Read about my visit to the Rarámuri (Tarahumara) people and the state of Chihuahua where I learned about their traditions, home, food, and challenges.
Table of Contents
About This Trip
Traveling to Chihuahua had always been close to the top of my bucket list. After all, it’s my home state! I finally had an opportunity to visit the Rarámuri in Chihuahua and find out what they were all about. Specifically, what we really wanted to gain from this experience was to learn about the Rarámuri: their traditions, where they live, what they eat, their challenges… and even share a meal with them in their home!
“Yo soy del mero Chihuahua, del mineral de Parral. Y escuchen este corrido que alegre vengo a cantar. Qué bonito es Chihuahua!”
Corrido del Estado Grande de Chihuahua
If you are a runner or just like to learn more about Mexican culture in general, I highly recommend you read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Among runners this is certainly a classic book. It gives you such an appreciation for the amazing running skills of the Rarámuri people.
This was a highly anticipated trip to my home state of Chihuahua in northern México. The majority of the trip took place near the Sierra Madre Occidental, by the Barrancas del Cobre (Copper Canyon). We had a unique opportunity to visit the Rarámuri people, named “Tarahumara” by the Spaniards during the time of the Spanish rule.
Check out the full details on the logistics of this trip, including transportation, tour guides we used and lodging.
Getting There
Our trip started in my native town of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. We wanted to go for the full experience, so rather than renting a car, we took a bus from Ciudad Juárez to the city of Chihuahua and the next morning rode from there to the town of Creel on the historic El Chepe train.
Riding El Chepe is an amazing experience all by itself. It’s a relaxing, comfortable ride with a breathtaking view of the Copper Canyon. Check out my Riding El Chepe into the Copper Canyon article for all of the details of our experience riding this train!
First Rarámuri Visit Stop: Creel
Creel (pronounced “Krill”) is considered a Pueblo mágico (magic town) by Mexico’s secretary of tourism. The best way to enjoy it is by walking its small, cozy streets and by taking a tour of its great nearby natural and cultural sites. It was in one of these sites that we met with Mirta, Rosa and Margarita at the Valle de los Monjes. They were three Rarámuri girls that lived nearby and were merchants there, along with their moms. They were so nice and gracious that they agreed to pose for our pictures and even took a few selfies with us. Their warm smiles made us feel like we were part of their community.
Second Rarámuri Visit Stop: Batopilas
The next morning, we decided to venture out a bit more and hired a tour to another Pueblo mágico in Chihuahua: Batopilas. This is a remote town about 2 hours away via car filled with amazing views of the Batopilas Canyon. In this town we got to spend some time with a Rarámuri family just outside of Batopilas, near Satevó. The guide suggested us bringing some treats for the children.
When we got there the entire family came out and greeted us. There was a baby in the family of which we took a few portraits and later sent digital files back to the guide for him to print and share with them. This was a very warm, rewarding experience for us.
Third Rarámuri Visit Stop: El Divisadero
Our third memorable experience with the Rarámuri was near the town of El Divisadero, in the Huetosachi community. As part of an ecotour, which was guided by the Rarámuri themselves, we were able to join a family for an authentic breakfast, cooked by all of us! We started with grinding the corn outside, to cooking the meal in the kitchen, to finally sitting down and eating. There was a little girl named Matiana who made the experience that much more memorable. She’s a little girl who greeted us with a huge smile, and was by our side the entire time. She taught us how to knit bracelets with pine straw!
We had a great time during our visit with the Rarámuri in Chihuahua. My wish is that you also get a chance to experience it for yourself. If you are ready to make this trip your own, click the button below to get the full itinerary and trip details. If you are looking for other travel destinations check our list of itineraries.
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Hi, I’m Iván García—I love to travel and photography. I’m big on road trips, just about anywhere in the world. I share information for people to reach truly great places. My goal is to inspire you to visit these places for yourself.
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Excelentes fotos! 😍
Muchas gracias, Rox! Espero esta información te sea útil. Dime si hay algo más que te gustaría ver para que planees tu próximo viaje. Saludos y gracias por visitar nuestro blog!
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Es verdad qué bonito es, el color en su gente te hace dudar de su concepto de desierto.
¡Qué buen blog!
Este lugar te invita, pero pocos van. Afortunados a los que les toca vivirlo. ¡Orgullosamente de Chihuahua!
¡Saludos!
Great pictures and stories. What a wonderful experience !!
Thank you, Paul! Very glad you enjoyed it! I hope this type of information can help you plan a visit some day. I’d be more than happy to help you! Thanks for visiting it!
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