OUR TEAM...THE BEST & MOST EXPERIENCED FOR SMALL GROUP TRIPS IN MEXICO.

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Contact Info     Welcome! This site is full of current info on our small group Mexico trips--including Copper Canyon, Oaxaca for day of the Dead, wine trips , monarchs and more. If you have a question or need help on trips, contact Dave today at 217.369.9897 or davehensleigh@gmail.com.

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Copper Canyon Train at Temoris, Chihuahua, Mexico.

The Copper Canyon train rounds the great bridge at Temoris along the Copper Canyon train line

The Most Fascinating in Copper Canyon Trips

Our purpose is to provide a genuine “real Mexico” experience for you that enriches your life and the lives of our friends in Mexico.
We accomplish this all over Mexico–and especially Copper Canyon– by keeping our groups small and being sure your trip is local, excellent and in touch with the culture and customs of the Copper Canyon area. We take you to real rural Mexico and our trademark is to walk the streets, experience the land, slip into a local place, and truly appreciate the Sierra Madre vibe.

We Invest in the People of Copper Canyon

Raramuri girl

Young Raramuri woman in Copper Canyon

 

 

 

 

 

At Authentic Copper Canyon, we are committed to making a difference in helping meet the basic needs of the people of Copper Canyon. 10% of our profit goes directly to needs there and our current target is Friends of Copper Canyon (FOCC). FOCC serves the needs of the people there as times change.

Recently our “Copper Canyon Chicken Project” supplied needed young laying hens to families in the heart of Copper Canyon.

What exactly can I expect on my Authentic Copper Canyon train trip?

Hiking in Copper Canyon

 

A typical day includes 2-4 hours rolling along on the train, some time to explore at our destination, and always something memorable…like visiting a Tarahumara village, taking a short hike to a beautiful vista point overlooking the canyon, exploring a genuine Mexican market, etc.

  • The food is awesome…come hungry and be ready to try some new dishes.
  • There is always plenty of time for visiting with the locals or exploring the landscape.
  • The train is fun…you can lean out the window and gawk at the knock-out views or hang out in the dining car and try your Spanish or relax in your seat and visit or whatever!
  • We value spontaneity, fun, and sometimes the itinerary flexes a bit.
  • Each of our adventures will be safe, well-planned, memorable, and most of all an authentic experience.
  • When you book one of our trips to Copper Canyon, you can look forward to an adventure of a lifetime!

Join us to be part of this Authentic Copper Canyon experience. It will make a difference in your life and in the lives of the people of Copper Canyon.

The great Gallego overlook in Copper Canyon , Mexico--near Urique, site of the Copper Canyon Ultramarathon.

A recent Authentic Copper Canyon group(above Urique) relaxing with Dave high above Copper Canyon.

Dave Hensleigh and his team in Copper Canyon

People enjoy riding the rails through this vast land with Dave Hensleigh, and with his team of experts! His experience, his keen insight on the land and culture of the country, his unbridled passion for the experience there- all of this combines to make him the best at designing rich travel experiences to the Sierra Madres- as well as other areas of Mexico.

Roots:

Dave hails from rural roots in Eastern Kansas and was educated in the Midwest and Texas, earning an undergrad in Math and a Masters in Biology. All through his youth, the trails, mountains, grasslands and wild places of the Midwest and West were his haunt. One summer in college was spent roaming Yosemite, and since, backpacking the Sierras has been a hobby.

Experience:

For thirty years, Dave has been leading groups of people on trips and adventures and his cumulative experience in this work is vast. Several years ago he connected with Copper Canyon, fell in love with the place and its people, and immersed himself in the Sierra Madre culture. Then other parts of interior Mexico have become a part of the Authentic Mexico Travel family.

 Vision:

He started Authentic Copper Canyon with a vision to give curious travelers a vivid experience in the true life of Copper and its people- not simply a vacation or resort experience. Recently, writers traveling with Dave on the train referred to him as a “relationship machine.”  No one on the train is a stranger and he has friendships up and down the canyon. Dave is curious and loves to facilitate the serendipitous journeys for which Authentic Copper Canyon is famous.

 The Team:

Dave has assembled a team of guides and providers in the Sierra Madres that work together to provide vivid, safe and memorable experiences for each guest. This articulate group are experts on  the history, wildlife, and lore of the Copper Canyon region.

 Welcome Aboard!

Travel with Authentic Copper Canyon for just a day and you will know the place more deeply, you will meet and enjoy some new Mexican friends…and your life will be enriched.

Raramuri baby in Copper Canyon.

Tarahumara baby wrapped up tight in Copper Canyon