5-Day Chiapas Adventure from San Cristóbal: Waterfalls & Palenque

See five of Chiapas's most dramatic waterfalls and ruins without arranging transport between them

A 5-day tour of Chiapas departing from San Cristóbal de las Casas, with four nights' hotel lodging, a Spanish-speaking guide, and visits to Agua Azul and Misol-Ha waterfalls, the Palenque archaeological site, a boat tour through Sumidero Canyon, El Chiflón waterfalls, and Montebello lagoons. Hotel pickup from Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport is included, as are all entry tickets and an air-conditioned vehicle for the route.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to San Cristóbal

• Receive at Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport
• Transfer to hotel in San Cristóbal de las Casas
• Free time to explore San Cristóbal

Day 2: Chiapa de Corzo and Sumidero Canyon

• Visit Chiapa de Corzo colonial town
• See La Pila fountain
• Tour Temple of Santo Domingo
• Boat tour in Sumidero Canyon

Day 3: Palenque and Waterfalls

• Visit Palenque archaeological site
• Explore Misol-Ha Waterfall
• Visit Agua Azul Waterfalls

Day 4: El Chiflón Waterfalls and Montebello Lakes

• Visit El Chiflón Waterfalls
• Explore Montebello Lakes natural park

Day 5: Return to Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport

• Transfer from hotel to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport
• End of services

The experience

The tour starts with airport pickup at Tuxtla Gutiérrez and a transfer to San Cristóbal de las Casas, a colonial city 46 kilometers away that sits in the Jovel Valley. You spend four nights here, using it as your base while the guide handles the driving between sites. The first full day takes you to Chiapa de Corzo, a 16th-century Spanish settlement 15 minutes from the city center, where you see La Pila (a Moorish-style brick fountain unique in Latin America), and the Temple of Santo Domingo, a Renaissance structure with one of the largest bells in the country.

Day three moves into the jungle toward Palenque, stopping at Misol-Ha waterfall, a 25-meter drop surrounded by tropical forest where you can swim in the pool below, and then Agua Azul, where the Agua Azul River descends in a series of limestone steps creating natural pools 133 kilometers from San Cristóbal. The Palenque archaeological zone itself covers 16 square kilometers with over 200 structures: the Temple of the Inscriptions, the Great Palace, and temples dedicated to the Sun and the Cross among them. The site sits inside a national park inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1987 and was featured in the film Predator because of its dense jungle setting.

Day four takes you to El Chiflón waterfalls, where the Río San Vicente drops roughly 120 meters in a series of falls called El Suspiro, Ala de Ángel, and Velo de Novia: the last one a 70-meter plunge into turquoise pools. The route then continues to Montebello lagoons near Comitán, a system of 59 lakes formed in karst terrain where the water colors shift depending on the soil, vegetation, and light refraction. On the final day, the guide transfers you back to Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport for your return flight.

What’s included

• Four nights' lodging in a 4-star hotel in San Cristóbal de las Casas.
• airport pickup at Tuxtla Gutiérrez and return transfer.
• an air-conditioned vehicle for all travel between sites.
• entry tickets to Palenque, Sumidero Canyon, Agua Azul, Misol-Ha, El Chiflón, and Montebello lagoons.
• a Spanish-speaking guide for all five days.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 to 65 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 25 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Is this one for you?This tour works best if you're arriving at Tuxtla Gutiérrez airport without a rental car, since pickup and all transport between sites are included and you don't need to navigate the routes yourself. The five-day length gives you time to see both the archaeological zone and the major waterfalls without rushing, and staying in one hotel base means you unpack once instead of moving each night.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What is Palenque and why is it worth a full day of the tour?

Palenque is one of Mexico's most important Mayan archaeological sites, with over 200 structures spread across 16 square kilometers, including the Temple of the Inscriptions and the Great Palace. It was designated a World Heritage site in 1987 and sits inside a national park surrounded by tropical jungle, so the setting itself is part of the experience.

Can I swim at the waterfalls on this tour?

Yes, at Misol-Ha waterfall you can swim in the natural pool formed by the 25-meter drop, and at Agua Azul the limestone steps create multiple pools where swimming is possible. El Chiflón also has turquoise pools at the base of the falls, though the water is cold.

How much driving is involved each day, and do I stay in the same hotel the whole time?

You stay in San Cristóbal de las Casas all four nights, so the guide drives you out to each site and back. Distances vary: Chiapa de Corzo is 15 minutes away, Agua Azul is 133 kilometers, and Palenque requires a longer drive into the jungle, but the air-conditioned vehicle and guide handle the route.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks Spanish and leads the tour in that language throughout the five days.