Visiting Las Grutas de Tolantongo from Mexico City: What to Know Before You Go
Wondering how to bask in hot springs at Las Grutas de Tolantongo?
If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, chances are you’ve come across this Instagram-worthy destination somewhere on your social media feed: Las Grutas de Tolantongo.
Or, maybe you’re simply looking to mix up your Mexico City itinerary with a unique day trip. Not long ago, my sister and I spent a long weekend in Mexico City and did exactly that – dedicated one day to visiting these natural hot springs.
Even as I reflect back on the experience now to write this guide for you, I’m thinking – that was SUCH a cool experience! We’re both really glad we took this trip so if you’re considering doing the same, read on for my top tips and get a sense of what to expect.
Planning your trip? Use my go-to resources:
- Accommodations: booking.com
- Travel Insurance: SafetyWing
- Tours & Excursions: Viator
- Flights: Skyscanner
- City Pass: Go City
Quick Facts About Las Grutas de Tolantongo
First, let’s start with a high level overview:
Don’t have time to read the whole post? This is the exact tour we booked and loved, so you can book it with confidence.
What is it?
Las Grutas de Tolantongo can be considered a sort of natural waterpark for anyone looking for a unique and relaxing experience. The most common visual of the site is of crystal blue (thanks to magnesium and calcium) hot spring water in a series of cliffside pools.
But there’s even more to it – including a thermal river, suspension bridge, cave pool, gorgeous waterfalls, hiking path and zip lining.
Where are these hot springs in Mexico?
Tolantongo is part of the central Mexican state of Hidalgo. By car, it’s roughly a 3.5 to 4-hour drive from Mexico City.
How much does it cost to visit?
Full day access to the park itself, from 7:00am-8:00pm, is roughly $10 per person (200 MXN pesos). Children under 5 years of age get free admission. There are then additional costs for parking and the buses or shuttles needed to get around within the park.
Note that everything here is cash only, and credit cards will not be accepted so plan accordingly because there are no ATMs on site.
If you decide to spend the night, you’ll of course also pay for either a hotel or camping equipment (if you choose to rent).
If you’re planning to visit on your own, consult this official website for additional details including the various costs.
While taking a guided tour like we did may be more expensive in the end, it’s far more convenient and requires very little planning on your end.
Getting to Las Grutas de Tolontongo from Mexico City
You have several transportation options, with their various pros and cons. You could rent a car and drive yourself. This allows you maximum freedom. If you’re a confident driver and comfortable navigating your own way in Mexico then this could be a solid option for you.
Alternatively, you could book a taxi or private driver. This would be a more expensive ride, but still gives you more time freedom than the other options.
Public transportation is also available, and you could take a bus. While affordable, this is probably the least efficient approach and not one I’d personally recommend.
If you want to stay overnight then of course one of the above three options would make the most sense.
Finally, you could book this guided tour like my sister and I did. While it was a long day, we didn’t have to lift a finger as far as planning, navigating, etc. It was all taken care of for us and in my opinion, that’s worth a lot!
If you decide to go with the tour as well, below is an idea of what to expect.
Day Trip Overview & What to Expect
With Las Grutas de Tolantongo being an increasingly popular tourist destination, it makes sense that there are a lot of different guided day tour options to choose from. I’m one of those people who needs to thoroughly read reviews and ALL the details so I can book the BEST possible experience.
Which means that if you’re reading this, you don’t have to go through the trouble yourself (if you trust my recommendations, that is). This is the tour that I ultimately booked for my sister and myself. Now that we’ve already taken it I can recommend it with even more confidence. Truly, they thought of everything.
Here are the highlights:
The ride
We were in a large, comfortable shuttle van. Upon arrival to the meeting spot early in the morning, they handed us blankets to keep warm. As we’d been in bed under our own covers not too much earlier, this was a comforting transition!
The guide
Our local guide was polite, prepared and very on top of everything for the whole day. It was clear he knew what he was doing and where he was going at all times despite all the moving parts and locations. It was SO nice not to have to worry about anything apart from enjoying ourselves.
Food
About halfway to our destination, we stopped for a buffet breakfast (included in the price of the day trip). This was a great way to fuel up on delicious food and get to know our fellow travelers a bit. We also made an additional quick stop at a convenience store where we had the option to buy snacks.
Lunch was also organized for us. While not included in the price of the day trip, it was very affordable and we were given several options to choose from. Our guide set it all up for us, with tables and chairs near the thermal river, when it was time.
On our drive home, we made another food stop for a version of empanadas – the perfect dinner on the go since we arrived back close to 10:00 PM.
Gear & Supplies
This is taken straight from the booking website: We include small backpacks that will include a water bottle, sport towel, headlamp, cell phone water protector, toilet paper and wet wipes, and a wet clothes bag. We also provide sunscreen.
That’s right, each of us were given supplies plus had the option to rent water shoes through the tour company. How can you beat this? They made it so easy for us.
Exploring Las Grutas de Tolantongo
Right away, we first went to spend time in the iconic cliffside pools. This was as stunning as I’d expected. My sister and I spent some time dipping in and out of the different pools. The only thing that would have made it better would have been less people!
If we could have, we would have preferred to have visited during a weekday. Unfortunately, our only option based on our own travel plans was to do this day trip over the weekend.
It wasn’t super crowded by any means, but imagine having such a beautiful place more to yourself? This is one reason some people choose to spend the night at the park.
After a couple hours at the pools, our next stop was for lunch alongside the thermal river. Part of our group had opted to zip line down for an additional fee. The rest of us hopped into a shuttle, arranged for by our guide.
By the river we all sat together and our pre-ordered lunches were passed out. After that, we had time to enjoy the surrounding areas including going for a dip in the beautiful thermal river.
Even with such a long, packed day we felt relaxed at each stop along the way.
Our final stop was possibly my favorite – swimming in a cave under a beautiful waterfall. This was so cool and so fun, and I’m so glad I got to experience it all with my sister!
There was also an option to walk into a tunnel near the cave but I didn’t last as long as my sister did in there! (This is what the headlamps in our backpacks were for).
As a frequent solo traveler I would have had no qualms about going on this entire tour alone. I know I would have been able to make friends with other people in our tour group, and even to enjoy time in my own company. So if you’re a solo traveler in Mexico wanting to visit, I give this tour my stamp of approval for you, too.
What to Pack for a Day Trip to These Mexican Hot Springs
The beauty of taking the guided day tour is that we didn’t have to pack much, since they gave us a backpack full of supplies. Definitely take notes from what was included in our packs, above, if you’re planning to go alone.
Here’s a list of essentials to have:
- Cash – the entire site is cash only
- Water shoes or sandals – you can usually pick these up at a shop on a stop along the way or rent them if you book this tour. I took my waterproof hiking sandals and these worked well for me
- Towel
- Swimsuit (we arrived wearing ours)
- Change of clothes – shampoo and soap were provided by our guide and we were able to shower and change before the drive home
- Sunscreen
- Snacks – note there is also food for purchase there, everything is cash only
Where to Stay
The allure of staying overnight at the park is that you’d have the opportunity to be among the first to enjoy it, early in the day or even among the last in the evening. This could allow for a more tranquil and less crowded experience.
But spending some nights onsite isn’t as simple as booking your rooms and showing up.
There are 5 hotels on the property, but none of them accepts advance reservations! Instead, you’ll need to show up early to the park and go in person to try to secure a reservation. Like everything else at the park, this is a cash only transaction so come prepared.
What happens if you’re unable to secure a room? Well, camping on park grounds is another alternative to explore and could be a pretty cool experience if you’re up for it.
Otherwise? My next recommendation to you would be to book a night or two at a nearby hotel that is outside of the park, but much closer than driving in from Mexico City to Tolantongo.
Here are a few options:
🏨 Hotel El Rancherito
Hotel El Rancherito is located in nearby San Cristobal, and is about 7 miles (a 15-minute drive) from Tolantongo.
👉 Check prices and availability at Hotel El Rancherito
🏨 Hospedaje Tolantongo
Located in Cardonal, Hospedaje Tolantongo is approximately 16 miles away from Tolantongo.
👉 Check prices and availability at Hospedaje Tolantongo
🏨 Rá Ngu
While a bit further out, at 27 miles from Tolantongo, Rá Ngu is another option for a comfortable place to spend a couple nights.
👉 Check prices and availability at Rá Ngu
It’s important to set your expectations – these hotels are all pretty barebones. You’re paying for a convenient place to sleep at night and not much more. If you can make your peace with that, then this could be well worth it for you.
Otherwise, stick to a full day trip like we did – this was much more comfortable in my opinion!
You Might be Wondering…
As you make your plans, here are some final thoughts to keep in mind:
What is the best month to visit Grutas de Tolantongo?
The park is open year-round, and my sister and I enjoyed our visit during the month of February. If you are intent on camping there, be aware that doing so alongside the river is discouraged during rainy season (mid-June to mid-July).
Can you go to Tolantongo on your own?
Yes, you do not need to take a tour to visit the park. You can drive yourself and pay for your own park entry ticket, parking, shuttles, food and accommodations (if you choose to stay overnight). However, this guided day trip is a great alternative if you’d rather leave the planning and logistics up to local experts.
So, is a day trip to Las Grutas de Tolantongo from Mexico City worth it?
Does the destination live up to the photos you might’ve seen? I’d say, yes. From the cliffside pools and thermal river to the roaring cave swimming hole under the waterfall – all of it is an enjoyable way to spend at least a day of your Mexico trip.
Whether you do it as an overnight visit or a guided day trip like we did, this is sure to be a great travel memory from your adventures in Mexico!
