We drove from Puebla to Xalapa and stayed the night there in an Airbnb. Driving is expensive in Mexico as gas is almost a dollar a liter (3.785 liters in 1 gallon) and toll roads are the quickest and best roads to take, but they are also expensive. We spent 464 pesos (approximately $24 dollars) in tolls from Puebla to Xalapa one way. We find Airbnb to be the most affordable quality option while traveling internationally especially when in a group. If you've never used Airbnb click here to sign up and get a discount on your first booking! The Airbnb we stayed at is linked here. We loved the location of this apartment. It is located in a nice residential area and there is a wonderful market (El Mercado de la Rotonda) just a couple blocks away where we enjoyed lunch.
Our first stop was Texolo a small town outside of Xico about an hour away from Xalapa. There are a couple waterfalls here that are a must see when you're in the area. Getting to Xico is easy however when you turn onto the cobblestone path it becomes slow moving. Just keep following that path and turn right when you reach the security house and you'll see parking on the right eventually. Parking costs 20 pesos (about a dollar) and is in a dirt lot. There is a bathroom there if needed, but it will cost 5 pesos (bring your own toilet paper as well just in case).
If you walk down from the parking lot you'll find the a building for the government electric company. There's a set of stairs by the small church that lead to a view point and visitor center (they were closed due to COVID-19) on the left and a bridge on the right. Once you cross the bridge there will be guides offering their assistance. They do charge a set price, but instead let you decide how much to give them. If you want to just see the two waterfalls we outline here you don't need a guide. It's very easy to find them. There are other waterfalls nearby that are more hidden and include rappelling if you want more of an adventure.
The bigger waterfall is called the Cascada de Texolo and it's a short walk, but lots of stairs to get to the viewpoint. 376 stairs to be exact. It costs 10 pesos per person (50 cents) to enter the path to the view point. The waterfall and striking canyon are a beautiful reward for your strenuous hike down. You used to be able to walk down from some stairs by the electric building, but those stairs become unusable during a large earthquake in 2017 so you can no longer get up close to the waterfall and surrounding canyon. There is a pool that you can pay to go to that is in the canyon to the left. You may be able to come up the canyon and see the waterfall that way, but it also may be too rocky and dangerous. The pool was closed when we went and it was hard to tell from the viewpoint if that would really be possible.
The smaller waterfall called La Monja or the nun is a very easy walk on a paved path and it's free. Nefi's parents didn't want to walk down all the stairs so they went straight to La Monja and waited for us there.
Pancho Poza is in the town of Altotonga about an hour outside of Xalapa. We stopped by here on our way back to Puebla. It was very foggy and gloomy, so we almost decided not to go, but I'm so glad we did. The Ecological Reserve is right off the highway and a quick drive past some houses until you park in a dirt lot where you can start the 15 minute walk. Entrance is free but you will have to pay for parking.
You can swim in any of the natural pools along the river, but the best spot is towards the end right before the waterfall. This natural pool has small waterfalls lining it and the crystal clear water was actually warmer than expected. It wasn't necessarily hot, but it wasn't cold either. While originally the weather worried us it was perfect because no one was there. The waterfall is impressive shrouded in mist and fog surrounded by lush green vegetation. With over 100 foggy days a year it's probable you'll have some fog during your visit, but don't let it scare you away. It only makes this hidden oasis even more magical.
Other Nearby Waterfalls
We unfortunately got food poisoning one day so we missed out on an entire day of our trip. Two other towns with waterfalls near Xalapa are Naolinco and Actopan. We had planned to go to Actopan on our second day in Xalapa, but unfortunately we were unable to make it. If you're planning a trip to the area both towns are definitely worth a visit as well!
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