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    Cascada de apatlaco 2023, Puebla

    Photo by Cvmontuy, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Cascada de Apatlaco

    Waterfall San Nicolás de los Ranchos, Puebla Municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos Volcano Route

    A roughly 50 m waterfall fed by Iztaccíhuatl's meltwater, in Apatlaco Eco Park, with cabins and camping on the road up to Paso de Cortés.

    From Atlixco: 1 h 5 min by car (48 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Plan your visit to Cascada de Apatlaco

    Where to stay near Cascada de Apatlaco

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascada de Apatlaco.

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    Tours to Cascada de Apatlaco

    Day trips and guided outings from Huejotzingo often include Cascada de Apatlaco; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Atlixco Atlixco Volcano Views Popocatépetl Tour Forest Route From US$108
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to Cascada de Apatlaco

    • From Atlixco: about 1 h 5 min by road (~48 km)
    • Nearest airport: Puebla (PBC), 7 min by car to Huejotzingo
    Rent a car at PBC Flights to PBC

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Atlixco, near Cascada de Apatlaco

    Atlixco Volcano Views Popocatépetl Tour Forest Route 4 h 30 min From US$108

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Cascada de Apatlaco

    The Apatlaco waterfall lies in Apatlaco Eco Park, within Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park, in the municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos in western Puebla. It sits at about 3,550 m on the slopes of Iztaccíhuatl and is fed by the volcano's meltwater. It is said to drop about 50 m.

    A wooden boardwalk of about a kilometre leads from the base of the park to the main fall, through forest and streams. The park also has cabins, about 1,500 pesos a night for a two-bedroom one and 2,000 for the larger ones, a camping area for your own tent, horse rides, pedal boats on a small lake, a zip line and evening campfires. Popocatépetl is visible from the park.

    The municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos climbs from the Puebla valley to the summit of Popocatépetl at about 5,400 m, and also takes in part of the Iztaccíhuatl massif, including 3,780 m Cerro Gordo. At this height it is cold, especially at night, and the rainy season, in summer and early autumn, is when the fall carries the most water. Food and drink vendors work on site, though they usually start selling around 11 am.

    How to get to Cascada de Apatlaco

    Drive from Atlixco: 1 h 5 min, 48 km

    From Puebla, take the Paso de Cortés road from central Cholula, through San Gregorio Zacapechpan, Santa María Acuexcomac, San Buenaventura Nealtican and San Nicolás de los Ranchos; around km 50 you reach the stone arches at the entrance, then 1 km north to the restaurant and cabins. From Mexico City, take federal highway 115 to Amecameca, then the turn-off to San Pedro Nexapa and about 20 km on the Paso de Cortés road to the arches. It is about two hours from Puebla or Mexico City.

    Directions to Cascada de Apatlaco on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Where to stay Hotels in Cascada de Apatlaco Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in Cascada de Apatlaco. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to Cascada de Apatlaco

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Cascada de Apatlaco: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    Entry about 30 pesos per person (another source says 40); cabins, horses and boats cost extra. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Food stalls start selling around 11 am. Trendencias · checked Oct 2026
    Best season
    Rains come in summer and early autumn, when the fall carries the most water. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Sportswear, comfortable shoes, warm layers for the night, a cap, sunglasses and sunscreen. México Desconocido · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Cascada de Apatlaco: what to see and do

    The main fall, about 50 m high, a kilometre along a wooden boardwalk.
    Views of Popocatépetl from the park.
    The cabins and camping area.
    Horse rides, the zip line and boats on the lake.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Cascada de Apatlaco

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Cascada de Apatlaco.

    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Huejotzingo often include Cascada de Apatlaco; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at PBC (Puebla): about 7 min by road to Huejotzingo, then 24 km more to Cascada de Apatlaco, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Puebla (PBC), about 7 min by road from Huejotzingo, the base for Cascada de Apatlaco.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on swimming and hiking at Cascada de Apatlaco, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Huejotzingo: download a map of the way to Cascada de Apatlaco before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to Cascada de Apatlaco mild

    Cascada de Apatlaco shares the climate of Huejotzingo, 24 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and November.

    Waterfalls like Cascada de Apatlaco run fullest in the rainiest months here (July, August, and September) and can thin out at the end of the dry season (February, March, and November).

    See the month-by-month climate of Huejotzingo

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Huejotzingo

    Plateresque facade of the 16th-century Franciscan convent of San Miguel Arcángel, Huejotzingo, Puebla mild
    Puebla Huejotzingo

    Huejotzingo is the Pueblo Mágico closest to Cascada de Apatlaco, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Cascada de Apatlaco

    Near Cascada de Apatlaco

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Lists with Cascada de Apatlaco

    Waterfalls in Puebla · 13 Waterfalls near Puebla · 3 Waterfalls near Cuautla · 4

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.