Experience: Grutas Tolantongo

This is Part Three of Five: Grutas Tolantongo (Tolantango Caves)

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I spent ten days in Mexico City in June 2022. It is the largest city in North America; there is enough to do for a whole YEAR, much less in just under ten days (including a dentist visit!). I was working remotely planning a client’s virtual event, but I still managed to fit in plenty of vegan tacos, day adventures, and urban wanders. 

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Solo traveling for the first half of my trip, I was joined by my best friend Abby for the second part. I wanted to share a collection of my favorite things to do with you, so initially, I had all the vegan food, cocktails, day trips and adventures, and neighborhoods together in one (very) long blog post.

But I decided to separate the post into five smaller articles to make it more digestible for you to read – no pun intended (that was funnier on the cocktails and vegan travel in Mexico City posts). Here is part three of five: my experience at Grutas Tolantongo!

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Las Grutas de Tolantongo (Tolantongo Caves)

Grutas Tolantongo 

A 4-hour drive (one-way) from Mexico City in the state of Hidalgo, Grutas Tolantongo (Tolantongo Caves) is a box canyon and a resort owned by a group of over one hundred local families, as a sort of communal property. The families work on or at Tolantongo. All fees, including the cost of entrance, hotel, and camping fees, go directly to the families who work and maintain the resort. The road to Tolantongo winds along the Mezquital Valley with steep mountains on either side. With hot springs, geothermal pools, turquoise water, underwater caves, and waterfalls, Tolantongo Caves is seriously insanely beautiful. And while it’s packed with Mexican families and dotted with increasingly frequent influencers, it’s still relatively unknown as a tourist destination outside of Mexico.

I booked an all-inclusive Airbnb experience to travel to Tolantongo; the ticket included transportation there and back, two (vegan) meals, and an unrepentantly upbeat tour guide. A splurge at a very high price (USD 140), I have to admit it was completely worth it. Our guide, Taz, is from Mexico City and was friendly, sociable, and knowledgeable. He never faltered in keeping the trip fun and engaging – not a small feat for 8 hours spent in a car in one day.

After a pre-dawn wake-up call, 5 of us, including Abby, Taz, and a young couple from Australia, drove out of the city in Taz’s car. The tour started with breakfast on the side of the road. With four long plastic tables and a makeshift kitchen, I had a good feeling about the food here. Taz helped me order a vegan meal and I ate the heck out of a cheeseless huitlacoche quesadilla.  Huitlacoche is also known as ‘corn smut’. I couldn’t resist. (Officially, it’s a fungus that grows on organic corn.) I ordered a large Mexican coffee that came in a styrofoam cup. I’m not lying when I say it was the epitome of what I thought Mexican coffee should taste like, hot, sweet, and cinnamon-y. Even though I sucked it down way too fast, I probably would have greedily grabbed another one for the road, if I wasn’t nervous about the next 4 hours without a bathroom break.  

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Stop One: Tolantago Hot Springs

The first major stop of the tour was the famous Tolantongo Hot Springs. The journey to get there was long as we drove up twisty dirt roads and through small villages, winding our way up the mountain.

If you’ve seen any photos of Tolantongo, likely it’s a photo from these distinctive turquoise thermal pools. When we arrived at the hot springs, our group was given just under an hour of free time. Abby and I explored all the paths, took photos, and soaked (of course!).

According to my internet research, Tolantongo’s name (misspelled through translations) derives from the Aztec word Tonaltonko, meaning “place where it flows warm”. The Tolantongo river that feeds into the warm pools and waterfalls comes from an underground source which is the reason for its name.

There are over 30 thermal pools built into the walls of the ravine, a cave tunnel that runs underneath a hanging suspension bridge, and even a Zipline if you’re feeling adventurous. Abby and I thoroughly explored the pools, the cave tunnel, and the very cool suspension bridge. (I don’t think I even realized there was a Zipline there until later.)

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Stop Two: Tolantago River Canyon

The second stop was a stunning blue river running through the canyon, creating ripples of small waterfalls. Come ON. The river gets its memorable aqua-blue color from the mineralized rocks in the water bed.

Abby and I shared a humungous beer that we purchased at a waterside cafe (also run by the local families) and shared that before luxuriating in the waterfalls. 

Along the banks of the river are restaurants, campsites (!), cafes, and hotels. If you come here on your own, you’re able to just pull up and book a hotel room or campsite. They have tents for rent, and apparently, families come here during the hot months and just post up for a couple of days or a week – cooking food, spending time together, and soaking/swimming in the waterfalls. A funny note – they do have very clear signs that you are NOT to brush your teeth in the water! 😀

Taz took our group to one of the restaurants for lunch after a relaxing soak in the river and assisted Abby and me once again in ordering vegan options. We cobbled together sides of chips, guacamole, salsa, beans, rice, and tortillas. This is honestly my perfect meal. I was in heaven. 

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Final Stop: Tolantongo Caves

The final stop was extraordinary. A complex of natural caves and springs, the entrance to the cave is hidden behind the glistening falls.

First, Taz led our group up a set of stairs and into a very dark cave tunnel. Lit only by his headlamp, we each found our way by grasping a rope tied to the side of the cave. Submerged up to my neck in an underwater cave that was hot, wet, and dark with stalagmites under our feet and sharp stalactites just above our heads, I wanted to nope on out of there ASAP. In the end, I stayed, and am glad I did. Would I do it again though? Nope! 😅

After that experience, we traveled back down the rock staircase and into the cenote, where families, groups, and couples could swim in the warm mineral water underneath the cave’s roof. What an experience!

The entire trip was incredible. With its therapeutic waters and breathtaking views, it’s no wonder this place is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. I recommend it to anybody. If you’re interested in booking the tour I went on, here is the link to experience Tolantongo (not an affiliate). 

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Good to Know

You can rent a car and drive yourself to Hidalgo and the Tolantongo Caves; it’ll be much more affordable. But I recommend, if you are able, booking a tour for the first time. You’ll have a guide to take care of the driving, answer your questions, help you find good food to eat, and probably find a few secret places you wouldn’t otherwise encounter.

If you want to stay in a hotel or camp, you can just show up and rent what you’d like. It’s first-come first-served and cash only.

Bring:

• water shoes — there are a lot of slippery wet surfaces.
• waterproof phone case if you want to take photos along the way, especially at the last stop in and under the cave.
• towel
• sunscreen, if visiting during the warmer months

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Have you heard of Tolontango? Have you been there? What was your experience like?