Exploring El Aguacate Waterfall: Puebla’s Best Kept Secret
El Aguacate Waterfall in Puebla is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Tucked away in the mountains, this stunning waterfall offers a peaceful escape into nature, making it a must-visit for adventurers and nature lovers alike.
Whether you're seeking breathtaking views or a quiet retreat, El Aguacate waterall promises an unforgettable experience in the heart of Puebla's natural beauty.
In this guide we're going to share everything you need to know aboutn visiting El Aguacate waterfall in Puebla, so you can plan your most epic adventure.
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El Aguacate Waterfall: A Quick Intro
Are you ready to explore the incredible El Aguacate Waterfall in Puebla? Before going over the details for how to get there and what to expect, we're going to share a couple of facts to help you understand a bit more about it.
🗣 What is the Name of the Waterfall in El Aguacate, Puebla?
Most people think that the name of the waterfall is El Aguacate (and so did we for a long time!). This is what most people refer to it as, since it is where the waterfall is located.
However, the name actually is "Cascadas de Ahuehuetla", named after the village they are located.
📍 Where is El Aguacate in Puebla?
El Aguacate Waterfalls are located 50 km south of the city of Puebla, and take about an hour and a half to drive to. The address is 75332 San Agustín Ahuehuetla, Puebla, Mexico.
How to Get to El Aguacate Waterfall in Puebla
There are three different options for visiting El Aguacate Waterfall in Puebla:
- Rent a car and drive
- Take a tour from Puebla
- Take a bus and then a taxi
🚗 Driving to El Aguacate Waterfall
The drive to El Aguacate Waterfall from Puebla is 50 km. It's pretty seamless until getting to Valsequillo, which is a massive dam surrounding by small towns.
After that, the drive zig zags through the mountains until you get to the town of San Augustin Ahuehuetla, which is a tiny village with bumpy dirt roads.
We had a small car, and made it there just fine, but you definitely want to drive with caution so you don't blow out a tire.
The parking lot is a large grassy lot that is on the right, right before the start of the trailhead. You can't miss it, as there is nothing else really around other than a couple of houses.
🚐 Tours to El Aguacate Waterfall
There are tours that go to El Aguacate waterfall from Puebla. We did find this tour company that offers a day trip there for $99/person.
🚌 Taking Public Transportation to El Aguacate Waterfall
Taking public transportation to El Aguacate waterfall in Puebla isn't necessarily the most ideal option, but it is certainly possible! First, you'll need to take a bus from Puebla to Izumcar de Matamoros, and then you can hire a taxi to take you from there.
Experiencing El Aguacate Waterfalls in Puebla
Now that you know how to get to El Aguacate waterfall in Puebla, let's go over the hike to arrive to the falls and pools! We honestly, after an intense weekend of celebrating Dia de los Muertos in Oaxaca, we weren't thrilled at the idea, but the hike was so worth it, and we even really enjoyed the walk there!
🥾 The Hike to El Aguacate
When you arrive in the town you may have people offering to take you on a donkey, rather than doing the hike. PLEASE please please do not take the donkey. The walk is beautiful, and it really can be done by kids and those that aren't in the greatest of shape.
Please DO NOT go there with a donkey!
The hike to El Aguacate starts just down the road from the parking area (you can check on the map above).
There isn't a sign, and the trail looks rough, but don't worry - it only looks like this for the first minute of the trail!
The trail takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on your pace, and which way you'd like to take. There is a trail that goes all long the river, which is really scenic and flat, but takes a tad longer.
You'll be walking through forests, and have streams and pools to enjoy along the way.
The hike along the river is beautiful and has plenty of shade.
Throughout the trail along the river it forks a few times, and you can take "shortcuts" which will take you up the hill and over open green areas.
We took took the trails inland on the way, and then took the route along the river on the way back. We liked the trail along the river more because we were able to stop and swim in pools, enjoy the landscapes, and have a bit of shade along the way.
If it's really hot or you have kids, and aren't stretched for time, we'd highly recommend giving yourself extra time to enjoy the river. The pools are shallow, not crowded, and really relaxing and refreshing to dip in along the way (or way back).
You can also enjoy pools along the way!
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💦 Enjoying El Aguacate Waterfall
As soon as you see this tent, you'll know that you are almost there! Now the path is finished, and you'll have to walk along rocks to cross the river, and walk along the river until you see another tent with a guy selling snacks and drinks.
You'll then be greeted by this stunning waterfall with a bright green pool.
The first pool of El Aguacate Waterfalls
But that's not all! There are actually a few sets of pools for El Aguacate waterfalls in Puebla, and you can reach them by climbing some stairs.
The second pool of El Aguacate waterfall is smaller, and looks like it has a natural waterslide going into it!
We actually think that it's probably a lot of fun to go down, and it reminded us of this epic natural waterslide in Puerto Rico that we had been to. But as no one else was there, we didn't want to go down in case it was dangerous. We'd recommend watching and seeing if the locals do it first, to make sure it's actually safe.
Just above the waterslide you'll see a few steps etched into the natural rock, and also a rope if you need help getting up. This leads to the third pool, which is definitely our favorite one of El Aguacate waterfalls!
Make sure to be careful, as it can be a bit slippery in this area.
One thing you'll notice is that a rope has been added going from one side of the pool to the other. This is because of the current, and it allows people to safely enjoy swimming without worrying about getting pulled down the waterfall to the pool below.
The pool at the top is the only pool that we didn't make it to, and it's because we were running short on time. The staircase to this area actually goes all the way around, and looked like it would take a bit longer than the stairs we had taken to the bottom 3 pools.
We'd recommend asking a local if you'd like to make it there!
You can also swim on the very top of the waterfalls!
💙 Bonus: the Blue Church in Town
After we left the waterfalls we actually noticed an adorable blue church in town, it's down a small dirt road where the fork is on the left entering the town. You can stop by quickly and admire its beautiful blue color!
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Amenities at El Aguacate Waterfall in Puebla
One thing that we really loved about El Aguacate waterfall in Puebla is that it's not overly commercialized like the cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, but it also has enough amenities to make it a comfortable place to spend the day.
🚽 Bathrooms at El Aguacate Waterfall
There are a few bathrooms that you can find at El Aguacate waterfalls, which are along the trail. They cost 5 pesos to use, and are not far from the falls.
Please do not pee in the pools! Remember that there are people swimming all along the river, and the pools and river are not your public bathroom.
🌮 Food & Drink at El Aguacate Waterfalls
While you'll find many families have their own picnics for the day, the good thing is that if you are not prepared there are some options.
You'll find small stands along the trail, as well as at the bottom of El Aguacate waterfalls. The small kiosks have soft drinks, bottles of liquor, beer, chips, and instant noodles.
You can easily spot them because they are found under structures like in the pictures below. (They were not set up when we took the pictures early in the morning).
During busy season, you'll also find people cooking food to sell every day, and in the off season (July-October) you'll find this solely on the weekends.
Each vendor has their own time for coming and going, but we noticed that the majority started setting up between 8 and 10 am, and they told us they usually leave around 5 or 6 pm.
📶 Cell Signal/Wifi at El Aguacate
El Aguacate waterfalls are in the middle of nature, and while there is a small town nearby, cell signal is far from abundant. Our service was spotty, and found that it was best in the more open areas, or back in town.
There is no Wifi there, so if you have any business calls or have to send emails, it's best to take care of them before going to enjoy El Aguacate waterfalls. (We work while traveling, which is why we always like to add these details).
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El Aguacate Waterfall Price & Timetable
El Aguacate Waterfalls in Puebla are available to visit anytime! There is no gate or barrier from entering or a time that you need to leave by. That being said, there really is no reason to get there ridiculously early or to stay super late.
The "ticket" to get in was just 50 pesos ($2.50)/person, and was charged by the locals upon entrance to the town.
