“There’s no such thing as a specific authenticity to what Mexico is, because Mexico is incredibly complex and varied, and the food is completely different if you travel 50 kilometers. It just changes all the time.” – Gael Garcia Bernal
It’s just impossible to hear the word “Mexico” without immediately picturing pristine beaches, a thriving street food scene, taco food trucks, and artisans creating regional marvels. The beach resorts and the altiplano in the country’s centre are major hubs of the tourism industry. It is becoming one of the major tourist attractions in the world.
Allow me to introduce you to an off-beat and completely surreal place to visit in Mexico. ‘Grutas de Tolantongo’ is the hidden gem among the diverse destinations of Mexico. Las Grutas de Tolantongo is the most spectacular Mexican hot springs spot and a favourite spot for dreamy Instagram pictures.
About a 4-hour drive from Mexico City, Las Grutas de Tolantongo is situated in the Tolantongo Canyon in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. The vast park has a river, waterfalls, and natural pools.
The Tolantongo Caves are a genuine natural haven tucked away in Mexico’s stunning Sierra de Hidalgo mountains.
This post covers all the information you need to know about visiting Mexico’s breathtaking Grutas Tolantongo. The renowned Tolantongo hot springs and caves await your exploration.
Comencemos Ahora!
Las Grutas Tolantongo: What is it?
One of Mexico’s best-kept secrets, to put it briefly.
To put it in more detail, Grutas Tolantongo is a stunning body of water. It is one of the top day trips from Mexico City and is around four hours away. Also, one of Mexico’s top Instagrammable locations is Tolantongo.
The entrance to this remarkable and extraordinary collection of hot springs and natural caverns is concealed under the falls and is spread across a magnificent canyon. There is plenty to be discovered in this mysterious location, which is made up of thousands of stalactites and stalagmites.
The river flows over rocks to form a succession of miniature waterfalls that create natural pools with medicinal properties. The river waters are crystal blue and reach a temperature of 90°F. Visitors to these thermal pools can benefit from the particular mud that is dumped along the river banks in terms of their health.
The Aztec word ‘Tonaltonko’, which means “where it feels warm” is the root of the word Tolantongo. The water at Tolantongo is consistently warm, as the name suggests.
There is a cave here, which is what the term “Gruta” (or “grotto”) denotes. The pools, the river, the tunnel, and of course the cave make up the vast Tolantongo site’s four separate natural habitats.
It takes about thirty minutes to walk to the “Parayso” , a region made mostly of little ponds. The river’s thermal water supplies its connected pools, which provide a direct view of the mountains and one of Mexico’s most stunning vistas.
Additionally, there are hotels, camps, about 10 restaurants, convenience stores, lockers, medical treatment facilities, a zip line, a suspension bridge, normal swimming pools, and more on-site. It is a sizable city.
Location of Tolantongo Grutas
Tolantongo Grutas is located in Mezquital Canyon, 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) above sea level, high in the Rockies. In the San Cristobal City municipality of Cardonal is where you’ll find the Tolantongo cave complex. This is in the Central Mexican state of Hidalgo; for a visual, refer to the Mexico map from Grutas Tolantongo below.
Mezquital is a box canyon, which means it is smaller and more slender than larger river canyons. Hot springs and submerged thermal pools surround it, heating the entire town of Las Grutas de Tolantongo in Hidalgo, Mexico.
What is the Best Way to Get to Grutas Tolantongo?
Are there flights for Grutas de Tolantongo? — Not at all, no. Although it’s typically simpler to fly into Mexico City International Airport, Queretaro International Airport (code: QRO) is the closest airport to Grutas de Tolantongo (code: MEX).
You can use this map to get driving instructions from Queretaro City to Tolantongo.
The information in this article only addresses the Mexico City to Grutas Tolantongo route because the majority of visitors to Tolantongo originate from that city. Additionally, it is the most popular and suggested route to get there.
How to Get to Grutas Tolantongo from Mexico City?
Tolantongo can be reached from Mexico City in three main ways. They are all listed below, with more information that outlines the merits and demerits of each method of transportation to follow.
Taking a Group Tour
The most practical and frequently most affordable way to travel there is by taking a group tour unless you intend to stay the night.
I recommend taking group tours because you can save a lot of money by forgoing an expensive hotel room at one of the resorts and returning to Mexico City the same day. With that extra cash, you can experience and explore other beautiful locations in Mexico. It would also be a great idea to spend the extra money on more tacos because tacos are freaking scrumptious.
A group tour is the most convenient choice because you won’t have to worry about a rental car, insurance, gas, or driving in a foreign country. You lose a lot of time travelling because the public transportation in the town is a little confusing and takes between 6 and 8 hours.
The tour is usually less expensive than a vehicle rental. The trip is the best option for solo travellers who don’t have other persons to split the expense of the rental car with, it is way more economical for them.
You also enjoy the ease of not having to worry about driving or figuring out public transportation, in addition to the cost. You can just savour the serene beauty of extremely soothing landscapes with ease.
Renting a Car and Driving
In addition to a group tour, renting a car is the most convenient and straightforward way to travel from Mexico City. For your trip around Hidalgo, Kayak.com offers reasonably priced car rentals that you can reserve or you can also look through a variety of other websites that are easily accessible with a single search.
Even though this sublime city of caves is referred to as “Mexico City hot springs,” that is somewhat inaccurate. The travel from this route takes roughly four hours with regular traffic. The distance is around 126 miles (202 km).
It is advisable to download an offline map from Google Maps since it seems like your signal will come and go. However, it’s not difficult because you essentially travel the entire distance on Mexico 85 (Mexico-Pachuca Highway).
It would be helpful to make sure to exclusively utilise Mexico85 (also known as the Mexico-Pachuca Highway), which is a toll road, and to have roughly 300 pesos (USD 15) in pesos on hand for the tolls. Mexican libre (free) roads are less maintained and less safe than couta (toll) roads.
As there are paved roads the entire way, you’ll be alright on the roads in a standard-sized car rather than an SUV. There are some switchbacks on frighteningly high mountain roads as you enter the Hidalgo state’s rural areas, but driving across them is still feasible.
Public Transportation via the ADO Bus and Colectivo
As this place is quite rural, there isn’t a direct route via public transit, though it is possible and many folks take this route too. This won’t be the most straightforward choice for you if you don’t speak any Spanish at all because there are some changes on the road.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to travel by bus and other public transportation which can take 6 to 8 hours.
STEP 1: HEAD TOWARDS IXMIQUILPAN
You must go to Mexico City Terminal del Norte (North Terminal Bus Station), where you must board a bus bound for Central de Autobuses de Ixmiquilpan from Platforms 7 or 8. This bus station is the main terminal in Ixmiquilpan, Hidalgo.
Bus companies like Ovnibus and Estrella have daily departures to Ixmiquilpan but do check their schedule ahead of time. You can purchase your tickets at the station for a range of prices between 300 and 400 MXN pesos ($15 to $20 USD).
STEP 2: IXMIQUILPAN TO TOLANTONGO TAXI
In Ixmiquilpan, you can book a direct taxi to the place.. Depending on how well you negotiate, the taxi will cost between 600 and 800 Pesos (roughly 30 to 40 USD). The drive can take around 1 hour and 15 minutes in normal traffic.
STEP 3: IXMIQUILPAN TO TOLANTONGO COLECTIVO
In Mexico, colectivos are a common mode of public transportation used to transport people throughout the country’s maze-like network of roads and highways. They are basically a kind of shared van. Typically, a Colectivo is a minivan, but in some major tourist areas, now the colectivos are brand-new vans with air conditioning facilities.
To get to Mercado Morelos (Morelos Market) from the bus terminal, you can either walk for about 15 minutes or take a colectivo. This depends on whether you want to take a colectivo or a taxi for your trip.
Catch the colectivo that says “Las Grutas de Tolantongo”. The colectivo journey would cost around 50 pesos (2.50 USD).
Useful Tips:
- Morelos Market is the biggest Ixmiquilpan market, so visit it if you need to make a purchase or use the restroom.
- You’ll want to have small bills or coins on hand to pay because drivers really avoid breaking large bills and occasionally won’t even do it.
- At 6:30 p.m., the last colectivo from Ixmiquilpan departs, and at 5:30 p.m for the opposite route.
Things To Do at Grutas De Tolantongo
Contrary to what one might think, there is a lot more to do at the location. The site is quite large and is divided into four distinct sections: the pools, the cave, the tunnel, and the river. Also, there are numerous restaurants and additional attractions inside the destination to explore. Let’s take a closer look at a few of them.
Explore the Cave and Tunnel
A short distance apart separates the tunnel and the cave. You can have a look at the basic tips and instructions given on the official site to be fully prepared for the adventure.
The majority of the hot water used by the entire site is produced in this region. Be aware that there is a strong current due to this, so exercise caution when entering the cave and tunnel.
De-Stress in the POOLS (While Taking Your Instagram Shots)
From the main entrance, you can either make the steep hike to the pools or pay 10 Mexican Pesos to take the bus. The majority of Instagram posts that you see are taken at these hot springs only.
Particularly on weekends, the pools can become very crowded. Therefore, you must arrive right when it opens and move quickly if you want to take an epic Instagram picture. Or, if you’re feeling particularly lazy, you could just photoshop the people out.
Cool Down by the Thermal River
Although the pools attract most of the tourists for photos, one of the most picturesque locations in the park is the river. You can sit underneath the water as it falls on you at each section where it cascades down, giving you a fun hydro-massage.
Zipline
There is a Zipline nearby that looks cool and only costs $200 pesos (roughly $10 USD), which is great if you enjoy adventure and need a little more action in your day. It takes you over a few areas of the park on its 2,625-foot (800 m) length.
Barbacoa Tacos
Food Enthusiasts!
Consider yourself in for a treat if you haven’t tried barbacoa yet! Hidalgo state is where barbacoa, a popular dish throughout Mexico, originates.
On the drive, be sure to pull over to the side of the road and chow down on some delicious and authentic Hidalgo barbacoa tacos.
What is the Best Time to Visit?
The only times I would truly advise against going to this place are on public holidays, particularly Semana Santa, and if at all possible, avoid weekends. The water is consistently warm and it is open all year long.
It is in Central Mexico, which is ideal because of its “eternal spring” climate, which means that springtime temperatures prevail for most of the year.
Cost of this Heaven in Mexico
The entry fee for Grutas Tolantongo is currently $150 pesos. Only cash is accepted at this location. You’ll need to bring enough cash with you because your card won’t work here and it won’t be an easy task to find an ATM.
Closing Remarks
Yes, I am aware that some people visit Grutas Tolantongo solely for the Instagram photo, but I’m happy to report that there are a lot more reasons to visit the place than simply seeking “Social Media Validation.” A wonderful way to spend the day is unwinding in these stunning hot springs.
“MEXICO IS A MOSAIC OF DIFFERENT REALITIES AND BEAUTIES.” – ENRIQUE PENA NIETO
Believe me, this place is worth visiting if you just love spending time in the lap of nature and want to travel to one of Mexico’s most stunning locations.
