How to Hike the Tepoztlan Ruins by Mexico City
While in Mexico City, I made some new friends ~ one of whom is native to the city. We were at a fabulous restaurant called La Unica in swanky Polanco, talking about what to do on my final day in town. They told me about a magical hike in a town called Tepoztlan, 90 minutes south of the city. It sounded fantastic. And as luck would have it ~ one of them was free & able to hike with me. So, early on Monday morning, we called an Uber & set off! And here, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to hike the Tepoztlan Ruins!
The hike is more beautiful than the ruins itself ~ taking you through rain forests & trees with heart-shaped forms…
Map of Tepoztlan
The map below shows where Tepoztlan is in relation to Mexico City ~ approximately 80 kilometers south-east. We Uber’ed there at 8AM on a Monday, & the drive took 90 minutes (price = $55). On the way back we took a bus, which took two hours; the bus station is about a mile from the start of the hike.
Mexico City International Airport
Tepoztlan
Tepoztlan Hike Info
- Starting Point: Avenida del Tepozteco basically dead-ends at the trail head. Have your Uber drop you off at the cross-street of Avenida del Tepozteco & Sauces.
- Entrance Fee: Free to hike, but $3 fee at top to enter the ruins.
- Total Hike Distance: 2.1 miles round-trip (it’s pretty steep the whole way, so the hike will take longer than you think)
- Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
- Elevation in Tepoztlan: 5,630 feet
- How to Get to Tepoztlan Hike from Mexico City: Uber ($50+) or bus ($7).
- Hike Type: Out-and-back
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Time: 2-3 hours
- Crowded: Moderate
- Best Time to Go: Year-round
- Things to Watch Out For: Slippery, uneven stone steps require your full attention! Wear shoes with good tread. Also, watch out for small, raccoon-like animals called coaties at the top by the pyramid ~ they may try & steal your food!
How to Hike the Tepoztlan Ruins
The hike to El Tepozteco took us just over an hour to climb (slippery stones & high altitude make it more difficult than the distance suggests), & about an hour to get down; with 15 minutes spent at the top. When starting your hike, at the end of Avenida del Tepozteco, you’ll climb up stone stairs & pass several vendors selling food, drink, & trinkets. If you need to use the restroom, do it here: you can pay to use stalls amidst the booths.
As for the entrance fee, you won’t pay it until the very top of the mountain. There’s a small entrance shack, & this is of course the spot where I fell square on my ass ~ right in a HUGE puddle of mud, in front of all the guards!!
Soooo embarrassing, but also somewhat hilarious.
I’m standing in the colorful “Pueblo Magico” of Tepoztlan, with the ancient Aztec ruins of El Tepozteco looming behind me…
It rained nearly our whole way up, making the rocky steps quite slippery. Wear good shoes!!
After the final steep incline & many, many steps: the ruins came into view…
How to Hike the Tepoztlan Ruins by Mexico City
You’ll be hungry after this hike: trust me!! Have lunch at a gorgeous restaurant called El Ciruelo ~ the al fresco dining will give you INSANE views, & you can take advantage of their full bar to order whatever you desire.
View from the top of El Tepozteco.
After your hike, eat lunch at El Ciruelo Restaurant ~ which offers incredible views of the mountain you just hiked. (And yes, they have alcohol!)
Tepoztlan is a gorgeous little town, it warrants a stay in its own right. If I had more time, I would’ve stayed the night.
How to Hike the Tepoztlan Ruins
The book that helped me most during my Mexico City travels was the “Top 10 Guide to Mexico City.” It helped me find this hike, along with many other things to do in the city (& where to eat)!
I traveled solo in Mexico City & stayed at the Room Mate Valentina Hotel ($56+/night), which I’d highly recommend: its reasonably-priced, has HUGE rooms, a great breakfast, & a central location where you can walk everywhere from!
xoxo Noelia
Read Next: Best Parks in Mexico City for Travelers!
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We loved this hike! Sooo beautiful! And we enjoyed Mexico City so much more than we thought we would, will definitely be back! Love your blog : ) Karen & Dave
Thanks guys! I feel the same ~ both the hike AND Mexico City exceeded my expectations! Cheers : ) xoxo Noelia