San Cristóbal: Palenque, Agua Azul & Misol-Ha Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★ 3.00 (4 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/12

Duration17h 30m

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesES

PickupAt your hotel

Waterfalls and Mayan Temples in One Day from San Cristóbal

You visit two major waterfalls with time to swim in Agua Azul's pools and walk around Misol-Ha's 30-meter drop, then spend the afternoon at Palenque exploring the Temple of Inscriptions, Temple of the Red Queen, and other key structures. Transport, entry fees, and water are included, and the pace is set so you're not rushing between sites.

17h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit waterfalls and Palenque ruins

Travel through Chiapas mountain range
Visit Agua Azul Waterfalls
Optional swim in Agua Azul pools
Visit Misol-ha Waterfall
Explore Palenque archaeological site
See Temple of the Red Queen
See Temple of the Cross and observatory
Visit Temple of the Inscriptions and Pakal's tomb

The Experience

The vehicle is already rolling when you pick it up — heading straight into the Chiapas mountain range toward the first waterfall. Agua Azul appears suddenly, turquoise pools stacked like a natural staircase where the river's force has carved the limestone over centuries. The water is cold and the current is real, so swimming is optional, but most people wade in at least up to their knees. You get time to walk the pools, take photos, and let the spray cool you down before the drive continues deeper into the jungle toward Misol-Ha, a single 30-meter waterfall surrounded by dense vegetation that feels older and quieter than the first one.

After the waterfalls, the road opens onto the Palenque archaeological site — one of the most intact Mayan cities in Mexico. The Temple of Inscriptions dominates the plaza, and inside it is the tomb of Pakal, one of the culture's most important rulers, discovered in the 1950s and still the centerpiece of what archaeologists know about this place. Your guide walks you through the Temple of the Red Queen, the Temple of the Cross, and the observatory, explaining the glyphs and the layout as you go. It's a lot of ground and a lot of history compressed into the afternoon, but the structures are spaced out enough that you're not rushing between them.

The full day tour from San Cristóbal includes the air-conditioned vehicle, all entry tickets to both the waterfalls and Palenque, and bottled water throughout. You'll be out from early morning until evening, moving between three very different landscapes — turquoise water, jungle, and stone temples — with enough time at each stop to actually see what you came for instead of just checking boxes.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in San Cristóbal, air-conditioned transport to all three sites, entry tickets to Agua Azul and Misol-Ha waterfalls and the Palenque archaeological site, and bottled water. You have time to swim or wade at Agua Azul, walk around Misol-Ha's 30-meter waterfall, and explore Palenque's main temples including the Temple of Inscriptions, Temple of the Red Queen, and Temple of the Cross before returning to San Cristóbal in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Viajes Itzaa

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to see both waterfalls and Palenque's main temples in a single day without arranging transport and tickets separately — the fixed itinerary and included entry fees are what make fitting all three sites into one trip possible.