Wild Expeditions
$50.00 USD discount per person for Nevado de Colima tour and South flank of the Colima Volcano if departing from Colima City!
Volcano Tours
These tours
are available for those who are interested in the
geology, current eruptive activity, and volcanic risk of the 12,000 foot high Colima Volcano, one of
the most active volcanoes in North America. Don't miss this opportunity, Colima Volcano exhibits one of the
best volcano-avalanche deposits in North America and a series of well-defined pyroclastic
deposits.
Recent lava flows can be visited on request
and a detailed description of the risks
associated with expected future explosive activity will be explained. A trip to
the summit of the adjacent Nevado de Colima allows for excellent views of the
crater area of Colima Volcano (weather permitting). Local Volcanologist Juan-Carlos Gavilanes Ruiz (Discovery Travel & Living – Volcanic Vacations) will
be invited to explain the volcanic risk and hazards of Colima Volcano, the most
active volcano of North America.
West face of Colima Volcano (Bolboyon private reserve): Lahar deposits
(water saturated debris flows that rush down the canyons that descend the
volcano) in Barranca de la Lumbre and Barranca de San Antonio. Volcanic risk for
the town of La Becerrera. Excellent views of the west face of the volcano and
the caldera of the Paleovolcan de Fuego. Well preserved montane cloud forest. USD $150.00 per person.
South
flank of Colima Volcano. Excellent photographic opportunities of recent lava
flows, block and ash flows, pyroclastic flow deposits. We will be in front of "los
hijos del volcán" which are a series of lava domes whose geology is still not
fully understood. USD $150.00 per person.
East
face of Colima Volcano. Spectacular views (weather permitting) of the summit
of Colima Volcano, "El Volcancito" a parasitic vent, and the summit of adjacent
Nevado de Colima (extinct). Good views of recent lava flows and explanation of
volcanic risk from pyroclastic flows. Study of ash and pyroclastic flow
deposits. Visit to the quaint mountain town of Tonila.
USD $150.00 per person.
Summit of Nevado de
Colima Volcano (extinct) f
or excellent views of the summit of Colima
Volcano. Explanation of eruptive centers and flank collapse (caldera formation)
on Nevado de Colima. USD $175.00 per person. As
Nevado de Colima is some distance from Manzanillo, consider an overnight stay at
the picturesque town of Ciudad Guzman. Enquire about this opportunity.
Cerro Grande. 
This
is the massive mountain that rises in the middle of the state with almost
vertical sides and with a prolonged flat summit at 2,000 metres a.s.l. It is
historically interesting as an American company extracted timber from the
summit, building a steam engine railway that edged it’s way up the south-eastern
slopes and is today an access road to the village of Campo Cuatro (the 4th
camp of the timber workers). The mountain was also the hideout for the infamous
“Indio Alonso”, a bandit that terrorized Colima at the beginning of the last Century. He
finally had his head cut-off by the very woman that he kidnapped and held
hostage in a cave near to the “Piedra de Juluapan” (Juluapan Pinnacle).
The mountain is in fact a massive block
of limestone and as such is riddled with deep vertical shafts reminiscent of
swiss cheese. During the dry season, there is no natural freshwater available to
animals on the mountain so that supplying pools of freshwater attracts a
multitude of wildlife, especially birds. Our base is the ranch of the Ursua
family, a 333 hectare private reserve dedicated to the conservation of wildlife
and located within the Manantlan Biosphere Reserve.
The mountain is floristically fascinating with rare species of cacti and a forest reminiscent of the teak forests of northern India. Mountain Lion regularly visit the ranch leaving tracks that often pass right next to the ranch houses, and, the almost inaccessible escarpments at the southern limits of the ranch are ideal habitat for the elusive and endangered Jaguar.
Your guide, Dr. Andrew Burton, has a long-standing interest in the biology of big cats and is attempting to determine the numbers and status of Jaguar and Mountain Lion inhabiting Cerro Grande and other nearby mountains within the State of Colima. During your visit you will participate in animal tracking, not only of the two big cats, but also of other species such as Javelina, White-tailed Deer, Margay, Ocelot, Coatimundi, and Ring-tailed Cat (actually not a cat at all but related to the Coatimundis). Although it is virtually impossible to sight an individual Mountain Lion or Jaguar because of the persecution that they have suffered from unsympathetic ranchers, you will however, be taught how to follow their tracks and look for other signs such as scrapes, scats, and claw marks on trees. Our objective is to bring tourists to this beautiful location thereby promoting sustainable tourism and conservation in the region. At this time we are offering day trips, however, we aim to offer overnight and longer stays in the near future. Enquire for details about this option. USD $150.00 per person.