Hierve el Agua & Mitla Full Day Tour: 6 Stops with Guide

Hike the mineral pools at Hierve el Agua, then walk through Mitla's pre-Hispanic ruins with a guide who knows the history

This full-day guided tour of Oaxaca visits six sites across the region: the petrified waterfalls and natural pools at Hierve el Agua (two hours of free time), the archaeological zone of Mitla with a certified guide, a textile workshop in Teotitlán del Valle where artisans show the wool-rug process, a mezcal factory with tasting, the ancient Tule Tree, and a buffet lunch of traditional Oaxacan food. Hotel pickup starts between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m., and the tour runs 10 to 11 hours total. The guide speaks English or Spanish depending on the option you choose at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Hierve el Agua2h
2. Mitla1h
3. Tule Tree30m

Explore Hierve el Agua and Surroundings

• Visit Hierve el Agua waterfalls
• Hike and enjoy natural pools
• Tour Mitla archaeological zone
• Eat traditional Oaxacan buffet lunch
• Visit wool rug artisan workshop
• Tour mezcal factory and tasting
• Visit the famous Tule Tree

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your hotel, then heads to Hierve el Agua in the town of Roagia. The site is a series of petrified waterfalls: mineral-rich water has calcified over centuries into terraces that look frozen mid-flow. You get two hours to hike the pools, swim in the natural basins if you want, and take in the landscape without a guide rushing you through it. After that, you move on to Mitla, the archaeological zone where a certified guide walks you through the pre-Hispanic buildings for 40 minutes to an hour, explaining the history and the layout of the site.

Lunch comes next at a buffet restaurant serving traditional Oaxacan dishes. Then you visit a master weaver's house-workshop in Teotitlán del Valle, where you watch the full process of making wool rugs (spinning, natural pigments, the loom work), and see the finished pieces. A short drive brings you to a mezcal factory and outlet, where staff walk you through how this traditional spirit is produced, followed by a tasting of mezcal and mezcal creams. The last stop is the Tule Tree in Santa María el Tule, one of the thickest trees on earth, and your guide explains why it matters to the region.

The tour is shared, so you'll travel with other visitors in an air-conditioned vehicle. Pickup and drop-off are included. The driver collects you from your hotel in the morning and returns you to the city center when the day ends. The order of stops can shift depending on traffic, festivals or other factors outside the company's control, and the total time may vary because of hotel pickups and transfers between sites. If you need extra space for luggage or personal items, you can reserve an additional seat and let the operator know.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return to the city center.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• a certified guide in English or Spanish.
• entry to Mitla archaeological zone.
• a guided tour of Mitla lasting 40 minutes to an hour.
• lunch at a buffet restaurant with traditional Oaxacan food (depending on your option).
• a visit to a textile workshop to watch wool-rug making.
• a mezcal factory tour and tasting of mezcal and mezcal creams.

Options for this experience

6 options

Transport and Spanish-speaking guide08:00Includes pickup

Transport and English-speaking guide08:00Includes pickup

Spanish-speaking guide and access tickets08:00Tickets: Entrance to the Tule tree, entrance to the Mitla archaeological zone, fees and entrance to Hierve el Agua. Pickup is included.

See 3 more options

English-speaking guide and access tickets08:00Tickets: entrance to the Tule Tree, entrance to the Mitla archaeological site, fees and entrance to Hierve el Agua. Pickup is included.

Spanish-speaking guide, tickets and food08:00Lunch or food: buffet-style meal and a drink. Tickets: entrance to the Tule tree, entrance to the Mitla archaeological zone, fees and entrance to Hierve el Agua. Pickup is included.

English-speaking guide, tickets and food08:00Lunch or dinner: buffet-style meal and a drink. Tickets: entrance to the Tule Tree, entrance to the Mitla archaeological site, fees and entrance to Hierve el Agua. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (4 to 90 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

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.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

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

Operated by Continental Istmo

Is this one for you?Book this if you're arriving without a car: a shared van with a guide handles six stops across culture, archaeology, and nature, with two hours to explore Hierve el Agua at your own pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

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 can I do during the two hours at Hierve el Agua?

Hierve el Agua gives you two hours of free time to hike the mineral terraces, swim in the natural pools, and enjoy the views of the petrified waterfalls without a guide directing you. It's your choice how to spend the time.

Is the guide included in every option, or do some options skip it?

Every option includes a certified guide for the day. You choose English or Spanish when you book, and the same guide leads the tour in whichever language you select.

What does the mezcal tasting involve?

At the mezcal factory, local staff explain the production process, then you taste samples of mezcal and mezcal creams. It's a short stop to learn about this traditional Oaxacan beverage.

Does the tour include lunch?

Lunch is included in some options but not all. Check which option you're booking. When it's included, you eat at a buffet restaurant with traditional Oaxacan food.

What time does the hotel pickup happen?

Pickup runs between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m., depending on which hotel you're staying at and the route the driver takes to collect all passengers.

Will I have time to buy anything at the textile workshop or mezcal factory?

Yes, the mezcal factory has an outlet where you can purchase bottles, and the textile workshop sells the wool rugs and other pieces made on-site, though buying is optional.