Copalitilla Waterfalls tour from Huatulco: Swim & hike

Savor fresh coffee and discover healing plants in Sierra’s hidden jungle retreat

This 8-hour tour from Huatulco takes you by air-conditioned vehicle into the Oaxaca mountains to Copalitilla's Magical Waterfalls, where you walk through jungle terrain to reach crystalline pools ideal for swimming and photography. The tour includes entrance fees, a certified bilingual guide, round-trip hotel pickup, and a coffee tasting with information about medicinal plants used by the local community. Food is available separately at the site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Copalitilla Waterfalls and Meal

• Travel 1.5 hours to mountains
• Walk through jungle to waterfalls
• Swim and take photos at waterfalls
• Enjoy traditional mole with chicken meal

The experience

The drive from your Huatulco hotel takes about 1.5 hours into the sierra, climbing toward the mountain community where the waterfalls begin. Once you arrive, you leave the vehicle and walk into the jungle on foot: the path leads you through dense vegetation to the falls themselves, where the water feeds a series of pools. The pools are deep enough and calm enough for swimming, and the setting gives you time to take photos, cool off in the water, and simply sit with the landscape around you.

Partway through the tour, there's a stop for coffee tasting where your guide explains how it's grown locally and talks about the medicinal plants the community uses. Some of which are made into products you can see. This is also the moment to ask about the traditional meal (mole with chicken, hand-made tortillas, and beans) that's available for purchase at the site if you want to eat before heading back. The guide is certified and speaks both English and Spanish, so questions and details come through clearly.

The full day is eight hours from pickup to return. You'll need a moderate level of fitness for the jungle walk. It's not a strenuous hike, but it's not a flat path either. Bring swimwear under your clothes, water shoes or sandals that can get wet, and a towel. The vehicle is air-conditioned for the drive both ways, and your hotel pickup means no arranging transport to the trailhead.

What’s included

• Entrance fees to the Copalitilla waterfalls.
• certified bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• round-trip hotel pickup within Bahías de Huatulco.
• coffee tasting with a talk on local medicinal plants and their uses.

Options for this experience

2 options

Group tour to the waterfalls on a shared basisGuide in English or Spanish · 10:30Pickup time: the pickup slot is set based on where your hostel is situated; pickup is included

Private TourGuide in English or Spanish · 5 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 10:30Vehicle for up to 4 people; includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Lasts 8h, runs every day, 5 start times, from US$ 55 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish, in groups of up to 14 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 10:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (11 to 80 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 0.54

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lamby Tours Huatulco

Is this one for you?This tour is shared, not private. You'll be with other travelers on the same vehicle and the same walk. Choose it if you want a guide who knows the terrain and the community, handles all the logistics of getting you there, and can explain what you're seeing as you go. It's the right fit if you'd rather not navigate the mountain roads or the jungle path on your own, and you want the cultural context the local guide brings.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3): 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. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the walk like to reach the waterfalls?

The walk goes through jungle terrain after you arrive at the community. It's roughly 1.5 hours of driving to get there, then you walk on foot to the pools and falls themselves. The path is manageable for anyone with moderate fitness, but it's not flat or paved, so wear shoes that grip and can handle wet ground.

Can I swim in the pools at Copalitilla?

Yes, the pools are deep and clear enough for swimming. Bring swimwear and a towel, and plan to spend time in the water. That's part of why the tour stops there, alongside taking photos and resting in the shade.

Is food included in the tour price?

Food is not included. The tour includes a coffee tasting and information about medicinal plants, but the traditional meal of mole, chicken, beans and hand-made tortillas is available for purchase at the site if you want to eat there.

What does the bilingual guide do during the tour?

Your certified guide speaks English and Spanish and leads the group through the jungle to the waterfalls, explains the coffee and medicinal plants at the tasting stop, and answers questions about what you're seeing. The guide is with you for the full 8 hours.

Does the tour price include getting to and from my hotel?

Yes, round-trip pickup from your accommodation within the Bahías de Huatulco area is included, along with the air-conditioned vehicle for the drive to the mountains and back.

What should I bring for a day at the waterfalls?

Bring swimwear, water shoes or sandals that dry quickly, a towel, sunscreen, and a camera or phone for photos. The jungle is shaded in places but sunny in others, and you'll be walking on uneven ground, so comfortable, grippy footwear matters.