Mexico is one of the most complete adventure destinations in the world: Pico de Orizaba, North America's third-highest peak; world-class tube waves; one of the most extensive flooded cave systems on the planet; and canyons comparable in depth to the Grand Canyon. All in one country.
History
Adventure in Mexico is not new: the Mayans made offerings and performed rituals in cenotes like the one at Chichén Itzá, considered gateways to the underworld. Popocatépetl was a sacred mountain for the Nahua peoples, and in 1519 a Spanish expedition climbed it to collect sulfur for gunpowder. In the 20th century, surfing arrived on the Mexican Pacific with California surfers in the 1960s. The Barrancas del Cobre in Chihuahua became an international trekking destination when the Chepe train, inaugurated in 1961, opened access to the Barrancas del Cobre. Diving in the Mar de Cortés gained worldwide fame; the phrase 'the aquarium of the world' is attributed to Cousteau.
Top 10
The Mexican Pipeline: typical faces of 2.5 to 4.5 m (8 to 15 ft) in peak season, with sets up to about 6 m (20 ft) over a very shallow sandbar. Experts only.
North America's third-highest peak (5,636 m / 18,491 ft). Technical climb with crampons and ice axe.
Thousands of cenotes across the Yucatán Peninsula, plus some of the longest flooded cave systems on Earth.
A canyon system several times larger than the Grand Canyon. Trekking and the Chepe train, Mexico's most spectacular rail journey.
Turquoise hot springs in a canyon, plus guided rappelling in Huasca and Mineral del Chico. About 4 hours from Mexico City.
"The world's aquarium," a phrase attributed to Cousteau. Kayaking among desert islands, sea lions, whales and whale sharks in La Paz and Loreto.
El Potrero Chico (Hidalgo, Nuevo León) is northern Mexico's great limestone big-wall destination, with routes up to about 700 m. La Huasteca offers hundreds of sport routes on the outskirts of Monterrey.
Zip Rider: about 2.55 km of continuous cable, a 548 m drop, and over 100 km/h according to the operator. One of the longest ziplines in the world.
Part of the Mesoamerican Reef System, the second largest in the world. Drift diving with typical visibility of 25 to 40 m.
A boat ride of about 2 hours between walls up to ~1,000 m high, with crocodiles, spider monkeys and birds, plus rim viewpoints.
Best dates to visit
Surfing in Puerto Escondido: May to October (biggest waves). Mountaineering on Orizaba: November to March (less snow). Cenotes in Yucatán: year-round (constant temperature 24°C). Barrancas del Cobre: May to October. Diving in Cozumel: December to August (best visibility).
How to get there
For activities in Oaxaca: flights from CDMX (1 hour). Pico de Orizaba: from Veracruz city. Chihuahua for the Barrancas: direct flights from CDMX and Guadalajara. Cozumel: ferry from Playa del Carmen. Cenotes: from Mérida or Cancún by rental car.
Mexico is one of the most complete adventure destinations in the world: Pico de Orizaba, North America's third-highest peak; world-class tube waves; one of the most extensive flooded cave systems on t…
