HIERVE EL AGUA TOUR IN OAXACA – THE ULTIMATE GUIDE

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 Tour including where to book and what to expect!

 

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WHERE IS OAXACA HIERVE EL AGUA

Hierve El Agua is located 65km southeast from Oaxaca City Center in the municipality of Roaguia.

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 the Hierve El Agua Tour 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 the 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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Hierve El Agua Tour

HIERVE EL AGUA ENTRANCE FEE

Unfortunately, the cost of the Hierve El Agua 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

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 Hierve El Agua. 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 at Hierve El Agua

Cascada Chica – Hierve El Agua Tour

Petrified waterfalls at Hierve El Agua

Natural Springs at Hierve El Agua Oaxaca

On top of Cascada Grande

HIERVE EL AGUA OAXACA TOUR – CONTINUED

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. 

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On the trail at Oaxaca Hierve El Agua

Cascada Grande – Hierve El Agua Tour

Side-on perspective 

BEST PHOTO SPOTS ON THE HIERVE EL AGUA TOUR

The best Instagram worthy photo spots at Hierve El Agua, 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 at Hierve El Agua 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! 

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The lower springs

The dead tree at Hierve El Agua Oaxaca

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.

FINAL THOUGHTS OF HIERVE EL AGUA TOUR

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 with a tour as opposed to DIY because it includes a number of other must-see tourist attractions in Oaxaca. 

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PIN LOCATION OF OAXACA HIERVE EL AGUA

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