Abseiling is one of the most extreme and dangerous activities practiced by men and women around the world and at the same time one of the most exciting. To practice it, you need vertical surfaces that are difficult to descend and Mexico is full of them.
Let’s get to know the 15 places in the Central American country that guarantee adrenaline and spectacular landscapes, in the practice of abseiling. Let’s get started!
1. Basement of the Swallows, San Luis PotosÃ
Vertical cavern more than 500 meters deep, perfect for rappelling, whose 200-meter drop is only for professionals.
The Sótano de las golondrinas is a natural monument in Aquismón, San Luis PotosÃ, which goes from 60 meters wide on the surface until it reaches a bottom where 3 soccer fields could fit.
2. Copper Canyon, Chihuahua
The Copper Canyon, in Chihuahua, has magnificent rock walls for rappelling and climbing. Its depths and widths exceed those of the imposing Grand Canyon of Colorado, in the United States.
The Copper Canyon, as it is also known, is a paradise for adventure sports as you can also practice rafting, canyoning, mountain biking, zip lines, zip riding and horseback riding.
Its spectacular views are another invitation to visit this natural gift of the Sierra Tarahumara, where you will also find bridges and a very vertiginous cable car.
Take part in the tours organized by the Barrancas del Cobre Adventure Park, which include a rock descent of almost 50 meters.
3. El Chico National Park, Hidalgo
El Chico National Park has mountains with peaks over 3,000 meters above sea level (masl), such as Las Ventanas, Súmate and Peña del Cuervo. It has more than 300 rock formations with heights between 2,200 and 3,100 meters above sea level, excellent for rappelling, climbing and mountaineering.
The views from this park in the mountain corridor of the Sierra de Pachuca, in the state of Hidalgo, are fantastic. In the distance you can see the red roofs of the “Magic Town” of Mineral del Chico.
4. Sima de las Cotorras, Chiapas
Depression 140 and 160 meters deep and in diameter, respectively, in the El Ocote biosphere reserve. Its name is due to the thousands of parrots that inhabit it.
There is an ecotourism center run by a Zoque community, which organizes activities such as rappelling, tours to see the cave paintings and exploration of the caves.
The El Ocote reserve is a virtually untouched natural beauty with dense jungle and huge trees.
5. Rappel in the Huasteca Canyon in Monterrey, Nuevo León
The Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, in the Sierra Madre Oriental, has canyons, such as the Huasteca canyon and spectacular mountain formations at more than 2,000 meters above sea level. Inside is the Chipinque Ecological Park, ideal for rappelling, climbing, hiking and mountaineering.
6. La Rumorosa, Baja California
Natural area with gradients from 15 meters ideal for abseiling for beginners. It is in the highest part of the highway between Mexicali and Tecate.
Its archaeological zone, El Vallecito, is a site with caves with 18 sets of cave paintings known as El Diablillo, El Tiburón and El Hombre Raraizado.
7. Tamul Waterfall, San Luis Potosi
Another beautiful gift of nature also in the San Luis Potosà municipality of Aquismón. It has a 105 meter high waterfall, the longest in the state of San Luis PotosÃ.
Going down the “Joya de la Huasteca” is an unforgettable experience of adrenaline and a dreamlike landscape.
La Cueva del Agua, a cenote that can be reached by canoe through the canyon of the Santa MarÃa River and whose waters form the waterfall, is another great tourist and adventure attraction.
8. Copoya Plateau, Chiapas
Imposing mass of limestone perfect for different degrees of difficulty in rappelling and climbing. It is a natural work of 50 descent routes with areas for experts and beginners. It is near the Chiapas city of Tuxtla Gutiérrez.
9. Jalcomulco, Veracruz
In this Veracruz municipality you can practice abseiling down vertical walls and other adventure sports. The operator, Adventure Team, offers the accompaniment of an expert guide.
Rafting through the rapids of the La Antigua river, one of the best currents in Mexico for rafting, is another exciting activity to practice.
Jalcomulco is in the central part of the state, just 30 km from Xalapa.
10. Rappelling in the cenotes near Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
The Riviera Maya is rich in beauty and places to adventure. From Playa del Carmen you can go to the Cenote de la Vida that awaits with a slope of 21 meters for the rappel.
Cueva Nueva Vida, near the border between Quintana Roo and Yucatán, is another place for this extreme sport that includes a 1.5 km hike along an open jungle trail.
11. Tapalpa, Jalisco
Near Tapalpa, in Jalisco, there are good places for rappelling. The people of Ekopark Tapalpa will take you to the best natural cliffs so that you can enjoy the pleasure of this sport. Learn more about the operator here.
The Ekopark has 9 dizzying zip lines, one of which is 300 meters long and reaches 50 km per hour. It also offers climbing, hiking and cycling.
12. Atlihuetzia, Tlaxcala
In the town you will also find the ex-Convent of Santa MarÃa de la Concepción, an architectural jewel of the sanctuary of the Niños Mártires de Tlaxcala.
13. Heaven, Tamaulipas
El Cielo Biosphere Reserve is a biosphere reserve in the state of Tamaulipas with rivers, trails, forests, and rocky mountains for kayaking, hiking, horseback riding, biking, zip-lining, climbing, and rappelling.
This extension of 144 thousand hectares in the Sierra Madre Oriental is one of the Natural Wonders of Mexico and a paradise for observers of natural life.
14. Peña de Atécuaro in Morelia, Michoacán
In the mountains that surround Morelia, beautiful places await to rappel and at the same time admire the landscape. The operator Ecokarani organizes excursions along 3 routes:
1. Atécuaro: with sites to descend between 20 and 30 meters high.
2. El Salto: it is in the middle of a forest. Its rappel point has a 40 meter waterfall.
3. La Escalera: abseiling is practiced on a 50 meter high rock wall that is part of a canyon.
15. Huatulco, Oaxaca
Santa MarÃa Huatulco, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur, has perfect areas for practicing adventure sports.
La Bocana, the area where the Copalita River and the Pacific Ocean meet, has a 35-meter rocky wall perfect for rappelling and climbing.
Sign up for the excursions organized by the operator Huatulco Expediciones that include rafting and zip-lining. Learn more here.
Adventure and rappel
Practice rappelling as a beginner or professional in any of these 15 locations in Mexico. Do it responsibly so that your life is never at risk. It is an adventure sport, not a game.
