We left Mazatlán and travelled north to the port town of Topolobampo (I love that word!) where we took the Chiahuahua Railway, known as El Chepe, up into the Sierra Madre mountains to visit the Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre). The train is an amazing engineering feat which winds its way from sea level to 8000 feet, crosses 37 bridges and goes through 86 tunnels as it travels through the spectacular countryside of Mexico. We loved the experience of travelling by train, watching the scenery go by while having lunch in the dining car and sticking our heads out between the rail cars. It is a much more civilized way to travel!

We disembarked the train in Barrancas and stayed for the night at the Hotel Pasada Mirador which sits perched on the very edge of the canyon. From the balcony of our room it looked like we were floating above the canyon below. The national park encompasses a series of canyons that get their name from the copper-green hue of the canyon walls.

The Copper Canyon is home to the indigenous Raramuri people who live in caves and small huts along the bluffs of the canyon which paint a sharp contrast to the luxury hotel above. The women dress in brightly colored skirts and scarves and with hands flying weave beautiful baskets in a matter of minutes that they sell to support their families. I bought 11 and wish I had bought dozens more!