The Hierve El Agua Tour is not to be missed during your visit to Oaxaca. There is no doubt that you would have seen Hierve El Agua on social media boasting an epic natural infinity pool and petrified waterfall on the edge of a mountaintop with incredible views of the Oaxaca Valley!
I have put together this complete guide of the Hierve El Agua Oaxaca including where to book a tour and what to expect when you arrive!
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Table of Contents
WHERE IS HIERVE EL AGUA OAXACA
Hierve El Agua is located 65 km southeast of Oaxaca City Center in the municipality of Roaguia.
Click here to see the location on Google maps.
It’s approximately a 1 hour and 30-minute drive from Oaxaca City to reach Hierve El Agua.
WHERE TO BOOK A HIERVE EL AGUA TOUR
There are countless tour companies in Oaxaca City to book a Hierve El Agua Tour but in my experience, it can be overwhelming trying to decide which one is best.
I recommend booking online in advance with Get Your Guide which has great reviews and hundreds of bookings. This will save you from having to haggle for a good price with the local tour companies in Oaxaca City.
The Hierve El Agua Oaxaca Tour starts with a hotel pick-up from Oaxaca City at around 10:00 am and not only will you get to visit Hierve El Agua, but the tour also includes a visit to El Tule Tree, Mitla Ruins, Mezcal Factory, and Zapotec Village before returning to your hotel in Oaxaca City at around 6:00 pm.
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Beautiful scenes
HIERVE EL AGUA ENTRANCE FEE
Unfortunately, the cost of the tour does not include the entrance fee upon arriving which means you will have to pay an additional 50 pesos.
Believe me, it’s worth the extra 50 pesos ($3 USD) to experience this incredible natural wonder with your own eyes!
WHAT TO EXPECT AT HIERVE EL AGUA OAXACA
Hierve El Agua is formed by small amounts of water which is oversaturated with calcium carbonate and comes to the surface through cracks in the mountain. Pretty interesting stuff if you ask me!
Hierve El Agua translated to English means ‘Boil The Water’ but the springs aren’t actually that hot. In fact, I went swimming in the top pool and it was quite chilly. The average Hierve El Agua temperature is around 22 to 27 degrees Celcius.
There is not one but two petrified waterfalls at this location. The first one you’ll come to is called Cascada Chica which is about 60 meters wide and rises 50 meters off the valley floor.
The second petrified waterfall is called Cascada Grande which is around 90 meters wide and 80 meters above the valley floor. This one isn’t recommended for swimming in the natural springs at the top but it’s definitely photogenic!
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Infinity pool
Cascada Chica
Petrified waterfalls
Natural Springs
On top of Cascada Grande
Once you’ve finished exploring the natural springs on top of Cascada Chica and Cascada Grande you can follow the trail down and around the mountain to the base of the petrified waterfalls.
It’s around 30-minutes to get down to the bottom Hierve El Agua and back up again. The way down is clearly marked and it’s a combination of a rocky trail and concrete steps suitable for all sorts of travelers.
My favorite viewpoint of the Cascada Grande petrified waterfall is about halfway down the trail where you can see it from a side-on perspective.
The rock formations that you can see are other-worldly and are formed by the water that runs down the rock face, creating these large stalactites which are similar to the ones that are found in caves.
RELATED ARTICLE → 4 WEEK MEXICO ITINERARY
On the trail at Oaxaca Hierve El Agua
Cascada Grande
The petrified waterfall
BEST PHOTO SPOTS AT HIERVE EL AGUA
The best Instagram-worthy photo spots at Hierve El Agua Oaxaca, in my opinion, is at Cascada Chica which has two natural infinity pools with the most incredible mountainous backdrop!
In the top springs, there is a dead tree that makes for the perfect reflection shot which you can see in the image below. This is also the most popular spot among tourists to takes photos so you may have to queue in line for 5 to 10 minutes to get your shot.
My personal favorite photo spot is in the lower springs where you can sit right on the edge in a shallow pool and capture the beautiful mountains in the background!
The lower springs
The dead tree
FOOD & DRINKS AT HIERVE EL AGUA
At the entrance to Hierve El Agua, you can find dozens of vendors selling all sorts of things including local cuisine, soft drinks, beers, juices, ice cream, hand-made garments, and souvenirs.
Toilet facilities and change rooms are also available for visitors which are located at the main entrance to Oaxaca Hierve El Agua.
WHERE TO STAY IN OAXACA CITY
Oaxaca City has hundreds of accommodations to choose from so I have narrowed it down to a few of the best places to stay in Oaxaca to suit the needs of luxury travelers, budget backpackers, and everyone in between.
See the list of Oaxaca accommodations below that I personally recommend:
Luxury: QUINTA REAL OAXACA
Mid Range: Hotel Casa De La Tia Tere
Budget: SELINA HOSTEL
FOR ALL OTHER PLACES TO STAY IN OAXACA CITY, SEARCH ON AGODA OR SEARCH ON BOOKING.COM
AIRBNB OAXACA
Another great option when searching for accommodation in Oaxaca is to stay in an Airbnb which generally has some great deals!
Use the search box below to find all available Airbnb’s in Oaxaca.
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LONELY PLANET MEXICO
One of the best books to take on your trip is the Lonely Planet Mexico Guide!
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MORE CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA TRAVEL GUIDES
- Mexico: 4 Week Mexico Itinerary
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- Cuba: 10 Day Cuba Itinerary
- Peru: Backpacking Peru – 3 Week Itinerary
- Bolivia: Things To Do In Bolivia
- Brazil: 2 Day Rio De Janeiro Itinerary
- Argentina: Things To Do In Argentina
- Chile: Things To Do In Chile
JOIN MY FACEBOOK COMMUNITY
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MY SHOP
Before you go, don’t forget to check out My Online Shop!
I’ve got a wide range of digital products for sale and I’m sure you’ll find something that will come in handy during your travels!
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FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re umming and ahhing about whether or not to join a Hierve El Agua Tour I can tell you now that you won’t regret it. This particular location was the highlight of my trip to Oaxaca and I guarantee you will enjoy it just as much as I did.
I highly recommend visiting Hierve El Agua Oaxaca with a tour as opposed to DIY because it includes a number of other must-see tourist attractions in Oaxaca.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and if you have any questions, please leave me a comment below this post and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Happy Travels!
Hey, I’m Jonny – surfer, skater, photographer, and coffee-lover from Australia!
With a burning passion for travel and the outdoors, I launched this Adventure Travel Blog in 2017, and I’ve been exploring the world ever since!
My little corner of the interwebs is a space where I love to share all of my epic adventures, cultural experiences, and captivating photos from around the globe with the ultimate goal to inspire and motivate other like-minded travelers to explore this wonderful earth too!
