The impressive El Chiflon Waterfalls are a must-do for any tourist visiting San Cristobal! Within just a few hours you can find yourself inside the setting of a fairy tale, with turquoise pools and striking waterfalls, surrounded by nature.
El Chiflon is firmly placed in my top 5 favourite waterfalls of my entire Mexico and Central America trip!
This guide includes everything you need to know to be able to do El Chiflon yourself, without a tour.
What are the El Chiflon Waterfalls?
El Chiflon is located three hours from the picturesque, colonial town of San Cristobal. This town is a backpacker’s dream, filled with history and culture, so I wouldn’t blame you for not wanting to leave! If you need more ideas for what to do in this incredible city, I have a blog post here with everything you need to know.
However, this trip out of San Cristobal is definitely worth your time. El Chiflon is more than another waterfall. It is a series of five stunning falls, each one getting prettier and growing in size as you walk along the San Vicente River.
This river has the most Gatorade-looking water I have ever seen! The colour did not look natural, I couldn’t believe this type of water was possible in a river. The path on each side is covered with lush vegetation and is home to wildlife such as lizards and butterflies. There are also multiple areas to swim in the cool, refreshing water.
Eventually, after many many stops to admire the view, you will make it to the main attraction, Cascada Velo de Novia. Translating to the Bridal Veil waterfall, this is the most impressive falls in the whole area, at a height of more than 35 metres. You can’t swim at the bottom of this one, but you can stand at viewpoints, close enough to feel the spray from the waterfall.
Why visit without a tour?
Normally, the primary reason that I like to avoid tours and do trips on my own is to save money. However, this isn’t quite the case with this day trip. You will still save money by choosing to do this yourself, however, the savings are small at about £10-£15. Of course, every little helps, and for a budget backpacker this can be 2 days of accommodation, so it is still worth it!
However, the main reason you should do this particular day trip without a tour is to spend as long as you like at the falls.
Most tours to El Chiflon Waterfalls also include Montebello Lake close to the Guatemalan border. This adds 4 hours of driving to your day! This means you spend the majority of your time in a van and that you don’t get much time at El Chiflon, which is much more beautiful than the lake.
By doing this yourself, not only are you saving money, but you can spend the whole day at the waterfalls if you like. You can take your time, relaxing at viewpoints, admiring the wildlife and swimming in the pools. It would be such a shame to rush your time here as you could easily bring lunch and beers and fill a whole day, I even saw some people camping.
If adding four hours of driving onto your day and rushing your time at El Chiflon doesn’t appeal to you, keep reading!
How to get to El Chiflon
The journey to El Chiflon using public transport is very simple.
Book a ticket from San Cristobal to Comitan. I booked this the evening before on the BusBud app and a return ticket cost me £12. My bus left at 8 am and took two hours.
Once you arrive in Comitan, leave the bus station and turn left. Cross the road and walk about 3 blocks and you will come across a colectivo station. Type “Transporte OTEZ” into Google Maps to get to the right area. Ask for the “cascada” and you will be put on the correct bus, the colectivo costs £1.60 each way.
When the bus is full you will leave Comitan. I had to wait about 15 minutes and then the journey took just under an hour. The colectivo will drop you off at the first entrance of the waterfalls.
Picking your entrance
Now is the time to make a decision. The entrance that you take from the main road determines which side of the river you will walk along, and there is no bridge to cross over once you are here. Although if you are swimming in the pools, it wouldn’t be too difficult to cross over to the other side!
A lot of blog posts state that the first entrance, and right-hand side of the river, has the best views. This is definitely the most popular route to take. However, comparing their photos with mine, I believe the best viewpoints are from the second entrance. This is a 2-minute walk further up the main road.
Whichever route you choose, it will be beautiful with amazing views of the waterfalls. From both entrances, you will have a 20-minute walk, or a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride, down to the ticket booth next to the river. Here you will pay £2.33 to enter the park.
Inside the park
From the entrance you will follow the path along the river, the walk is just one way and so it is impossible to get lost. You will come across each of the 5 main waterfalls of El Chiflon as you continue along the path. They begin small and get more and more powerful as you continue.
The Gatorade water is so tempting you will want to swim as soon as you can. Some areas have no swimming signs so keep an eye out for the areas where you are allowed to swim. Follow the butterflies and the sound of rushing water, moving up the river. The second waterfall was one of my favourites, this one is called Cascada Ala del Angel. The trees and moss made it look like the setting of a magical fairy-tale story.
You will have no idea that the main attraction, Cascada Vela de Novia, is coming until you turn a corner, and it is suddenly looming in front of you. This mighty waterfall will take your breath away as the water slams down from 35 metres high. You will be able to get close enough to feel the spray on your face from the closest lookout points.
One of the best things about this part of Mexico is how uncrowded the sights are. This place would be absolutely packed if it was located in the Yucatan region, but in Chiapas, you will have it mostly to yourself!
When you are ready to leave, head back to the main road. You shouldn’t have to wait too long until a colectivo that is heading towards Comitan passes you.
Getting out of San Cristobal and experiencing some of the natural beauty that Chiapas has to offer is 100% worth it!
