Your expert guide to Bahuichivo and Cerochaui

Published by Cassie on

Green text box: Your expert guide to Bahuichivo & Cerochaui 4 photos of views of the area (1 is of a waterfall)

Planning to stop by Bahuichivo and Cerochaui on your Copper Canyon adventure? Here’s everything you need to know about visiting these two tiny towns!

Truly, exploring Bahuichivo and Cerochaui in the Copper Canyon comes highly recommended if you love awe-inspiring views, long walks, wondrous thunderstorms and friendly people. We chose to spend five days in this area rather than the usual one or two because we were deliberately taking things slow: we wanted to spend as much time in the region as we could. We didn’t regret our time here one bit.

view down into a valley, river winding through

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Introduction to Bahuichivo & Cerochaui

view of fields with hills in disance

Without a doubt, although the Chepe train station is in Bahuichivo, it is to Cerochaui and the surrounding area that visitors look for accommodation and activities. As the owner of our hotel told me, Bahuichivo is simply a small town that grew up around the train station. It has little to offer visitors to the region.

⭐️ Bahuichivo is a small town 1,620m above sea level with a population of around 1,300. It’s a perfectly decent place to spend a few hours when waiting for the train. There are restaurants and small shops selling snacks.

⭐️ Cerochaui is apparently a ‘major population centre’ for the Raramuri population. It is considered both an important economic and cultural centre. It’s particularly renowned for the celebrations at Easter (Semana Santa) when the Raramuri congregate and celebrate.

The town is a slow 12km from Bahuichivo, and 1,624m above sea level. It also has a population also of around 1,300.

Where to stay around Bahuichivo & Cerochaui

sunset over hills, small fence in foreground

Options are pretty limited. It is unusual for visitors to the area to stay in Bahuichivo town. Apparently, the few hotels I did see as we passed through are more for Chepe staff and miners moving materials around than for visitors.

🚌 All hotels around here offer pick up and return to the train station, unlike hotels in Urique that do not unless you specifically request it. All hotels here also offer full-board because there really is no other option for finding food. All hotels will offer similar tours of the area.

Do note that you may be expected to pay cash for your stay if you don’t book online, through a booking site so it’s probably easier to book online, in advance.

🏨 Hotel Mision – in Cerochaui itself there is one hotel. It’s right on the square next to the church. We went inside briefly and found the staff to be incredibly helpful and kind (we basically needed a favour and they went out of their way to help us) and the hotel itself is beautiful and tranquil and has a pool, which is very useful on hot days.

🏨 Paraiso del Oso – located between Bahuichivo and Cerochaui and one of the highest-rated properties in the area. It’s a family-run lodge that offers clean, comfortable accommodations.

🏨 Rancho Cabañas San Isidro – located along the road towards Urique. It’s a beautiful-looking place and I love that the tour cars have seats on the roof for a truly exhilarating ride. There is a temezcal on site.

Where to eat around Bahuichivo & Cerochaui

Hahaha.

🍽 Eat in your hotel/lodge. Seriously. We ate two meals a day in our lodge (breakfast and supper) and on the other days mainly just snacked on bits and pieces we took along with us.

On the day we walked from our lodge to Cerochaui we hoped we’d find a restaurant in the village. We did not.

We asked in a shop and were met with blank looks and then a ‘maybe on the plaza’ but the only restaurant on the plaza looked as if it hadn’t opened for a long time. We ended up buying cream cheese, bread and fruit from the shop and sitting on a bench to eat.

What to do around Bahuichivo & Cerochaui

This stunningly beautiful part of the Copper Canyon is probably best explored by car so be prepared to pay for your hotel tours if you arrive by train.

Mirador de Cerro de Gallego

view down to river in bottom of valley through cloud

Also known as Divisadero by locals (somewhat confusingly if you’ve just arrived from the actual Divisadero!) this is a spectacular look-out point that will blow your mind as you look out over the ‘Barranca de Urique’ (Urique Canyon – because remember, the Copper Canyon is actually a series of canyons). To reach this point, our guide told us, you pass through the highest part of the Copper Canyon at 4,000m to reach the lookout at 2,286m.

💰 There is a small fee to head up to the mirador but it’s not much. Be prepared with small bills.

Exploring Cerochaui

man and two children sitting on bench outside peach coloured building, church behind them

🐴 The village itself is incredibly quiet and sleepy. We took a stroll from our lodge all the way to the village. We walked through the village in about 15 minutes, stopping at the plaza to chill out (in the blazing midday sun), eat some lunch and check out the church before leaving.

I believe there’s a school for local Raramuri children but because we visited in summer it wasn’t open.

Cerochaui Waterfall

man and child sitting in front of small waterfall

💦 You’ll need a guide to visit the waterfall as it’s about a 7km hike (one way) through the forest and you could easily get lost. We had a fun time marching through the forest, watching the animals, enjoying the flora and we truly welcomed the freezing cold water for a swim when we arrived, hot and sweaty, at the waterfall. There’s something quite spectacular about having a waterfall all to yourself (the pool is bigger and nicer than it looks in this photo).

Hunt for the cave

boy running around forest, fallen trunk next to him

Just down the road from San Isidro, back towards Cerochaui, you’ll see a wide entrance to a wooded area. Hidden away behind two gates (one open, one often locked) is a small cave. Honestly, I wouldn’t say it was anything out of the ordinary but we spent a fun few hours, first searching for the gates, and then hanging out in a cave that is clearly sometimes used as a bar or as a party venue.

⭐️ It’s probably better to ask a local to help you here as we never found the gates on our own, but by chance stumbled upon the gatekeeper (is it chance when we actually marched up to his house?). There is a small fee to enter here.

Hiking

There is plenty of opportunity for walking and enjoying nature. I’d recommend talking to the hotel staff to find the best options for you.

Visiting Urique

misty photo into valley, winding path

🚗 It’s about a 2.5 – 3-hour drive to Urique from Cerochaui. You can take a tour there or get the local bus. which goes once a day in the late afternoon, I believe. The road is not paved, it winds around the mountains offering spectacular views but be prepared for ears to pop and for your heart to remain firmly in your mouth as you descend into the valley.

I have written a full article about Urique since we spent three days there but should you just wish to visit for one day, you’ll find that adequate. It’s a nice little place to walk around and there is a swimming pool complex at the far end of the village and the river runs behind the village. Because Urique does get tourists you’ll find a few restaurants.

⛔️ Do not expect tourist shops, or even any shops really. This is a tiny, tiny village that became famous thanks to the Caballo Blanco, the ultra-marathon and the Book ‘Born to Run‘ but other than that, there’s nothing here.

Adventure Parque, Divisadero

The Copper Canyon Adventure Park is where you’ll want to go for an adrenaline rush. It has a cable car, the world’s second longest zip-line, a zip-line adventure course, and much more. While it’s located near Divisadero, you can also reach it via car from Bahuichivo and Cerochaui.

You can read my full review of the adventure park here.

Batopilas

We had assumed we’d be able to visit Batopilas from Cerochaui. Technically it’s closer to Cerochaui than to Creel but the road between Creel and Batopilas is paved and safe whereas from Cerochaui it’s neither. Our guide from the hotel didn’t even countenance taking us, hence our not visiting.

Final notes to Bahuichivo & Cerocahui

👕 If you do stop here, it’s worth having decent walking shoes, raincoats and sweaters for the hills but then remember you’ll be in sweltering tropical valleys when you descend. It regularly snows in winter in the hills but never dips below hot hot hot in Urique! In the valleys, you’ll need mosquito repellent, suntan lotion and sunglasses.

💰 There are no cash machines in this area so come prepared with all the cash you’ll need (the last cash machine in the Copper Canyon is in Creel / El Fuerte depending on your direction of travel).

⭐️ As there are no restaurants except for at the lodges, if you are a snacker or picky eater, be sure to stop by the market before heading to Bahuichivo.



Cassie

Cassie is a British-born travel writer who lives in southern Spain. Prior to moving to Spain, Cassie and her family lived in Yucatán, Mexico for many years. Something of a self-confessed-all-round travel-nerd, Cassie has a deep love of adventure, and of learning as much as possible about every place visited. This blog is testament to that.

4 Comments

Nancie · 31/08/2018 at 9:45 pm

I’m thinking of spending some time in Mexico this winter, and I definitely want to see the Cooper Canyon. I like slow travel, too, so I’ll definitely hang out in this area for more than a day or two. Not sure I want to live without an Internet connection, so hopefully I can stay somewhere that offers wifi.

    Cassie · 31/08/2018 at 10:01 pm

    Oooh I so want to see it the canyon in the snow. If you get there let me know.

Randy king · 27/01/2019 at 2:26 pm

I love your post but am confused on stops on the train for the hotels
Rancho cabin San isidor stop on train at Cerocahui or bahuichivo.
Going from El Fuerte to Creel on regional train .

Thanks

    Cassie · 27/01/2019 at 2:28 pm

    There isn’t a stop called cerochaui. You get off at bahuichivo and drive. It’s about 15km. Hope that helps.

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