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    Mossy limestone walls at the mouth of the Sótano de las Golondrinas, San Luis Potosí

    Photo by Dave Bunnell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Looking across the vast opening of the Sótano de las Golondrinas, San Luis Potosí

    Photo by Stubb, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons

    Visitor at the railing overlooking the forested hills around the Sótano de las Golondrinas, San Luis Potosí

    Photo by AnaIsabelMalag, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Cave Aquismón, San Luis Potosí Municipality of Aquismón Huasteca Potosina

    One of the world's largest open-air pits, 333 metres straight down, where thousands of swifts spiral out at dawn and dive back in at dusk.

    From Ciudad Valles: 1 h 15 min by car (65 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Where to stay near Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Aquismón, 9 km away, is the closest town with places to stay.

    Hotel San Joaquin Hotel · 70 m from the center Prices Hotel Boutique Santa Lucia Hotel · 80 m from the center Prices
    Hotels in Aquismón Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Day trips and guided outings from Aquismón often include Sótano de las Golondrinas; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Xilitla Surrealist Garden of Edward James, Castle of Health and Xilitla Nativity ★ 4.3 (10) · From US$100
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide Tours from Aquismón

    How to get to Sótano de las Golondrinas

    • From Ciudad Valles: about 1 h 15 min by road (~65 km)
    • 9 km west of Aquismón
    • Nearest airport: Tampico (TAM), 2 h 49 min by car to Aquismón
    Rent a car at TAM Flights to TAM

    Route, map and directions ↓

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Tours from Xilitla, near Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Surrealist Garden of Edward James, Castle of Health and Xilitla Nativity ★ 4.3 (10) 9–10 h From US$100
    Swallow Show, Tamul Waterfall by canoe and Cenote Cueva del Agua ★ 4.1 (7) 12 h From US$120
    two days valley trek in the Atlas mountains ★ 4.7 (3) 2 days From US$171
    Bridge of God and Tambaca Waterfalls ★ 5.0 (2) 13 h From US$120
    Waterfalls of El Meco and El Salto ★ 5.0 (2) 14 h From US$130

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

    About Sótano de las Golondrinas

    The Sótano de las Golondrinas is a vertical shaft in the forested limestone hills about 13 km from Aquismón, and one of the largest open-air pits on Earth. Its oval mouth measures roughly 49 by 62 metres and is undercut all the way round, opening onto a chamber about 300 metres across. From the lowest side of the rim the drop to the floor is a sheer 333 metres, and 370 from the highest; narrow pits below the floor take the total depth to around 515 metres. The local Huastec (Tének) people have always known it; outside cavers were first shown it in December 1966 and made the first documented descent in April 1967.

    The name means "pit of the swallows", but the birds are mostly white-collared swifts, along with green parakeets, nesting in holes in the walls. At first light on clear days they leave together, flying in rising circles until they burst out over the rim. Before nightfall they come home: flocks wheel above the mouth, and every so often a group folds its wings and drops into the dark, pulling out of the dive near their nests. On rainy or cloudy mornings the birds stay inside and drift out later in the day.

    That daily show is the reason to go, and dawn is the most spectacular moment. From the entrance, more than 600 stone steps lead down through the forest to the lookouts on the rim, where staff tie a rope on you so you can lean over the edge; the climb back up is steep. The pit is also a classic of vertical caving: rappelling to the floor can take up to an hour and climbing out much longer. The pit is a protected natural monument, and members of the local ejido run the rappelling trips.

    How to get to Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Drive from Ciudad Valles: 1 h 15 min, 65 km

    The pit is about 13 km from the town of Aquismón, up a curvy, steep mountain road; from town, follow the exit towards Tampate via the San Miguel and Unión de Guadalupe neighbourhoods. Parking is limited. From the entrance, about 684 steps lead down to the rim. Local taxis and operators in Aquismón run early-morning trips for the dawn exit of the birds.

    9 km west of Aquismón

    Directions from Aquismón on Google Maps

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

    Where to stay Hotels in Aquismón Aquismón, 9 km away, is the closest town with places to stay. See prices →

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    From the nearest cities to Sótano de las Golondrinas

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

    Before you go to Sótano de las Golondrinas: hours, prices and tips

    Entry
    100 pesos per person (April 2025); an evening ticket was not accepted for re-entry the next dawn. Staff who rope you in at the rim expect a small tip. Travel with Kevin and Ruth (Apr 2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Best time of day
    Dawn: the swifts leave around 6 am in summer and about an hour later in winter. They return just before nightfall. On cloudy or rainy days they may stay in. Plano Informativo (2024) · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    You walk to the rim on your own. Rappelling into the pit is arranged on site with the ejido; it was quoted at 4,000 pesos in 2024. Plano Informativo (2024) · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Comfortable shoes and water for the long climb back up the steps. Travel with Kevin and Ruth (Apr 2025) · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Rappelling is only allowed outside the April to June nesting season and when the birds are not inside the pit. Tus Buenas Noticias (Apr 2025) · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting Sótano de las Golondrinas: what to see and do

    Arrive before sunrise to watch the swifts and parakeets spiral out of the pit.
    Come back before dusk to see the flocks dive back in.
    Lean over the rim on a safety rope held by the local staff.
    Walk the moderate 1.3 km trail around the area.
    Rappel into the pit with the ejido outside the April to June nesting season, if you are a trained caver.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Sótano de las Golondrinas.

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

    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Aquismón often include Sótano de las Golondrinas; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at TAM (Tampico): about 2 h 49 min by road to Aquismón, then 9 km more to Sótano de las Golondrinas, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Tampico (TAM), about 2 h 49 min by road from Aquismón, the base for Sótano de las Golondrinas.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    If you plan on caving at Sótano de las Golondrinas, check that your policy covers it: some plans leave adventure activities out.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Aquismón: download a map of the way to Sótano de las Golondrinas before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    Photos

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    When to go to Sótano de las Golondrinas warm

    Sótano de las Golondrinas shares the climate of Aquismón, 9 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    Underground water keeps much the same temperature all year, so Sótano de las Golondrinas is good in any month and coolest to visit in the hottest ones (May, June, and July).

    See the month-by-month climate of Aquismón

    Make Aquismón your base

    Yellow Templo de San Miguel Arcángel and its stone bell tower decorated with streamers, Aquismón, San Luis Potosí warm
    San Luis Potosí Aquismón

    Sótano de las Golondrinas is an easy trip from Aquismón, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Sótano de las Golondrinas

    All 9 towns and sights around Aquismón →

    Near Sótano de las Golondrinas

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

    Lists with Sótano de las Golondrinas

    Caves in San Luis Potosí · 4 Caves near Xilitla · 5 Caves near Jalpan · 7

    Something wrong or missing on this page? Suggest a fix or addition

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.