Experience gallery
Explore the route before you travel
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A few hours from Oaxaca City, in the municipality of San Sebastián, lies a cave system worth a full day. This trip pairs a walk through ancient rock galleries with two optional extras for those who want more: an underground river and a cenote for swimming.
We leave at 8:00 AM straight from your hotel in downtown Oaxaca, at no extra cost, and return around 7:00 PM to the Zócalo. It's a good fit for anyone who enjoys nature, geology, and plans that step off the city's usual circuit.
Highlights
- 🕳️ 420 meters of galleries: natural chambers and passageways decorated with stalactites and stalagmites, with a guide explaining how they formed.
- 🌊 Underground river (optional): a 50-meter descent off the main path to the watercourse that carved the cave.
- 💦 Cenote (optional): a dip in clear water inside the cave system, a great way to end the visit.
- 🚐 No driving, no guesswork: round-trip transport, driver, and coordinator included from your hotel.
How the Day Unfolds
🚐 Departure from Your Hotel
We pick you up at your downtown Oaxaca hotel at 8:00 AM and drive toward San Sebastián with the mountain scenery alongside.
🕳️ Walking the Caves
Once we arrive we enter the caves and walk the 420-meter main route. Your guide explains how water and time shaped the stalactites and stalagmites, pointing out the most striking formations along the way.
🌊 Optional Extra: Underground River
If you're up for it, you can leave the main path and descend 50 meters to a river running beneath the rock, the same one that opened these caverns over thousands of years.
💦 Optional Extra: Cenote
The cave system also holds a cenote. Change into your swimsuit and swim as long as you like in its clear water.
🚐 Back to Oaxaca
We head back and reach Oaxaca's Zócalo at approximately 7:00 PM.
What's Included
- Round-trip transportation from your hotel in downtown Oaxaca. 🚐
- Trained driver. 👨🏼✈
- Travel coordinator throughout the trip. 👨🏽💼
- Traveler's insurance. 🔒
- Hotel pickup at no extra cost.
Not Included
- Cave entrance: ~95 MXN per person.
- Underground river access: ~120 MXN per person (optional).
- Cenote access: ~50 MXN per person (optional).
- Food and drinks during the tour.
- Personal expenses and tips.
Meeting Point
We pick you up at your hotel in downtown Oaxaca, at no extra cost.
Duration
8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
What to Bring
- 👟 Comfortable, non-slip footwear: surfaces inside the caves can be wet and uneven.
- 🩱 Swimsuit and 🩴 sandals or water shoes, if you're doing the river or the cenote.
- 🧺 Towel and 👕 a complete change of clothes.
- 🧢 Cap or hat for outside the caves.
- 📸 Camera or phone; some areas may restrict flash.
- 💧 Water to stay hydrated.
- 😷 Face mask, if you prefer one in enclosed areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are the cave entrance fees included?
No. Entrance is about 95 MXN per person, and the underground river (~120 MXN) and cenote (~50 MXN) are optional. Everything is paid directly on site.
2. Do I need to know how to swim?
Not for the main cave walk. If you choose the cenote, it helps to be able to swim.
3. Is it suitable if I have claustrophobia?
The route includes enclosed spaces and sometimes narrow passages. If your claustrophobia is severe, consider it before booking; the river and cenote involve additional descents to greater depths.
4. Where do I leave my belongings if I do the river or cenote?
Bring a water-resistant backpack or dry bag for your phone, dry clothes, and towel. Anything you won't need during the exploration can stay in the vehicle.
