The Town of Real de Catorce is at an altitude of more than 9,000 feet. It is situated in the mountain range of Catorce, one of the highest plateaus in Mexico, with summits that exceed 10,000 feet of altitude. Silence, fresh air, and spectacular vistas are some of the features visitors can enjoy if they venture to walk the many paths of this sacred land in the heart of Mexico. Currently, Real de Catorce is in a period of transition and prosperity due to tourist promotion by the government and the popularity it has received from several Hollywood films that have been shot there. The tourist infrastructure has improved considerably in quality and quantity. However, it is only able to receive a limited number of visitors and there are no banks or “Casas de Cambio” to change money.

Its location in relation to the principal cities of the country and the unpredictable climate protect it from massive tourism and expansion that is out of proportion with the population. Nevertheless, a fair amount of foreigners, mostly European, and a few Mexicans from other states, have made Real de Catorce their home, actively contributing to the development and growth of the town. No longer a mining town, Real de Catorce maintains itself as a center for pilgrims, being the destiny and witness to many different types of pilgrimages. First, it is the point of convergence for tens of thousands of the faithful who come year after year to the Parish of the Immaculate Conception to visit the miraculous Saint Francis of Asisi, patron of the town.

Huichole Indians come from miles away to leave religious offerings at the “Cerro Quemado”, a ceremonial center to the East of their mystical religious territory, where, according to their ancestral beliefs, “Tatewarí” or Grandfather Fire was born. They also trek just a few miles below Catorce to “Wirikuta”, sometimes inappropriately called the desert, to gather their sacred nourishment, peyote or “hikuri”, the magic cactus that guides their path and consciousness. Finally, there is the pilgrimage of people of all ages and nationalities, motivated principally by Carlos Casteneda's books, who are looking for a pathway to the heart. They too travel thousands of miles to arrive at this sacred site and experience a mystical communion with the magical cactus.