The Sumidero Canyon (El Cañon del Sumidero)

Chiapas offers sites of unparallel natural wealth, contrary to other tourist destinations of great interest, this is distinguished by natural formations of rivers, lakes and the Cañón del Sumidero (drain canyon).

You can reach the State of Chiapas from Mexico City’s International Airport, with a flight to Tuxtla Gutierrez, or the bus leaving from the Bus Station West in Mexico City, and also from the State of Tabasco on the 195 and from Oaxaca on the 190.

There are currently water and terrestrial routes. The water route starts in the town of Chapa de Corzo passing through Chicoasén on boats available for visitors; the service is offered by the locals who provide a safe and enjoyable ride. The second option is accessing by road, on private cars or public transportation.

The Cañón del Sumidero National Park is very vast; limited by four municipalities: San Fernando, Nuevo Usumacinta, Chapa de Corzo and Tuxtla Gutiérrez, it has more than 21 thousand hectares with its main characteristic being the vertical cut of its walls, which safeguard a great number of species. It is predominantly a jungle and the climate is very humid.

The inclination of its walls allowed the formation of caves with wonderful waterfalls, like Árbol de Navidad (Christmas Tree), although the abundance of water depends on the season.

The same climate and water abundance sustains plants and animals like monkeys and crocodiles; birds like Papamoscas, cinco real, cuiche and chachalaca, famous for their strange sounds. There are also, in lower number, magpies, parrots, pigeons, sparrow hawks and vultures. There are also cotton tail rabbits, squirrels, white tail deer, temazates, armadillos, foxes, opossums and bats inhabiting the canyon’s caves.

All this wealth can be clearly seen from one of the five viewpoints: La Coyota, El Tepehuaje, Los Chiapas and El Roblar. It is important to select the route of arrival, if you desire to appreciate the panorama from the canyon’s depth you must arrive by water, or choose a viewpoint for enjoying its entire splendor from above.

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Artículo Producido por el Equipo Editorial Explorando México.
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Foto: Jcbmac