DURANGO

 

Located in Mexico?s northern region, Durango?s climate is dry throughout most of the year and rainy in the summer. This state has a cultural heritage of strong traditions and excellent cuisine. It also offers many magnificent natural environments. The mountain areas and deserts are ideal for outdoor activities like hiking; at such reserves as Michilia and Mapimi you can observe diverse flora and fauna. In the mysterious Zona del Silencio, many visitors swear that they have had paranormal experiences and sensed other strange phenomena. Nearby, in the caverns of the Sierra del Rosario and at the so-called Espinazo del Diablo, you can go cave diving. At Saltito, you can go camping beside a spectacular waterfall with a 20-meter (66-foot) drop, while at the Guadalupe Victoria Dam, you can go fishing in the middle of a forest.

 

The city of Durango, the state capital, has beautiful civic and religious buildings, such as the Cathedral, the Templo de Santa Ana and the Casa del Conde de Suchil. Here you can also attend the Durango National Fair, an important event that commemorates the city?s founding with regional dance, as well as polka and rondalla music. At the markets, you can buy traditional crafts such as ceramics, wool garments, embroidered items and various products made of vegetable fibers by the Tepehuano Indians.

 

In Durango?s surrounding areas, you can visit the town of Chupaderos, which was a famous film location site for Hollywood westerns.