As a short summer getaway, we decided to visit the Huasteca Potosina for 3 days. We left from Leon, Guanajuato on a Thursday night, heading to San Luis Potosi, and further to Ciudad Valles – about a 2 hour drive from San Luis Potosi. We booked a 3-day tour, Friday thru Sunday, with Huaxteca tours. The tours include everything you might need: hotel, guide, equipment, lunch, and give you the option of choosing your own hotel or hostel, available in a range of prices. We went for Hotel Quinta Mar, a nice medium-sized hotel which, apart from having a pool, also included breakfast. Each day after breakfast the tour guide picked us up and we headed on our little adventure.
For the first day, we visited three waterfalls: El Toro, El Meco, and Minas Viejas. At each location, we were given life jackets and the freedom to explore, swim around, or dive from the cliffs, for a couple of hours, after which we stopped by at a small family restaurant for a home-cooked Mexican meal.
On the second day we took things easy and headed over to Xilitla to visit Sir Edward James’ surrealist garden. Set in the middle of the jungle, the garden features a myriad of sculptures which you’re free to photograph or even climb on, as the guides tell you the story of the place and of Edward James. After hours spent in the garden, we headed to Sotano de las Huahuas, one of the many sinkholes in the state, where we were guided by the local indigenous community on a hike up to the viewing point. In silence, we took pictures and watched the flocks of birds flying in an out of the cave, completing the surreal experience of the day.
Our last day of the trip came way too soon, as we woke up feeling energized and ready to row a small boat up the river to see the amazing Tamul waterfall. Exhausted from all the rowing, back on shore we were taken to yet another small local restaurant for a traditional Mexican home-cooked meal.
Overall, this trip was one of the most rejuvenating trips we have ever taken. With no internet or cell phones, we managed to completely disconnect from daily life. The tour planning of the Huaxteca team was truly worth every penny, and the Huasteca is most definitely one of the must-sees in Mexico. If you find yourself in Central Mexico, and you want to stay away from the typical all-inclusive beach resorts on the coasts, this is the place to go. You can opt for the “ecotourism” package as we did, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can join one of the more exciting trips including rafting, rock climbing, or waterfall-diving.
Irina's Wanderland 