facebook twitter
amigo trails

Questions About Copper Canyon?

Answers to your most pressing questions...

The weather will vary as you ascend and descend the mountains. The elevation span on an average trip can be from sea level to over 7,000 feet. This means that, depending on the season, you could very well hit snow/cold weather and sun/hot weather all within a days travel.

The Upper Sierra (Creel, Divisadero, Cerocahui) has 4 full seasons so you'll find snow in winter; Dec-Feb, wind and cooler weather in spring; March-May, summer temperatures up to about 90; June-August and fall weather that is cooler again; Sept-Nov.  Whereas the Lower Canyon Bottoms (Batopilas, Urique, El Fuerte) are just above sea level so they are tropical year around. This means that in summer you'll see temperaturs over 100 F in some instances, though winters are mild with warm days in the 80's with cold nights around 50 F.

After you've paid your final balance payment, your Final Documents will be sent out to you via email. Inside this email of information you'll find a specific attachment called 'FAQ's', this document will go over the basic weather in any season and suggested packing tips.

There will be some mosquitoes but not many in the canyon bottoms and in El Fuerte or Los Mochis. The bugs that are most prolific are called 'No Seeums'. They are tiny little flying bugs that bite you and leave red marks on the skin. Some people have an allergic reaction to them and swelling ensues but these bugs do not cause illness.

We do recommend you bring along a good bug spray or bug lotion and wear it when in El Fuerte, Los Mochis or at the bottoms of any canyons so you are not pestered by them.

Electricity in Mexico is 110, just like in the United States so if you are coming from the USA then you'll have no problem with any of the electrical outlets. Should you be traveling from Europe, you will need an adapter.

This question as well will pertain greatly to the weather and where your trip is taking you exactly and what time of year it is (see above). The 'FAQ's' document in your Final Documents information package that is emailed to you before your trip begins will have this information in it too. As general rule, if you are visiting the Upper Sierra and the Lower Canyon Bottoms, then you should pack a variety of clothing and dress in layers. For example if you are starting your day in Creel but are heading for Batopilas; put on a comfortable cotton t-shirt undearneath, a lightweight linen shirt over that with perhaps a nice fleece pullover on top of that. This will get you through cool morning weather but allow you to take off layers throughout the day as it warms up or as you pass into another climate zone.

We find a panama hat is excellent at keeping the hot sun off your face and kneck, while allowing you to be fashionable, and khaki pants go well with just about any outfit. Throw in some breathable linen shirts and pants for the hot weather and perhaps a good fleece pullover and a scarf will get you through most situations.

If traveling in the Upper Sierra (Creel, Cerocahui, Divisadero) in wintertime (Dec-Feb/March) then you'll need a good cold weather coat, some gloves and a scarf. If you've got a favorite wool hat to bring along and perhaps some ear muffs, then you'll find you are all set for anything that comes your way weather-wise.

While traveling in another country it is easy to become complacent, especially if they take your currency from another country willingly. You will save money in the long run and look less like a tourist if you don’t run along forcing your dollars upon unsuspecting Mexican nationals. The Peso is the national money amount here and should be the only form of money that you use while visiting. It is obnoxious and rude to go to another country and demand that your dollars be accepted. Now, having said that…I, too, on occasion, even after 10 years of living here, have found myself in the unfortunate position, due to mainly lack of planning, of not having a single peso upon my person and have had to resort to fishing around in my purse for a lost dollar bill or two to squeak by. I only go to the states now about once per year so how those dollars even get in there is a wonder, but there it is...The peso fluctuates daily and can be at a completely different rate in the evening than where you found it in the morning. I've found that it is best to buy pesos once you are inside Mexico as the Mexican banks keep up with the fluctuation better than the international ones such as in your home town. Even from bank to bank in Mexico, you’ll find a several points difference at times as they struggle to keep current. So, long and short of it is, if you MUST purchase some pesos before you leave, do so at your bank so you feel more prepared but don’t convert a ton of money. Convert maybe $100US or so to tide you over until you can hit an interior bank in Mexico. You'll find ATM's almost everywhere, except the most rural towns and they will give you pesos if you use your card in them. I've also found that is a good idea to keep about $3,000 pesos on me at any time just in case I come to a town where the ATM machine is out of order or is nowhere to be found.

This is an excellent idea and we highly recommend it. At this time we do not offer or sell our own Trip Insurance so we highly recommend you purchase your own Trip Insurance from your local insurance provider. There are many different companies out there who do offer this type of coverage so be sure to compare them. Some companies will give you a 100% policy that covers cancelation of any kind while traveling while others will have more limited coverage. Shop around and find the best policy that works for you and be sure to read our Cancelation Policy below.

You'll find our complete Cancelation Policy is listed on your Quote, Booking Form and Detailed Itinerary so should you have any questions about it at any time while traveling it will be easy to locate within your paperwork.

We've decided against the extensive and somewhat crazy list of cancelation fees that most companies use and have instead opted for a more simpler approach that works best for us and our clientele. Basically, you may cancel at any time up to 31 days before your departure date for a full refund, less the non-refundable deposit you pay at time of booking. After the 30 day mark though it is 100% non-refundable for any reason. Your Deposit is also non-refundable for any reason. Simple right?

This is an excellent question as many of our competitors do have the right to cancel their trips, thereby leaving you stranded at the last minute. This will never happen though with Amigo Trails Travel because all our vacation packages are private and will include only you and your family or group. We do not deal with 'set' departure dates or count on dozens of strangers to 'fill up' our trips so we are not at the mercy of the numbers game that so many other tour operators must play with in order to earn enough money to be profitable.

Simply put - we do not have any set departure dates. All our packages are built around the clients dates of travel. Because all our trips are private trips, this means that we are activily involved in each and every trip design process with each and every client and their specific needs. We do not focus on running many, large group trips in order to deal in 'volume' pricing as most of our competitors do, but rather we focus on giving individual or small, private group trips on a quality only basis. This allows us to build packages based on the individual or group traveling rather than set up a 'cookie-cutter' trip that the average person will find interesting. We prefer to let each individual client select their activity level, hotel style and timeframe so that each trip is THE best trip it can be.

Obvioiusly Amigo Trails Travel cannot be held responsible for any delays or cancelations that our completely out of our control such as delays caused by; inclement weather, road conditions, river levels, government problems, public tranportation issues (chepe train, buses, taxi's, etc..), strikes, or acts of God, etc.... We will of course always do everything within our power to move you forward should you encounter anything out of the ordinary on your trip but if changes in your itinerary are necessary due to any of these unforeseen circumstances, then you will need to cover these expenses personally, though we will do everything within our power to be sure you receive timely information about any changes needed and that you are given all options available at the time for your consideration so you can make the most informed choices.

Here is a listing of the process we will go through with you as you begin to book a trip with us:

  1. Trip Design:  We'll begin by sorting out an outline for your trip if you are customizing it from scratch or if you are selecting one of the trips we have listed on our website, then we'll go over that with you. We'll do all our work together via email so that no details are lost and there is a record of what you wanted so we don't make any mistakes in designing your trip.

  2. Quotation and Itinerary: After we've settled on an outline or you've selected the trip you want from our published trips on the website, then we'll send you an Itinerary called a Quotation that will list a summary of the services you require on the first page, then it will list your day to day travels with brief descriptions and photos. At the very end of it, you'll find a package price total that is also split into per person amount.
  3. Booking Form: Once you approve the Quote, we'll then send you our Booking Form which will be a formal listing of all services we will give you, without any detail. It will include our cancelation policy within it, an area where you will fill in your personal information, an area where you will select your payment method and finally a page where you'll sign to formally approve the services we will provide for you and the charges you are agreeing to pay for those services. You will need to fill in those 3 pertinent pages, sign it and return those pages to us  by scanning them into your computer and emailing them to us.
  4. Reservations Confirmations: Once we receive your Booking Form, we'll begin to book your trip. We will never request payment from you until all your reservations have been confirmed, in writing, with all our suppliers. This process can take up to a week, sometimes more in our heavy season from September through April.
  5. Deposit Payment: When your trip is fully confirmed, we'll then send you a Proforma Invoice and request your deposit at that time. Your deposit is non-refundable and will be ~ 25-30% of your total price.
  6. Balance Payment: Your Balance Payment is always due 30 days before your arrival date in the canyons. We will request this payment at or just before your 30 day mark.
  7. Final Documents: Once you've made your Balance Payment, we will begin to process your final documentation. These documents will include your; vouchers, detailed itinerary, various informational pages, FAQ's, Chepe train information, various maps and more. These documents will be sent to you via email. You can print them off in the comfort of your home and bring everything along with you on your trip.

We accept payment by credit card, wire transfer to our USA bank, wire transfer to our Mexico bank or counter deposits at either of our banks in the USA or Mexico. We also accept payments via PayPal. You will be given your choice of payment method when you fill out your Booking Form in step 3 of the Booking Procedure above.

Our credit card processor at this time is PayPal so if you are paying by credit card we will send you an email with a link in it that will take you to a safe site to enter your card and personal information. We love using this system because as merchants, we never see your card or your card information, thus eliminating any potential credit card fraud or misuse of card information. It is a very safe and easy way to pay.

The water supply in general in Mexico is not used for drinking. You will find a few hotels that will may have a little plaque on the wall near the sink that will say that the water is 'potable'. This means it is safe to drink. However, this is not the rule. One should avoid drinking water from the tap as a rule as the water processing plants vary greatly from place to place in Mexico and in some locations there is not water processing plants at all. The locals do grow up drinking from the tap and garden hoses thus their immune systems are greatly enhanced because of this. So just because you see locals drinking from the tap don't assume that you can as well.

Most sit down restaurants in cities will use purified drinking water or even more often they will serve you bottled water when you ask for water. Ice cubes are generally made from purified water or even purchased in large bags from Ice Freezers delivered by ice companies. The exception to this rule is when you are dining at a street vendors cart or at an obviously small restaurant on the street where you can clearly see that no standards are adhered to.

The same rule applies to food. Use common sense when choosing where to eat and you can't go wrong. If that little voice inside you says 'hey, I'm not really sure about this place', then just keep walking until you find a suitable restaurant. In your final documents information package, we'll include our recommendations for restaurants in all the destinations you'll visit.

A visit to the Copper Canyon does not require any specific vaccinations. However, if you are continuing your trip to other areas of Mexico you may ask your doctor about his recommendations for other vaccinations.

As a rule, no. You won't find many hotels that offer laundry services in the canyons. However, you may ask the manager of your hotel if he/she can find you a maid willing to do your laundry for you.

No, most hotels will not have hairdryers in them so it is best to bring your own. The Copper Canyon is still a very rural and rustic area and this is its major selling point  to travelers everywhere. The untamed beauty and wildness of the canyons is why people come here. It is a small corner of the world that is still quite untouched by 'civilization' and all its trappings. So although you won't find hairdryers in every room, but you may just find 'yourself' somewhere along your journey.

In your final documents, you'll find a plethora of information about the Chepe train, its inception, history and stops along the line. You'll also be told what to expect for your particular situation but here is a brief overall introduction of what to expect.

If you are starting out in either Los Mochis or Chihuahua, you will pick up your pre-paid train tickets at the ticket window at 5:30am on your day of departure by showing your Chepe Train Ticket Voucher that is included in your Final Documents package. All tickets for all legs of your journey will be included at this time in your ticket bundle and the seats for the first leg of your journey will already be assigned. All future seats will be assigned as you board the train at other stations. 

If you are boarding the train anywhere other than Los Mochis or Chihuahua, you will be assigned a seat as you board. The conductor will be standing at the door and will ask you how many people are traveling in your group and will assign your seats at that time. You'll stow your luggage in the luggage compartment at the front of each car or over your seat and you'll sit down in the assigned seats. Once the train begins to move, the conductor or auditor will come around and ask if you have your tickets in hand or if you need to purchase them. If you do not have your tickets in hand but have a reservation and a pre-paid voucher, then you just show him the Chepe Train Ticket Voucher that was sent to you in your Final Documents and he will give you the tickets you need for that leg of the trip. He will return your voucher to you and you will use it again, in the same fashion, on any subsequent legs of your journey that remain.

Those traveling on the train that do not have tickets or pre-paid reservations will purchase thier tickets directly from the conductor or auditor by paying with cash. Credit cards are not accepted on the train and pesos should be used.

The canyons do have cell phone coverage but not everywhere so a cell phone may come in handy or you may find that it is useless when you think you need it. Also, dialing a cell phone in other countries is always taxing at best and mostly infuriating but should you feel more comfortable bringing yours along, you may of course do so. Telcel is the regional carrier and will be picked up if you have your phone set to Roaming.

We believe that tipping is a personal matter that should surpass country boundaries, employment positions and public opinion. Tipping is a way for you to get involved personally and to have a say about the service you received. 

If you are pleased with your service and service provider, then you should give what you feel is an appropriate amount to express your satisfaction, based on your own personal perspective, whether it be $100USD or $1USD or nothing at all. This is a personal decision that you must make based on your own beliefs and how you see the world and others in it.

However, if you feel you must have a guideline, then in your Final Documents package you’ll find we’ve attempted to give you a basic guideline for what may seem appropriate for various positions of service. Final Documents are sent out after full payment, about 30 days before your trip begins.

Unfortunately Mexico has been slammed in the media for some time now as being unsafe because of the inner struggle with the different drug leaders who are fighting amongst themselves for control. However, what is being broadcast is largely overdramatized, in a few isolated areas and does not affect tourism. I can say that personally and professionally in my 12 years living full time in Mexico, inside the Copper Canyon, that our business has seen 0% problems in this area. We have put together a full page on this website in order to give this topic the amount of attention that it deserves in the form of positive press articles about the reality of safety in Mexico, statistics showing actual crime rates in Mexico and other countries and direct consumer videos and links about people's own experiences when visiting. We hope you'll pay this page a visit as I'm sure it will help to level out your perspective about what Mexico is really like. Is It Safe to Travel To Mexico?