Jan 9, 2026
Hidalgo’s Paradise - This was one of the highlights of our trip to Mexico!!
Even before the beauty of this place, I have to praise our guide, Javier G! He was with us from early in the morning until late in the evening on the day of our visit. He drove us safely to and from Tolantogo (it is ~3.5 hours each way but worth it!) and allowed wiggle room in the schedule for fancies along the way. Shared information about the areas that we passed through. Allowed me to practice my Spanish and was incredibly gracious. Stopped to take photos of us along the way at beautiful locations. Gave us music suggestions and pointers on where to buy gear (we didn’t have bathing suits). Was funny and endlessly kind and silent in all the right moments (aka when you need to melt your brain or nap) and exactly who you want guiding you through a long day exploring new terrain. He made the experience completely relaxing and truly special for us. Thank you, Javier!
We spent a few hours lounging in the hot spring pools and exploring the suspension bridge before heading to the caves and river. The waterfalls are completely breathtaking. All of the photos are spot on - the water really is that beautiful. The area is like a cross between the Amalfi Coast and a day spa.
Javier said that this area is paradise, and I completely agree!
Our visit was in early January, and the water was incredibly clean and warm. Higher pools = warmer water. Be prepared to climb lots of steps AND to hoist yourself wet out of the pools/cave water/river)! You will definitely want towels and water shoes for this visit. (There are lockers for rent/showers/bath facilities.) A headlamp or a flashlight is helpful at the littler cave also.
It is important to bring pesos as there is not a cash machine and no one accepts credit cards. We bought suits, towels, water shoes and a waterproof phone case onsite-all 150 pesos each. Along the way there will be many people selling phone cases and other items. The quality will be lesser, but the price will also be less (so choose as you like).
We had a really wonderful lunch at a restaurant there that served Barbacoa – a specialty of Hidalgo. There are also more street food–type spots available (less expensive) and kitschy gift shops - so pesos are a must!
One other suggestion: Visit during the week if possible. We were there on a Sunday and although it was incredibly beautiful, it was also packed with families! If you visit the river, I recommend walking away from the main entrance toward the other parking lot as it gets much quieter in this section. My favorite moment of the day was lounging against the boulders in the river and getting a nature-provided back massage from the fast-flowing water.
If your schedule permits, or just if your soul needs some peace (and healing waters) in the midst of a busy vacation - this is a must!
Review provided by Viator
Apr 12, 2025
Terrific Tolantongo - The entire experience was otherworldly, from the pools perched on the edge of the rocks to the beautiful blue colour of the water…our journey there from Mexico City, though long, was filled with wonders along the way. Mountaintop backdrops, valley views, stopping along the way to try some barbacoa for breakfast etc. The caves were the highlight of our experience and if you like a sauna venturing into the caves is a must. Our guide, Javier was knowledgeable, kind, and reassuring and his enthusiasm had us waiting with abated anticipation. He allowed us time to explore independently and collectively when necessary (in the dark tunnels of the caves) and it was lovely to see that he too had a wonderful time. He is quite a responsible and cautious driver and would recommend him as a guide on your trip to Tonlantongo. I will definitely add this to my list of must try experiences to all travel enthusiasts.
Review provided by Viator
Apr 9, 2025
Once in a lifetime experience - Excellent! Javier got in touch with me the day before to confirm pickup details, was prompt, and explained the history to us. The views were amazing and it was a great day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 12, 2024
Tolantongo Caves and hot springs - Beautiful place to visit. Our guide Guillermo was very friendly and knowledgeable about our tour. He was a safe driver and stopped for whatever we needed. Highly recommend this tour and tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 27, 2023
Breathtaking - Beautiful place, especially the 2nd part of the tour near the river and the caves. We were there in October and it was nice and quiet during the week and we had a private tour guide Javier who spoke good English and was very helpful and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 21, 2023
Great time - Definitely recommend this tour for anyone who wants to visit this site! Our guide was fun and made everything really easy for us. We got cell phone holders for a vendor on the way, which were very useful for taking pictures and using our flashlights in the cave.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 14, 2023
Great 1 day trip - Such a great 1 day trip. We were picked up at our hotel early in the morning and the driver took us to the Tolantongo Caves. On the way, he stopped at a shopping mall as we forgot our towels. He also suggested to buy drinks/snacks there as the prices for drinks and food inside the park are higher. We were the only people he picked up, so it felt very private. The park was pretty empty so had a great time to swim around and take pictures. It’s worth the money and would definitely recommend. The only small negative was that the driver did not speak English well, but we used apps to translate and communicate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 10, 2023
Fantastic experience! - Tolantongo was incredible! You absolutely cannot miss it. The drive is kind of long (3.5 hours) but the last part of it is beautiful and our driver David was amazing! He was so patient and chill and answered all of our questions even though our Spanish isn’t that great. Thank you David! They don’t take you to any tourist traps/gift shops like other tours in Mexico City, instead it’s just the beautiful waterfalls and caves and river and pools. My brother and I had so so so much fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 13, 2024
Stunning but crowded - The caves were the best part. It’s a little too touristy and the pools are overcrowded, not exactly serene. But, the location and drive are beautiful. I recommend getting a personal driver and guide. Our driver was the best.
Review provided by Viator
Apr 6, 2023
TOLANTONGO GROTTO - The place alone is a very pleasant and unforgettable experience; however, I consider the guide (Lalo) although with good disposition, he did not have the best control of the group, he is young and sometimes used inappropriate language (high-pitched and perhaps vulgar words) which could be misinterpreted by visitors, mainly foreigners, who are not familiar with the use of that language. On the other hand, we requested the excursion outside in Spanish and, since there were more foreign tourists was given 90 percent in English, please, it would be prudent that when hiring domestic tourism would be made precise that because there is not enough Spanish speaking tourism, it will be done in another language in order to be able to hire or not. Finally, suggest the guide give precise directions in order to carry out the activities, while there were several confusions in schedules and itinerary. Hopefully our suggestions will be taken into account, while the only purpose of these are to make the Service provided to domestic and, mainly foreign tourism that comes to enjoy our beautiful country, better and better.
On the other hand, the Service provided by Juan Carlos as a driver was excellent and sometimes, to express question clarified the doubts raised about the vagueness of the guide's indications.
Review provided by Tripadvisor