Tepoztlan
Discover Tepoztlan
Tepoztlán is a popular tourist destination an hour south of Mexico City. It's famous for the El Tepozteco pyramid, which is on the summit of the nearby Tepozteco Mountain. It's also known for its spas, meditation, alternative medicine clinics and a very traditional city center. It is a small town so you don't need a car to travel within the city. Tepoztlan is the Cradle of many Myths from different pre-Hispanic cultures. Tepoztlan have been a spiritual center for many cultures, being where Quetzalcoatl, the main pre-Hispanic figure considered as "the pre-Hispanic Jesus Christ", is said to have been born. It is considered a sacred place worldwide and also has hosted different national and international cultural movements. It's the base of Latin America shamanic community, the community of elders of the world, and it has been a retirement town for old war heroes and retired intelligence operatives from around the world. It is also famous for the great number of reported UFO sightings.
What to Experience in Tepoztlan
Taste of Tepoztlan...
Epicures will find some unusual (and unusually delicious) regional specialties in Tepoztlan. Two of the most famous foods from Tepoztlan are mole verde and ice cream (such as from Tepoznieves, listed below). The mole verde is based on ground pumpkin seeds and gets its color from pipian chiles. Many visitors choose to eat tacos, gorditas, and quesadillas in the market. Flor de calabaza is quite popular. Dried grasshoppers (chapulines) are also popular. Tepoztēcatl was the god who invented pulque in Tepoztlan. Sleeping in Tepoztlan can be noisy at times (in December 2010, the church bells seemed to ring on the half hour all night). There are two campgrounds nearby: Camhomila (YMCA camp; accepts trailers and has cabins) and Meztitla (Scouts of Mexico, tents only; hiking, rock climbing, rappel. ) Both nice, safe, and open to the public. Posada Ali is nice place with a good view of the cliffs. It costs around M$500 on weekdays (prices seem to vary). The Cultural Center "Centro Cultural CCPLE Pedro Lopez Elias" is the first so called "ecological library" of Mexico and #2 in Latin America, the have different intercultural and interdisciplinary activities. Was a donation of more than 10,000 books and a great part of the house of the Writer Pedro Lopez Elias.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsFrom Mexico City, you may take the metro to the Tasqueña station and follow the "autobuses" signs to the southern bus depot next door. The various bus companies display their destinations and times. Pullman de Morelos offers bus service every 30 minutes and a one-way ticket cost M$134 (pesos) in 2018. The bus ride is comfortable, scenic and takes about an hour and a half (depending on traffic). Upon arrival in Tepoztlan, the bus may drop you at a depot on the edge of town. Taxis will be waiting to take you to the main square for M$40. Walking to the center will take 20-30 minutes or so. The path to walk downtown is marked by a red metal guard rail across from the bus station. Frequent buses run to and from the Adolfo Lopez Mateos market in Cuernavaca and pick up passengers along the way to the center of Tepoztlan. About M$20. If you prefer to take a taxi from Mexico City, the standard cost is M$1250-1850. Tepoztlan is a small quaint town and is easily walkable....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Tepoztlan is a small quaint town and is easily walkable. Most of the activity is centered around its main square and along the main avenue, Avenida 5 de Mayo. There is local bus service to surrounding towns. Even though the main part of town is normally walkable, you may think otherwise after a long hike up and down Tepozteco mountain. If your knees are sore and you don't want to walk all the way back to the bus station on the other far side of town, there is a small taxi fleet in town that usually has available taxis stationed at pick-up points (sitios) around the main points of interest. The standard rate to get from the closest pick-up point to Tepozteco to the main bus station is M$50. There are many tourism agencies around. If you choose to use their services, hire a certified guide to go to 1 of the more than 60 hiking routes through mountains, volcanic caverns, sacred spaces, ziplines, rivers and forests.
Where to Stay
Sleeping in Tepoztlan can be noisy at times (in December 2010, the church bells seemed to ring on the half hour all night). There are two campgrounds nearby: Camhomila (YMCA camp; accepts trailers and has cabins) and Meztitla (Scouts of Mexico, tents only; hiking, rock climbing, rappel. ) Both nice, safe, and open to the public. Posada Ali is nice place with a good view of the cliffs. It costs around M$500 on weekdays (prices seem to vary). The Cultural Center "Centro Cultural CCPLE Pedro Lopez Elias" is the first so called "ecological library" of Mexico and #2 in Latin America, the have different intercultural and interdisciplinary activities. Was a donation of more than 10,000 books and a great part of the house of the Writer Pedro Lopez Elias.
Money & Budget
There are many handicrafts sold in the market and nearby shops, as well as imported knickknacks from around the world. Mezcal and quartz rocks are produced locally. Epicures will find some unusual (and unusually delicious) regional specialties in Tepoztlan. Two of the most famous foods from Tepoztlan are mole verde and ice cream (such as from Tepoznieves, listed below). The mole verde is based on ground pumpkin seeds and gets its color from pipian chiles. Many visitors choose to eat tacos, gorditas, and quesadillas in the market. Flor de calabaza is quite popular. Dried grasshoppers (chapulines) are also popular. Tepoztēcatl was the god who invented pulque in Tepoztlan.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Tepoztlan
a church in the middle of a mountain range
PLANTS SUCULENTAS NATURE GREEN CACTUS
Red benches on top of a red brick walkway in Tepoztlan Morelos, Mexico
a painting on a wall with a cross on it
Calaveras
Two soccer fields in Tepoztlan, Morelos, Mexico
A man walking by a graveyard in Tepoztlan Morelos, Mexico
woman in black shirt using her phone
a church in the middle of a mountain range
PLANTS SUCULENTAS NATURE GREEN CACTUS
Red benches on top of a red brick walkway in Tepoztlan Morelos, Mexico
a painting on a wall with a cross on it
Calaveras