5 Best Hierve El Agua Tours in 2025
Taking a day trip to Hierve El Agua from Oaxaca City is one of the best ways to enjoy this enchanting part of Mexico.
While living in Oaxaca I had the privilege of going on an incredible Hierve El Agua tour. The petrified waterfalls are like nothing I’ve seen before, and I loved swimming in the natural infinity pool while gazing out on the Oaxacan countryside.
Getting to Hierve El Auga should be on the top of your Oaxaca to-do-list, but if you’re having some trouble deciding on a tour to take, you’re not alone!
There are so many Oaxaca Hierve El Auga tours, each with different guides and many with additional stops along the way.
If you’re looking to book a Hierve El Auga day trip with a reputable tour company, you’ve come to the right place! I’ve done the hard work of comparing the best tours so you can get back to exploring beautiful Oaxaca!
Keep reading for my top recommendations, based on my own firsthand experience at Hierve El Auga and my extensive research.
Quick Guide
Top 3: Hierve El Agua Tours from Oaxaca City
☀️ Private Tour to Hierve El Agua with Mezcal Tasting & Artisan Textile Workshop
🥃 Simple Two Stop Hierve El Agua & Mezcal Distillery Group Tour
🌶 My Oaxaca City Favorites ☀️
⛪️ Explore Oaxaca’s historical neighborhoods: Filled with color and life, Centro Historical, Jalatlaco, and Xochimilco are all worth exploring during your time in Oaxaca!
🥑 Indulge in (and learn about) Oaxacan cuisine: The best thing to do in Oaxaca is eat! There are also tons of food tours you can sign up for, such as this immersive Oaxacan food tour, this chocolate making class, and this vegetarian cooking class.
🦋 Get out of the city: Escape into the Oaxacan countryside on a day trip to the popular petrified waterfalls of Hierve el Agua or hike beside mountain creeks and swim beneath gorgeous waterfalls in Santiago Apoala.
🥾 Marvel at Zapotec ruins: Go on a half day trip to the nearby Monte Alban archaeological site, or journey to my favorite ruins in Oaxaca at Mitla.
😴 Where to Stay: A beautiful historical modern suite in Jalatlaco at Hotel Tabáa Oaxaca, a luxury room with a private pool at Hotel Casa Santo Origen, or trendy boutique room at Pug Seal in Centro.
The Best Hierve El Agua Tours
1. Private Tour to Hierve El Agua with Mezcal Tasting & Artisan Textile Workshop
★★★★★ 5/5 stars out of 163+ reviews
Looking for the all around best Hierve El Auga tour? This is it!
Experience beautiful Hierve El Agua at your own pace on a private tour. After a short hike to the petrified waterfalls and some time swimming, your guide will take you to a local mezcal distillery and an artisan workshop in Teotitlán del Valle.
This tour includes two full hours at Hierve el Agua, plus an hour each at the mezcal distillery and the artisan workshop, which makes for the perfect day trip that is neither short nor rushed.
Of course, the tour also included roundtrip transportation from your Oaxaca hotel in a vehicle with AC and a private driver.
Whether you’re traveling by yourself and want a personalized experience, or are exploring Oaxaca with a big group, this tour is my top recommendation! But don’t just take it from me, read the dozens of 5 star reviews:
“Our driver Miguel was fantastic! Excellent driver, saw what we wanted to see and connected us with nice people at the sites we visited. We booked a private tour for three – money well spent. Comfortable, air-conditioned, new van. Highly recommended.”
Review by Stacy on Viator
2. Private Oaxaca Sightseeing Tour to Hierve El Agua, Monte Alban, Mitla, Teotitlan del Valle, Mercado Tlacolula, and More
★★★★★ 5/5 stars out of 177+ reviews
If your time in Oaxaca is limited and you want to get the most out of your Hierve El Agua day trip, you should book this private tour!
The jam-packed itinerary includes the following stops:
★ Hierve El Agua: The iconic natural springs and petrified waterfall park where you’ll swim and hike
★ Monte Alban: A UNESCO World Heritage Site home to some of Oaxaca’s most impressive ancient ruins (one of the best places to visit in Oaxaca)
★ Mitla: My favorite archaeological site in the State of Oaxaca, a Zapotec city with striking architecture
★ San Martin Tilcajete: A small town where you’ll learn about alebrijes (hand carved wooden animals)
★ El Tule: The widest tree in the world, which is located in a colorful Oaxaca neighborhood on the way to Hierve El Agua
★ Teotitlan del Valle: A charming little Oaxacan town where attend a weaving workshop with Zapotec artisans, and learn about traditional candle-making
★ San Bartolo: Another Oaxacan village where you’ll learn about local pottery
★ Cuevas Prehistoricas de Mitla: Hike to the the prehistoric caves of Mitla where you’ll see petroglyphs
★ Mercado Tlacolula: The most famous market in Oaxaca (only on Sundays)
★ Mezcal distillery: Tour a mezcal distillery and of course, taste the different mezcals!
With so many stops, this tour isn’t for everyone, but it is definitely worth it if you’re short on time! Plus, it is a private tour so you’ll get the local guide to yourself.
3. Hierve El Agua & Mezcal Distillery Group Tour
★★★★★ 5/5 stars out of 242+ reviews
While most Hierve el Agua tours stuff tons of activities into the day, this tour just has two stops: Hierve El Agua and a mezcal distillery.
You’ll get three whole hours to enjoy all that Hierve El Agua has to offer: the hiking trails, the mineral pools, petrified waterfalls, and overall natural beauty of the surrounding area.
After taking your time at Hierve El Agua, your guide will take you to one of Oaxaca’s most popular mezcal distilleries where you can learn about mezcal production and taste several mezcals.
Unlike the other tours above, this is a group tour, so you can expect to meet some other travelers, too. It is also a fairly affordable option if you’re hoping to see Hierve El Agua on a budget. Check current prices here.
“Absolutely amazing! Our guide Tania was so gracious & knowledgeable & kind. The tour was fantastic from the start to the end! Not at all rushed & timed perfectly. Mezcal tasting was superb & staff were knowledgeable & professional. Highly recommend!!!”
Review from Char on Viator
4. Budget-Friendly Hierve El Agua, Mitla, Mezcal, and El Tule Tree Tour
★★★★★ 4.5/5 stars out of 580 reviews
If you’re looking for the most budget-friendly Hierve El Agua tour from Oaxaca City, this is it!
The tour starts with a stop at El Tule where you can see the widest tree in the world! Then you’ll visit a traditional weaving workshop in Teotitlán del Valle, and next stop at the Mitla, an ancient city once home to the Zapotec people.
The highlight of the day tour is of course swimming in the natural pools at Hierve El Agua, and after that stop you’ll get to taste mezcal at a nearby mezcal distillery.
What makes this group tour different than a private tour? Well, you will likely have to share your guide with a large group, and there may be ‘product placements’ along the way. In other words, the tour operators will try to get guests to buy things along the way to offset the cost of the tour.
Still, hundreds of people love this tour! Here is one review:
“The multitude of experiences was great! Our guide “Rodrigo” was amazingly thorough in his explanations of the entire trip. Even tho the trip was 11 hours, it was a day well spent!”
Review from William on Viator
5. Hierve El Agua Tour Plus Yagul, Teotitlan del Valley, and Tule Tree
Last but not least, this small group Hierve El Agua tour includes a stop at a less-visited Zapotec archeological site, Yagul.
After touring picturesque Yagul and spending three hours at Hierve El Agua, you’ll enjoy a delicious traditional lunch with a local family in Teotitlan del Valle.
You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about traditional weaving and natural dyes at a workshop in Teotitlan del Valle, and see the world’s widest tree, El Tule. Keep in mind that this tour does not include a stop at a mezcal factory. But if you’re willing to miss that popular stop, this tour is so worth booking!
In my opinion, this tour is perfectly timed, giving you enough time to truly experience each stop, and I love that a local meal is included for lunch. But don’t take it from me, here’s a review that says it better than I could:
“I rarely bother to write reviews but I wanted to give a shoutout to our guide Misrael who gave us a really enjoyable day. We went to Hierve el agua and Yagun, enjoyed a surprisingly good lunch and Misrael was a great guide – he spoke great English, had heaps of knowledge to share but he was also laidback and knew when we just wanted quiet time to chill. I would totally recommend this tour to anyone.”
Review on Viator
Related: How to Visit the Santa Rita Hot Springs in Baja, Mexico
What to Pack For A Hierve El Agua Day Trip from Oaxaca
★ Decent walking shoes: I wore my EVA Birkenstocks to Hierve El Agua, but if I were to go again, I might bring my trail runners for more support on the hike. My favorite travel hiking shoes are Altra Lone Peak Trail Runners and my husband has a pair as well.
★ A bathing suit: Make sure to have a swim suit so you can soak in Hierve El Agua’s gorgeous thermal springs and pools.
★ A travel towel: I love this fast drying, sand resistant travel towel. I bring it everywhere!
★ Sun protection: Sunscreen is a must since there is very little shade around Hierve El Agua. I also recommend a protective sun shirt and hat, too.
★ Small change for tipping (and entrance fees): Hierve El Agua is managed by local community landowners. They require every tour group to have a local guide (not the same as the guide with your tour company), and it can be nice to leave a tip with this local guide.
★ Water and snacks: Bring a reusable waterfall, and optionally, snacks. There are some stalls where you can buy food near the the pools for an additional cost, but since I’m vegan, I always bring my own snacks for good measure!
★ Travel insurance: While it is not a physical item to pack, please don’t forget to purchase travel insurance in case something happens! I always buy a policy with SafetyWing.
Formed by mineral deposits, these formations are out of this world!
