Traditional events in Mexico

Ultra Caballo Blanco - EQUINOX - DAY OF THE DEAD

Unique experiences

Culture Sport events Peculiar

Other countries other customs

This also applies in Mexico! For example, the reaction in Mexico contrary to other countries customs, the "Day of the Dead - Día de los Muertos" is a happy festival with music, special sweets and costumes. While marathon runners wear branded shoes and sophisticated equipment, Raramuris run an ultramarathon barefoot, in sandals or in handmade huarache shoes. Even the ancient Mayans and Aztecs performed their rituals in a special way, such as at the equinox where to this day Chichén Itzá continues to amaze the public with this event. * We know when and where the most interesting events are taking place in Mexico, let us take you to see them!

Experience the equinox at Chichén Itzá - the day when the feathered serpent crawls down. Equinox are the two days of the year on which day and night are exactly the same length and, thus, indicate the transition from winter to spring or from summer to autumn. The ruins of Chichén Itzá offer a very special spectacle to experience this moment. Every year, when the sun goes down around 4 p.m., the same show starts at the Kukulcán pyramid.

A play of light and shadow between the sun and the nine pyramid levels projects a bright zigzag band onto the outside of the pyramid stairs. It gradually migrates downwards and then unites for a brief moment with the stone snake head at the foot of the pyramid. This creates the visual impression that the snake would slide down the steps of the place of worship. * It is said that this moment releases energy and in fact many people fall on their knees and spread their arms to absorb as much energy as possible.

Day of the Dead “Día de Los Muertos” is one of the most important holidays in Mexico. According to legend, on the day of the dead, the angels of the deceased come to visit their relatives. The Day of the Dead is not a mourning event, but a colorful folk festival. It is celebrated with music, dance and good food. Each family builds an altar in their homes with flowers, photos and personal belongings of the deceased relatives. Their favorite dishes are prepared and their favorite music is listened too.

Offerings or altars can be found not only in the home of relatives, but also in the cemeteries, where huge altars are built to honor famous people. In the cities, streets and shops are decorated with flowers as a symbol of permanence. Everywhere in the shop windows you can see skeletons and skulls made of chocolate, amaranth or marzipan. * In Mexico, death is not seen as the end of life, but as a transition phase to another phase of life.

This legendary Ultra Marathon goes over 80 kilometers along the bottom of the Urique Canyon and is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque marathons in the world. The start is in the town of Urique, which at the highest points extends up to 1,800 meters. This Canyon is the deepest and most extensive in the Sierra Tarahumara. Over 800 runners from various regions of Mexico and from all over the world gather at the Plaza in Urique to take an unforgettable adventure where they will run alongside the Rarámuris Indigenous, host of the event. Another important event is the UMCB children's race "La Carrera de los Caballitos" that takes place the day before the UMCB race. Many Tarahumara children take part in short races. This children's event is a wonderful tradition as the next generation of runners prepare for future marathons.

Rarámuri means “with light feet”: the name already shows that the Tarahumaras culture revolves around the joy of running. The mountains of the Sierra Madre have always forced the Rarámuris to walk a lot and over time they have developed endurance and the ability to travel very long distances in rugged places. Even today there are Rarámuris that run up to 170 km. The first Ultra Marathon Caballo Blanco was organised in March 2003 by Michael Randall Hickman better known to the Rarámuris as Micah True. Wich in the Rarámuri language means White Horse “Caballo Blanco”. Athletes from around the world who participate in the Ultra Marathon support local Rarámuris families. * The UMCB has an incredible history and is considered a marathon in which every athlete should participate.

The Monarch Butterfly is a spectacular event that is repeated itself year after year: Millions of orange butterflies fly from the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, 4,500 kilometers away, to the forested Mexican highlands to hibernate. The beautiful monarch butterflies have an important function for ecological balance as pollinators and are characterized by a high life expectancy for butterflies: they reach the age of about 9 months. The wings have an easily recognizable orange-black pattern with a wingspan of 8 to 12 cm.

At dawn, Monarch butterflies gather in large flocks and rise like golden clouds in the sky. You can see them crossing freeways and fluttering up steep mountain slopes. They spend the hottest part of the day on the moist soils of the forest. The best time to see them is on a warm, sunny afternoon when they cover the floor like a shiny carpet. * Amapa Tours shows you the best places where you can experience this spectacle in the middle of beautiful nature. * The monarch butterfly biosphere reserve has been one of the four natural beauties recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008.

Sports events in the Sierra Tarahumara

Numerous sporting events take place in the Copper Canyon each year. The Marathons that are carried out with the indigenous Tarahumara in the spectacular landscape of the Copper Canyon are an unforgettable experience for each participant. Amapa Tours offers different trips to be part of one of these impressive events. Dates of the next events:

Comanche Trail Run 19 February 2023

Place: Belisario Dominguez
Ultra Marathon Caballo Blanco 05 March 2023

Place: Urique
El Ultimo Atleta de Pie (Ultra Marathon) 25 March 2023

Place: Rosales
Copper Canyon Trail 02 Abril 2023

Place: Urique
Medio Marathon Arriba Chihuahua 16 April 2023

Place: Chihuahua
Ruta Manzanazo 04 May 2023

Place: Cuauhtémoc
Portales Trail Run 28 May 2023

Place: Cuauhtémoc
Camargo Trail Run 25 June 2023

Place: Camargo
Ruta del Cuervo 30 June 2023

Place: Boycona
Medio Marathon Santa Isabel 02 July 2023

Place: Santa Isabel
Ultra Marathon de Cañones 07 July 2023

Place: Guachochi
Ruta Sierra Tarahumara "RST23" 26 July 2023

Place: Guachochi
Ultra Marathon Cusi Trail Run 30 July 2023

Place: Cusihuiriachi
Tarahumara Vip 02 August 2023

Place: Guachochi
Picacho Trail Run 06 August 2023

Place: Aldama
Ruta de la Manzana "Ruta con Causa" 11 August 2023

Place: Guerrero
Ruta del Venado 17 August 2023

Place: Madera
La Barranquita Creel UT & Trail (Ultra Marathon) 19 August 2023

Place: Boycona
Ruta del Hongo 24 August 2023

Place: Boycona
Ruta 3 Culturas 31 August 2023

Place: Cuahutemoc
Trail Run Zona del Silencio 03 September 2023

Place: Jimenez
Ruta el Carretazo 09 September 2023

Place: Gran Morelos
RBC Ruta Barrancas del Cobre 14 September 2023

Place: Several places
Basaseachi Ruta de Independencia 15 September 2023

Place: Ocampo
Sendero de los Mustangs Ultra Trail 16 September 2023

Place: Chihuahua
Ruta Villista 22 September 2023

Place: Parral
Nonoava Trail Run 24 September 2023

Place: Nonoava
Ruta Extrema Balleza 30 September 2023

Place: Balleza
Santa Barbara Old Town Trail "Ultra Marathon" 22 October 2023

Place: Santa Barbara
Festival Cultural Andrés Lara 29 October 2023

Place:Urique
10K Namúrachi 12 November 2023

Place:San Francisco de Borja
Meoqui Trail Run (Ultra Marathon) 26 November 2023

Place:Meoqui