Rìo Subterráneo Chontalcoatlán

Useful Information

Location:	Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park. (18.647901, -99.523813)
Open:	NOV to MAY daily by reservation. [2022]
Fee:	NOV to FEB: Adults MXP 1379. FEB to MAY: Adults MXP 1221. [2022]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=1 d, L=6 km, Min=4, Max=18, MinAge=14.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Mexico Travesias, Campeche 429-6; Col. Codesa, Del. Cuauhtemoc; Mexico City CP. 06140, Tel: +52-55-5171-8768, Cell: +52-4455-3221-7616, Cell: +52-4455-1047-0545. E-mail: Terra 3 Expediciones, Jupiter Nº 7, Bello Horizonte, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Tel: +52-55-8995-5204, Tel: +52-777-121-2017. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Rìo Subterráneo Chontalcoatlán is a full day cave trekking tour walking down an underground river. Most of the time it is wading through at least knee-deep water. Participants get helmets with headlamps, and for unknown reasons a life jacket. If you participate in this tour you must be very good at swimming and climbing, the life jacket will not help you. Appropriate shoes, which are waterproof and good for walking on slippery wet rocks, in general a light neoprene suit, gloves, a towel and dry clothes to change afterwards seem much more important to us. This is a tour for people who want to do an extreme sport underground and already like canyoning.

The tour starts at the show cave Grutas de Cacahuamilpa with a walk to a huge sinkhole called El Chonta, which gives access to the subterranean river. After abseiling down a 30 m high wall and then descending a long slope with huge boulders the group reaches the underground river. From here it's a "simple" canyoning tour through a dark cave. This includes wading, swimming, jumping down waterfalls into pools, and climbing. Finally, the cave is left through the lower entrance or resurgence.

The operator classifies this tour as basic difficulty and medium physical effort. So if you think you enjoy walking and climbing for eight hours and do not break a sweat when you abseil 30 m, because that's basic difficulty, then this tour is for you. Otherwise, we suggest staying away as far as possible.

There are several operators offering those trips. We suggest going with one of them. The main benefit is the transport, they know where to go and where to park, and they will pick you up when arrive at the cave exit. Also, they know the cave and provide help and gear.