We went to Mexico to visit the Huasteca Potosina... a place famous for its emerald-colored rivers starting with a rafting on the Tampaón River, cataloged as the most scenic in Mexico.

How to get there?

Ciudad Valle can be reached by plane or bus. We had a limited budget so we decided to travel by bus, for this we recommend traveling to the Executive Turistar of ETN and Omnibus de México Servicio Plus. The bus departure to Ciudad Valles from Central del Norte in CDMX is at 8 pm and arrives at Ciudad Valles at 7 am.

Waze: https://g.page/rutahuasteca?share

Difficulty: easy

Accessibility: Not accessible

What to bring?

Fresh lightweight clothes, water shoes, change of clothes, sunscreen, dry bag and an excellent attitude.

Contact: Rafting Ruta Huasteca: https://www.rutahuasteca.com/es/actividades/rafting

Hospedaje Aldea Ruta Huasteca: https://www.rutahuasteca.com/es/aldea

Cost: Rafting Río Tampaón $ 62

We went to Mexico City! When we got to the airport we took an Uber that would take us to Central del Norte where we had to buy the bus ticket that takes us directly to our first destination Ciudad Valles in order to get to know the best of Huasteca Potosina. * It is important to take a photocopy of your passport.

We arrived at Ciudad Valles before 7 am, where we went to the reception of a hotel where we had breakfast to be at the Ruta Huasteca offices at 9 am.

In Ruta Huasteca we took a minibus to the Aldea Huasteca lodge. La Aldea was a magical place next to a beautiful turquoise river and the rooms were rustic with palm roofs that made us feel like Aztecs. We left our luggage and then continued our rafting adventure on the Tampaón River.

We arrived at the starting point on the Tampaón River where we equipped ourselves with all helmets, paddles and life jackets for our first activity in Mexico, which was rafting.

We jumped into the water after the safety instructions from the guides and the color of the water was totally crystalline, which is why it is said to be the most scenic river in Mexico.

We started the tour through a super wide section of calm water and then the river got narrow inside a beautiful canyon which caused a more exciting trip. We went through towering canyons with super crazy stone formations, we fell (Tavo and Trejos) a couple of times from the raft but it was all good.

During a part of the route, we arrived at a calm water canyon, where Tavo dove in from 15 m high ... all this supervised by simply exceptional guides.

At almost the end of the route, we arrived at the point called “Puente de Dios” (God's Bridge) where an underground cave is formed that filters the river. Then we got off and walked to the other side, taking the raft together and then jumping into the water.

To end our tour they welcomed us with a traditional lunch in the open air right next to the river… It was yummy.

Then we went to rest at the Huasteca Route Village to rest for the next day.

• DATE OF HIKE: March 2020