Best Tepoztlán Weekend Itinerary: Hike, Temazcal & Mezcal

How to get to Tepoztlán from Mexico City

Taking the bus from Mexico City to Tepoztlán was super easy, and the only annoying part was the traffic on the way back (more on that below). The ride took just over an hour, the buses are comfortable, and tickets were about $12 each way per person.

Getting to the Taxqueña bus station

Buses leave from the Terminal Central de Autobuses del Sur in the south of the city, which everyone just calls Taxqueña. It took us 30 minutes to get there by car, but with traffic it could easily have been an hour.

I’d take an Uber (here’s my guide to using Uber in Mexico City) and aim to arrive about 30 minutes before your bus leaves. Better safe than sorry, because the bus will not wait for you.

Buying your bus tickets

I bought my tickets on the ADO website, and the bus itself was run by OCC, one of ADO’s bus lines (so don’t panic when the logo on the bus doesn’t match your ticket). Buses run about every 20 to 30 minutes, which is great.

A lot of people buy tickets at the station the day of, but I’d book a few days ahead, especially for a Friday.

What the bus ride is like

The seats recline, there’s a bathroom on board, and there’s technically Wi-Fi (but I really wouldn’t count on it). I honestly love taking buses around Mexico, and it’s how I’ve gotten to Valle de Bravo and San Miguel too.

Before you board, you can stop by the food court. It’s a bunch of pretty basic little places and nothing looks incredibly appetizing, but this is where you buy your snacks.

Tostitos Más are the only acceptable bus snack in Mexico, in my opinion, so you must buy them (plus some sour candy). The station bathrooms cost 10 pesos, so keep a few coins handy.

Leave before 1 p.m. (seriously)

This is the most important tip in this whole post. The bus ride itself was fine, but the traffic coming back into the city was so annoying, and that’s exactly why I’m so insistent about this. Leave before 1 p.m., both going to Tepoztlán and coming back to Mexico City, or you’ll probably hit insane traffic. Plan your bus times around it and your weekend will be so much easier.

Arriving in Tepoztlán

The bus drops you on the edge of town, about a 15-minute walk from the center. We asked the tourist information booth at the stop if it was safe to walk, they said yes, and it was no problem at all.

There are also taxis everywhere if you don’t want to hoof it, but bring cash for them, since taxis don’t take cards (neither does the pyramid entrance).

Where to stay in Tepoztlán

Picking your Tepoztlán hotel really comes down to one question, whether you want to explore the town or mostly relax at the hotel. For a first trip, I’d stay central so you can walk to everything, which is exactly why I picked Posada del Tepozteco!

That being said, there’s also Amomoxtli, a luxury resort where I will 100% be staying on my next trip 🙂

Posada del Tepozteco (where I stayed and 1000% recommend)

I love, love, LOVED this hotel. It’s like an old hacienda, and the views of the mountains are unbelievable. Honestly, some of the best of any hotel I’ve ever stayed in. The rooms are very cute (not the height of luxury, but great), the grounds are gorgeous, and the heated pool with the mountains behind it is almost impossible to describe (thank goodness I took 8 million photos).

A few things that made our stay amazing:

• Free, legitimate breakfast. You choose a juice and a hot drink, and it comes with homemade bread and a hot main dish. I can wholeheartedly recommend both the chilaquiles and the huevos rancheros.
• The pool. It’s heated, so you can swim before sunset dinner even in November.
• Reasonable drinks. Cocktails at the hotel were around 200 pesos (about $11), which made sunsets pretty lovely.

It’s an easy walk into town, but it’s up a three-block hill (you can easily get a taxi if you’d prefer).

Staying in a hacienda hotel in the center of town for under $300 a night is a luxury experience you really can’t get many other places for that price.

If I were planning to spend the whole day at the hotel, I’d probably pick Amomoxtli, but as a beautiful home base for exploring, Posada really can’t be beat.

Amomoxtli (where I’ll stay next time)

If you want a more luxurious Tepoztlán hotel, there are resorts outside the center of town, and Amomoxtli is pretty undeniably the best.

It’s in Valle de Atongo, about a mile from the center of town (a 20 to 30 minute walk), so you’ll be taking taxis when you want to go anywhere, but that’s the trade-off for a stay that’s more about the hotel itself.

It’s also home to Mesa de Origen, a restaurant that cooks with ingredients from local Tepoztlán producers, so that would be pretty awesome.

I picked Posada del Tepozteco because I wanted to walk everywhere on my first trip, and I think that was the right call. When I come back to do nothing but relax, I’m staying at Amomoxtli.

Day 1 (Friday): explore town and dinner at Sotobosque

Aim to arrive by early afternoon, drop your bags at the hotel, and walk straight into town. Friday is all about wandering the cute town, and then the best dinner of the trip.

Walk the market around the main square

Start at the main square, where the market stalls are packed with leather goods, crafts, earrings and about a million wooden spoons (I’m still mad I forgot to buy a new salad set). The Tepoztlán market is at its biggest on the weekend, so I walked through on Friday and then again on Saturday, and I’d recommend you do both!

Friday is a little calmer, and Saturday is much more crowded.

See the church and the old convent

The church was hosting a wedding when we walked by, so we didn’t go inside, but you can wander the former convent right next to it. It has these gorgeous red mural walls, and it’s part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the earliest 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of the Popocatépetl volcano.

When we were there, it also had a very important art exhibit of local children’s art, which was still much better than anything I could make.

Wander Avenida del Tepozteco

The main street, Avenida del Tepozteco, is lined with little shops, bars and rooftop restaurants. Pop into the shops, grab an ice cream, or head up to any rooftop that catches your eye for the view. We stopped at one for a piña colada and a fabulous shrimp tostada, and it really doesn’t matter which restaurant you pick (there are tons).

Swim in your heated pool before sunset

Then head back to the hotel! We spent an hour in the heated pool before sunset drinks and dinner, and I’d do the exact same thing again.

Dinner at Sotobosque (do NOT skip this)

Sotobosque is the one dinner you have to build your Tepoztlán weekend itinerary around. It’s a farm-to-table restaurant set in gardens overlooking the mountains, and the views are some of the most unreal I’ve ever seen. I’m telling you, you’ve done the trip wrong if you miss this.

WhatsApp them ahead of time at 55 4540 7299 (or email reservacion@sotobosque.mx) to make a reservation, and ask for a table facing the garden and the mountains. It’s about 10 minutes from the center of town, and it’s only open Thursday through Sunday, from 2 to 10 p.m., so plan your Friday or Saturday dinner around it.

Here’s what we ordered:

• Escarabajo cocktail. The cocktails were excellent, and this one, kind of like a mezcal margarita, is the one I’d recommend.
• Focaccia with eggplant. A great starter.
• Half roasted chicken. Great sauce, really tender.
• Rabbit. My partner ordered it, because when there’s something unusual on the menu, we like to try it. It was cooked quite well, but the sauce was just a little sweet for me.
• Chocolate cake. Very dense, very good.

I basically just stared out at the mountains for the couple of hours we were there. I’m so happy we went, and I’d go back in a second. But wear bug spray!

Billiards and a nightcap back at the hotel

We ended the night in the hotel’s billiards room, sipping mezcal and Macallan 12 and playing pool in this gorgeous hacienda. I might have lost the game, but I did make a behind-the-back shot, which I will never stop talking about.

Day 2 (Saturday): hike El Tepozteco and try a temazcal

Saturday is the big day. You’ll climb a mountain, sweat it all out in an ancient ritual, get a massage and then drink mezcal, so eat a good breakfast and stay hydrated!

Sunrise breakfast at the hotel

Get up for the sunrise, because the views from the hotel are just unreal in the morning, and then head to breakfast. I had a wonderful green juice (I personally just love when things come in a champagne glass, because it makes me feel so fancy) and really good huevos rancheros.

My boyfriend loves a luxurious hotel breakfast, and this did not disappoint.

Hike El Tepozteco (you MUST leave before 9 a.m.)

The El Tepozteco hike up to the pyramid is the main event of the day, and you need to start early. I wouldn’t leave any later than 8:30 or 9 a.m., and honestly the earlier the better. You will get sweaty, and if it’s also hot, you will be very, very grumpy.

When I heard it was a short hike, I thought it would be no big deal. Holy hell, was I wrong.

It’s only about 1.2 miles each way, but basically all of it is stone stairs built into the mountain, with roughly 1,200 feet of elevation gain. It took us a little over an hour to get up and about 30 minutes to get down. The whole trail runs through Tepozteco National Park, which is why everything is so green and lush.

I’m not kidding, do not do this hike if you aren’t in for a serious physical effort. I just can’t emphasize enough how much straight stair climbing it is.

But the view at the top was pretty awesome and made it completely worth it. You can see the entire town and these gorgeous, lush green mountains I really hadn’t expected. I honestly couldn’t believe we’d actually climbed to the top of the mountains I’d been staring at from my hotel all day!

The small temple up there dates to the centuries before the Spanish arrived and was a shrine to Tepoztécatl, a god associated with pulque.

If you love pyramids, Teotihuacan, right outside CDMX, is a totally different (and much flatter) experience, and here’s how I’d visit it from Mexico City.

What to know before you hike El Tepozteco

• Hours. The archaeological site at the top is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with last entry at 3 p.m. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday.
• Cost. Entry was 210 pesos (about $12) per person for foreign visitors when I went, and it’s 105 pesos for Mexican nationals and residents. Bring cash.
• Go Saturday, not Sunday. Entry is free for Mexican citizens on Sundays, so the trail gets very crowded.
• Check that it’s open. The site does close sometimes, for things like forest fires and stair repairs. It was open when I hiked it in November, but check before you go.
• Bring water. There are tons of street vendors on the way up selling food and Gatorade, but come prepared.
• Wear real shoes. The stone steps are uneven and get slippery when they’re wet. Also, pets, drones and alcohol aren’t allowed on the trail.

Walk the Saturday market

After the hike, wander back through the market, which is way bigger on Saturday than on Friday. You’ll see ice cream vendors offering samples left and right (try a few!), and this is your second chance at souvenirs.

There are plenty of street food stalls too if you need a post-hike snack (or mojito). Learn from my mistake and actually buy the wooden salad set.

Try a traditional temazcal (but be prepared!)

In the afternoon, we did a temazcal, a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony. It’s the thing to do in Tepoztlán, and the word comes from the Nahuatl temazcalli, meaning “house of steam.”

I ended up loving it, but I absolutely should have done my research before we went. The heat is hot (and I mean hot), and it’s pitch black inside. So if it turns out you’re remotely claustrophobic, like I discovered I am, it can be a very intense experience.

We did a private session for two at Luz de Jade with a lovely guide named Chloe. When we first entered, she brought in hot volcanic stones they called abuelitas, the grandmothers welcoming us home.

It was kind of like a two-hour therapy session, where Chloe guided us through topics, manifestations and letting go of things. There were four doors we traveled through, each time refreshing with more hot stones, chanting and singing.

About 20 minutes in, I had to take a break because it was so hot and I was so nervous I thought I might faint. But once I regrouped and calmed down, I was very in for the rest of the two hours.

I’m not an incredibly woo-woo person, but it was very spiritual and very therapeutic.

The private couples session was 2,800 pesos (about $160), plus a 200-peso tip for Chloe. I’d absolutely do it again, and I think it was worth the money. Would I do it every weekend? No. Once a year? Yeah, I think so.

You do need to reserve ahead, especially for a private experience, and this temazcal ceremony is an easy option to book online.

What to know before your temazcal

• Do your research first. Know that it’s hot and completely dark before you commit!
• Ask how long it lasts. Mine was about two hours, and some sessions are much shorter.
• Hydrate. Drink a lot of water before and after AND DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. I literally can’t even imagine being drunk in there.
• Bring cash for a tip.

Churros and a massage

After the temazcal, replenish your soul with some street churros if you see anyone selling them. Then, if you want to really commit to the full-body weekend, get a massage. Tepoztlán is basically massage town, so you’ll find great options everywhere, or you can book one at your hotel.

We went to Luzcalli (it’s on my map!) and paid about $75 for the two of us. The lady really dug in, and I love a strong massage, so it was ideal.

Mezcal and dinner at Las Calaquitas

For dinner, walk over to Las Calaquitas Mezcalería, just a few minutes from Posada del Tepozteco, and you absolutely must sit at the bar for one drink.

They have a biblioteca de mezcal with more than 100 different mezcals, and the staff walked us through what to pick. Tobalá is still my favorite.

We had sopes with mushrooms and with chicken, and the mushroom ones were one of my favorite things I’ve eaten in a long time.

The chicken tostadas were good, but I still don’t understand how you eat a tostada without it falling everywhere.

Then we shared the chicken mole, which was quite good, and a cheesecake with apple that was alright.

The whole place has a beautiful vibe, though, with candles everywhere, and the mezcal library alone is amazing to look at.

Day 3 (Sunday): one last sunrise and the bus home

Sunday is your final day, so take it easy. I got up and watched the sunrise from my terrace and never wanted to leave (I’m already trying to figure out when I can come back).

Have one more long breakfast, spend the rest of the morning at the pool, and then check out and walk or taxi to the bus stop.

The same rule as Friday applies, so try to be on a bus before 1 p.m. so you don’t spend your Sunday afternoon sitting in traffic on the way back into Mexico City.

If you have a little extra time before your bus, the Sunday market is in full swing, so it’s an easy last stop for souvenirs on your way out of town.

Should you do Tepoztlán as a day trip?

My most controversial opinion is that you shouldn’t do Tepoztlán as a day trip from Mexico City if you can help it. Lots of people do, and you technically can, but you miss so much of what makes it special!

On a day trip, you don’t get the sunrises, you can’t do the hike early in the morning before it gets hot, and you miss the restaurants in the evening (which means no Sotobosque). A full Tepoztlán weekend itinerary gives you all of that, plus time to actually relax.

With the traffic rule above, a day trip also means either a very short visit or potentially a long ride home in traffic.

If you can swing it, come for a weekend. But if you can only do the day, do the day! Take the earliest bus you can, hike first, and then spend the afternoon on the market and the main street.

And if you’d rather not deal with the bus at all, this guided day tour from Mexico City handles the transportation for you.

For more trips from Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Xochimilco and Grutas de Tolantongo are all great options too.

Best time to visit Tepoztlán

Based on the Tepoztlán weather, I think November through March is the ideal time to visit. I went in early November, and it was gorgeous.

I probably wouldn’t come during rainy season, because the Tepoztlán hike is such a big part of the trip. I literally can’t imagine climbing all those stone steps when everything is wet. The trail doesn’t necessarily close in the rainy season, but storms and slick steps can make it unsafe, so that’s my personal call.

I also wouldn’t come when it’s super hot, which is usually April and May. We were already so sweaty hiking in November, so it would be rough in 90+ degree weather.

If you’re combining Tepoztlán with a few days in the city, my guide to the best time to visit Mexico City covers the rest of the year month by month.

Is Tepoztlán safe?

I felt perfectly safe in Tepoztlán, sticking to the town and the main tourist areas. We walked from the bus stop to the hotel (after asking the tourist information booth at the stop, who said it was totally fine), and we walked into town every day and back to the hotel after dinner.

That said, you should know that Tepoztlán is in the state of Morelos, which the US State Department currently lists at Level 3, “Reconsider Travel.” Mexico City is at Level 2. The advisories are set for the whole state, not for individual towns, so check the latest one before you go.

I spend about five months a year in Mexico City, and I follow the same simple rules everywhere I go here. Keep an eye on your phone and wallet in the crowded weekend market, carry small bills for taxis, and stay in town and the main tourist areas.

For more context, check out my guide, Is It Safe in Mexico City?

What my Tepoztlán weekend cost

Let’s talk numbers! Speaking from a place of privilege, a weekend in a Pueblo Mágico can truly be an affordable luxury vacation.

Here’s what my Tepoztlán weekend itinerary actually cost. These are the prices from my November trip. Peso prices are converted at roughly 17.5 pesos to the dollar, and all of this will change over time, so use it as a ballpark.

The hotel is the biggest cost, and dinners at Sotobosque and Las Calaquitas were only about $30 per person. Street food, ice cream and churros barely make a dent, and honestly the temazcal was worth every peso.

Tepoztlán weekend FAQ

Final thoughts on my Tepoztlán weekend itinerary

If a friend asked me about Tepoztlán, I’d tell them they absolutely have to go. It’s so close to Mexico City and really easy to get to on the bus (just leave before 1 p.m., because the traffic on the way back was so annoying).

You can stay in a gorgeous hacienda hotel in the center of town for under $300 a night, the hike is intense but epic (go before 9 a.m.), and dinner at Sotobosque gave me some of the most unreal views I’ve ever seen. And who doesn’t love a library of mezcal?

The one thing I wish someone had told me is to be ready to put your body through a lot. Between climbing about 1,200 feet of stairs, sweating it all out in a temazcal, getting a fabulous massage and then drinking mezcal, it’s a very full weekend. Just make sure you research the temazcal before you sign up.

Every Pueblo Mágico I visit is an incredible experience, and obviously they’re named that for a reason, hello. Tepoztlán is no exception. Book the hotel, follow this Tepoztlán weekend itinerary, and you’ll see why I’m already planning my next trip back.

If you’re spending more time in the city before or after, here’s my complete guide to what to do in Mexico City and where I’d base myself in my guide to where to stay in Mexico City.