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    Village green and kiosk of San Felipe Hidalgo with pine forest behind, Tlaxcala

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

    San Felipe Hidalgo

    Village Nanacamilpa de Mariano Arista, Tlaxcala Municipality of Nanacamilpa de Mariano Arista

    Forest community at 2,800 m and base for several firefly-viewing centres in the Nanacamilpa sanctuary, June to August.

    From San Martín Texmelucan: 35 min by car (32 km by road) How to get there ↓

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    Plan your visit to San Felipe Hidalgo

    Where to stay near San Felipe Hidalgo

    Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in San Felipe Hidalgo.

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    Tours to San Felipe Hidalgo

    Day trips and guided outings from Otumba often include San Felipe Hidalgo; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Tours from Zacatlan Zacatlán Guided Tour walking through the Center ★ 5.0 (2) · From US$8
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide

    How to get to San Felipe Hidalgo

    • From San Martín Texmelucan: about 35 min by road (~32 km)
    • Nearest airport: Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), 43 min by car to Otumba
    Rent a car at NLU Flights to NLU

    Route, map and directions ↓

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    Tours from Zacatlan, near San Felipe Hidalgo

    Zacatlán Guided Tour walking through the Center ★ 5.0 (2) 2 h 30 min From US$8

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

    About San Felipe Hidalgo

    San Felipe Hidalgo sits in the Nanacamilpa highlands at about 2,820 metres, surrounded by pine and oyamel forest. The 2020 census counted 1,861 residents; in 1940 there were 228. Its name joins Philip the Apostle, the patron saint, with Miguel Hidalgo. The locality does not figure among the municipality's listed fiestas (Nanacamilpa's big fair is San José on 19 March), and the town is known mostly for one reason: fireflies.

    The Santuario de las Luciérnagas spans Nanacamilpa and Españita and works with the San José ejido. From June through July, and into mid-August, thousands of fireflies light the fir trees after dark. San Felipe Hidalgo hosts several viewing centres, among them Canto del Bosque, Piedra Canteada and Santa Clara, plus spaces such as Los Manantiales; the sanctuary's address is listed on the Atzompa road. Nearby lies Laguna Azul, a lagoon with an eco-hotel on its shore.

    Community president Néstor Pérez has said the village takes in thousands of visitors in season, especially once school holidays start. There is a basic orientation unit, and the food and handicraft stalls bring income to families and to local schools.

    How to get to San Felipe Hidalgo

    Drive from San Martín Texmelucan: 35 min, 32 km

    From Mexico City it is about 123 km and close to two hours via toll highway 132D or federal road 136; the route passes through San Felipe Hidalgo and continues to the sanctuary's viewing centres. By public transport, take a bus from TAPO to Nanacamilpa or Calpulalpan; if you reach Calpulalpan, continue by combi to Nanacamilpa, then by combi or taxi to the sanctuary. From Tlaxcala city, Autotransportes de Hidalgo runs direct second-class buses to Calpulalpan (about 1 hour); the Tlaxcala bus station is on Tepehitec boulevard. Otumba, in the State of Mexico, is about 33 km away as the crow flies (about 40 min by car). Visits require advance booking and sanctuary entry starts around 19:00.

    Directions to San Felipe Hidalgo on Google Maps

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

    Where to stay Hotels in San Felipe Hidalgo Compare hotels, posadas and guest houses in San Felipe Hidalgo. See prices →

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    From the nearest cities to San Felipe Hidalgo

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

    Before you go to San Felipe Hidalgo: hours, prices and tips

    Best season
    Firefly season runs from June to mid-August, with the best nights between June and July. Chilango · checked Oct 2026
    What to bring
    Footwear and clothing for rain, plus warm layers: nights are cold and humid. Chilango · checked Oct 2026
    Rules
    Phones, cameras and flashlights may not be switched on, because light disturbs the fireflies. Chilango · checked Oct 2026

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

    Visiting San Felipe Hidalgo: what to see and do

    The firefly-viewing centres: Canto del Bosque, Piedra Canteada, Santa Clara and others
    Laguna Azul and its shoreline eco-hotel
    The pine and oyamel forest around the village
    The village green with its kiosk

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in San Felipe Hidalgo

    Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around San Felipe Hidalgo.

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    Tours & activities

    Day trips and guided outings from Otumba often include San Felipe Hidalgo; with a local guide you can get there without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at NLU (Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles)): about 43 min by road to Otumba, then 33 km more to San Felipe Hidalgo, on your own schedule.

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    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mexico City (Felipe Ángeles) (NLU), about 43 min by road from Otumba, the base for San Felipe Hidalgo.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Otumba: download a map of the way to San Felipe Hidalgo before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

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    When to go to San Felipe Hidalgo cool

    San Felipe Hidalgo shares the climate of Otumba, 33 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, November, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Otumba

    The closest Pueblo Mágico: Otumba

    Stone walls and bell tower of the convent of Oxtotipac, in Otumba municipality, Estado de México cool
    Estado de México Otumba

    Otumba is the Pueblo Mágico closest to San Felipe Hidalgo, with places to stay, food, and more to see.

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    Closest to San Felipe Hidalgo

    Near San Felipe Hidalgo

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

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.