You work at a prime brokerage, in charge of hedge fund marketing, and you are finally planning a vacation. You can afford to go anywhere in the world, but you pick Nuevo Leon. Why? Because it is the place to go for an outdoor adventure. Here are some of the activities on your itinerary:
- Canyoning: Nuevo Leon has countless options for practicing canyoning, both in and out of the water. Canyoning is a very intense outdoor activity because it includes hiking, rappelling, cliff jumping, swimming and rock climbing. What you will discover in Nuevo Leon is out-of-the-way locales with pure water and beautiful waterfalls. You can practice canyoning in places like Matacanes and Hidrofobia. Matacanes is a well-known high-adventure destination. The mountaineering course is an 8-hour downward journey with many different activities amid waterfalls, slides and caves.
- Rock Climbing & Rappelling: You can pack your own equipment or rent it at locations like Canyon de Potrero Chico, located in the tiny town of Hildago, only an hour away from Monterrey. You will find hundreds of climbing routes there, although you can always create a new one for yourself. The limestone cliffs are part of the Sierra Madres and rise up to over 2,900 feet above sea level. As a bonus, Potrero Chico features many attractive biking trails and pleasant camp sites.
- Hiking: If you are not a rabid mountain climber, perhaps a gentle to moderate hike would suit you better. One favorite hiking locale is Chipinque Ecological Park, where you can hike, bike or just stroll. There are famous hiking trails like “La Ventana” that offer stunning views of the city and the mountains. Mitras is another popular trail and offers a varied terrain. You can hike up 2,000 feet on a trail no wider than a bicycle handlebar. At the end of the trail are some interesting caves for you to explore.
- Caving/Spelunking: What fun, exploring these ancient geological structures, which include grottos, deep pits and caverns. If you’d like a 1,200-foot drop, try El Sotano De Las Golondrinas, where thousands of swallows congregate around the pit, the second deepest in Mexico. Your rappelling skills will be put to test as you frog back up to the top after your descent to the bottom. Not for the faint of heart.
So pack your mountain bike, your hiking gear and some very fine Mescal and prepare to enjoy the many wonders of outdoor Nuevo Leon.