Sumidero Canyon
Parque Nacional (CONANP) · Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas
Sumidero Canyon is a gorge in Chiapas where the Grijalva river runs between walls that rise close to a thousand metres almost vertically out of the water, so from a boat you look up at a slot of sky. It is reached by open launch from Chiapa de Corzo, 35 kilometres downriver to the Chicoasen dam that closes the far end, in about two hours for the full run, an easy half-day trip from Tuxtla Gutierrez or San Cristobal. Crocodiles lie on the banks, spider monkeys cross overhead, herons and kingfishers work the shallows, and a mineral seep down one wall has built a formation shaped like a Christmas tree that flows properly only in the rainy season. The canyon is on the coat of arms of Chiapas and has been a national park since 1980. It also carries a great deal of plastic after heavy rain, floating in mats near the dam, and that is part of the real picture. Check current Chiapas travel advice and travel by day.
Embarcadero Cahuaré, Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, 29160, Mexico
Boats leave from the embarcaderos at Chiapa de Corzo and Cahuaré, generally from mid-morning to mid-afternoon; ⚠ LAUNCHES DEPART WHEN THEY FILL AND THE LAST DEPARTURE IS EARLIER THAN PEOPLE EXPECT - check it on arrival. The run is about two hours return. ⚠ A CONANP NATIONAL PARK FEE IS CHARGED ON TOP OF THE BOAT FARE - ask whether the quoted price includes it. ⚠ THE FIVE RIM VIEWPOINTS ABOVE TUXTLA ARE A SEPARATE VISIT BY ROAD, with their own park entry, and are the accessible way to see the canyon. ⚠ THE ÁRBOL DE NAVIDAD FORMATION ONLY FLOWS IN THE RAINY SEASON, roughly June to October - which is also when the river carries the most floating debris. ⚠ CROCODILES ARE PRESENT ON THE BANKS - stay seated in the boat. ⚠ ROAD BLOCKADES CLOSE CHIAPAS HIGHWAYS WITHOUT NOTICE, including the Tuxtla-San Cristóbal road - ask locally on the day. ⚠ HOURS AND PRICES NOT VERIFIED FOR THIS FILE.