Ten Things You Should Know Before Visiting Las Grutas Tolantongo
You’ve probably seen a Tiktok or Instagram Reel of a wall of swimming pools sitting on a cliffside with something like, “Places to check out in Mexico other than Tulum or Cancun!” as the caption. I am you. Earlier this year in February, I had bookmarked that exact Tiktok and yelled at my partner, “we MUST go!” and completely forgot about it after. Little did I know that I would have the chance to see these pools in person just a few months later in November!
I have been lucky to experience a lot of moments this year where I’m stricken by how beautiful mother earth truly is; Las Grutas was such a moment. Here’s everything I learned during my overnight stay, hope you enjoy your trip!
Disclaimer: my film from Grutas hasn’t developed yet so I’m using a photo taken on iPhone in the interim.
Las Grutas is near Ixmiquilpan in the Hidalgo province.
A common misconception is that Las Grutas is located near Mexico City. Las Grutas is actually located in the Hidalgo region roughly four hours away by car. To get there, you can either hire a private driver (the most convenient option), go with a tour group either via a company or Airbnb Experience, or take public buses. There are details on main arrival routes on the Las Grutas official site.
Bonus tip: Hidalgo is famous for its traditional barbacoa, which is lamb barbeque except it’s grilled in a pit in the ground. Lamb meat is cooked over maguey leaves covering steaming consomé, so the barbacoa becomes extra flavorful!
The popular areas of Las Grutas are managed by a resort. There is an entrance fee, and lounging options are available after you enter.
The entrance fee will be 180 MXN pesos/per person/per day starting in 2023, and it grants access to the pools, river, and caves. There are 2-3 hotels available to stay in. We stayed in the hotel closest to the entrance and paid 1500 MXN pesos for something between a full-size and a queen-size bed for one night. All payments are taken in cash! Since Las Grutas is managed by a resort, there will be small shops, restaurants, and medical supplies on site.
Keep your entrance pass with you and don’t lose it!
Or you may be asked to pay extra.
You can choose between staying in a hotel or camping by the river.
The resort rents out camping gear for those who are interested! There is also coal for purchase in case you wanted to barbeque some dinner. We arrived around 3PM and stayed overnight and felt like that was the perfect amount of time. It’s definitely accessible enough for a day trip if you’d like to swing it, just bare in mind you will need to leave CDMX early in the AM.
There are no online reservations available for entrance passes or hotel rooms.
Las Grutas is completely first come first serve. It’s a popular weekend destination so plan accordingly! On that note, there is also limited internet. I mean as in I couldn’t load my email. The park also only supports phone service from Telcel.
The pools can be warm or cool…
Groundwater is pumped from the caves (more on that later) into the pools from top to bottom, so the higher the pools, the warmer they will be. As water flows down to the lower pools, it will cool and make for more enjoyable dips in the early afternoons.
…but Las Grutas is more than just the cliffside pools.
So, the caves! Warm thermal water flows out from the Grotto and underground river, both of which can be reached within a 10-15 minute walk in the resort. The tunnel is to the left, which is almost like a pitch-dark sauna. The Grotto and underground river are to the right. Make sure you don’t accidentally bring in valuables either - you’ll probably never see them again.
Do not wear perfume, bug spray, hair spray, or thick sunscreen before entering the water at Las Grutas.
Environmental Conservation is important at Las Grutas. Do not wear any heavy chemicals that may damage or pollute the surrounding areas via the downstream river flow.
Bring a towel with you, water shoes, and preferably a waterproof bag.
The pro of the cliffside location is also a con - Las Grutas can be frigid after sunset, even more so if you are drenched. Bring a thicker towel if possible, and better yet keep it in a waterproof bag to prevent it from getting wet. If you decide to stay at a hotel, chances are there will be towels available to you. Coming from a water shoe denier, get the water shoes! They will make your experience so much better, especially if you decide to explore the caves.
If you are prone to motion sickness, pack some over-the-counter medicine.
I don’t get motion sickness all the time, but the ride to Las Grutas was pretty rocky for me. Stop for some anti-motion sickness or anti-nausea medicine so you can enjoy the views without interruption!
