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Sumidero Canyon Mar 04

This park is located in the towns of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapa de Corzo, Nuevo Usumacinta and San Fernando in the state of Chiapas. It was declared National park on 1980 and it has an area of 21.789 hectares. Its canyon walls and forest vegetation goes up to 1000 meters in height, allowing the presence of micro-environments with different climates of the region.

There are different versions about the size of the canyon, in the case of the length varies from 13 to 22 km, depending on what is taken as the start and end points and the height varies between 700 and 1400 m.

It can be admired by land, only 23 km from the city center, with 5 viewpoints which are La Ceiba, El Coyote, El Tepehuaje, El Roblar and Los Chiapa, or for an exciting river route, starting from the pier in Chiapa de Corzo which is located 15 km from Tuxtla Gutierrez. This trip takes 2.5 hours during which it can appreciate many caves, waterfalls and finally appreciate the majesty of the dam Manuel Moreno Torres or Chicoasén.

This is a journey through one of the most spectacular places of Mexico and deep meaning for Chiapans. The importance is due to the battle between the Spanish and Chiapans, which led to the legend that the Indians preferred to go to the depths of the canyon rather than be subjugated by the invaders.

Traverse the canyon requires a careful sense of observation as the interest not only in the geological formation but also the fauna, flora and archeology. From a geological point of view, those are a series of graves where the water has eroded over time. Its current form began modeling for at least 12 million years.

Throughout the Canyon, it is possible to assess the sedimentary strata that form its walls, caves and waterfalls that have marked his stony form derived from the dissolution of the limestone. Most of the falls are temporary, and among them there is the one known as the “Christmas Tree”.

The vegetation is rich and varies with the humidity, sun exposure and soil type. As for wildlife, birds are plentiful but you can also get to see some samples of monkeys and crocodiles. At the entrance of the canyon, hidden among the trees, lie the remains of a ceremonial center dedicated to Mandanda, perhaps, the goddess of water, which was possibly one of the scenarios of conquest.

The unique features of this environment, have allowed in the river and its deep waters, to develop ecotourism activities, adventure and fun. It is the perfect place for climbers and for bird watchers who find rare species here. A more attractive alternative for activities such as abseiling, mountain biking and zip-lining, is the Eco Tourist Park of Sumidero Canyon, created in 2003. It is a development that has a jungle surrounded by high rock walls, at the top of the glen is the Zip-lining and at the bottom, the pier where is possible to practice kayak also.

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