day 2: Chihuahua al Pacifico train journey

It’s all aboard the celebrated Chihuahua al Pacifico train to journey into the Sierra Madre Mountains. This comfortable first-class locomotive goes through dozens of tunnels and over countless bridges with plenty of opportunities to take exceptional pictures.  A regal lunch takes place in a private restaurant car.

Arrive in the early afternoon to Posada Rancho and take a quick walk to the rustic and comfortable community cabins in Areponapuchi for an overnight stay.

Overnight: Community Cabins Areponapuchi.

Day 3: First hiking day from San Rafael to Guitayvo

After breakfast, receive a transfer to the trail head in San Rafael where we load the mules and begin our walk through the undulating hills of the sierra.

Along the way, arrive at a local school and church in the indigenous village of San Alonso, witnessing the everyday life of the people who live there. Following the rolling landscape of the high Sierra Tarahumara, we arrive at Guitayvo in the mid-afternoon and spend the night in the community eco-cabins in this quaint town.

Overnight: Eco-cabins Guitayvo.

Day 4: Second hiking day from Guitayvo to Huemachi

We continue navigating around Guitayvo and drop down through an arroyo (river bed) and then climb gradually up the side of a canyon. The mystical tranquility of this alpine region is reinforced by the wind whistling through the pine needles.  We arrive at the small ranch of Huemachi in the late afternoon and spend the evening in the wonders of nature with a wild camping experience.

Overnight: Wild camping

Day 5: Third day hiking, views over Urique Canyon, wild camping

Today we connect with the Urique Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in North America. Enjoy incredible vistas over the undulating landscapes, stopping along the way to take a photo or two.

After a full-day hiking through these inspirational lands, we arrive at the small ranch of Chiruhuerabo, for another wild camping experience.

Day 6: Fourth day hiking, enter the Urique Canyon

We now enter the Urique Canyon proper through a side entrance. The views from the ridge are spectacular. Carefully navigate the steep descent with plenty of stops to observe the quickly changing vegetation.

Then, towards Naranjo, where we are greeted by the friendly people who live there. After some time chatting with the locals, we load our gear into the vehicle and head down to the town of Urique with time to check out this wild mining outpost.

In the afternoon, drive out of the town of Urique to the high sierra and a private lodge in Cerocahui where clean clothes and a fire are waiting.

Overnight: Cerocahui Hiking Lodge

Day 7: Cerocahui and Creel

After breakfast, head to the frontier logging outpost turned tourist center for the Copper Canyon, Creel. Along the way, stop to see the Cerocahui Mission Church and take some time out to enjoy some of the most impressive viewpoints.

Overnight: Plaza Mexicana

Day 8: Creel and Chihuahua

Before a private transfer to Chihuahua, enjoy breakfast and a brief look around Creel. The late afternoon is free for relaxing or visiting the interesting museums and historical sites of Chihuahua, an important cultural and economic center of Northwestern Mexico.

The final night is marked with a fiesta where we can share stories from our hiking adventure.

Overnight: Hotel San Francisco

Day 9: Departure from Chihuahua

Transfer to Chihuahua Airport for onward flights.

Our trips are fully customized, allowing us to build your itinerary for any time of the year.

We also offer a similar itinerary that coincides with Holy Week:  Copper Canyon Semana Santa Trek  and has been selected by National Geographic Traveler as a Tour of a Lifetime.

“The wilderness camping was very easy, with tasty and healthy food prepared. Everyday we had fresh tortillas handmade locally. The campsites were absolutely idyllic. Our guide Octavio and his assistant Raramuri guide led us easily through the complex set of paths along beautiful ridges, valleys, and woods, always helping us in spots we found a bit tricky. The views were stunning. And throughout the trip we felt very safe.”

Julia – March 2016

INQUIRE & CUSTOMIZE THIS ITINERARY

Our custom-tailored journeys start from $1,000 USD per day for two travelers. ($1,800 per couple in beach destinations)

First Name:

Prefered Contact: Phone Email

Travel date:*

Number of Nights:*

How many people are traveling?:*

Traveling with children? if so, number and ages:

How did you find us?* Please choose Search engine Newsletter Conde Nast Travel+Leisure Wendy Perrin Social Media Word of mouth

Total Trip Budget:* $ Please choose 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 8000 10000 12000 15000 20000 25000 30000 40000 50000

Do you have any travel ideas?* Tell us what you have in mind so we can help you complete a perfect itinerary

Journey Mexico would like to occasionally send you information about its services and news about Mexico.

I would like to receive emails from Journey Mexico: Yes

I would like to subscribe to your blog: Yes

We won't share your details with any third parties and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Journey Mexico logo

  • Baja California
  • Mexico City
  • Pacific Coast
  • Colonial Mexico
  • Yucatan Peninsula
  • Riviera Maya, Tulum, & Cancun
  • San Miguel de Allende
  • Puerto Vallarta & Punta de Mita
  • Copper Canyon & N. Mexico
  • Guadalajara & Tequila
  • Off the Beaten Path
  • Romance & Honeymoon
  • Art & Native Crafts
  • Active Adventures
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Landscapes of Mexico
  • Food & Wine
  • Air Expeditions
  • Family Vacations
  • Executive Retreats
  • Private Villas
  • Weekend Escapes
  • Summer Travel
  • Day of The Dead
  • Luxury Hotels & Resorts
  • Private Villas & Residences
  • Special Offers
  • Why Journey Mexico?
  • Why Custom-Made Itineraries?
  • Testimonials
  • Travel Safety
  • Sustainable Tourism
  • When to visit

facebook pixel

The Most Epic Hiking Trails to Take in Oaxaca

Hikers

The southern state of Oaxaca provides some of Mexico’s most stunning landscapes, boasting rolling, forested hills and spectacular plants and wildlife. The region contains eight remote villages that are known collectively as the Pueblos Mancomunados (Commonwealth of Villages). These tiny communities cooperate in a unique ecotourism project offering simple accommodation options and excellent hiking excursions . The towns are surrounded by the Sierra Norte Range which offers a wide diversity of landscapes, including pine and oak forests, waterfalls, caves and breath-taking panoramas.

Benito juárez to la nevería.

The eight villages that form a part of the ecotourism project are Amatlán, Benito Juárez, Cuajimoloyas, La Nevería, Lachatao, Latuvi, Llano Grande and Yavesía. The program, known as Expediciones Sierra Norte , has an office in Oaxaca City where you can plan your itinerary.

Expediciones Sierra Norte, Manuel Bravo 210-A, Plaza San Cristóbal, Centro, Oaxaca, Mexico +52 951 514 8271

Hiring a trained guide is also an excellent idea for your hike. These guides are very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the local area, although do bear in mind that they rarely speak English.

Each of the Pueblos Mancomunados has simple but pleasant cabins for accommodation, as well as a restaurant serving affordable local food from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The village of Benito Juárez is a popular place to begin your trek. The hike to the next village, La Nevería, follows a winding, uphill road through the scenic Sierra Norte. The 8 km (5 mile) hike is no easy task, especially given the high altitude, but the lush farmland and dense pine forests make it all worthwhile. Keep an eye out for exotic birds, hovering butterflies and multi-colored flowers.

Oaxacan hills

La Nevería to Latuvi

The trek from La Nevería to Latuvi takes around three hours. Expect to spend much of it walking through narrow paths in the woods and making your way up steep, hilly terrain. The log bridge that crosses the Guacamayas River is a real highlight of the trail. Make sure to enjoy a good night’s rest in the cabin at Latuvi. The trek to San Miguel Amatlán the next day is one of the more difficult hikes on the trip.

Oaxacan hills

Latuvi to San Miguel Amatlán

At 15 kilometers (9.32 miles) in length, the hike to Amatlán is the longest on the itinerary, but also the most rewarding. The first part of the trek follows a river through a beautiful canyon, followed by mysterious cloud forests adorned with hanging mosses.

The tiny village of Lachatao boasts an elegant, historic church and scenic views over the valley. A little further up the road is the village of San Miguel Amatlán, the largest in the area. Spend the evening exploring its narrow cobbled streets and enjoy a simple yet delicious meal at the local comedor.

Lachatao Church

San Miguel Amatlán to San Isidro Llano Grande

The 22 kilometer (13.67 mile) hike to San Isidro Llano Grande lasts a little more than six hours and takes you through pristine, winding mountain roads.

Bear in mind that the timing of your visit is of utmost importance. During the winter, temperatures drop in the high southern villages, while hiking is sometimes impossible during the rainy season between May and September.

Both San Isidro Llano Grande and the nearby village of Cuajimoloyas have good bus links back to Oaxaca City. The journey takes around two hours, during which time you can enjoy a well-deserved rest.

Amatlán

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

trek in mexico

Guides & Tips

Foodie paradise: a culinary expedition around the world in 2024.

trek in mexico

The Best Trips and Tours in Mexico

trek in mexico

Food & Drink

The best street food cities in the world.

trek in mexico

Top Tips for Travelling in Mexico

trek in mexico

The Best Places to Travel in December

trek in mexico

March, April and May 2023 Price Drop

trek in mexico

See & Do

A solo traveler's guide to yucatán, mexico.

trek in mexico

Places to Stay

The best hotels in puerto escondido.

trek in mexico

Best Things to Do on Isla Espíritu Santo, Mexico

trek in mexico

Coastal Vote: A Beach-Lover's Guide to Sayulita, Mexico

trek in mexico

Coastal Vote: A Beach-Lover's Guide to Bacalar, Mexico

trek in mexico

The Best Things to Do in Chichen Itza, Mexico

Winter sale offers on our trips, incredible savings.

trek in mexico

  • Post ID: 1785682
  • Sponsored? No
  • View Payload

Hiking in Mexico: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

( 13 reviews )

Climb into the incredible culture, exotic terrain, and unbelievable beauty of volcanoes, mountains, valleys and forests on a hiking tour in Mexico!

Whether you are taking on 5,000+ meter peaks like Pico de Orizaba (5,636m), touring the relentless beauty of La Malinche National Park, or looking out on the rugged terrain of Copper Canyon, Mexico has an eclectic mix of perfect hikes. Landscapes include forests, jungles, deserts and canyons, coupled with a rich history that makes a trek through the high mountains and lush valleys a truly life-changing experience. Compare and book a certified guide for your trip on Explore-Share.com: 1500+ guides, 70+ countries and more than 8000 different programs to choose from. Take a pick from our selection of Hiking trips in Mexico. The mountains are calling!

Top trips | Mexico

Hiking in Baja California

Hiking in Baja California ( 1 trips )

Hiking in Puebla

Hiking in Puebla ( 8 trips )

Hiking in Chiapas

Hiking in Chiapas ( 7 trips )

Contact us

Need Assistance?

Our knowledgeable team is here to assist you at any moment throughout your adventure.

Google reviews

FAQs : Hiking in Mexico

What should I know about Hiking Mexico?

Mexico is a North American country covering a wide range of geographical territory. The northern part of the country is defined by rugged terrain, deep gorges, extraordinary outcroppings, and wide deserts. The south has some of the most mountainous areas, including the tallest mountain, Pico de Orizaba (5,636m). Ancient ruins, winding rivers and waterfalls, and unbelievable beaches round out the landscape. Hiking is as diverse as the area itself, with various levels for all types of trekkers. Rock climbing, mountaineering, and nature discovery programs can easily be assimilated into a hiking tour. Mexico City has a number of museums that can also enhance the cultural impact of a hiking program.

Why should I choose Mexico for my Hiking adventure?

One of the biggest draws to this North American country is its mega diversity. It contains roughly 10 to 12 percent of the world's ecosystems, with protected areas from natural parks to biosphere reserves. Mexico is fourth in flora diversity, with more than 26,000 plant species. The large geographic area features every type of terrain: hike to mountains, canyons, underground caves, ancient ruins.... you get the idea. Each location of this gorgeous country has its own slice of nature worth its weight in gold.

Isolated Yet Accessible!

Some of the most beautiful places in Mexico seem pretty out of the way, but in reality, they are fairly easy to get to. The country caters to outdoor adventurers, with epic waterfalls in proximity to San Luis Potosi (Huasteca Potosi), Oaxaca (Copalitilla), and its capital, Mexico City (Tixhinu Waterfalls).Day hikes can be found right out off the runway, so you could easily build a hiking itinerary on a short schedule. Roads are developed enough to travel to where you need to go, with a network of regional airports for more distant travel within the country.

Ancient Culture!

Mexico has played an important role in the development of North America. The Aztec Civilization, among others throughout its history, contributed to the culture across the country, which can be seen in the regional architecture, landscape, and community identity. Visiting the jungle ruins in the south versus the gorges and monoliths in the north will offer an equally different and satisfying hiking and experience.

What can I expect from the weather in Mexico?

The vast country of Mexico has a variety of seasonal trends. The dry season lasts from October through late April, with relatively mild and comfortable temperatures. The summer months from June through September are considered the rainy season, and the climate is generally hot during this period.

Which language is predominantly spoken in Mexico?

What currency is accepted in Mexico?

How to Get There

Mexico City has direct flights from London, Paris, Frankfurt, New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Mexico City all have efficient airports and mass transit, including buses, to connect to the nearby communities and hiking areas. The Copper Canyon Train also connects Los Mochis to Chihuahua City.

What’s the country code of Mexico?

What’s the high season for Hiking in Mexico?

October through May. You can hike all year round in Mexico, with the most ideal conditions during the dry season from autumn through winter and spring.

What people are saying about Hiking | Mexico

The incredible human being known as Bernardo aka Bernie will be your guide for this once in a lifetime experience and I promise you it will be one of the best decisions you ever make! Myself and 2 other friends did this 8 day hiking tour and Bernie was the perfect guide - not only did he sort out 100% of the logistics for this trip (food, lodging, extra equipment that we didn't have, driving to and from each mountain, etc) he was extremely flexible when a couple of us got food poisoning (not his fault) and had to re-arrange certain dates. He knows the area really well and obviously can climb these mountains in his sleep so he was able to help us navigate any headaches or high altitude issues and he even ran to the store for us to pick up some paracetamol and pepto bismol one day. The mountains are difficult but the itinerary that Bernie has provided means you have the best possible chance at summiting all 3 peaks. Highly recommend this tour and thank you Bernie for an excellent experience in Mexico!

I am a 65-year-old woman traveling alone this year and I would not have been able to do this hike without a guide ... if nothing else, only his 4WD truck was going to get me to the start (a long dirt road that has its issues). I live at sea level, so just hiking to the ridge (12,000) was enough for me. I very much enjoyed Juan's passion for the park and conserving it. On our way back down the hike, I was happy to join in picking up trash.

Everything was excellent, from the support to the guiding service. 5 stars !

very smooth process online and the guide, Carlos, was EXCEPTIONAL! Amazing service and amazing mountains. Very accommodating for certain changes within our schedule.

We have been on 2-days trekking tour - hiking Volcano Nevado de Colima in Mexico (Nov 21-22'2021). This is our opinion (me and my wife). 1. Both guides - Juan Manuel and Juan Pedro were fantastic - very professional, sympathetic. They spoke English so we have had not problems with communications. 2. Car Ford 4WD - super - big and comfortable. 3. Trekking/hiking - beautiful place, technically acceptable probably by most of guests, fantastic panoramic views 4. Organization of the trip - very good (it was even too much food and drinks) 5. Night in a refuge at 3200 m altitude - this place unfortunately is not prepared for overnight tourists - there is no hot water or heaters - nights are very cold (in our case it was ca. 3 centigrades Celsius), fortunately in our house was big chimney which we could use. Generally - very good tour. In my opinion there should be information about conditions in the refuge. Best greetings ----- Marek Litmanowicz / Gala Akhmatkulova - Poland/Uzbekistan

Join our newsletter!

Stay up-to-date on the best adventures.

Slight North

  • Bucket List
  • Year in Antarctica
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United States
  • Country Comparisons
  • Digital Nomad Cookbook
  • Gifts & Gear
  • Hike Your Home State
  • Interesting Reads
  • Long-Term Travel
  • Travel Blogging
  • WORKING ABROAD

Select Page

5 Step-By-Step Guides to Hiking in Mexico City

Posted by Di Minardi | Last updated Nov 6, 2022

5 Step-By-Step Guides to Hiking in Mexico City

This post contains affiliate links.

There’s no doubt that life in Mexico City can be overwhelming. It’s one of the biggest cities in the world and is full of traffic and crowds.

I’ve spent a few months in the city now and during my stay, I was dying for some fresh air and nature. So, I visited these five places to go hiking in Mexico City.

It’s possible to reach all five of these routes without a car. Each one also comes with a detailed step-by-step guide that I created after visiting with all the info you need to see them too.

Leave the pollution and noise behind and prepare for a day in nature, ’cause it’s time to go hiking in Mexico City.

Popo volcano erupting in Mexico

1. Izta-Popo National Park

Where: 1.5 hours from Mexico City by bus Difficulty: easy to moderate Click here for a step-by-step guide to hiking in Izta-Popo National Park

This is definitely my favorite place to go hiking in Mexico City. I mean, you’ll walk among active volcanos, what’s not to love?

This epic park isn’t on the typical tourist itinerary in the city but I have no idea why. It’s located about an hour away by bus and you can see the second and third tallest mountains in Mexico! Even if you don’t want to go far, you can watch Popo Volcano erupt after a few minutes of walking.

Use this guide to learn exactly how we got there, what we spent on the day out, and decide which route you want to trek in Izta-Popo National Park.

hiking in Mexico City at Cumbres del Ajusco National Park

2. Cumbres del Ajusco National Park

Where:  ~1 hour from Mexico City by Uber or 2+ hours by bus and taxi Difficulty: Moderate Click here for a step-by-step guide to hiking in Culbres del Ajusco National Park

Cumbres del Ajusco National Park actually makes up half of the Mexico City Federal District (CDMX) so it’s definitely worth visiting.

The transport is kinda tricky – we used Uber to get there and public transport to get back – so read my full write up for all the details you need to know.

The park is about an hour and a half away and a bit more difficult to get to than Izta-Popo. I also don’t think it’s quite as beautiful as the first, but if you have time to see both I still recommend it.

Cumbres del Ajusco is home to Ajusco Mountain. We attempted to climb it on our visit but got lazy and gave up half-way… still, the views were beautiful along the way.

hiking in Mexico City at the Tepozteco Ruins

3. Tepozteco Ruins

Where: 1.5 hours from Mexico City by bus Difficulty: Moderate Click here for a step-by-step guide to visiting Tepoztlan and the Tepozteco ruins

Tepoztlan is easy to reach from Mexico City without a car. Busses leave multiple times an hour from Terminal Tazqueno and after a short 1.5 hours ride, we found ourselves breathing fresh air in the small town.

If you want some nature but not a miles-long trek, this is the place for you. Tepoztlan also has a market, a convent, and lots of restaurants, so hiking isn’t the only focus here.

Still, the main draw is the Tepozteco Ruins, which sit high on a mountain with a view of the surrounding countryside. It’s over an hour of uphill climbing on stone stairs, but the destination is worth it.

If you’re ready to check it out, get planning with the Tepoztlan guide!

Ex Convento Desierto de Los Leones

4. Desierto de Los Leones National Park

Where: 40 minutes from Mexico City by Uber Difficulty: Easy to moderate, depending on which trail you decide to take Click here for a step-by-step guide to visiting Desierto de Los Leones

Desierto de Los Leones National Park is the easiest Mexico City hike to reach because it only requires a quick 40-minute / 200 mxn Uber ride to the park.

Once you’re there, the Ex Convento Desierto de Los Leones – a 400-year-old abandoned convent – is definitely the star of the show. It’s so beautiful and an absolutely fantastic place to take photos and just relax in the serenity of the surrounding gardens.

After you visit the convent, choose a trail and go hiking in the more than 4,000 acres of protected forest that surround you. I climbed Cerro San Miguel, the tallest mountain in the park, but there are plenty of other routes as well.

Use this guide to Desierto de Los Leones to learn exactly how to get there, what to see, where to hike, and more. 

climbing Texcotzingo ruins in Texcoco

5. Texcotzingo Ruins

Where: 45 minute by bus to the town of Texcoco Difficulty: Easy Clic here for a step-by-step guide to visiting Texcoco and the Texcotzingo ruins

This is definitely the easiest hike on the list. The Texcotzingo Ruins are from a palace and baths built high on a hill in the 1400s. They’re never crowded and have amazing 360-degree views of the rolling mountains in every direction and even Mexico City in the distance. 

These ruins are in Texcoco in the neaighboring state of Hidalgo (but still only a 45-minute bus ride from Mexico City ) and are located right near El Pica 1 which serves up what is arguably the best barbacoa in the country on the weekends – according to the Taco Chronicles on Netflix, that is.

This day trip is similar to Tepoztlan because it’s about more than just hike.

Go to Texcoco to eat barbacoa in the morning (yep, it’s a breakfast meat) and then walk to the Texcotzingo trail to hike to the ruins, and, if you still have the energy, finish your day at the historic farm and old Mexican town preserved at Parque Nacional Molino de Flores.

Trust me, this indepth Texcoco guide will make it super easy to plan your visit!

By the way, before you hit the road for any of these five hiking routes in Mexico, make sure you’re prepared with the travel gear below!

Visit These 5 Destinations for Hiking in Mexico City

I was pleasantly surprised but how great the hiking in Mexico City was. In such a massive city I thought I wouldn’t see any nature at all, but luckily I was wrong.

I have to say that Izta-Popo National Park truly blows the other four out of the water and should definitely be first on your list, and then if I had to order the rest by personal preference I’d choose Desierto de Los Leones, the Texcotzingo Ruins, the Tepozteco Ruins, and Cerro Ajusco in that order.

But, it really all comes down to personal preference and what you’re looking for and it’s up to you to decide. No matter what, you can’t go wrong with these five hikes in Mexico City!

Ready to go?

Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights to Mexico City and explore accommodation like furnished apartments and unique stays on Airbnb or the top-rated hotels on Booking.com to plan the perfect night, weekend, or long-term stay in the city!

This article is part of the Mexico City Neighborhood, Parks, and Greenery Guide. Read the rest below:

10 Best Things to do in Chapultepec Park + Map and Prices

Coyoacan Guide: 18 Best Things to do in Coyoacan

Polanco Walking Route + 9 Best Things to do in Polanco

5 Unique Places to Stay in Mexico City

Or, explore the complete Mexico Series for 40+ more articles on what to see, do, eat, drink, and discover in the country.

Did you know every time you read an article on Slight North, you're also planting trees for the monarchs in Mexico? Start here to learn more about our mission and how to get the most out of the site!

If I’ll be in Mexico City in late July, will I need to wear winter clothing to hike Izta-Popo National Park ? What about Nevado de Toluca? Which of these two hikes is shorter/easier for a less experienced hiker? Which is closer to Mexico City?

Izta-popo National Park is closer to Mexico City and easier to get to than Nevado Toluca. It’s also an easier hike because you can hike all around the park without scaling the mountain itself. So I suggest Izta-Popo for your getaway. Also, you probably won’t need winter gear if you’re just hiking around the park/around the base of the mountain (if you want to summit it, that’s a different story and you’ll need to do more research) but I suggest going with layers and a jacket at least to take on and off as the weather changes throughout the day. The weather can change quickly and fiercely at high altitude.

Related Posts

Taxco Travel Guide: What to Do in Taxco, Mexico

Taxco Travel Guide: What to Do in Taxco, Mexico

Last updated Nov 6, 2022

Why Playa Esmeralda is the Best Playa Del Carmen Beach

Why Playa Esmeralda is the Best Playa Del Carmen Beach

How to get from Zagreb to Zadar by Bus

How to get from Zagreb to Zadar by Bus

Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta: A Definitive Ranking

Where to Stay in Puerto Vallarta: A Definitive Ranking

Let’s connect.

trek in mexico

Recent Posts

  • 2020 Year in Review: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  • Best Places to Go Hiking in Las Cruces, New Mexico
  • Why You NEED to Celebrate Small Christmas in 2020
  • 7 Best Restaurants in West Hollywood (From a Local)
  • The Complete Guide to Craft Beer in Las Cruces

Logos and text reading "Di and her work can be found in"

Sea Trek Cozumel

trek in mexico

  • See all photos

trek in mexico

SeaTrek Underwater Helmet Diving Experience in Downtown Cozumel

trek in mexico

SNUBA Cozumel Underwater Adventure inside Chankanaab National Park

trek in mexico

Sea Trek Adventure at Chankanaab National Park

trek in mexico

Sea Trek Underwater Night Dive Experience in Cozumel

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

R F

Sea Trek Cozumel - All You Must Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

  • Click here - to use the wp menu builder

29 Places To Visit In Panjim In 2022 For An Enlightening Vacation

A Detailed Post-Covid 19 Travel Guide To Maldives: Your One-Stop Solution On How To Break The Monotony

Pre-wedding shoot in jaipur: 8 instagram-worthy places you can’t miss, an ideal post-covid travel guide to seychelles: the secret to a safe, and stress-free vacay.

An Ideal Post-Covid Travel Guide To Kerala: Sojourning The Land Of Backwaters Again

10 Thrilling Treks In Mexico That Are Perfect For An Adventuresome Trip!

Mexico certainly is the place for some interesting hiking spots. It has many ideal mountain ranges which generally have perfect weather to make up for the brutal weather in the nation’s capital. The best time to go hiking is surely in the dry season that starts from October and continues till May. This dry offers temperate weather which makes for some amazing hiking experiences. So, all you adrenaline junkies out there head to the treks in Mexico and don’t forget to take your trekking gear along!

10 Top Treks In Mexico

Check out this intricately made guide about the most enticing treks in Mexico which you should definitely try. Keep scrolling down and read along!

1. The Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon in Mexico

Image Source

The copper canyon actually consists of six distinct canyons which form one of the best trails for hiking along with the Tararecua Canyon. Trekkers will be able to witness indigenous cultures along with amazing scenery and wilderness while passing through. The stunning thermal springs at its base add to the beauty of this trek. This trek in Mexico takes around 5 days to complete and was ranked amongst the best in the world by the National Geographic.

Location: Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, México Cost: around M$10 admission

Must Read: 10 Hand Picked Affordable Homestays In Mexico You Should Stay At

2. Desierto De Los Leones

Desierto De Los Leones

This trek in Mexico is one of the most attractive and popular hiking sites and its name means Lion Desert literally. The trails found over here are of various levels of reasonable to difficult, but all can be easily located and then followed. But for people who are looking for something challenging, there is the park’s highest peak, which is known as Cerro San Miguel and it stands at a towering 12,400 feet from the sea level. All along the trails, you will get to see hordes of bikers, hikers and families who come here to climb the jagged trails of this amazing national park.

Location: Desierto de Los Leones, Ciudad de México, México

3. Chipinque

Chipinque

One of the treks near Mexico City, it is located in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; this northern natural park is full of amazing hiking routes which offer a wealth of experiences to the trekkers. It doesn’t matter if you are a newbie or are a pro in this; the trail accommodates all and introduces everyone to a new outdoor physical fitness. Officially, there are three recommended trails but in reality, there are far more than that if you want to undertake them yourselves over this 50km span of land in this national park. Monterrey is an industrial town for sure bit chipinque offers a site yet unseen for many in this town.

Location: Chipinque, Nuevo León, México Cost: M$10 approximately entry price

Suggested Read: Top 10 National Parks In Mexico That Offer The Most Incredible Wildlife Experience

4. Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve

Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve view

Situated in the south of the Veracruz state, this biosphere reserve is just the ideal trekking destination for people who love fitness, but also have a knack for exploring the rituals and culture of the place they visit. The Los Tuxtlas occupies a vast 155,000 hectares and is popular for areas like Catemaco, which are occupied by native healers. Legend here says that before undertaking any hiking expedition you have to be washed first. As for trail options, you will be spoiled for choice here with all the various trail options that range from mountainous hikes to lakeside walks.

Location: Catemaco, Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, México

Planning your holiday but confused about where to go? These travel stories help you find your best trip ever!

Real travel stories. Real stays. Handy tips to help you make the right choice.

#metaslider_57769.flexslider .slides li {margin-right: 0px !important;}

trek in mexico

Ramya Narrates The Story Of 6 Girls On An Extraordinary Trip To Thailand

Bangkok. Phi Phi. Krabi. Why should guys have all the fun?

trek in mexico

.small-slider .thumb-strip,.small-slider .ImgThumbsupIcon{ display:none !important; }

.small-slider .book-now-btn:hover { background-color: #e0e0e0!important; } .small-slider .slide-text-pnl{ width:95%;padding: 10px; height:100%; bottom:0; background-color:#ffffff; z-index:1000; } .small-slider .slide-text-heading{ font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color:#000000; } .small-slider .slide-text-subheading{ color:#000000; font-size:14px; margin-top:5px; height:50px; } .small-slider .slide-text-extra{ display:inline-block;top:3px;font-size:15px;padding-left:10px; color:#000000; } .small-slider .book-now-btn { border: 1px solid #e1e1e1; display: inline-block; float: right; border-radius: 4px; padding: 5px 10px; cursor: pointer; background-color: #f0f0f0; position:relative; font-size:15px; bottom:5px; color:#000000; } .small-slider .slide-text-bottom-small{ display: inline-block; width: 50%; padding: 0; float: left; } .small-slider .slide-text-pnl { width:100%; } .small-slider .slide-text-heading{ padding: 0 !important; font-size: 13px !important; } .small-slider .slide-text-subheading{ padding: 0 !important; font-size: 11px !important; margin-top: 5px !important; height: 39px !important; } .small-slider .slide-text-extra{ display:none !important; } .small-slider .book-now-btn { color: #000000 !important; margin-right: 0 !important; position: relative !important; font-size: 13px !important; padding: 2px 5px !important; bottom:-5px !important; } .small-slider p.slide-text-bottom img { height: 14px; width: 129px; } .small-slider .slide-logo-large{ display:none !important; } .small-slider .slide-logo-small { display:block !important; height: 34px !important; width: 36px !important; top:0 !important; }

trek in mexico

Sandeep Illustrates On The Best Activities For A Family Trip To Mauritius

Water sports. Cocktail parties. And unlimited fun at Casela.

trek in mexico

Nisarg Can’t Stop Praising His Honeymoon Trip To Maldives

There was snorkeling, sightseeing, luxury, comfort, & much more!

trek in mexico

Sabyacsachi’s Romantic Trip Proves Europe To Be The Mother Of All Vacations

For Art, Culture, Luxury, & more…

trek in mexico

Srishti Talks Of Her Amazing Trip To Singapore With Her Mother & Niece

A fun-filled destination for ages indeed!

trek in mexico

67-Year Old Sridhar Tells How He Beat The Odds & Took A Solo Trip To Dubai

Desert safari. Burj Khalifa. Welcoming locals. Tell me more!

trek in mexico

Not Adventure Lovers? Saurabh’s Family Trip Proves Hong Kong To Still Be Full Of Fun

Your kids will love Disney Land & Ocean Park!

trek in mexico

Ravi’s Tale Of A Sri Lanka Family Tour Is All You Need To Know About Ramayana Tour

For the love of Ramayana & Travel!

trek in mexico

See more at TRAVELTRIANGLE.COM

5. Paso De Cortés

White snow mountain

This is a very specific hiking trail that stays inserted between the mighty volcanoes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl. The name Paso de Cortes is given after the Spanish conquistador Hernán Córtes. It should be kept in mind that this trail isn’t for the faint hearted as the altitude on this mountain proves to be an issue in this hiking route. But those can persevere and reach the top; they are rewarded with amazing panoramic views which they can capture in their hearts and cameras. Located just two or three hours outside of the capital of Mexico, this trail is unique in every way.

Location: Paso de Cortes, Estado de México, México Cost: M$10 entry price

Suggested Read: Celebrate New Year In Mexico For A Totally Worthwhile And Delightful Experience

6. Nevado De Toluca

Lake view

Situated in the capital of the State of Mexico, this is one of the country’s most famous destinations which offer hiking. The trails over here are perfect for amateurs and beginners or even for just the enthusiasts. You will have the option to either hike up to the summit of what is this country’s fourth highest peak, known as Friar’s peak which is more than a mile above ground level. Or you will have the option of heading to the twin lagoons which offer amazing views. Nevado de Toluca is versatile in the sense that you can drive and park through many points in this area which means that you can tailor the climb to various levels.

Location: Nevado de Toluca, Estado de México, México

7. Iztaccíhuatl

Snow mountain view

The Iztaccíhuatl is actually the inactive half of the nation’s set of twin volcanoes and as such it makes for a good hiking spot. It is actually said to be one amongst the best mountain hikes in Mexico, USA . This popular spot sees many climbers in hoards but it is advised that only the physically capable and experienced hikers try out this site. This is also because climbing attempts can prove fatal as well because the altitude proves to be brutal. Don’t push yourself here more than you will be able to.

Location: Iztaccíhuatl, Puebla, México

Suggested Read: 10 Hostels In Mexico For A Cosy, Comfortable, And Economical Stay

8. Cumbres De Ajusco

Cumbres De Ajusco in Mexico

Mexico’s most popular and frequented hiking destination, the Cumbres de Ajusco welcomes everyone with its well-trodden trails and beautiful panoramic views surround it. It is generally considered to be a very lighter hike than many of the capitals other trails, but it is still 13,000 feet above sea level and so the less experienced can face problems with it. There are many trails which fill this place, but all of them converge at either one point or the other so the beginners don’t have to worry about getting lost.

Location: Cumbres de Ajusco, Ciudad de México, México

9. Tepozteco

Tepozteco in Mexico

Located in the town of Tepoztlan, this beautiful Tepozteco peak is a delight to climb and hike through. Even though it is a steep climb, the altitude doesn’t factor in much for most hikers as the peak itself is a bit below that of Mexico city itself. Hikers who make it to the top are rewarded by a view of the pyramid that sits on top it and offers some views of some amazing valleys and vistas that surround it.

Location: Tepozteco, Morelos, México Cost: M$10

Suggested Read: Mexico Travel Guide: Know Where To Go And What To Do On Your Next Visit To The Country!

10. Parque Nacional Los Dinamos

Treking place

Mexico City’s singular free-flowing river, Rio Magdalena, flows through this gorgeous ravine full of 26 km of hiking trails along with high canyon walls which are ideal for rock climbing. The trails here lead to dramatic waterfalls, freshwater springs and also luscious grassy riversides which offer excellent picnic areas. The park is made up of four areas and it is the third and fourth section here which is the least crowded. You can easily reach Los Dinamos using a taxi.

Location: Camino a Los Dinamos s/n, Colonia Reserva de Los Dinamos Cost: M$10

Further Read: 10 Water Sports In Mexico For A Thrilling Vacay

The trekking spots in Mexico to offer thrilling experiences to all the climbers who undertake this task. These climbs will surely enrich your vacation. Get geared up and book your trip to Mexico right away!

People Also Read:

Treks In Brazil Trekking in Canada Treks In Northern California

Looking To Book A Holiday Package?

Book memorable holidays on TravelTriangle with 650+ verified travel agents for 65+ domestic and international destinations.

#metaslider_57782.flexslider .slides li {margin-right: 0px !important;}

trek in mexico

Spellbinding Cochin Family Tour 2D/1N Package @ Rs 2,750

Plan your trip today!

.small-slider .book-now-btn:hover { background-color: #e0e0e0!important; } .small-slider .slide-text-pnl{ width:95%;padding: 10px; height:100%; bottom:0; background-color:#ffffff; z-index:1000; } .small-slider .slide-text-heading{ font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color:#000000; } .small-slider .slide-text-subheading{ color:#000000; font-size:14px; margin-top:5px; height:50px; } .small-slider .slide-text-extra{ display:inline-block;top:3px;font-size:15px;padding-left:10px; color:#000000; } .small-slider .book-now-btn { border: 1px solid #e1e1e1; display: inline-block; float: right; border-radius: 4px; padding: 5px 10px; cursor: pointer; background-color: #f0f0f0; position:relative; font-size:15px; bottom:5px; color:#000000; } .small-slider .slide-text-bottom-small{ display: inline-block; width: 50%; padding: 0; float: left; height: 32px; } .small-slider .slide-text-pnl { width:100%; } .small-slider .slide-text-heading{ padding: 0 !important; font-size: 13px !important; } .small-slider .slide-text-subheading{ padding: 0 !important; font-size: 11px !important; margin-top: 5px !important; height: 39px !important; } .small-slider .slide-text-extra{ display:none !important; } .small-slider .book-now-btn { color: #000000 !important; margin-right: 0 !important; position: relative !important; font-size: 13px !important; padding: 2px 5px !important; bottom:-5px !important; } .small-slider p.slide-text-bottom img { height: 14px; width: 129px; } .small-slider .slide-logo-large{ display:none !important; } .small-slider .slide-logo-small { display:block !important; height: 34px !important; width: 36px !important; top:0 !important; }

trek in mexico

Himachal Family Tour Package 4D/3N @ Rs 8,750

Get quotes from multiple travel experts.

trek in mexico

Exciting Andaman Family Trip 5D/4N @ Rs 10,250

Compare & customize quotes before booking.

trek in mexico

Gangtok & Darjeeling Tour Package 5D/4N @ Rs 13,000

Have Questions? Talk to our travel experts today.

trek in mexico

Wonderful Goa Family Package 3D/2N @ Rs 6,500

Best prices guaranteed.

trek in mexico

Riveting Rajasthan Vacation 3D/2N Package @ Rs 6,499

EMI option available.

trek in mexico

Enchanting Uttarakhand Tour 4D/3N Package @ Rs 7,199

Explore best destinations with our experts.

trek in mexico

Delightful South Weekend Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Thrilling weekend full of fun.

trek in mexico

Marvelous Gujarat Tour 3D/2N Package @ Rs 4,999

Talk to our experts today.

Editor Picks

Popular random, padmavati palace in chittorgarh fort whispers secrets from centuries ago, 8 water parks in czech republic that will turn you into a child all over again, top 9 cottages in kabini that offer a blissful staying experience.

spot_img

About Xcaret

Xcaret Admissions

How to get to

Attractions

Facilities and Services

Xcaret México Espectacular

Xplor Fuego

Isla Mujeres Ferry

Catamaran to Isla Mujeres

  • Hoteles Xcaret

Seasonal Promotions

Create your own package

Premade Packages

Price Guide

Compare Parks y Tours

Up to 20% off

Choose up to 4 parks and tours

Recommended Packages

Things to do on Vacation

How to get to Isla Mujeres

  • Optional Activities

Cancun Activities: Sea Trek®

Meet the bottom of the sea without swimming.

With the innovative Sea Trek® helmet, you`ll be able to walk and breathe on the bottom of the sea, just like on the surface!

You’ll be welcomed into a special area, where the guides explain the simple use of the Sea Trek® helmet and about the activity. Next, you must try on the helmet; it must fit well to enjoy the activity.

Afterwards, you will descend some steps to the seabed. This descent is little by little, so you become familiarized to the water environment and the use of the helmet. Once you reach the bottom, you will be guided by a path marked by railings, for a more comfortable underwater walk.

Breathe in a natural way and enjoy the scenery that surrounds you!

Duration : 40 min.

Hours : 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (every half hour)., minimum age : from 8 years of age.

  • Sea Trek® individual helmet.
  • Diving shoes (only during the activity).
  • Confirm your activity upon arrival at the park to choose your schedule (subject to weather conditions).
  • Duration: 40 minutes (20-22 min under the sea).
  • Minimum age required: 8 years (it’s important to try on the helmet, it must adjust well to enjoy the activity).
  • Maximum depth: 23 ft.
  • Maximum capacity: 24 people.

Special Indications

  • Activity not recommended for pregnant women and those who suffer from heart or ear problems, asthma, epilepsy, claustrophobia, hypertension or diabetes; with recent surgery, fractures or serious injury.
  • Does not include transportation to the park, admission to Xcaret, photos or videos.

Exclusive Benefits

  • Your purchase is valid for one year and has a Bad Weather Guarantee (only applies 24 hours in advance).
  • Reservations cancelled more than 2 days prior to your original booking date are subject to a 10% charge for administrative fees; cancellations made between 0 and 2 days prior to your original booking date, or in the case of no-shows or not using your coupon, are nonrefundable. Any change on your booking date is subject to an adjustment in the price.

Online price :

Get your admission in advance.

We have limited capacity, secure your place.

Quote your activity

Your optional activity requires an admission, you can add both here. Your visit date will be the same as the date of your optional activity.

Xcaret Admission

Sea trek Xcaret

The product has been added to your cart

Welcome to Grupo Xcaret Customer Service

Choose the contact option of your preference. We recommend you access to your Xcaret account to speed up the service.

The conversation will continue in a new window.

The conversation will start in this window.

Testing out Tren Maya, Mexico’s new train that connects the Yucatán

The controversial train is up and running, but not without challenges. here’s what it’s like to book and ride..

MÉRIDA, Mexico — It wasn’t until I stepped aboard Mexico’s shiny new train myself that I truly believed the Tren Maya existed. Up until that point, between a confusing booking process and reports of stranded passengers and construction problems, I felt that it was possible the entire project was nothing but a Potemkin train.

If there was any hope it existed, it was from the bad news: the train had already attracted headlines for injuries to workers, rushed construction and damage to the fragile jungle of the Yucatán Peninsula and archaeological sites, despite promises from the Mexican government to avoid any harm.

The new train opened its first section in December 2023 and was scheduled to be fully complete in February, but that’s since been pushed to June. When finished, it will span about 970 miles and link five states in southeastern Mexico in a Q-shaped loop — Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Chiapas and Tabasco. Construction is still underway on tracks covering most of that distance, including a line running about 26 miles south from the Cancún airport to the popular beach town of Playa del Carmen. The inaugural train rolled through that section Thursday.

During my early February visit to the region, only one segment of the total route was in reality complete — a line connecting the busy tourist hub of Cancún to Campeche via the busy midsize city of Mérida. At the time, the train was making just a couple of runs per day, which is a fraction of its promised frequency. It’s ostensibly geared toward visitors, so being a lover of train travel, I eagerly incorporated it into my travel plans. That, it turned out, would be easier said than done.

Here’s what it was like booking and riding the train from Mérida to Valladolid.

trek in mexico

The booking process

The beauty of taking a train is that booking a ticket and boarding the train is a much simpler process than flying. That’s not the case for the Tren Maya, which is complex.

I first tried booking a ticket from my home in Canada in the weeks before my trip. There is just one official website for booking tickets — the service’s X account warns of scams — but the site is less than user friendly. Tickets only come available one week before and are frequently sold out. (This week, there were no tickets available, for any segment of any route that I checked.)

One week before my arrival in Mexico, I did manage to snag what I thought was a reservation. Alas, it was not to be: Booking a ticket is actually a two-part process, and I had only completed the first part. Once a booking is made, you have to make a payment online within half an hour, but the site’s automatic redirect to the payment page didn’t work, no matter how many times I tried from Canada. I gave up and decided to book while I was in Mexico for a different leg of my trip.

A week later, I was in my hotel in Mérida, determined to make this journey happen. When I found two open seats, I jumped on them, and — voilà! — was redirected to the payment page. The payment went through, and I received a receipt moments later. But, still no tickets. Those would take another nerve-racking 13 hours (did I just get scammed?) to arrive in my email inbox.

The lessons I took away from this experience: Booking within Mexico seems to be the easiest, if not the only, way to complete a reservation. The website does in fact provide tickets eventually, but planning a week ahead helps. So does having a grasp of Spanish; there is no English-language website or support, though you can use the translate function of your browser. I also didn’t see ticket kiosks in the city centers of Cancún, Mérida or Valladolid, where I spent time throughout my trip.

Ticket pricing

Prices for different journey lengths vary based on the cabin choice — tourist or premier — and are higher for international visitors than for Mexican nationals.

When I booked my tickets, a three-and-a-half hour, one-way trip from Mérida to Cancún airport cost about $90 for premier class or just under $60 for tourist class, for an international visitor. Tickets are 25 percent less for a Mexican national. With all the uncertainty and wanting to limit my chances of being stranded, I decided to book a premier ticket on the shortest leg I could — between Mérida and Valladolid — for about $50.

The station and boarding

With my ticket PDF on my phone, I caught a $15 Uber from central Mérida to the brand-new station in Teya, on the city’s outskirts. My Uber driver, Gabriel, mentioned that he was taking the train to visit family in Cancún in July. As I arrived at the station, it appeared that the majority of the users of the train were in fact Mexican families. The lack of international visitors riding has raised concerns, local media has reported.

Construction at the station was still ongoing. Crews were putting the finishing touches on everything from the landscaping to platforms, while the security screening machinery sat next to the boarding area, ready to be plugged in. The station is sparkling and airy, with a few little shops selling snacks, but there is no air conditioning, phone charging stations or WiFi.

With the departure approaching, an announcement in Spanish echoed through the station and we were ushered smoothly and efficiently onto one of the station’s six platforms, the only one that appeared to be operational at that point. There are no elevators in sight, but instead many stairs and escalators. Combined with a wide gap between the platform and the train, it’s safe to say that accessibility is not yet a consideration.

The departure time came and went, with no sign of the train, and I feared the train might not come. But then, 20 minutes later, the security officers fanned out across the platform and fixed their eyes into the distance where the train was winding into view.

The train journey

The train is divided into two classes: tourist and premier, which are distinguished mainly by the amount of elbow room. Premier compartments have three seats to a row, while the tourist compartments have four and more options for seats that can face one another, which is great for small groups. (A third, sleeper class, will eventually operate on the longer journeys.) The cars are immaculate, comfortable and quiet; the train operates so smoothly as to be almost unnoticeable when it moves.

The cars were outfitted with air conditioning and the seats have USB plugs for your devices; and the temperature is kept at a pleasant, cool level. There is WiFi, but it didn’t appear to work at a level sufficient to do much of anything.

After one or two stops, at semi-functioning stations near archaeological sites between Mérida and Valladolid, a cart rolled through the premier cabin with complimentary (but unappetizing) sandwiches. Luckily, other snack and drink options, including alcoholic drinks, were available in the bar car. A full menu of food options is expected to be offered later, but it wasn’t available yet. When I turned down the sandwich, I was instead offered a cup of fresh papaya, watermelon and pineapple, which I gladly accepted.

The atmosphere on the train was bordering on festive: Families took selfies as the train pulled away from its various stops, and those who had just disembarked waved to everyone aboard. The sense was that this train was opening up new possibilities for the region, much of which is served by poorly maintained roads, if there are any at all.

A friendly Pomeranian wandered the central aisle — a reminder that the train allows small dogs — as the train rolled past tiny villages and henequen plantations, and near enough to archaeological sites for quick access — but unfortunately not for a view.

Pulling into the station near the region’s best-known archaeological site and new Wonder of the World , Chichén Itzá, I felt like the kids locked in their Jurassic Park jeep, craning my neck to spot the attraction from the ride. There was no sign of the towering Kukulcan pyramid on the horizon, however, and I had to remind myself it’s not a theme park ride, it’s transit — intended to deliver you to the places where you can experience the region, not to be the experience itself.

The train glided into a station north of Valladolid just behind schedule, as the sun was about to dip below the horizon. A bus waited to whisk us downtown for about $2 a head, completing the short journey.

It was hard in retrospect to reconcile the comfort and confidence of the train experience itself with the labyrinthine process of booking — and the ecological destruction its construction has wrought. Sitting down on the train, I had the sense of having tumbled through the surf, certain I would drown, only to be deposited gently on a pristine shore with a drink in my hand.

If I were returning to the Yucatán Peninsula, I’d avoid incorporating the train into my plans for now. The booking system is too unreliable and support is too sparse for it to be a predictable or pleasant part of a vacation. I also have a nagging feeling that my uneventful, mostly on-time journey was something of an outlier.

But if I were to return sometime after the dust settles over the next few months — and I hope to — I’d gladly hop on another ride. When the booking system bugs and construction chaos are worked out, the Tren Maya feels destined to become a must-do for any traveler, foreign and domestic alike, eager to explore beyond the resorts of Cancún.

Jimmy Thomson is a journalist based on Vancouver Island.

More travel tips

Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness . Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.

Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare , including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.

Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario , from canceled flights to lost luggage . Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.

Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas , including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed . Submit your question here . Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves .

trek in mexico

Trek the fire and ice of Reykjanes, Iceland: A guide

Trek the fire and ice of Reykjanes, Iceland: A guide

The Reykjanes Peninsula, on Iceland 's southwestern tip, is a geothermal wonderland carved by volcanic activity. Its alien landscape, peppered with craters, hot springs, and extensive lava fields, stands as a testament to the immense power of Earth's inner forces. This destination is perfect for adventurers and nature lovers, offering an extraordinary journey into the dynamic heart of Iceland's volcanic splendor and raw natural beauty .

Witness the Earth's power at Fagradalsfjall

Set out on a hike to Fagradalsfjall, an active volcano, and immerse yourself in the spectacle of Earth's raw power. Navigate through moss-draped lava fields to reach vantage points offering expansive views of simmering craters and newly solidified lava flows. Ensure you wear durable boots and verify the latest conditions, as volcanic activity may alter access routes.

Soak in the Blue Lagoon's geothermal waters

A trip to Reykjanes is incomplete without experiencing the Blue Lagoon. This famous spa, surrounded by stark black lava, is nourished by warm, mineral-rich seawater. Its waters are celebrated for their restorative qualities. Visitors can unwind in this tranquil oasis, enveloped in steam and natural warmth, finding solace and revitalization amidst Iceland's rugged terrain.

Explore the bridge between continents

The Bridge Between Continents is a symbolic pathway over a deep fissure that illustrates the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This bridge spans the gap between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, offering visitors the unique chance to walk between continents. It's a physical representation of the geological forces at play in this active region, providing a tangible connection to Earth's dynamic structure.

Discover history at Reykjanesviti Lighthouse

Reykjanesviti, Iceland's first lighthouse, stands sentinel on a coastline carved by powerful waves. Visitors are treated to dramatic scenes where the ocean meets rugged cliffs. The area is a prime spot for bird watching, offering stunning views and a glimpse of diverse bird life. Nearby, the geothermal wonder of Gunnuhver awaits with its roaring steam vents, showcasing the raw power of nature.

Navigate the lava tunnel Raufarholshellir

Embark on a remarkable journey beneath the earth at Raufarholshellir, one of the most accessible lava tunnels in Iceland. As you traverse its depths, marvel at the vibrant colors splashed across the walls, remnants of volcanic fury. With guided tours available, visitors can safely explore this underground marvel while gaining insights into its fascinating geological history and significance.

Explore Vienna's magical winter markets with this guide

Oaxaca in mexico is a blend of adventure and culture.

KRQE Albuquerque

Campo now a hot spot for unlawful migrant crossings into California

C AMPO, Calif. ( Border Report ) — The southern terminus of the world-renowned Pacific Crest Trail begins in this small community in the hills 50 miles east of San Diego.

It’s where people like Mason, from San Jose, start their 2,650-mile trek to the Canadian border.

But in recent weeks, it’s turned into an area where migrants are starting their own journey into the United States.

A Border Patrol source tells Border Report that Campo, California, has become an area where they are apprehending “hundreds of migrants” every day.

They said asylum-seekers have been forced to cross the border in this area because Mexico’s National Guard and immigration officers are patrolling Jacumé, an area to the east directly across the border from Jacumba, California.

Jacumba had become the busiest point for unlawful crossings in the San Diego Sector last fall.

But now, the patrols on the Mexican side of the border are preventing most migrants from entering the U.S. through that point.

Smugglers have turned to alternate routes to get people over or around the border barrier, and that has taken them to Campo.

A group of Peruvian nationals who had been apprehended by Border Patrol agents said they paid $2,100 per person to be led from Mexico City to Campo.

All said they were headed to either New York, New Jersey or Minneapolis.

“The only problems we had in Mexico were the police officers and soldiers, they all wanted money, wanted bribes to let us go,” said one migrant named Nora.

Nora stated it took her five days to from Lima to Campo where she waited by a fire to stay warm in the 50-degree weather Wednesday morning.

“We’ve been waiting four hours to get taken from here,” she said.

The exact number of migrants who have been apprehended in Campo is not known as the Border Patrol does not make them public.

Campo, however, lies within the San Diego Sector, which has reported 120,124 migrant encounters as of January this fiscal year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.

Campo now a hot spot for unlawful migrant crossings into California

Tailwind on every ride? – See e-bike trips

Book your fall training now – see Ride Camps

European Classic booking fast – see the trips

  • Request a Catalog
  • 866-464-8735

Select Date Range

Modal title, popular searches.

...

California Wine Country Bike Tour

...

Croatia and The Dalmatian Coast Bike Tour

...

Mallorca 7-Day Ride Camp Bike Tour

...

Tuscany Bike Tour

slide 2

New Mexico Bike Tour

Santa Fe and the Pueblos of the Southwest

  • (66) Reviews

Tour Duration

Signature, Classic Guided

Rider Level

Hotel Level

Trek Domane SL 7 Trek Electric-Assist Verve+ Trek Electric-Assist Domane+ SLR 7

Starting from

$ 3,399.00 per person

Have a question?

Experience a rich blend of Southwestern culture, culinary arts, and endless miles of scenic roads and trails.  

Santa Fe, with its thriving art and culinary scene along with a long history of ancestral Pueblans, is an amazing destination for riding and relaxing. For adventure lovers, Santa Fe and the surrounding area provides miles of scenic roads and hiking trails surrounded by canyons, mountains, forests, and grand vistas. As a renowned spa destination, it is an absolute oasis with beautiful blue skies and soothing warm temperatures that magically energizes and soothes you at the same time. Feel all your senses come alive as you bask in the comfort of your luxurious lodging. You’ll see historic adobe buildings with chili ristras hanging from their doors, touch the glazed pottery that withstands the test of time, and hear the wind sing through high desert pine trees. All around you, you’ll smell the aromas of New Mexican cuisine and taste the resulting blend of those distinctive earthy and spicy flavors. Fully immerse yourself in this sacred land that mixes Southwestern culture and history on our captivating New Mexico bike vacation!

slide 2

Cycle routes throughout historic Santa Fe and surrounding areas with expansive vistas of mountains, forests, and high desert mesas

Relax and indulge yourself at a one-of-a-kind luxurious boutique property with award-winning restaurant and spa treatments

Embark on a cultural journey savoring delectable cuisine and marveling beautifully preserved adobe architecture

Explore the heart of Santa Fe and be amazed by the array of art galleries and museums

Watch the evening sky come alive during memorable and legendary sunsets

trek in mexico

Cycling through dramatic landscapes in northern New Mexico

Panoramic routes throughout the Santa Fe region

Cycling through New Mexico offers an awe-inspiring exploration of its diverse terrain, from majestic mountain peaks to vast desert flatlands, all under an endless azure sky. Every ride immerses you in the region's captivating essence, making each day a discovery of its enchanting beauty.

What Guests are Saying

trek in mexico

The New Mexico trip was our third trip with Trek Travel, previously completing Glacier and Utah, haven't been disappointed yet!

John M., Downers Grove IL

Cyclist on an ebike on an open road

Such a gorgeous part of the country and amazing to see via biking. Huge thank you to our stellar guides, Blake and Erin, for making our trip most memorable and enjoyable. We were safe and challenged. Loved it!!

Kelly W., La Mesa CA

trek in mexico

A terrific trip to the Land of Enchantment. A wonderful mixture of challenging rides surrounded by beautiful scenery, great Trek guides, friendly and fun guests while riding on some of the best bikes in the bike travel world. Add to this the chance to experience the world of Georgia Okeefe, Santa Fe and Native American culture, the bicycle enthusiast will have a most memorable bicycle and cultural experience.

Trek Travel Guest

trek in mexico

Santa Cruz Lake with High Road to Taos

This incredibly scenic, winding road through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Santa Fe and Taos, delivers the best of the region if not all of New Mexico.

Dates & Pricing

Book early for the best price

Join Waitlist

Limited Availability

May 9-12, 2024 limited availability.

Hotels you`ll stay at on this date:

  • Bishop's Lodge

Available bikes:

  • Domane SL Road Bike
  • Emonda SL Road Bike
  • Electric Assist Hybrid Bike
  • Domane+ E-Road Bike

$ 3699.00 per person

Double Occupancy

Single Occupancy from: + 999.00

May 26-29, 2024 Guaranteed

$ 3599.00 per person, june 2-5, 2024 guaranteed, june 9-12, 2024 guaranteed, $ 3399.00 per person, september 8-11, 2024, $ 3499.00 per person, september 15-18, 2024 guaranteed, september 29-october 2, 2024 guaranteed, looking for a private tour with us.

Private bike tours can range in cost based on your group size. See below for specific pricing based on your group size.

Looking for a date that you don't see?

Look no further. Simply tell us your preferred travel dates and we’ll work together to deliver the same great trip on your custom schedule. Want to make a few changes to your itinerary, no problem. We will work with you to make sure your custom vacation is the ultimate vacation of a lifetime for your group.

You have another booking already in progress

Booking a new trip will cancel all of your previous booking progress. Continue your previous booking or proceed with your new booking.

Arrival / Departure

Where to Arrive

trek in mexico

Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ)

trek in mexico

Pick-up location :

Bishops Lodge - Auberge Resorts Collection in Santa Fe, New Mexico

trek in mexico

Pick-up time :

Where to Depart

Drop-off location :

Drop-off time :

Additional Arrival Information

We suggest that you arrive at least one day prior to the trip start, which will enable you to adjust to the time zone and minimize the risk of missing the trip start due to flight-related delays. We recommend that you fly into the Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) or the Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF). SAF is a small regional airport with limited flights options, therefore guests tend to have more success flying through ABQ.

If you plan to drive your own vehicle to the trip start and need a place to park it for the week, you may park at Bishops Lodge. Self-Parking during your stay is complementary.

Your Trek Travel guides will meet you at Bishop’s Lodge (1297 Bishops Lodge Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506) at 11:00 AM on the first day of the trip. After meeting at the hotel you'll enjoy a fresh, delicious lunch and, after a brief orientation and safety talk, saddle up to begin the day's ride through the historic town of Santa Fe. Please come prepared to ride, dressed in your cycling clothes, and have your shoes and any riding gear easily accessible, separate from your luggage.

If you will be late for the pick-up or are going to miss it altogether, please inform your guides. You will receive an email a week before the trip start with their names and contact details. If you cannot reach them, please call your first hotel, Bishop’s Lodge (505-983-6377) and leave a message with your expected arrival time and contact details. A taxi from Albuquerque International Airport to your ride start or first hotel will take about one hour and cost around $120-165 one way.

Additional Departure Information

We will say our farewells at the hotel at 11:00 AM in Santa Fe. From here you may choose to stay for more time in town or return to the Albuquerque Sunport via Groome Shuttle or another transportation method of your choosing.

Day 1 Welcome to enchanting Santa Fe

Welcome to enchanting Santa Fe

Your Trek Travel guides will meet you at the hotel at 11:00 AM on the first day of the trip. Please be prepared to ride, dressed in your cycling clothes, and have your shoes and any riding gear easily accessible, separate from your luggage. Enjoy lunch followed by a short round of introductions, an orientation, safety talk, and bike fitting. As you head out on today's ride, get a taste of Santa Fe's historic plaza while riding west of Santa Fe. You'll be met with sw... Your Trek Travel guides will meet you at the hotel at 11:00 AM on the first day of the trip. Please be prepared to ride, dressed in your cycling clothes, and have your shoes and any riding gear easily accessible, separate from your luggage. Enjoy lunch followed by a short round of introductions, an orientation, safety talk, and bike fitting. As you head out on today's ride, get a taste of Santa Fe's historic plaza while riding west of Santa Fe. You'll be met with sweeping views of the Santa Fe National Forest as you get acquainted with your bike for the week. If you're looking for a challenge right out of the gate, tackle Hyde Park Road as it takes you north of the city. The ride will bring you to your luxurious home for the night. Take some time to settle in before gathering for a great opportunity to get to know your fellow travelers better. Tonight, we dine at the innovative and world-class Coyote Cafe. Throughout the evening, you'll hear about all the fun and adventure in store for you in the days ahead from your guides. Read More

hotel

Bishop's Lodge - Auberge Resorts

meal

Meals included

Lunch | Social Hour | Dinner

Featured Meal | Coyote Cafe

Highlight of the Day

Featured Meal | Coyote Cafe

Opened by celebrity chef Mark Miller in 1987, our dinner at Coyote Cafe will delight with its creative menu of eclectic, modern Southwestern... Opened by celebrity chef Mark Miller in 1987, our dinner at Coyote Cafe will delight with its creative menu of eclectic, modern Southwestern Cuisine. Be sure to order their signature cocktail, the Norteño margarita. Read More

Ride Options

ride

Ride Option 1

TODAY'S RIDE:

Las Campanas Loop - Approximately 31 mi | 50 km and 2,164 ft | 660 m

Ride Option 2

AVID OPTION:

Las Campanas Loop with Hyde Park Hill Climb - Approximately 44 mi | 71 km and 3,678 ft | 1,121 m

Day 2 Discover the area of the High Road from Santa Fe to Taos

Discover the area of the High Road from Santa Fe to Taos

Our ride takes us north through the verdant and shaded art community named for the nearby Pueblo Tesuque. A short brisk climb is followed by a gentle 1,500-foot descent over 15 miles passing through the Pojoaque and Nambé Pueblos. Our ride includes rolling hills and wind-carved hoodoos of the badlands. After passing through the small village of Cundiyo and where the Santa Cruz, Frioles and Medio rivers converge, continue along the route until you reconnect with the... Our ride takes us north through the verdant and shaded art community named for the nearby Pueblo Tesuque. A short brisk climb is followed by a gentle 1,500-foot descent over 15 miles passing through the Pojoaque and Nambé Pueblos. Our ride includes rolling hills and wind-carved hoodoos of the badlands. After passing through the small village of Cundiyo and where the Santa Cruz, Frioles and Medio rivers converge, continue along the route until you reconnect with the High Road to Taos. After passing through the green, farming valley of Chimayó, we'll make a stop at the historic Santuario de Chimayó - a designated National Historic Landmark. Chimayó is also known for its thriving traditional weaving studios, many of which are owned and operated by descendants of the original Spanish settlers. We enjoy lunch at Rancho de Chimayó. Once you return to the hotel, take some time to relax and enjoy the hotel amenities before dinner tonight on your own. Santa Fe offers a variety of many delicious eateries to choose from. After that, retreat to the lavish comforts of your room and rest up for another incredible day ahead. Read More

Breakfast | Lunch

El Santuario de Chimayo

El Santuario de Chimayo

Tucked away in the village of Chimayo along the High Road to Taos sits a national historic landmark, El Santuario de Chimayo. The sanctuary ... Tucked away in the village of Chimayo along the High Road to Taos sits a national historic landmark, El Santuario de Chimayo. The sanctuary is well known for the unusual legend of its creation and as a present-day pilgrimage site. Read More

Bishop's Lodge to Rancho de Chimayo - Approximately 31 mi | 50 km and 1,884 ft | 574 m

Bishop's Lodge to Rancho de Chimayo Return - Approximately 56 mi | 90 km and 3,811 ft | 1,162 m

Day 3 Cycle through high desert landscape and visit the historic village of Galisteo

Cycle through high desert landscape and visit the historic village of Galisteo

Enjoy a delicious and hearty breakfast for today’s ride that will, if you choose, complete a loop that's a favorite among local cyclists. A large part of the ride is on rural roads with little car traffic. There are rolling hills with glorious, and picturesque views, like scenes from an old western movie. Our ride takes us to Galisteo. The Galisteo Basin has been continuously occupied by a diverse collection of peoples and cultures since pre-historic times. The ea... Enjoy a delicious and hearty breakfast for today’s ride that will, if you choose, complete a loop that's a favorite among local cyclists. A large part of the ride is on rural roads with little car traffic. There are rolling hills with glorious, and picturesque views, like scenes from an old western movie. Our ride takes us to Galisteo. The Galisteo Basin has been continuously occupied by a diverse collection of peoples and cultures since pre-historic times. The earliest known humans to inhabit the Galisteo Basin were Paleo Indians who arrived in the Basin as early as 7500 to 6000 B.C. The natural beauty of a high desert landscape, breathtaking sunsets and enchanted light has attracted many artists over the years. Today's ride ends in the all-adobe historic village of Galisteo where an incredibly diverse artist population live. We will shuttle to lunch at a favorite eatery. Choose to take the van or finish the loop ride back to our hotel. This evening, the group will gather to toast to newfound friends and fond memories with a social hour and dinner at a favorite local restaurant. Read More

Breakfast | Lunch | Social Hour | Dinner

Galisteo Basin

Galisteo Basin

The Galisteo Basin, first inhabited by Paleo Indians around 7500-6000 B.C., later saw the Archaic people by 3000 B.C., and the Tanoan-speaki... The Galisteo Basin, first inhabited by Paleo Indians around 7500-6000 B.C., later saw the Archaic people by 3000 B.C., and the Tanoan-speaking Pueblo ancestors by 1000 A.D. Rich in natural resources, this area nurtured early human settlements and today is known for its significant archaeological sites and breathtaking landscapes, drawing global visitors. Read More

Bishop's Lodge to Galisteo - Approximately 35 mi | 56 km and 1,354 ft | 413 m

Galisteo Loop - Approximately 58 mi | 93 km and 3,029 ft | 923 m

Day 4 Ride to the Tesuque Foothills or enjoy a relaxing morning

Ride to the Tesuque Foothills or enjoy a relaxing morning

Today, our final day will have opportunities for riding or a leisurely morning before departing. The ride provides one last glimpse of the gorgeous Southwestern scenery with more great views to take in. Or perhaps you want to enjoy the beautiful property and the surrounding area before departing. The choice is always yours.

Tesuque Foothills and Return - Approximately 15 mi | 24 km and 1,246 ft | 3,800 m

Rio en Medio and Return - Approximately 20 mi | 21 km and 1,882 ft | 574 m

Print full itinerary

View full itinerary to print.

Rider Information

Rider Level: 3

Terrain: Hilly

The terrain in northern New Mexico is hilly to mountainous, and the rides feature an average of about 50-75 feet (15-22 meters) of elevation gain per mile. Of course, shuttles are always available when you've had enough and our shuttle points are designed to facilitate skipping the rougher or more heavily trafficked sections of the routes. Keep in mind that the elevation above sea level here is between 5,500 and 7,000 feet (1,675 to 2,130 meters). This elevation tends to add a degree of difficulty to the terrain. Please also note that many of the roads in this region have a "chip seal" surface, which is a type of pavement treatment that is more rough than typical asphalt. Our New Mexico trip is best suited for our Type 3 Riders. For those eager to experience every mile but mindful of their physical limits, our electric bike option offers a comfortable and enjoyable solution. Type 4 Riders will enjoy the extra mileage the avid route options offer.

trek in mexico

Daily Average

61 kilometers | 38 miles

304 kilometers | 189 miles

trek in mexico

855 meters | 2,806 feet

4,276 meters | 14,030 feet

On most Trek Travel trips, we offer non-riding options for riders who want to take the afternoon off, or travel companions who want to spend little or no time in the saddle. Some of these options may need to be scheduled before your trip–please contact one of our Trip Consultants for more information. Expenses and/or related transportation to these activities may not be included in the trip price. Some non-riding options on this trip are:

  • Saddle up for a horseback ride at Bishop's Lodge
  • Explore Georgia O'Keefe 's permanent art collection in downtown Santa Fe
  • Shop the boutiques along the historic Santa Fe Plaza
  • Learn more about the history and culture of Santa Fe through intimate walking tours
  • Indulge yourself with spa treatments at the hotel
  • Take in the sweeping views of New Mexico's unique landscape on a hot air balloon ride
  • Hike miles of trails through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

non rider

We've got you covered on and off the bike! Our team of guides will always have one in the support vehicle and one on the bike, ready to fill up your water bottles, fix a flat tire, or give you a lift up the hill. They'll also give you the inside scoop on the best local spots. And when you're not riding, your guides are happy to help with anything you need - from massage appointments to finding that special local treat you've been craving.

  • Fully guided and supported with two guides and one van minimum
  • Up to three daily route options on a pre-loaded Garmin GPS
  • Additional guides and vehicles added dependent upon guest count and trip logistics

A group of people getting fit for bikes in Glacier National Park

Bishop’s Lodge

Bishop’s Lodge, the iconic 1920s resort situated on 317 acres in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains has been re-envisioned as one of the top resorts in the nation — respecting the property’s rich history and original design while incorporating state-of-the-art luxury features throughout its accommodations, grounds, and amenities. It has received high accolades, rated as one of the best new hotels in the world on Conde Nast Traveler’s “Hot List” as well as Travel and Leisure’s top Resort in the West in 2022. The possibilities are endless on this gorgeous Auberge Resort Collection property.

Bikes & Gear

New in 2023 Domane SL 7

Trek Domane SL 7

Experiencing your cycling vacation of a lifetime is not complete without a world-class bike and the latest Trek Domane is the best way to enjoy the ride. It raises the bar to deliver incredible endurance road bike comfort without sacrificing performance and features highly responsive disc brakes and electronic shifting. This new bike is lighter than ever before, and carbon wheels come standard on every bike. The road-smoothing IsoSpeed technology lets you ride as long as you want with less fatigue. The bike you ride on a biking vacation matters. That is why we provide the newest and best bikes in the business.

Verve+ electric assist lowstep bike

Trek Electric-Assist Verve+

Fun from the first pedal stroke, our e-bikes give you the boost you want to venture further on your bike tour. With its low-step frame design, hopping on and off the Trek Verve+ is super easy. The front suspension will take the edge off any bumps in the road and the Bosch system will keep you smiling from ear to ear. The integrated battery keeps this bike looking sleek as you pedal through amazing terrain, with energy to spare.

Trek Domane+ SLR bike

Trek Electric-Assist Domane+ SLR 7

Take the tailwind with you and leave your limits behind on the Domane+ SLR 7. With a groundbreaking ratio of ultra-lightweight design and electric assist, the Domane+ has everything you love in a road bike, with the extra boost to take you farther than ever before. This performance e-road bike will assist you on the climbs and enable you to venture further on your cycling vacation. So go ahead—take the long way. With Domane+ SLR 7, there’s always room for more distance, more speed, and more fun! Upgrade to the Domane+ SLR 7 on this trip for $399 (3-6 day trips) or $599 (7+ day trips). Available in limited quantities. Please contact a Trip Consultant to check availability.

Two cyclist and one rider

Trek Travel Guides

The World’s Best

From the moment you meet our guides, you'll understand the difference. You'll feel the genuine care they take to make your vacation perfect. From their expert support to sharing their favorite hidden spots, they tailor every moment to you.

Additional Gear

  • Trek Travel Santini cycling jersey to keep
  • Trek Travel water bottles to keep
  • Cinch sack day bag to keep
  • Bontrager saddle
  • Bontrager helmet
  • Bontrager front and rear Flare R lights
  • Garmin Edge 1030 GPS computer
  • Shimano SPD-SL road style pedals, Shimano SPD mountain style pedals, caged, or flat pedals
  • A flat pack containing a tube, levers, and a CO2 cartridge with inflator
  • For the most comfortable ride, we recommend you bring your own saddle. If you prefer, you can bring your own pedals and helmet on the trip and our guides will install your gear on the first day during your bike fit.

A collage of cycling gear guests will use on a Trek Travel Classic Bike Tour.

Trip Inclusions

  • Three nights of accommodation at handpicked hotels
  • Two experienced guides to provide local knowledge, support, and camaraderie
  • Daily route support with both guides and our support van
  • Daily breakfast, three lunches, two dinners
  • Two social hours of drinks and hors d'oeuvres
  • Up to three daily route options on riding days
  • Snacks and drinks for each day's ride
  • A digital photo album of your trip
  • All gratuities for drivers, local experts and hospitality staff
  • All luggage transfers and transportation during your trip
  • Entrance fees for all activities, private tours, and events

A group boat ride in Costa Brava, Spain.

  • Airfare and transportation to and from the trip pick-up/drop-off locations
  • Lodging before and after the trip
  • Personal items purchased during the trip
  • Optional activities not scheduled by Trek Travel
  • On select trips some meals are not included. On these trips, Trek Travel invites you to explore the local cuisine at your leisure.

trek in mexico

Guide Gratuities

Guide gratuities are customary and at your own discretion, to recognize service, hospitality, and the little extras that surprise and delight. For this trip, we suggest a tip for your guides between $200-$250 per guest and, of course, you may choose to give more if your guides made your trip an unforgettable experience. While local currency is preferred, there are other options to make tipping easier. Most guides accept gratuity via PayPal or Venmo, or our staff can help before or after the trip. Gratuities will be divided among the guide team, so feel free to leave your gratuity with whomever you choose at the end of your trip.

Additional Details

Know Before You Go!

We want you to be fully prepared for your cycling vacation of a lifetime. This involves making sure that you choose the appropriate trip for you and that every aspect of your experience is flawless. Each Trek Travel trip is unique to ensure maximum enjoyment every time.

Your Trip Need to Knows:

  • Altitude: Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet (2,130 meters) of elevation. Be sure to stay hydrated, take it easy, and eat light meals to adjust comfortably.
  • Road conditions: The pavement may not always be what is preferred due to New Mexico’s rural nature. And, at times, roads can be heavily trafficked with little to no shoulder access. Please note that we do our best to find the safest routes with the best experience.
  • Packing: Layers! Layering is the best way to regulate your body temperature. This tried-and-true strategy is all about slipping layers on and off as your activity level or the weather changes.

Before and After Your Trip

Santa Fe, New Mexico

There are few places in North America quite like Santa Fe. It's a town of vibrant culture, color and texture, and offers a world class experience for any traveler. Santa Fe is the oldest Capital city in the US with buildings dating back to the late 1500's and a founding date of 1610 by the Spanish. Steeped in Native American, Spanish and Mexican History, Santa Fe has a unique character of earthen Adobe architecture that forms the organic grid of its charming streets. Many would say one night is not enough in Santa Fe as there is simply so much to see and do. It is regarded as the third largest art market in the US, as well as one of the culinary meccas of North America, and is truly the cultural capital of the Southwest.

trek in mexico

Where to Stay

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi

An authentic pueblo experience like this is hard to find. What other hotel boasts an Anasazi restaurant based on native heritage and fresh, seasonal ingredients? What other retreat can offer interior design that includes authentic, handcrafted textiles, paintings, carvings and baskets? There's no other hotel in the world with the same cultural look and feel as this one, only steps away from the city's historic plaza, and a short drive from Canyon Road and Bandelier National Park. www.rosewoodhotels.com

Inn of the Turquoise Bear

New Mexican and Southwestern history are alive and well at the Inn of the Turquoise Bear. This is the stomping ground and homestead for some of the region's, and America's, most culturally influential guests, including O’Keeffe, Cather, Millay, Lawrence, Stravinsky, O. Henry and many others. The adobe walls trace back to the 1800s, when Witter Bynner, a local icon and celebrity persona, built his home as a venue for the area's most Gatsby-esque parties. Today it's a vibrant, peaceful and fascinating escape that stands as a colorful reminder of the artistic community it originally supported. Its 11 bedrooms all treat you to something truly Santa Fe, with the smell of piñon burning in your kiva fireplace, the 40-inch mud adobe walls, meandering stone walkways and colorful gardens, which inspired these literary and musical legends in their art. www.turquoisebear.com

Villas de Santa Fe

Villas de Santa Fe provide maximum control and convenience with the heart of the true Southwest. Accommodations are comfortable and peaceful and come complete with a two-burner stove top, toaster, refrigerator, microwave, and even a dishwasher. But once you venture outside the Villas' walls the city comes alive with the adventures of Santa Fe and and the Sangre de Cristo mountains, including hot air ballooning, river rafting, cycling, hiking and fishing in the background. www.diamondresortsandhotels.com

Average monthly temperature and precipitation

Packing and Weather

At 7,000 feet above sea level (about 2,130 m), Santa Fe’s altitude keeps temperatures moderate. Temperatures in May and June can range from the mid 60s to the high 80s F (23-30°C) during the day in May and June and lows in the 40s or 50s F (6-10°C) in the evenings. Humidity is very low, and the sun can be intense during the middle of the day. Please come prepared for all weather conditions and include waterproof and windproof layers as well as sun protection in your riding and hiking attire. View our Packing List

Ready to book?

To reserve your space on a trip, you can either call us at 866-464-8735 to speak with an expert Trip Consultant or book online any time by clicking the “BOOK THIS TRIP” icon near the upper right of each destination’s overview page.* Once you have submitted your reservation online, a Trip Consultant will contact you within one business day to answer any questions you may have and to confirm space, bike, and room availability on your desired trip. Your booking will be finalized once your no-risk deposit is paid. If you make a reservation more than 90 days prior to the trip, a $750 no risk deposit is due at the time of booking.** If you reserve your trip less than 90 days prior to the departure, the full balance is due at the time of booking. Once your booking is complete you will receive an email confirmation with important information pertaining to your trip.

*Please note that select trips cannot be booked online at this time. For those trips, please call a trip consultant at 866-464-8735.

**Deposit amounts vary for all Race, Cross Country, Special Edition, Ride Camp, Discover, and Self-Guided tours. Please confirm deposit amounts for all trips with your Trip Consultant at time of booking.

What happens once I book?

When a trip is booked, a guest confirmation email is immediately sent out. One week prior to the trip start, you’ll receive an email containing your trip start meeting location reminder and any last-minute information that you’ll need to know. You will also receive instructions to download the Ride with GPS app before your trip to provide you the day to day plan and daily route guides.

Guaranteed to run

With one person booked on a date, the trip becomes guaranteed.*

In the case where trips are at one or two guests, we will contact you prior to final payment to give you the following options:

Pay a small trip fee of $500 per person for two guests or $1000 for one guest, which ensures your preferred trip date will run. If there are three or more guests before departure date, the fee will be refunded in full.

Switch to a different trip or different departure date. Should there be any difference in trip price between your original trip and the new one, you will be expected to pay the difference, or we will refund you accordingly.

Offer only valid if Trek Travel contacts a guest to discuss these specific options. Trips with fewer than three guests may operate with only one guide. The guide will support all rides with a Trek Travel van. If you would like to discuss the option of having two guides, please speak with your trip consultant.

The small trip supplement for Ride Camps is as follows – for two guests an additional $250 or for one guest an additional $500.

*Cross Country, Discover, Race, and Special Edition trips as well as a small number of select departures have a minimum guest count to guarantee. Please check with your Trip Consultant for more information.

Unforeseen events may make it necessary to cancel or modify a trip. Our Guest Services team will update you with any changes. We reserve the right to cancel departures in cases of force majeure or the failure of third parties—such as hotels—to honor their reservations, in which case all payments received to date will be refunded, which constitutes full settlement. Trek Travel is not responsible for expenses incurred in preparation for any canceled trips, such as airline tickets, or for costs that are incurred due to travel delays, flight cancellations, or illness. We strongly encourage Travel Protection for complete coverage.

What if I have to cancel my trip?

We understand things happen in life and sometimes you have to cancel or change your bike tour. We want to make it as easy as possible to do so and below you’ll find our timeline.

Have a question? Just give us a call, 866-464-8735. Read our Cancellation Policy

Travel Protection

Trek Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help safeguard you and your travel investment against the unexpected. We offer a travel protection plan through Arch RoamRight that provides coverage for unforeseen events that could affect your ability to travel with us. Learn more about our Travel Protection

Travel Services

We've collaborated with a specialized travel agency committed to delivering tailored vacation planning, ensuring your entire Trek Travel journey is nothing short of unforgettable. Learn more about our Travel Services

Sharing the joy that comes with wow moments

Trek Travel guides are dedicated to making moments that last a lifetime, and we invite you to thank them with a trip gratuity. These are customary and at your own discretion, to recognize service, hospitality, and the little extras that surprise and delight. For this Reserve trip, we recommend $200-$250 per guest and, of course, you may choose to give more if your guides made your trip an unforgettable experience.

Like everything else about your vacation, the Trek Travel team is here to make this experience easier for you. While local currency is preferred, you may also tip through the following options:

Via PayPal (please have this account set up in advance when possible) or with your guest services representative on the phone before or after the trip.

Gratuities will be divided among the guide team, so feel free to leave your gratuity with whomever you choose at the end of your trip.

You cannot put a price on a wow . But you can show your thanks for an exceptional experience.

General FAQs

Didn't find what you were looking for? Check out our General FAQs section. You will find answers to the most common questions that don't necessarily pertain to a specific trip. See FAQs

Similar Trips

Two bikers standing by bikes in Palm Springs

Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park Bike Tour

 Compare

Two people riding bikes on a sunny day in California

Chile Bike Tour

22Andalucia-Bike_Tour-Ronda-Puente_Nuevo-Scenary

Andalucia Bike Tour

Guaranteed trips.

Our trips are guaranteed to run once we have one confirmed booking on the trip.  Click here to view our full guarantee policy .

Trek Travel reserves the right to cancel trips with zero guests, therefore you must book with Trek Travel before making travel arrangements for the trip. We are not responsible for travel arrangements made prior to confirming your Trek Travel Trip. Select trips are not guaranteed.

Sold Out/Waitlist

This trip is currently sold out, but you may be added to the waitlist in the case of availability.

If a date is marked with Limited Availability, there are few spots left to book. We will secure additional rooms from our hotels before confirming your reservation.

Looking to travel with a small group? Ask our trip consultants about private trips and learn more .

What are your trip styles?

Classic - reserve:.

Savor the finer things as you relax in luxurious 5-star accommodations and wine, dine, and ride in some of the most unforgettable destinations around the world.

Classic - Signature:

Explore beautiful destinations by bike, enjoy extra inclusions, savor delicious local cuisine, and enjoy the perfect mix of accommodations.

Classic - Discovor:

Enjoy a casual cycling vacation with fantastic routes and comfortable accommodations.

Train like the pros in some of their favorite riding destinations.

See the pros in action at the biggest cycling events of the year.

Cross Country:

Tackle an epic adventure that takes you point-to-point across mountains, countryside, and more.

Self-Guided

Enjoy a bike tour on your schedule with just your chosen travel companions.

If a date is marked as Private, it is reserved for a private group.

Looking to travel with a small group or looking for a custom date? Call our trip consultants at 866-464-8735

What is the Difference?

Ultimate luxury:.

Savor some of the most spectacular, 5-star properties in the world. Exuding luxury and elegance, these one-of-a-kind accommodations offer the chance to rejuvenate at award-winning spas, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants, and more.

Enjoy luxurious accommodations handpicked for a refined experience. From signature spa treatments to delicious local cuisine, you’ll be more than provided for; you’ll be pampered.

These handpicked hotels provide relaxation and fun in a casual and comfortable environment. Delicious cuisine and great service mix perfectly for a memorable stay.

On select cycling vacations, you’ll stay at a mix of hotel levels, from Explorer to Luxury to Ultimate Luxury. Rest assured, no matter which level of hotel you’re at, our trip designers carefully select every accommodation.

Activity Level

Road : 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 25 mi (40 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Gravel: 1-3 hours of riding. Up to 20 mi (35 km). Up to 1,000 ft (300 m).

Road : 2-4 hours of riding. 20-35 mi (35-60 km). Up to 2,500 ft (750 m).

Gravel: 2-4 hours of riding. 15-30 mi (25-45 km). Up to 2,000 ft (300 m).

Road : 3-5 hours of riding. 25-55 mi (40-85 km). Up to 4,500 ft (1,500 m).

Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 20-40 mi (35-60 km). Up to 3,000 ft (900 m).

Road : 4+ hours of riding. 40-70 mi (60-110 km). Up to 8,000 ft (2,400 m).

Gravel: 3-5 hours of riding. 30-50 mi (45-80 km). Up to 4,000 ft (1,200 m).

Single Occupancy

Sometimes it’s more convenient and comfortable to have your own room while on vacation. We understand and that’s why we offer a Single Occupancy option. The additional price guarantees a private room all to yourself

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

  • Election 2024
  • Entertainment
  • Newsletters
  • Photography
  • Press Releases
  • Israel-Hamas War
  • Russia-Ukraine War
  • Latin America
  • Middle East
  • Asia Pacific
  • AP Top 25 College Football Poll
  • Movie reviews
  • Book reviews
  • Financial Markets
  • Business Highlights
  • Financial wellness
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Social Media

Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of boat captains in Colombia

FILE - Migrants gather in Necocli, Colombia, a stopping point for migrants taking boats to Acandi which leads to the Darien Gap, Oct. 13, 2022. The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the Feb. 26, 2024 capture in Necoclí of some boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

FILE - Migrants gather in Necocli, Colombia, a stopping point for migrants taking boats to Acandi which leads to the Darien Gap, Oct. 13, 2022. The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the Feb. 26, 2024 capture in Necoclí of some boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

  • Copy Link copied

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the treacherous migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the capture of a number of boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek.

The stoppage began when Colombian law enforcement captured two boat captains in the northern city of Necoclí on Monday. The companies that employed them halted all transport services in protest, effectively cutting off the officially estimated 2,000 people a day that enter the jungled passage hoping to reach the United States.

It has led to a build up of as many as 8,000 people waiting to cross between Colombia and Panama, the Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office confirmed Thursday. The office, a governmental human rights watchdog, has warned that the buildup could “overwhelm the health system, food supply, among other things.”

“We can’t wait until things collapse and it ends in a violation of human rights” of already vulnerable migrant populations, said Carlos Camargo Assis, the head of the office.

The chaos has once again underscored the long road ahead for officials in Latin America and the United States as they struggle to take on record levels of migration, and unravel the increasingly lucrative migrant trafficking industry.

FILE - Migrants gather in Necocli, Colombia, a stopping point for migrants taking boats to Acandi which leads to the Darien Gap, Oct. 13, 2022. The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the Feb. 26, 2024 capture in Necoclí of some boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File)

President Joe Biden has pressured Colombia and other Latin American nations to crack down on regional migration headed to the U.S. southern border. While many Latin American countries have boosted enforcement, the jungles of the Darien Gap have remained a lawless swath of the migratory route north, largely controlled by Colombia’s most powerful drug gang, the Gulf Clan.

Last year, more than 500,000 people crossed the Darien Gap, many traveling from Venezuela, and other Latin American, African and Asian countries. From there, migrants wind up through Central America and Mexico and land on the U.S. Mexico border, where authorities came across migrants 2.5 million times in 2023.

The unprecedented influx of people has returned to the spotlight in the lead-up to the November 2024, and both Biden and former president Donald Trump planned to pay visits to the border on Friday.

The captured boat captains had been transporting more than 150 migrants from Necoclí across a stretch of the Caribbean to another Colombian city from which they began their trek north, Colombia’s Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday.

The captains worked for two tourist transport companies, which prosecutors said were a front for transporting migrants, charging between $140 to $300 a head for traveling just a handful of miles by sea.

Such companies take advantage of migrants’ vulnerability to line their own pockets, said one official with the Prosecutor’s Office, who asked not to be named because he wasn’t authorized to speak on the matter.

“They charge them absurd amounts of money (to travel) without even the basic security conditions. They pack them in like canned sardines,” the official said in an interview with The Associated Press. “They trick them, they lie to them.”

He said the captures were meant to send a warning to those involved in trafficking, and to “break the chain” of the illegal industry of transporting migrants, which has grown more lucrative as migration has surged in the Americas. But he said the system in the Darien Gap is now so entrenched that he worries that when they capture one trafficker, “two more pop up.”

With no clear end to the stoppage in site, the Ombudsman’s Office expressed concern that things could only get worse. The small population 20,000 town of Necoclí faced a similar build up of more than 10,000 migrants three years before, effectively collapsing the city.

trek in mexico

Green Energy

Electrek green energy brief.

  • Offshore wind power

Florida has no wind turbines but it’s going to ban them anyway

Avatar for Michelle Lewis

Florida legislature is about to ban offshore wind turbines in state waters, which wouldn’t be put there to begin with, to protect the beaches.

Excluding hurricanes, of course, Florida doesn’t have sufficient wind power, either onshore or offshore, that, say, states in the US Northeast or Texas have to sustain a wind power industry. That’s why Florida has no wind farms – either onshore or offshore. The Sunshine State is a US solar power leader .

However, the Florida state legislature wants to ensure that its nonexistent offshore wind power industry stays nonexistent. It’s about to pass HB 1645 , which will ban wind turbines in state waters.

First, something that made me giggle – the bill defines a wind turbine as a tower, rotor, and blades “capable of producing more than 10 kilowatts of electrical power.” (So, if you were planning on powering up your 10 microwaves with a wind turbine, Floridians, you can forget it.)

The bill then prohibits wind turbines within 1 mile of the Florida coastline or Intracoastal waterways. It will also ban them within all state waters, extending three nautical miles from shore on the Atlantic Ocean and nine nautical miles on the Gulf of Mexico side. This might make a smidge of sense if someone wanted to develop wind farms there. But they don’t. Because there isn’t sufficient wind.

Maine banned wind farms in its state waters in 2021 to “preserve state waters for recreation and fishing.” But unlike Florida, Maine is windy nearshore. It’s also actively working to develop floating wind farms in federal waters in the Gulf of Maine to harness that clean power. But Maine didn’t ban transmission cables through state waters, which is what Florida’s bill also bans.

So what’s the point of this straw man ban, anyway? The Tampa Bay Times reports that House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) said:

I think it’s very similar to offshore drilling. Floridians don’t want to sit on the beach and look at oil derricks, and they don’t want to sit on the beach and look at big windmills. It doesn’t preclude them from doing it elsewhere in the state where it’s possible, but I think that’s a fair place to land.

Wind turbines pose little to no threat to beach views. And Floridians won’t ever look at oil derricks from the beach because oil drilling in state waters was banned in 2018 after the BP oil spill. Banning oil drilling is great, but doing so in state waters achieves nothing. That was a part of the oil industry’s “promote drilling but protect the beach” sleight of hand. As the BP oil spill proved, it doesn’t matter how far offshore an oil spill is; it’s catastrophic.

And state Senator Jay Collins (R-Tampa) had this to say about the impending wind turbine ban:

I think there are many causes [to climate change] and I think our weather patterns are cyclic. … Do I think there are things we can do better? Absolutely. Anything that can protect our environment, i.e., let’s stop offshore wind until we can make sure it doesn’t disrupt the sonar of our whales, the ecosystem.

Note to self to send Jay Collins my colleague Jameson Dow’s article that definitively dispels the oil industry-driven “wind turbines kill whales” propaganda. This has been extensively debunked – it’s ships and climate change caused by fossil fuels that kill whales. Collins is playing politics.

And speaking of climate change, HB 1645 will also delete the majority of references to the words “climate change” in current state law. Not that Florida is vulnerable to the deleted words that begin with the letter C or anything.

The Tampa Bay Times also reports that the bill is “rolling back some regulations on natural gas pipelines by making it so any pipeline shorter than 100 miles wouldn’t have to go through a certification process. Currently, anything longer than 15 miles triggers that oversight.”

Top comment by brian magee

The headline is worse than the truth. 1 Mile up to 9 miles is pretty standard in Europe. It’s rare the a European government will let an offshore wind farm to be built closer than 10km/6 miles. And most are at least 20 km offshore.

Also from a wind point of view it’s not as strong 1 mile out so doesn’t make sense to put them there

Really is a non story

Roll out those unregulated natural gas pipelines, Tallahassee Republican supermajority, and feel proud that you saved the beach view from those hypothetical wind turbines in state waters that were never gonna happen.

Read more: Oil-funded lobbyists are trying to trick you into killing more whales

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage , a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here . – ad*

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Green Energy

Electrek Green Energy Brief: A daily technical, …

Avatar for Michelle Lewis

Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at [email protected]. Check out her personal blog.

Michelle Lewis's favorite gear

MacBook Air

MacBook Air

Light, durable, quick: I'll never go back.

NordVPN

Because I don't want to wait for the best of British TV.

IMAGES

  1. Las bicis XC de 2021

    trek in mexico

  2. Trek México Racing 2015

    trek in mexico

  3. Sea Trek Adventure

    trek in mexico

  4. PEUGEOT LAND TREK NUEVO PICK UP EN MÉXICO

    trek in mexico

  5. Trek México se lleva 3 podiums en el Campeonato Nacional de Downhill

    trek in mexico

  6. Spice Trek box Mexico

    trek in mexico

COMMENTS

  1. Hiking In Mexico

    9 Top Hiking Trails In Mexico. 1. Ajusco Summit Trail (Cumbres Del Ajusco National Park) We begin with one of the most popular hikes in Mexico! Hiking to the 3,986m peak of Ajusco, or Malacatepetl, is not for the faint of heart, but the epic views from the top make it worth the effort. There is no better spot for panoramic views of the valley.

  2. Best hikes in Mexico

    Best hike for views. 2.8 miles (4.5km) roundtrip, 3 hours, difficult. Less than 25 miles (40km) south of Mexico City, the Parque Nacional Cumbres del Ajusco immerses you in a world of forested slopes and rocky peaks that seem a world removed from the bustling capital. The challenging but rewarding climb to the top of Pico del Águila will take ...

  3. 8 Breathtaking Mexico Hikes & Treks for 2024-2025

    Build your ideal Mexico trip. Call 1.406.541.2677. Experience the beauty of Mexico on an Adventure Life hiking trip! From its lush jungles to its majestic mountain ranges, Mexico is a hiker's paradise. With trails that range from easy to difficult, there's something for everyone here. Whether you're looking for a rugged mountain adventure or an ...

  4. Hiking in Mexico (13 Hikes + 5 Practical Tips)

    This volcano lies west of Mexico City, the opposite way of Mexico's other volcano hiking trails, and therefore receives far fewer hikers. I recommend hiking Nevado de Toluca for a challenging trek off the beaten path. 👉 My Favorite Gear: Make sure to have durable foot traction when hiking the rocky Nevado de Toluca trail.

  5. 8 Great Places to Go Hiking in Mexico

    Located about 50 miles west of Mexico City near the town of Toluca, this massive peak stretches 15,390 feet into the air, making it a strenuous trek under the best of conditions. But even though the trail is a challenge, the scenery found along the way is breathtakingly gorgeous and includes a series of crystal-blue crater lakes found at ...

  6. 10 Electrifying Treks In Mexico For Trekkers Visiting Mexico

    Location: Desierto de Los Leones, Ciudad de México, México. 3. Chipinque. Image Source. One of the treks near Mexico City, it is located in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; this northern natural park is full of amazing hiking routes which offer a wealth of experiences to the trekkers.

  7. These Are The Best Hikes In Mexico

    The hiking around Puerto Vallarta, a resort town on Mexico's Pacific coast, is known for its spectacular waterfalls. Most of these natural wonders are located to the south, by the beaches near Banderas Bay, and the best time to visit is during the rainy season between May and October when the falls are in full flow.

  8. 10 Best Trails and Hikes in Mexico

    Ready to check out the best trails in Mexico for hiking, mountain biking, climbing or other outdoor activities? AllTrails has 8,628 hiking trails, mountain biking routes, backpacking trips and more. Discover hand-curated trail maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you. No matter what you're looking for, you can find a diverse range of the best hiking trails in Mexico to ...

  9. Welcome to the Jungle: Exploring Mexico's Lacandón

    Video by Spencer Millsap. Mariano, a shaman's son, has built a fire and mentions that a TV crew came to shoot a "how to survive the jungle" show once, but a few of the participants quit ...

  10. Top 10 Hikes and Walks in Mexico

    Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Barbados. Grenada. Anguilla. Jamaica. Bermuda. Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Bahamas. Browse the best walks in Mexico and see interactive maps of the top 10 hiking trails and routes.

  11. The best Hiking in and near Mexico

    Climb the Malinche Volcano. 5.0. 7 mi / 3674 ft gain. To do so, you have to first get to the city of Huamantla, located in the Tlaxcala state. Once you are there, you must take road 136 and drive 8 miles before taking the exit to Teacalco. After 4 miles there is the Malinzi shelter, where there are many options.

  12. Hiking In Oaxaca: Hidden Gems Of Mexico's Most Beautiful State

    Hiking in Oaxaca, Mexico's most beautiful state - From the mountainous Sierra Norte to the remote Camino Copalita trail all the way to the Pacific, Oaxaca is a trekking paradise. Hiking in Oaxaca: Hidden Gems of Mexico's Most Beautiful State - Sierra Norte and Camino Copalita. March 1, 2021

  13. 10 Best Backpacking Trails in Mexico

    Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park. Length: 7.6 mi. This is the most classic and complete trail of the ascent of Iztaccihuatl, a dormant volcano and the third highest peak in Mexico. A beautiful legend tells that she was the beloved of the warrior Popocatepetl, and that she died tragically. The pre-Hispanic gods took pity on the lovers ...

  14. Climb Pico de Orizaba & Ixtaccihuatl

    Join RMI Expeditions and climb several of North America's highest mountains in Mexico including El Pico de Orizaba (18,491') and Ixtaccihuatl (17,340'). ... LIGHT WEIGHT TREKKING PANTS OR SHORTS . A light weight, synthetic pair of pants is a good option for the approach trek when hiking at lower altitudes and in warm conditions. These pants ...

  15. The Best Hiking Trails in Mexico

    Guanajuato Hiker. Distance. 7.75mi. Elevation +. 1043f. TrailRank. 68 | 5.0. View more photos. A moderate yet fairly long loop hike with many attractions: Great views, varied terrain, good trail, a wonderful ex-Hacienda full of roses, a wide variety of other flora, mushrooms. two creeks and more.

  16. Copper Canyon Hiking Tour

    HIGHLIGHTS. Chihuahua al Pacifico train ride - Enjoy a first class train ride through the Sierra Madre Mountains. Copper Canyon hike - Trek through Mexico's gorgeous Copper Canyon. Cerocahui and Creel - Stay overnight in 200-year-old frontier settlements. Meet the native Tarahumara - Visits the remote settlements of the native Tarahumara people and share the canyon trails with ...

  17. The Most Epic Hiking Trails to Take in Oaxaca

    La Nevería to Latuvi. The trek from La Nevería to Latuvi takes around three hours. Expect to spend much of it walking through narrow paths in the woods and making your way up steep, hilly terrain. The log bridge that crosses the Guacamayas River is a real highlight of the trail. Make sure to enjoy a good night's rest in the cabin at Latuvi.

  18. Hiking

    Whether you are taking on 5,000+ meter peaks like Pico de Orizaba (5,636m), touring the relentless beauty of La Malinche National Park, or looking out on the rugged terrain of Copper Canyon, Mexico has an eclectic mix of perfect hikes. Landscapes include forests, jungles, deserts and canyons, coupled with a rich history that makes a trek ...

  19. Top 10 Mountains in Mexico: Hiking in Mexico Guide

    The mountains in Mexico are recognized for being some of the best hiking options. We show you some facts, their location, and more! Chapultepec Castle tour just 35 USD/person - Confirmed departure on 05/08/23 +52-55-8526-6910 +1-201-500-1310 +44-7440-963840 [email protected]

  20. 5 Step-By-Step Guides to Hiking in Mexico City

    3. Tepozteco Ruins. Where: 1.5 hours from Mexico City by bus Difficulty: Moderate Click here for a step-by-step guide to visiting Tepoztlan and the Tepozteco ruins. Tepoztlan is easy to reach from Mexico City without a car. Busses leave multiple times an hour from Terminal Tazqueno and after a short 1.5 hours ride, we found ourselves breathing fresh air in the small town.

  21. Sea Trek Cozumel

    An underwater experience in Cozumel. Sea Trek, also known as Helmet Diving, is as easy as walking and breathing. Fun for the whole family ages 8 and up. You get the sensation of walking in space, surrounded by beautiful marine life while always guided by our professional staff. Includes free snorkeling time (snorkeling gear included) after the ...

  22. 10 Thrilling Treks In Mexico That Are Perfect For An ...

    Mexico certainly is the place for some interesting hiking spots. It has many ideal mountain ranges which generally have perfect weather to make up for the brutal weather in the nation's capital. The best time to go hiking is surely in the dry season that starts from October and continues till May. This dry offers […]

  23. Cancun Activities

    Confirm your activity upon arrival at the park to choose your schedule (subject to weather conditions). Duration: 40 minutes (20-22 min under the sea). Minimum age required: 8 years (it's important to try on the helmet, it must adjust well to enjoy the activity). Maximum depth: 23 ft. Maximum capacity: 24 people.

  24. A guide to Mexico's Tren Maya, from train tickets to travel

    Passengers take a selfie before boarding the Tren Maya at the Merida-Teya station in Teya, Mexico, on Dec. 16. (Koral Carballo/Getty Images)

  25. Trek the fire and ice of Reykjanes, Iceland: A guide

    Trek the fire and ice of Reykjanes, Iceland: A guide. ... Oaxaca in Mexico is a blend of adventure and culture Mexico. Trek the ancient Lycian Way, Turkey's coastal trail Lifestyle.

  26. Campo now a hot spot for unlawful migrant crossings into California

    It's where people like Mason, from San Jose, start their 2,650-mile trek to the Canadian border. ... "The only problems we had in Mexico were the police officers and soldiers, they all wanted ...

  27. New Mexico Bike Tour

    Your Trek Travel guides will meet you at Bishop's Lodge (1297 Bishops Lodge Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506) at 11:00 AM on the first day of the trip. After meeting at the hotel you'll enjoy a fresh, delicious lunch and, after a brief orientation and safety talk, saddle up to begin the day's ride through the historic town of Santa Fe.

  28. Migration through the Darien Gap is cut off following the capture of

    MEXICO CITY (AP) — The flow of thousands of migrants daily through the treacherous migratory highway, the Darien Gap, has been cut off following the capture of a number of boat captains who had been ferrying the migrants to the starting point of their jungle trek.

  29. Florida has no wind turbines but it's going to ban them anyway

    Sunbather, Daytona Beach, Florida (1985) by Library of Congress is licensed under CC-CC0 1.0 Florida legislature is about to ban offshore wind turbines in state waters, which wouldn't be put ...