Mexico is not short on remarkable natural places, and the caves of Tolantongo sit right up there with the best of them. You'll find them in the state of Hidalgo, and over the years they've become a real magnet for anyone who likes their travel with a bit of adventure baked in. So what's the fuss about? In this post I want to walk you through the history, the geology, and honestly just the sheer beauty of the place, plus a few practical tips to help you get the most out of a visit. Planning a Mexico trip? Do yourself a favour and pencil Tolantongo in.
Where the Caves of Tolantongo Are
The caves are in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. The nearest city of any size is Pachuca, roughly a two-hour drive out of Mexico City. This is proper rural territory, so you'll get there by car or bus, and once you've parked up there's a short hike to the entrance. Nothing strenuous, but wear something you don't mind getting dusty.
A Bit of History
Tolantongo is really a cluster of caves in Hidalgo, and tucked inside them are hot springs that local people have been using for centuries.
The earliest written mention we have goes back to the early 16th century, when the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes described them. That said, the caves were almost certainly known long before he ever showed up. The indigenous population living in the region would have found and used them well ahead of any European arrival.
Those hot springs have long been believed to do you some good, and people have come here to soak, unwind and generally reset for generations. That reputation has only spread in recent years, and now visitors turn up from all corners of the world to see the place for themselves.
What a Visit Actually Looks Like
A few things worth knowing before you go. For a start, this is a remote spot and it isn't the easiest place to reach. There's no public transport running right to the caves, so you're either renting a car or grabbing a taxi. The caves also aren't a great fit for very young kids or anyone who struggles with tight, dark spaces, because it gets cramped and gloomy in parts. And while the site stays open all year, if you ask me the sweet spot is October through April, when the weather cools off a bit.
Getting to the Caves
Your first target is the town of San Miguel del Milagro in Hidalgo. From there it's a short drive or bus hop to the little village of Valle de Bravo, which is where the caves sit.
Once you're in Valle de Bravo you've got a couple of options. The simplest is to book a tour with one of the many operators working the area. They sort out all the logistics and handle transport both ways, so it's the low-stress choice.
Feeling a bit more independent? You can make your own way to the cave entrance. That means hiking up a steep hill out of Valle de Bravo. The trailhead is just outside town and the climb takes about an hour. Get to the top and you're paid back with lovely views over the valley below and the mouth of the cave itself.
One thing to flag: you'll need a reasonable level of fitness, since there's some clambering involved once you're inside. It's manageable for most people though, and well worth the sweat.
The Caves of Tolantongo
The caves lie within the Sierra Madre Oriental range in Hidalgo. What you're looking at is a series of linked caverns and chambers that water spent millions of years slowly carving out.
They rank among Mexico's most visited natural attractions. Given the strange geology and the views on offer, that's not hard to understand. They're also home to several species of bats, which you can spot roosting up in the chambers during daylight hours.
The caves are open to the public year-round, and plenty of tour companies run guided trips. If you're up for it, you can even camp overnight inside the caves. Honestly, that's an experience I wouldn't want anyone to skip.
The Journey In
Getting to the Tolantongo caves takes some doing. You're driving about four hours out of Mexico City to begin with, then hiking roughly an hour through the mountains on top of that. But stick with it, because what waits at the end more than earns the effort.
The caves sit in the Sierra Madre Oriental range and come in two parts: the Cueva de los Siete Pecados (Cave of Seven Sins) and the Cueva de las Golondrinas (Cave of Swallows). Both run about 60 meters deep and are filled with crystal-clear water, warmed by volcanic activity working away beneath the surface.
Swimming here is something else. The water's so clear you can see right down to the bottom, and the temperature is spot-on for a lazy soak. There's a genuinely odd, wonderful feeling to swimming inside a cave, like you've slipped into a different world for an hour.
If off-the-beaten-track is your thing, get Tolantongo on the list. It's a long way to go, and you'll be glad you made the trip.
Inside the Caves
Tolantongo is actually a system of more than fifty caves and caverns in the Municipality of Aquismón, over in the state of San Luis Potosí. What sets them apart is their unusual geology and the sheer number of prehistoric artifacts people have dug up inside them.
They were shaped by the same forces that raised the nearby Sierra Madre Oriental. Rain and snowmelt trickled down through cracks and fissures in the limestone bedrock over millions of years, slowly wearing it away. The end result is a sprawling network of caves and caverns, some roomy enough to stand up straight in.
A lot of these caves show signs of human life going back to the Pre-Classic period, roughly 2000 BCE to 250 CE. The best known is the Cave of Stars, its walls and ceiling covered in hundreds of painted handprints. Others hold pottery shards, tools and various artifacts that open a little window onto how these ancient communities lived.
The caves welcome visitors all year, and a handful of tour companies run guided trips. You can also camp overnight at one of the many cave campsites, or slip into the natural hot springs that spill out of some of the caves.
What to Pack
A short packing note before you head off. Comfortable shoes come first, the kind you can walk in for hours, because the caves are big and there's a fair bit of ground to cover. Bring a jacket or a sweater too, since it runs a good deal cooler inside the cave than it does out in the sun.
Pack your camera, obviously, so you can hang onto all that beauty. And if you're going in the summer months, throw in a bathing suit so you can drop into the natural pools inside the cave.
Getting There by Bus
To reach Tolantongo you'll want to catch a bus from either Mexico City or Queretaro. Reckon on about 5 hours on the road. Once you land in Hidalgo, grab a taxi or private car out to the town of San Lorenzo Almecatla, and from there it's a short walk to the caves.
The Best Time to Go
Aim for the window between October and April. The weather's cooler then and you'll get less rain, which matters, because the caves sit in a remote area that can be a real pain to reach once the rainy season sets in.
Final Thoughts
The Caves of Tolantongo are one of the most beautiful, one-of-a-kind places you'll come across anywhere. Natural hot springs, wild rock formations, and green everywhere you turn. It's the kind of visit that stays with you long after you've left. So if you've got room for one more stop on your travel list, this is the one I'd push to the top.
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