One of the most impressive natural wonders of Mexico is located in Chiapas, about 40 miles from San Cristobal de las Casas. It is the magnificent Canyon de Sumidero. The Canyon was formed by cracks in the crust of the earth about 35 million years ago (pretty much the same time as the Grand Canyon!). Then, by the erosion caused by Rio Grijalva, a 300-mile long river, that flows south to north on the bottom of the canyon, and finally empties into Gulf of Mexico. Surrounded by breathtaking cliffs, the river is suitable for navigation of small boats and offers gorgeous scenery to visitors.
The interior of the canyon has thirty rapids, five waterfalls, three beaches and two fresh water springs.
How to Get There
The best place to stay, if you want to see the Sumidero Canyon, is San Cristobal de las Casas. You can go and see the canyon by yourself, but I recommend buying a tour. It is certainly worth it, bang for the buck. You can buy it from tour operators for as low as 250 P per person (a bit more expensive in hotels, but still, really affordable!). The tour includes the bus transfer, a 2-hour boat tour of the Canyon and some free time in the neighboring town of Chiapa de Corzo.
The Boat Ride through Sumidero Canyon
The boat operators usually do not leave until the boats are full, but we had enough people on our bus, so we didn’t have to wait. The guide only spoke Spanish, but we knew enough keywords to figure out what he was talking about. Luckily, several Mexican tourists in our boat spoke English, so they translated for us every now and then!
The walls of the Canyon have numerous small caves and rock formation, which sometimes remind me of giant faces. It’s like the rocks are alive!
The cliffs, pointing vertically into the sky, are at places as tall as 1000 meters! (1 kilometer!)
The Wildlife at Sumidero Canyon
There is abundance of wildlife: the rain forests around the canyon contain even endangered and threatened species such as the Central America river turtle and the American crocodile! There are many kinds of wild birds, including cormorants and pelicans (which is amazing, remembering how far we are from the ocean!)
The coolest example of the animal world are, without a doubt, monkeys. Be careful, and don’t let the monkeys be right above you – they are known to drop “bombs” on the heads of unassuming tourists! 🙂
Christmas Tree Waterfall
Among several waterfalls you pass by the boat, there is one that is especially interesting and uniquely beautiful. Its crystal waters fall from high above onto green, moss-covered layers of rock, which look like branches of a giant fur tree, covered with sparkling icicle ornaments. It’s no wonder that people call it the Christmas Tree waterfall. The boat slowly comes close to it and you can feel the spray on your face!
The highlight of the trip became a small altar of Our Lady of Guadalupe (the most worshiped and recognized in Mexico), hidden in a cave. What a magical sight, surrounded by rocks that, due to various mineral deposits, shimmer with different shades of pink…
Chicoasen Dam
At the farthest point of the trip the boat arrives into the reservoir of the Manuel Moreno Torres hydroelectric dam. It is also known as Chicoasen Dam. Another boat is already waiting there, selling beer, water and snacks – smart! On the way back, just relax and enjoy the ride…
The Ugly Side of Sumidero Canyon
What a beautiful place, right? Breathtaking cliffs, abundant wildlife, magical waterfalls…. What an unforgettable feeling of awe and wonderment. However, not everything in this spectacular nature paradise is so rosy… There is an ugly side to this beauty. Many people hesitate to write about it, because they don’t want to spoil the impression. But truthfully, the more people know about it, the more can be done to help the situation….
Halfway into the trip, before making another turn around a river bend, our guide said with a sigh: “and now I am gonna show you something we are ashamed of…” And the panorama, opening before our eyes almost made us cry: trash, tons of trash…
This pollution is a big problem for the Canyon. At least fifteen to seventeen municipalities of Chiapas send their waste waters into Rio Grijalva. Agricultural and chemical waste finds its way down the streams as well, poisoning the fish, necessary for survival of so many animals.
All this garbage, due to the currents and narrowness of some parts of the river, gathers in one particular spot and lies there,stagnant and rotting.
The worst of it is plastic that people irresponsibly throw on the ground around the banks of Rio Grijalva tributaries, which, especially during the rainy season, is carried by the swollen streams right into the river. It hurts not only the ecosystem, but also tourism, where disappointed people remember the Sumidero Canyon as Basurero (trash can in Spanish) Canyon, a name that no nature preserve wants to acquire.
The authorities say that each year they extract as much as five soccer fields of garbage, including plastic, oil cans, and even discarded home appliances! According to Latin America Institute, especially at the end of rainy season, Federal and Chiapas state authorities organize a major cleanup, allocating about 1.5 million pesos for the operation.
Local volunteers, citizens and operators of tour boats are trying to help as well. We witnessed a couple of boats with crews picking up plastic. Part of the money from the tour rides, like ours, help with the effort. However, it doesn’t seem to even put a dent in the quantity of trash. And if it is not sufficient, what else can be done?
In spite of the unfortunate problem, the Sumidero Canyon remains among the most glorious natural wonders we’ve ever seen. Its idyllic beauty and the struggle it faces should be our constant reminder to think about our planet, to be conscious about our trash and to preserve the fragile balance of nature. Is it worth the effort, what do you think? ☮❤
