Hierve el Agua & More... All Included Guided Day Tour from Oaxaca

This guided day trip leaves Oaxaca city for the mountains of the Central Valleys and combines one of the region's best-known natural sights with archaeology, craft and food. The main stop is Hierve el Agua, a petrified waterfall set on a natural shelf above the valley, and the route continues through Yagul, Teotitlan del Valle and Santa Maria del Tule. The itinerary lists 660 minutes in total.

Hierve el Agua is about two hours from the city. Its pools are fed by natural springs that rise from inside the mountain, and the rock formation looks out over the Sierra. The itinerary gives this stop around 180 minutes, enough to see the formation, take in the views and enjoy the pools.

On the way back down the mountain the group visits the Yagul archaeological site, where wild cactus and agave grow among and on top of the Zapotec ruins. The listing describes it as a place that sees very few visitors, with a long history and a strong atmosphere. The itinerary allows about 120 minutes here.

Next comes Teotitlan del Valle, a town known for its Zapotec weaving tradition. You visit a family household that obtains its wool only from its own livestock and shows the whole production process from start to finish, including the work and symbolism behind the textiles. Lunch is prepared by the same family and eaten inside their home, with traditional Oaxacan dishes. This part of the day is listed at about 180 minutes.

The last stop is Santa Maria del Tule, home of a Moctezuma cypress thought to have the widest trunk in the world and to be around 1,500 years old. The tree is so large that it dwarfs the church beside it. You spend roughly 60 minutes here before the drive back to Oaxaca.

There are two ways to book: the full day described above, including lunch, or a shorter Express version that visits only Hierve el Agua. Lunch is included only if you choose the All Included option. Entrance fees, a professional guide, bottled water, snacks and an air-conditioned vehicle are part of the price, while gratuities are not.

The tour is listed as suitable for all physical fitness levels, and infants must sit on an adult's lap. Public transportation is available nearby. The guide meets you in front of your accommodation, so have your address ready when you book. Bring swimwear if you want to use the pools at Hierve el Agua.