Hierve el Agua, Teotitlan del Valle & Yagul Hiking Tour with Lunch

Hike to Hierve el Agua, a phenomenal natural wonder in the Sierra hills that’ll leave you utterly spellbound by its curious magnificence and awesome scale.

This petrified waterfall in the mountains outside Oaxaca’s Central Valleys boasts pools of water (considered healing spots by the Mixtecs) formed from the mountain’s natural springs that sit on an immense rock shelf peering over the valleys below. These should be warm by the time you get here, so you may be enticed by the opportunity for a very special swim!

Your guided morning hike will take you around the petrified waterfall and to the best vantage points for phenomenal photos of the valley and Hierve el Agua itself. You’ll be here before the morning crowds, allowing you a more intimate experience with this incredible natural phenomenon. All around you, you’ll find abundant agave and frontier-esque cacti - stepping foot on the shelves of Hierve el Agua is a little like stepping foot on another planet!

As you hike, enjoy the exquisite sense of this area’s solitude - being so far away from the villages, you’ll feel a little like you’re walking on top of the world. Keep an ear out for the unusual bird calls that’ll grace the air, as well as the wildlife that you might see scampering between the rocks and cacti.

Having headed back down the mountain in the van, you’ll venture to the fascinating Yagul Archeological Site, an under-appreciated gem of the Oaxaca Valleys that boasts Zapotec ruins rising from an atmospheric landscape of agave and cacti. So impressive is the area that it’s been used as a setting for many Mexican movies and has inspired a number of novels.

Nearby Teotitlan del Valle is a town renowned for its Zapotec weavers, whose textile designs are world famous. You’ll gain an in-depth look at the weaving process in Teotitlan, visiting a household who only use wool from their own livestock and who will give you a guided run-through of their weaving processes from start to finish.

The Zapotec families have been weaving for generations and often incorporate symbolic emblems and patterns into their designs. You’ll admire the weaving processes and products before settling down for a lovingly prepared lunch served by the family in their own home - an authentic introduction to Oaxacan cuisine.

Heading back to Oaxaca in the van, there’s time for one more moment of wonder - a visit to Santa Maria del Tule, site of one of the largest and oldest trees in the world. This Montezuma Cypress is considered to have the widest trunk in the world and towers over the nearby church! Stand beneath the boughs of this awe-inspiring natural wonder and reflect on a truly remarkable adventure in the Oaxaca Valleys.

Highlights

• Petrified waterfall of Hierve el Agua
• Visit to a Zapotec weaving household in Teotitlan
• Tree of Tule
• Yagul Archeological Site
• Homemade lunch

What’s Included

• Professional guide
• Pick-up and drop off at your location
• Transportation in an A/C Van
• All entrance fees
• All activities described in description
• Lunch, Snacks and Drinks

Related Categories

Hiking Day Tours