Guachochi

Guachochi is a city of 15,000 people (2010) in the southwestern part of Chihuahua state. If you are interested in indigenous cultures, you'll want to vist Guachochi to experience and learn about the reclusive Tarahumara people. Guachochi is designated as one of Mexico's Pueblos Mágicos.

Rustic lodge in Guachochi

Understand

Guachochi (meaning "Place of Herons" in the Tarahumara language) is in the Sierra Madre Occidental. It is the main urban settlement and seat of the municipality of the same name, one of the most important in the territory of the Tarahumara or Raramuri nation in the center of the Sierra Tarahumara.

Climate

Summers are slightly warm and rainy in the months of July and August, mainly. Winters are cold with 130 frosts on average and snowfall from November to March.

Get in

By bus

There are daily departures from Chihuahua (7 hr) via Creel (2½ hr) and from Hidalgo del Parral (3½ hr). These services are provided by comfortable modern coaches, but considered local service, so not listed on the internet site nor accepts reservation. So, for detailed schedule you need to inquire locally. (as of 2014, two departure from Creel, 11:45 and 16:45 continued from Chihuahua, M$150 (pesos))

By car

All-paved, smooth Highway 20 connects Guachochi to Hidalgo del Parral. The Highway 25 to Creel is also all-paved, spectacular trip going up and down into deep canyon.

By air

Guachochi has an airport with paved runway and modern terminal, but has no scheduled service. There is an air-taxi service and sightseeing flights in small planes or helicopters to the spectacular Sinforosa Canyon.

• 1 Aero Jomacha, Guachochi, ☏ +52 649 543 1022. Small private airport handles light planes and helicopters. 

Get around

The town is small enough to walk around. The sitio taxis are available in town centre to get to the viewpoint of Sinforosa, 18 km south of town. But better yet, make friends with nice town people who love to show you around.

See

• Lago las Garzas - Urban park centered in a lake. Boat rentals.
• Cascada el Salto - Series of waterfalls within easy 10 minutes walk from downtown.
• Sinforosa Canyon - Known as "The Queen of the Canyon" is 18 km south of Guachochi, with a depth of 1830 meters. One of the most spectacular canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara, with its many waterfalls. Sinforosa Canyon can be explored by walking its bottom following the more rugged and spectacular part. This is one of the most impressive runs of the Sierra Tarahumara.

Do

• Zipline - Spanning over Salto waterfall. (out of service as of June 2014)
• Hike down Sinforosa - considering there is no tourist facilities in the canyon, this is challenging overnight trip. Hiring a local guide is recommended.
• Run down the canyon - Every year in the months of July or August, Ultramarathon Guachochi Canyons, with 100 km route that includes the descent and ascent Sinforosa Canyon, takes place. This annual event brings hundreds of athletes and spectators.

Buy

Several small stores around the town square sell local handicrafts. Scotiabank is the only bank in the city.

Eat

• Gorditas Charras, Calle 20 de Noviembre and Francisco M. Plancarte, ☏ +52 649 543-22-16. Place for gorditas, burritos, burgers and breakfast. Popular with locals. 
• Restaurant La Casona, Calle Allende #4 (in front of Lago las Garzas). Good atmosphere and location. Steaks, tacos, salads, and breakfast for reasonable price. 
• Los Adobes, 20 de Noviembre and Pascual Orozco, ☏ +52 649 54 3 06 29. Upscale restaurant. Good place for locally grown trout and steaks 

Sleep

• Casa de Huespedes El Meson (Dona Lucha), Calle Agustin Melgar 306 (one block north-east of Scotiabank), ☏ +52 649 543 0132. Small and homely guesthouse run by friendly lady, Lucha, will welcome you like you are a part of her family. From M$180. 
• Hotel la Roca, Abraham Gonzalez and 20 de Nov, Centro, ☏ +52 649 543-0110. Motel style accommodation. Clean rooms. M$300. 
• Hotel Melina, Belisario Domínguez No. 14 (in downtown), ☏ +52 649 543-0340. The most upscale hotel. Well appointed. On-site restaurant. They also have cabins just outside of the city. From M$450. 
• 1 Hotel El Aliviane, Zacatepec 6-15, Altavista, ☏ +52 649 543 0227. Dining room with wood fireplace. Wifi in rooms. (updated Dec 2020)

Connect

As of 2023, 4G service is available in the town of Guachochi, but dead zones are a near certainty when you get out to see the canyons and remote natural areas.

Go next

There are many small Tarahumara or Raramuri communities scattered around the area. One of them is the town of Tónachi, about 30 km northwest of the Guachochi, for its old mission of San Juan Bautista built in 1752, and nearby waterfalls of Salto Chico and Salto Grande.

• Copper Canyon
• Batopilas