Is it worth it to wake up at 4am for a 4.5 hour drive from Mexico City to the state of Hidalgo for their hot springs? If you look at my pictures, the answer is yes. This was easily the best day of our trip. We lounged in a pool with water from hot springs, we traversed through a dark cave with steaming water (which, I have to admit, was a little tough), and we laid out in a river with hot spring water. The scenery was beautiful and it was a memorable experience. We did the long 12 hour day trip with private transportation with a company called "epic Journey", who we found on TripAdvisor and Viator, and they handled things perfectly for us. The long commute was tolerable as we had a private ride and we just slept most of it. Overall, it's a great experience and I'd recommend it. Was relaxing, the water felt great, and we left with a ton of memories read more

still cannot get over this place! Pictures don't do it any justice. I booked an Airbnb experience from Mexico City to the Grutas. It took us about 4 hours to arrive. The drive felt long, but arriving here, witnessing and experiencing this was amazing!!! I highly recommend you stay for 1 night if you are able to, so you can relax and enjoy all this beauty. Bags are not allowed in any of the attractions. The main attractions are the cliffside pools, the grotto, the caves, waterfalls, and river. I loved the cave--it felt so unreal being there. There are also restaurants inside the park. I suggest you bring the following items with you for a smooth experience: Swimsuit (wear it under clothes for convenience), extra change of clothes, light cover-up or shorts/t-shirt, warm layer (mornings can be cool), water shoes or sturdy sandals (VERY important), comfortable walking shoes for the drive/arrival, sunscreen, towel, small bills for food and lockers, ID (just in case), waterproof phone case, portable charger, and your phone for photos/videos. read more

Grutas Tolantongo - Good morning from Hidalgo Mexico - Amusement Parks Near Me - Santuario, HID

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famous hot springs about 3-4 hours drive from Mexico City... quite far and quite bumpy ride. Wish we had more time there! But this place is so unique and special, a must trip. 1) THE CAVE (la gruta) and waterfall: super warm & steamy! 2) TURQUOISE RIVER 3) CLIFFSIDE INFINITY POOLS 4) SUSPENSION BRIDGE / ZIPLINE also had the best michelada of my life here! be careful in the river, lots of rocks and can be sharp read more

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Really nice parks. They have a part with the man made pools, a river, a cave and water fall. It is very picturesque. They have a lot of options for food and drinks. The day I went was really busy as it was the weekend and holiday. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and water is really turquoise. Very family friendly. I would love to come here when it's less busy and spend the day in the mineral water. read more

Let me just say I would absolutely recommend and return to the Grutas Tolantongo. If you plan on going please listen. Absolutely invest in some great water shoes with excellent grip. I made the mistake of buying some cheap ones and I regret it (fell down and scraped my knee up pretty bad. Luckily it happened on the last day there so I enjoyed our time there) Hubby and I spend a total of 3 nights here & of the 2 hotels we stayed at, we recommend La Gruta. El Paraiso Escondido the girl that checked us in had lied to us when we asked if there was booking at La Gloria which is separate from Grutas Tolantongo but it's connected within the same space. Our stay in Paraiso Escondido was not great, no amenities, no tv in the room, the faucet leaked, the shower even with screen on leaks into bathroom, overall shitty hotel. La Gruta on the other hand was nicer and had tv in the room. Nevertheless I recommend you taking your own shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste etc. because they do not provide these items here. If you're expecting 5 star accommodations this ain't it but man do you get a truly amazing place with stunning views. The food was delicious, at least everything I ordered was. They have multiple restaurants within the park but our go-to place to eat was Las Palomas. My favorite thing to get was the alambres so freaking delicious. I would rate this place a 5/5 due to the beauty of the scenery and good food BUUUT the hotels aren't well accommodated and also it's odd that you have to pay in person (cash only) the day of. No reservations for most of the hotels here. Also it's not a place that is well fit for those with physical disabilities. Accessing many places here requires the use of lots and lots and lots of stairs. Therefore you've been warned. Overall in my opinion as long as you pack great water shoes with excellent grip, bring your own bathroom toiletries, and are in decent physical condition please visit. Ps. DO NOT SKIP paying the toll to cross the bridge to go into "La Gloria" section that area has less tourists and it's a must see area. REMEMBER DO NOT CHEAP OUT ON YOUR WATER SHOES! read more

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About a four hour drive from Mexico City make sure to get here early because it can get packed. We came in a chilly day so the crowd was light. It's magical and exactly like the photos. The mystic blue water is captivating. There's so much too more than just the baths. The river the caves it's all good make sure to explore everything. There a free public bus from the pools to the river. The cave is TIGHT only stay in there for five minutes. The waterfalls are cold. The hype is real. There are many food options on site but beware because majority only take case. No ATM on site and English is not widely spoken. Respect the locals please if you are touring. Respect nature and have fun Also bring water shoes and a waterproof camera. There are changing rooms and the bathrooms were all clean. Dress warm in the winter months as it gets really cold. There are some hills to walk so please be aware of your fitness level read more

Truly an experience as, at least in the United States, we don't have anything like this. Tolantongo is a four hour drive from Mexico City, and you will feel it all. I'd say maybe 2.5-3 his is on paved roads, the other time is spent off paved roads. So prepare accordingly. We arrived at Tolantongo with the weather 43 degrees outside and fogged in with drizzle, so not the experience anyone wanted but we made the most of it. There's are different areas: once is the lower man made hotspring pools, which there are plenty. It's want very crowded when we were there, and most of the spring pools were empty due to the weather situation, but our driver said, sitting summer and past times, there can be up to 20 people in each pool, which would be a truly experience for sometime presenting as so tranquil. As I said, it was all fogged in, so looking down in to the valley, you saw a lot of fog with some you're off the river here and there. The springs were warm and, the higher up the spring you were in, the warmer the water. We started in these springs for about an hour then moved on. Next was up to the waterfall, came and river. Just a tip, bring multiple towels. We died off after the springs, and the towels were soaked after that, so we had to air dry in the 43 degree weather after each of the next three areas, while walking here them. The waterfall is very beautiful, and you walking there it into a large, window cave that is about 40 meters deep. And you can look down into the river below. To the left of the waterfall is an uphill walk that takes you to a tunnel, which goes back 80 meters, is pitch black (bring a light) and has pools along the way and types to hold on to. This is., by far, the warmest spot. It's like a sauna in here. Finally you can walk down to the river, which has multiple entry points, and relax there. The water is also still warm. Just a note, there are areas where the river falls into a lower level, and it will pull you over the rocks, so be careful. It's isn't a far drop but someone to prepare for. Also very beautiful and serene. Overall, beautiful location, a truly unique experience. The drive was very long and not very comfortable, plus the weather was not on our side, but I'm still happy we did it. Think is a one time experience for sure, unless you don't mind eight hours of driving. read more

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Majestic and beautiful We took a tour from Mexico City that picked us up starting early in the morning on a couple hour's journey roundtrip for some all day fun. Making a quick stop in Hidalgo to try some of the world renown barbacoa to start and then hit the amazing Grutas De Tolantongo. Tucked deep into the mountains of the state of Hidalgo is this natural wonderland that features a huge circuit of natural hot springs that cascade down the mountain. With waterfalls, caves and hot spring pools on the mountainside this trip and location is not something you should pass up when visiting Mexico. You can even go into the caverns which are inside past a waterfall to experience something unlike anything on this earth. This is not for the faint of heart as the hiking is vast when seeing all that this place has to offer but they have souvenir shops and plenty of food options to choose from. There is fun for all ages here and well priced for entry but included when you book a tour online in advance. We used Expedia and had an amazing time! The only downfall is that this place can get pretty busy during peak seasons and can be a bit of a turn off when you are crammed inside the caverns and certain areas read more

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This place is beautiful! I booked a tour here for my sister and I and it was one of the prettiest sites we have ever seen. The drive from CDMX was about 4 hours which wasn't too bad. The end of the trip does tend to get pretty bumpy and curvy so beware if you get car sick. There are five main attractions here. The river, the cave, the thermal tunnel, the pools, and the suspension bridge. We started off at the cave, then peeped into the tunnel, walked by the river, and then finished off at the pools. Our favorites were the cave and the pools. The water was a perfect temperature and calm. It wasn't too busy on the day we visited so we had plenty of room to swim in. Once at the polls, we had our own little pool to hang out in, score! We bought a few things at the gift shop and the worker was nice. We also bought two drinks at the café and they were delicious! The Pina Colada is a must! The bathrooms do not have toilet paper so you must bring your own or buy some there. We bought a whole roll at the gift shop for 10 pesos. Overall this is a must! If you have time to make a visit to the Grutas, do it!! Tip: Visit during the week, they said the weekends get pretty crazy here. read more

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Beautiful natural hot spring park! You must visit this place! It's so relaxing and beautiful! Thermal waters, caves, tunnels and waterfalls! Waters are aqua blue due to the magnesium and calcium. My recommendation is to visit during the week as you'll get to enjoy the park much more than if you go on a weekend. Getting there was rather easy (though we had a personal driver) the roads are nicely paved. It's about a 4 hr drive from Mexico City. To enter the park it's $180 pesos per day that gives you access to everything except the zip lines which is an additional cost. BRING CASH! THEY DO NOT ACCEPT CC!! They also do not reservations for their hotel or little cabanas. It's a first come first serve basis! If you don't get lucky there are hotel outside of the natural park that you can stay at. They have a lot of convenient stores and plenty of transportation from the hotels to the Grutas. $10 peso per person. Cell service is good. TelCel would be the provider. They have restaurants.. food was okay but not the best. Things you'll absolutely need: Water shoes Water flashlight for the caves Water resistant bag for your cellphones if you take them into the caves. Towels. You can take the hotel towel but if you lose it they charge you $500 pesos. I will def. Be back to being family! It's absolutely worth it! read more

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What a beautiful-destination! Grutas De Tolantongo hot springs must be one of the world best places to visit. This is a must! highly recommend and try to go on a weekday so it's more private. People can camp here to first come first serve. Per our guide this whole area is owned and run by 5 main families. This place is ever expanding with construction in surrounding areas provide more comfort to the daily travelers. I can't wait to see what the outcome will be in the next few years. read more

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Beautiful natural hot spring. Nice place to visit to connect with nature or spend time with family. Very impressed at how the prevention of covid in this outdoor activities. All cars entering the park will be sanitized and all people coming in will have a thorough sanitization process. read more

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The transportation from the upper area where small pools are at it sucks. If your trying to return to the lower part if the is not a minimum of 6 people the want to charge a arm and a leg. This is ridiculous. Your coming to spend money and this is how they treat the tourism. read more

This is a hidden oasis approx 3 1/2 hours from Mexico City in the state of Hidalgo, near the city of Ixmiquilpan. You can book a tour for a day from Mexico City but I highly recommend doing this on your own. Because it is a traditional Mexican destination, instructions to get there in English on the internet are pretty hard to find but it's not that hard to get to. While you can take a bus from Mexico City North Bus Terminal to Ixmiquilpan then take a smaller combi bus (a van) to the Grutas, we took an Uber from Mexico City, stayed a night in Ixmiquilpan then took a taxi up to the Grutas ($31 taxi ride or 600 pesos leaving from downtown Ixmiquilpan) where we decided to stay the night. This gave us time to explore this immense natural reserve/resort. The resort is split into several different sectors in a canyon marked by a thermal river with bright blue water. To get around without a car at the resort, you can take a small combi van run by the resort and ask them to leave you where you want to go or you can hike. We did both. The resort is cash-only so take plenty of pesos with you. What makes this off-the beaten path place worth visiting? There's are 2 grutas (water caves with hot springs water), several hotels/camping sites, several restaurants with plenty of alcohol, an entire river of warm mineral water you can swim in until 10pm at night, several hot springs built into the side of a canyon wall called "Paradise View" in English, and over a mile of zip lines suspended high over the canyon. We paid about $15/person for the resort fee then we got a double room with a balcony overlooking the river for around $100. You can't reserve the hotels online. It's first come, first serve but we had no issue getting a room midday on a Thursday. I do recommend going during the week because the resort does get full on the weekends. We left on a Friday and they were preparing for an electronic festival in the canyon. The resort connects to another smaller Grutas/hot springs run by a different set of families that this one and while we didn't go, I do recommend visiting the smaller Gloria Grutas as these are even more traditional that the Grutas de Tolantongo. Both have are a hidden treasure and a delight to your soul. Put this on your bucket list. read more

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WOW! Actually, save that for the end. This is a really spectacular place! It has layers of experiences. The first is the many small hot spring pools placed into the hillside. They are varying degrees of hot. I think they are warmest at the top where the flow begins. We found some about halfway and they suited us perfectly so we spent our time relaxing there. Next we visit the river below the pools. The water there was warm and the flow was not too strong with various depths so it's suitable for kids and adults. At the was the grand finale! Much like the best fireworks shows they saved the absolute best for last! They are so close together they count as one but they're both unique. First was the tunnel. We crossed under a waterfall that was really cold to enter a narrow tunnel. The water in here was deliciously warm and the water depths vary from shoe to chest high! Keep in mind this is mineral water so it gets a little slippery in spots and some kind of water shoe is ideal if not essential. There are some ropes to help in a couple of tricky spots and the route ends after 200 feet or so. Our guide gave us headlamps which really helped. There were quite a few folks in there but it wasn't bad. After returning via the same route, under the cold waterfall, we went down to the grotto! This was the best part! It's about 100' across and 45-50' high! The water starts about 3' deep and the deepest I found was 5'. A truly amazing place especially when combined with the warm water and various chutes pouring from the ceiling! In the back right corner as you enter there is a stream emptying into the grotto. There is a rope on the right wall you can use to pull yourself into a second grotto. It's about half the size of the first one and a really amazing spot, maybe because you have to work to get in there, maybe because of the fact you are standing in this great water inside a grotto, inside another grotto. Getting out is easy because the current gives you a nice friendly push. I am no spelunker nor a Nat Geo adventurer but this was a super accessible adventure for me! Our trip was booked through AirB n B with Arturo who was excellent. As I said in the beginning, WOW! read more

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Heaven on Earth! People go south for the winter, that's the norm. I don't like water activities when the temperature is cool because I want to be in the water and I can't handle the cold. I don't care if you think it's warm, I shower in scolding water even in the summer. I now have a place down south I can enjoy thermal hot spring water in a bathing suit on Christmas. Let the angels sing! Down-right the most beautiful place I've seen. It has everything I love about the outdoors. * Green majestic views for miles in any direction *Mountains *Clear Warm Waters *Waterfalls *Grottos *Bridges There is no where I have been this scenic, picture-perfect, and this affordable to get in. Currently the price is 140 pesos a person, unless the value of the dollar changes, your cost is pennies over seven dollars. Mexico should charge more, way more, but glad not on the day I went. My little family used to be avid campers and still love the thought of camping. Sadly we haven't been in five years and have not found a safe place in Mexico we would want to camp. Why didn't I research this before coming? I had lost all hope for camping in Mexico years ago. I was green with envy at all the tents set up near the warm pools then all along the river, some with the smells of fajitas on the BBQ pit. If you consider yourself more high class, don't fret, they have a hotel on the property and can be comfortably housed for a measly 50 bucks. Las Pozas are the man-made pools that have thermal waters cascading from the top pools to the lower pools. There is a whole bunch so get your own poza! If you cross the bridge there is some little isolated gems on that side. *mental note for next time* My daughter is afraid of wobbly bridges at great heights. If this is your fear too, you can get to the isolated pools through the mountain side as well. Things you will need are water shoes, waterproof camera, and/or waterproof phone case. My boys loved the slides, keep in mind this area of the park is regular pool water. Although one of my boys said it was warm, it wasn't warm enough to keep the rest of the family in it. This is a wonderful family get away and it can absolutely be a romantic getaway. I didn't want to leave. I look forward to the day I can go back. TO THE MOON AND BACK. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! INFINITY AND BEYOND. read more

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You guys, we endured an eight hour, round-trip car ride to waddle around in the warm water for under two hours. And I'm not even mad about it! Background - I hate looong car rides and I'm not the biggest fan of lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. so not being mad about this, is sort of a huge thing for me! So my lovely friend did all the grunt work in terms of coordinating our transportation to this "Amusement Park" (not sure that's an accurate categorization, but we'll go with it). I believe there may be shuttle buses to and fro from Mexico City (where we were staying), but it's not exactly clear, so my friend found a personal driver service through a travel agency. It ended up being $100 USD per person, for an estimated three and half hour drive, not bad if you ask me. Well, except the car ride ended up being a little over four hours each way, and required a lot of interesting backroads driving, because of the road closures (I assume because of the recent earthquake?), but hey, gotta roll with the punches. Try not to over-hydrate and require frequent restroom trips because there are long stretches completely devoid of gas stations. My Spanish is pretty awful (in that I know like twelve words) and so my friend's husband, six year old and I relied pretty heavily on my friend to clarify and translate. Fortunately, most of the attendants and tourist park employees knew a small amount of English to direct us around. There's also a couple of maps here and there and if you visit the official website beforehand (which you should because cell phone service is awful once you arrive at the park). You can't bring any bags into the park water attractions (towels and shoes are okay), so be sure to have 100 pesos (50 for deposit, 50 to use) handy to store any of your belongings in a locker. Also before I forget, BRING WATER SHOES. I stupidly neglected to do this and just used my regular shoes, although there is a stand within the park that sells water shoes (for around $7 USD). I observed a few people foregoing their water shoes at the river portion of the park as most of the immersed stones have had their rough edges smoothed out, but if you're planning on trekking up to the cave or tunnel, shoes will be immensely helpful. One last helpful tip - you might also want to consider bringing your own toilet paper, but don't actually flush the toilet paper (as with many places in Mexico - the sewage system isn't as robust there from what I understand) - that's what the waste baskets are for. We started out at the tunnel, hoping to access the thermal pools (I think that's how you access the pools at least), but we quickly aborted that mission when we encountered a large group retreating - they warned us that it was actually quite dark (bring a waterproof flashlight or a waterproof case for your cell phone) and deep in the tunnel My friend's husband then attempted to advance into the cave and he confirmed that it was a tad too murky, even for him to comfortably cross through. Now, I did notice a handful of people living it up in the thermal pools, so maybe we were just being overly cautious. We weren't willing to chance it with a small child and honestly, the tunnel almost felt suffocating with the thick stem and narrow passage way - so the claustrophobic within me sighed with relief. Fortunately the cave/grotto was pretty delightful and comfortably warm. There's a pretty intense waterfall that empties into the grotto, providing the warmest source of water and it seemed to provide a coveted backdrop for touristy photos. Initially, we, along with a couple of PDA teenagers, were the only ones in the grotto, but it soon filled up with a fair amount of people, screaming and having a jolly good time. It was really quite lovely and soothing and the warm water was awesome contrasted with the coldness outside of the water. We decided to take a break at some point, and nourished ourselves with some hand cut french fries (they took FOREVER to prepare and fry, but they legitimately started with a unpeeled potato) from the nearby casual outdoor food stall. Then we attempted the river portion and holy heck, the currents were hella strong, stronger than we anticipated. There seemed to be some camping situation occurring with several families along the river (not sure how you go about arranging that), so the river was a little less relaxing and also in the path of direct sunlight. At this point, we decided it would be best to leave, given the extended car ride. The park contained several other points of interest, such as hiking and waterfalls, but we didn't want to be driving back in the dark because the winding, varying elevation roads here . . . wooo they are a doozy and a half. I feel this place may still be "off the radar" for international tourists, so get in before this place because overrun with people! And hey look, my review is almost as long as the car ride! read more

Very nice natural place, the only suggestion is that they should have a limited number of people per day. It was toooooo crowded read more

Grutas Tolantongo - Amusement Parks Near Me - Santuario, HID

The park is nice, but rooms are trash. Do not stay the night. Workers here just do not care fan quit working 3am could not sleep in the 90+ weather. Walked to have recept get me another said they could not do anything promised in the morning that didnt happen had to contact the event party to we came with them that we wanted our money back and that we were leaving they even ignored her. Place is a joke nothing like what tik tok says. read more

This place is awesome. The people are nice, the food is cheap. They have alcoholic beverages. They have hotels you can rent. The water is amazingly warm. They have natural hot pools. The pictures do this place no justice. read more

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This is a wonderful place to be. Very relaxing place and beautiful. I also recommend that you bring extra snacks or something to munch on if you get hungry. I mean there's many little restaurants here also small stores. If you coming in a big group i recommend that you get here early to reserve a room because it gets really packed. Bring xtra clothes because there is no dryer or washer machine here. Bring your jogging gear. Also you can camp with your own tents . No Wifi here. It gets cold so bring a jacket or sweater for mornings and night. The water is nice and warm so no worries. read more

Grutas Tolantongo - The views from above are amazing. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Santuario, HID

One Best Places to visit in near the Mexico City area. It has the best parks available two parks separate different hotels on each park. They have camping grounds with tents and sleeping bags cheaper rates the cost start a $700 pesos a night! read more

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The hot spring are amazing! I do want to start off by saying I've never left bad reviews anywhere but this place needed it. The resort is AWFUL. My party of 5 came in during the winter time and the room had no heater and the thinnest blankets and the bathroom sink is also leaking horribly .We came in for 2 nights and 2 days, we would end up checking out at 7am.They charged us for 3 days even though they were aware that we wouldn't stay the 3rd day. We went in the hot water spring pools, after that we wanted to shower and came to find out that there was no hot water! There is no table or seating area in the room except for the beds. The rooms when we walked in smelled like Clorox and feet, when we came back after the second day I swear the most strong rancid manure smell was all throughout the entire room. The stay was not what we expected. I recommend coming to the springs they were so worth it,but stay in a hotel in the little town outside with many benefits the resort does not have. read more

My oh my don't sleep on this place if you ever make it to Mexico City. It is approximately a 3-4 hr ride from the city. Each time I come here, I can see the place is starting to get more and more known, due to the number of guests that attend daily. If you want to make the trek on your own the website provides pretty good details on getting there. It has caves and a grotto, along with cold water pools and many smaller pools (pozas) that get filled up with the water that is born from the top of the hill where the cave and grotto are. They also have a river. I would highly reccomend staying overnight , 2 if possible, so you can truly enjoy this paradise. As others have mentioned, there is no reservation for rooms, it is a first come, first serve. They have single, doubles and cabañas for up to 5 ppl. Again, all this info is on the website. You can also rent sleeping tents and sleep next to the river. There are various restaurants and little bars all over. Also, they have shuttles that take you to the caves and back to the pozas. They charge 10 pesos per person, per ride. Bring sunblock, and have fun!! read more

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This oasis paradise is one of the most beautiful places I've traveled to. I'm an avid traveler and this place is beautiful. Rough and rustic getting here but I suspect in a few years this will no longer be as rustic or stay a hidden gem for the locals. read more

Absolutely beautiful! Rough terrain, a bit tiring but that's what you will expect from a place right in the middle of nature. It's set up to allow you to explore and enjoy these views but it's on a hill so when you find a place to set up, you can just relax and enjoy. Or get some rest to keep going. So much to see. I kept stopping to take pictures every three steps . Just beautiful. Thermal waters are not too hot, so it's nice even in the summer. Do not miss out on the waterfalls, they are breathtaking. Want to go back to do more. read more