Mexico Copper Canyon, the cheap way

Copper Canyon train, the cheap way...

- Biggest saving : take the second class train, which used to be the
first class train a few years ago. No need to pay double for the first
class one, the only remarkable difference is the restaurant wagon, very
nice on the first class whereas it is just a bar on the second class
one, still cooking some food simple though, like quesadillas o
sincronisadas. The price difference will pay for all the places you
will stay in...

- There are a few cheap and very decent hostels / hotels all along the
way, from Chihuahua to Los Mochis

In Chihuahua, a brand new hostel, called Casa Chihuahua. Not a lot of
people, rather family oriented, just cross the street from the station.
Very quite area, center is at a mere 15 mn walk. 120 pesos a night.
Giant screen to watch DVD's at night. Nice and helpful staff.
Chihuahua seems to have very few touristic attractions, but staying
there 2 nights made us quite like the atmosphere. Cow-boys everywhere,
boots and Stetson shops, nice Cathedral, and an interesting museum
about Pancho Villa, which Mrs Villa herself maintained quite well until
she died about 20 years ago. You feel like being invited to Pancho
Villa's house as everythig is still there, from Pancho VIllas saddle,
riffles, bed and kitchen.

In Creel, the famous Casa Margarita, prices starting from 80 pesos.
including a breakfast and dinner.... Owned from a lady of the same
name. Not as comfortable as the hostel in Chihuahua, but pretty busy,
lots of folks from all around the world. A real hub, from where you can
do many things. You may stay a few nights, as lots of tours are quite
interesting. Creel is a typical western-like city build around the
train station. The 4 daily trains arrival seem to be the unic
attraction of the village. Surrounded by beautiful lanscape all around.
Walk up to the "Christo Rey", from which the view on the city is quite
nice and very panoramic.

Forget the private tours, too expensive. Take a public bus to
Batopilas, and try to stay there 1 night, as the bus only comes back to
Creel the following day. From 8000 feet at Creel, the bus takes an
amazing 3-hours ride down to 2500 feet. Quite warm down there, but such
a natural and gorgious place. Do not take pics from the Indians
Tarahumaras before asking them, they can be pretty wild sometimes,
although these people are pride, and remained very close to their
roots. Some are very fast runners, and won a famous 100miles race in
the USA

Urique can also be a nice place where to go, same heigh as Batopilas,
same mad drive down to 2500 feeet., but we decided to choose Batopilas
upon friends' recommandation as there seems to be more people there.

>From Creel, take the first class to Divisadero, which is close to Creel
(1 hour) so paying the extra charge for the first class is OK. The
reason for that is that the train only stops 10 mn at Divisadero, also
around 8000 feet, from where the point of view is simply amazing.
Taking the first class train allows you to let it go and wait for the
second class train, about 1 and a half hour later. Plenty of time to
eat delicious tacos cooked on site, and buy some Indian shoes, which
look like old roman shoes, being laced around the leg.

You may choose the small village of El fuerte to sleep in, instead of
Los Mochis. Firt reason is that El Fuerte is recommended by lots of
travellers, as colonial style is quite beautiful. From the beginning of
the 16th century. There is a hostel called Casa Pascola. Not big.
WE decided to spend a bit more and went to the hotel Rio Vista, which
was bult in the stables of a castle on a cliff above a large river,
named El FUerte. Lots of water, as all we saw from CHihuahua until here
was quite dry. Pretty nice private room, for 300 pesos. No TV
though....

>From El Fuerte, you may take a bus to Los Mochis, and do what u have to
do at Los Mochis. There is a beach there, about 1 hours from the center
with a taxi, called Maviri. Famous for its shrimps, but we did not go
there. WE went to Topolobampo, outside of the city, where the Ferry to
La Paz sails from. Topolobampo turned out to be not interesting at all,
i may even say that we did not fell safe there.

We managed to find a cheap and clean hotel in Los Mochis, called Hotel
Montecarlo. Was about 280 pesos the private room, i just can't remember
exactly how much it was.

>From Los Mochis, various options : down to Mazatlan, then Puerto
Vallarta, Guadalaraja, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, then
Mexico city. Others would take the expensive ferry (56 usd) and go to
La Paz, Baja California then to Tijuana / San Diego. And some others
would simply take a plane to Mexico City or takê the train back, to
Chihuahua, then to Zacatecas.

Great train trip,. I am sure we will do it again. Very friendly Mexican
people, excellent food and low hostel / hotel budget... Great !

We took that trip with our kids when they were little.

However, we drove our car to Creel, Chihuahua and started the trip
there rather than from Chihuahua (city). Upon arrival we got a hotel
room and spent the day putzing around Creel. In fact, it was Christmas
eve and it snowed! The boys were little bitty guys and the snowfall
was simply magic!

The next morning we simply walked out of our room, shut the door, and
walked to the train station. We boarded the train about 8:00am. The
people who caught the train in Chihuahua city had to get up in the
middle of the night to catch it.

After a day of eye popping scenery we jumped off in El Fuerte. Those
bleary eyed souls who missed a good night's sleep the night before by
catching the train in Chihuahua, continued down to los Mochis. There
they found accomodations to be baaad. Then they had to get up in
middle of the night again to catch the train BACK.

During the previous evening, while they were rolling to los Mochis we
were resting and enjoying El Fuerte. The next morning when we boarded
the return train at about 7:30 or 8:00am they really looked run down,
having slept but little for two nights in a row.

I have never regretted missing los Mochis.

Vernon
Swissphil wrote:
> Copper Canyon train, the cheap way...
>
> - Biggest saving : take the second class train, which used to be the
> first class train a few years ago. No need to pay double for the first
> class one, the only remarkable difference is the restaurant wagon, very
> nice on the first class whereas it is just a bar on the second class
> one, still cooking some food simple though, like quesadillas o
> sincronisadas. The price difference will pay for all the places you
> will stay in...
>
> - There are a few cheap and very decent hostels / hotels all along the
> way, from Chihuahua to Los Mochis
>
> In Chihuahua, a brand new hostel, called Casa Chihuahua. Not a lot of
> people, rather family oriented, just cross the street from the station.
> Very quite area, center is at a mere 15 mn walk. 120 pesos a night.
> Giant screen to watch DVD's at night. Nice and helpful staff.
> Chihuahua seems to have very few touristic attractions, but staying
> there 2 nights made us quite like the atmosphere. Cow-boys everywhere,
> boots and Stetson shops, nice Cathedral, and an interesting museum
> about Pancho Villa, which Mrs Villa herself maintained quite well until
> she died about 20 years ago. You feel like being invited to Pancho
> Villa's house as everythig is still there, from Pancho VIllas saddle,
> riffles, bed and kitchen.
>
> In Creel, the famous Casa Margarita, prices starting from 80 pesos.
> including a breakfast and dinner.... Owned from a lady of the same
> name. Not as comfortable as the hostel in Chihuahua, but pretty busy,
> lots of folks from all around the world. A real hub, from where you can
> do many things. You may stay a few nights, as lots of tours are quite
> interesting. Creel is a typical western-like city build around the
> train station. The 4 daily trains arrival seem to be the unic
> attraction of the village. Surrounded by beautiful lanscape all around.
> Walk up to the "Christo Rey", from which the view on the city is quite
> nice and very panoramic.
>
> Forget the private tours, too expensive. Take a public bus to
> Batopilas, and try to stay there 1 night, as the bus only comes back to
> Creel the following day. From 8000 feet at Creel, the bus takes an
> amazing 3-hours ride down to 2500 feet. Quite warm down there, but such
> a natural and gorgious place. Do not take pics from the Indians
> Tarahumaras before asking them, they can be pretty wild sometimes,
> although these people are pride, and remained very close to their
> roots. Some are very fast runners, and won a famous 100miles race in
> the USA
>
> Urique can also be a nice place where to go, same heigh as Batopilas,
> same mad drive down to 2500 feeet., but we decided to choose Batopilas
> upon friends' recommandation as there seems to be more people there.
>
> >From Creel, take the first class to Divisadero, which is close to Creel
> (1 hour) so paying the extra charge for the first class is OK. The
> reason for that is that the train only stops 10 mn at Divisadero, also
> around 8000 feet, from where the point of view is simply amazing.
> Taking the first class train allows you to let it go and wait for the
> second class train, about 1 and a half hour later. Plenty of time to
> eat delicious tacos cooked on site, and buy some Indian shoes, which
> look like old roman shoes, being laced around the leg.
>
> You may choose the small village of El fuerte to sleep in, instead of
> Los Mochis. Firt reason is that El Fuerte is recommended by lots of
> travellers, as colonial style is quite beautiful. From the beginning of
> the 16th century. There is a hostel called Casa Pascola. Not big.
> WE decided to spend a bit more and went to the hotel Rio Vista, which
> was bult in the stables of a castle on a cliff above a large river,
> named El FUerte. Lots of water, as all we saw from CHihuahua until here
> was quite dry. Pretty nice private room, for 300 pesos. No TV
> though....
>
> >From El Fuerte, you may take a bus to Los Mochis, and do what u have to
> do at Los Mochis. There is a beach there, about 1 hours from the center
> with a taxi, called Maviri. Famous for its shrimps, but we did not go
> there. WE went to Topolobampo, outside of the city, where the Ferry to
> La Paz sails from. Topolobampo turned out to be not interesting at all,
> i may even say that we did not fell safe there.
>
> We managed to find a cheap and clean hotel in Los Mochis, called Hotel
> Montecarlo. Was about 280 pesos the private room, i just can't remember
> exactly how much it was.
>
> >From Los Mochis, various options : down to Mazatlan, then Puerto
> Vallarta, Guadalaraja, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, then
> Mexico city. Others would take the expensive ferry (56 usd) and go to
> La Paz, Baja California then to Tijuana / San Diego. And some others
> would simply take a plane to Mexico City or takê the train back, to
> Chihuahua, then to Zacatecas.
>
> Great train trip,. I am sure we will do it again. Very friendly Mexican
> people, excellent food and low hostel / hotel budget... Great !

Creel is quite a touristic village nowadays, while Chihuahua is much
more authentic.
I actually like the authentic mexican places where no efforts are done
for tourism.

The ambient around the cathedral is quite nice, watching Mexicans and
Raramuris Indians while you drink a fresh carott or orange juice on the
shadow.

Visiting the Pancho Villa museum is interesting, as this is inside
Pancho Villa's house itself, You feel like you are invited, and
transported to the beginning of the century. A cheap 10 pesos the
entrance...

Not too far, Cafe del Paseo allows you for a huge meal for 2
(arrachera, such a great meet) and 2 solid margaritas for less than 20
bucks.

In the same area, the Cantina La Antigua Paz is funny, allowing you to
watch Chihuahuenses playing dices in a friendly atmosphere. This is the
only cantina I know where women are "tolerated". I would not advise you
to go to other cantinas in Chihuahua.

Starting from Chihuahua, the 2nd class train, which used to be the
first class train just 4 years ago, leaves Chihuahua at 7 am sharp. The
hostel being right across the street from the station, one can just
wake up at 6:15, take a quick shower/breakfast and jump into the train.
I would not call that "waking up in the middle of the night", unless
one went to bed at 4 am :-) In the winter, this allows to attend to the
rising sun while on the railroad, which is a really nice scenery in the
huge Chihuahua / Cuauhtemoc plain preceding the climb to Creel.

That also allows you to arrive in Creel around 12 am, so plenty of time
to do a few excursions in the same day.

But I think u did very well indeed choosing El Fuerte instead of Los
Mochis. Much smaller, and much more colonial. Lots of beautiful
colonial buildings are going unfer a heavy renovation this year.

Brgds

Swissphil



vtuck@tucklings.com wrote:
> We took that trip with our kids when they were little.
>
> However, we drove our car to Creel, Chihuahua and started the trip
> there rather than from Chihuahua (city). Upon arrival we got a hotel
> room and spent the day putzing around Creel. In fact, it was Christmas
> eve and it snowed! The boys were little bitty guys and the snowfall
> was simply magic!
>
> The next morning we simply walked out of our room, shut the door, and
> walked to the train station. We boarded the train about 8:00am. The
> people who caught the train in Chihuahua city had to get up in the
> middle of the night to catch it.
>
> After a day of eye popping scenery we jumped off in El Fuerte. Those
> bleary eyed souls who missed a good night's sleep the night before by
> catching the train in Chihuahua, continued down to los Mochis. There
> they found accomodations to be baaad. Then they had to get up in
> middle of the night again to catch the train BACK.
>
> During the previous evening, while they were rolling to los Mochis we
> were resting and enjoying El Fuerte. The next morning when we boarded
> the return train at about 7:30 or 8:00am they really looked run down,
> having slept but little for two nights in a row.
>
> I have never regretted missing los Mochis.
>
> Vernon
> Swissphil wrote:
> > Copper Canyon train, the cheap way...
> >
> > - Biggest saving : take the second class train, which used to be the
> > first class train a few years ago. No need to pay double for the first
> > class one, the only remarkable difference is the restaurant wagon, very
> > nice on the first class whereas it is just a bar on the second class
> > one, still cooking some food simple though, like quesadillas o
> > sincronisadas. The price difference will pay for all the places you
> > will stay in...
> >
> > - There are a few cheap and very decent hostels / hotels all along the
> > way, from Chihuahua to Los Mochis
> >
> > In Chihuahua, a brand new hostel, called Casa Chihuahua. Not a lot of
> > people, rather family oriented, just cross the street from the station.
> > Very quite area, center is at a mere 15 mn walk. 120 pesos a night.
> > Giant screen to watch DVD's at night. Nice and helpful staff.
> > Chihuahua seems to have very few touristic attractions, but staying
> > there 2 nights made us quite like the atmosphere. Cow-boys everywhere,
> > boots and Stetson shops, nice Cathedral, and an interesting museum
> > about Pancho Villa, which Mrs Villa herself maintained quite well until
> > she died about 20 years ago. You feel like being invited to Pancho
> > Villa's house as everythig is still there, from Pancho VIllas saddle,
> > riffles, bed and kitchen.
> >
> > In Creel, the famous Casa Margarita, prices starting from 80 pesos.
> > including a breakfast and dinner.... Owned from a lady of the same
> > name. Not as comfortable as the hostel in Chihuahua, but pretty busy,
> > lots of folks from all around the world. A real hub, from where you can
> > do many things. You may stay a few nights, as lots of tours are quite
> > interesting. Creel is a typical western-like city build around the
> > train station. The 4 daily trains arrival seem to be the unic
> > attraction of the village. Surrounded by beautiful lanscape all around.
> > Walk up to the "Christo Rey", from which the view on the city is quite
> > nice and very panoramic.
> >
> > Forget the private tours, too expensive. Take a public bus to
> > Batopilas, and try to stay there 1 night, as the bus only comes back to
> > Creel the following day. From 8000 feet at Creel, the bus takes an
> > amazing 3-hours ride down to 2500 feet. Quite warm down there, but such
> > a natural and gorgious place. Do not take pics from the Indians
> > Tarahumaras before asking them, they can be pretty wild sometimes,
> > although these people are pride, and remained very close to their
> > roots. Some are very fast runners, and won a famous 100miles race in
> > the USA
> >
> > Urique can also be a nice place where to go, same heigh as Batopilas,
> > same mad drive down to 2500 feeet., but we decided to choose Batopilas
> > upon friends' recommandation as there seems to be more people there.
> >
> > >From Creel, take the first class to Divisadero, which is close to Creel
> > (1 hour) so paying the extra charge for the first class is OK. The
> > reason for that is that the train only stops 10 mn at Divisadero, also
> > around 8000 feet, from where the point of view is simply amazing.
> > Taking the first class train allows you to let it go and wait for the
> > second class train, about 1 and a half hour later. Plenty of time to
> > eat delicious tacos cooked on site, and buy some Indian shoes, which
> > look like old roman shoes, being laced around the leg.
> >
> > You may choose the small village of El fuerte to sleep in, instead of
> > Los Mochis. Firt reason is that El Fuerte is recommended by lots of
> > travellers, as colonial style is quite beautiful. From the beginning of
> > the 16th century. There is a hostel called Casa Pascola. Not big.
> > WE decided to spend a bit more and went to the hotel Rio Vista, which
> > was bult in the stables of a castle on a cliff above a large river,
> > named El FUerte. Lots of water, as all we saw from CHihuahua until here
> > was quite dry. Pretty nice private room, for 300 pesos. No TV
> > though....
> >
> > >From El Fuerte, you may take a bus to Los Mochis, and do what u have to
> > do at Los Mochis. There is a beach there, about 1 hours from the center
> > with a taxi, called Maviri. Famous for its shrimps, but we did not go
> > there. WE went to Topolobampo, outside of the city, where the Ferry to
> > La Paz sails from. Topolobampo turned out to be not interesting at all,
> > i may even say that we did not fell safe there.
> >
> > We managed to find a cheap and clean hotel in Los Mochis, called Hotel
> > Montecarlo. Was about 280 pesos the private room, i just can't remember
> > exactly how much it was.
> >
> > >From Los Mochis, various options : down to Mazatlan, then Puerto
> > Vallarta, Guadalaraja, Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende, then
> > Mexico city. Others would take the expensive ferry (56 usd) and go to
> > La Paz, Baja California then to Tijuana / San Diego. And some others
> > would simply take a plane to Mexico City or takê the train back, to
> > Chihuahua, then to Zacatecas.
> >
> > Great train trip,. I am sure we will do it again. Very friendly Mexican
> > people, excellent food and low hostel / hotel budget... Great !