Let yourself be carried away by the waters of an underground river and discover landscapes that will remain etched in your mind forever.
El Chonta is an underground river in the northern region of Guerrero, near the border with Morelos. To explore it, you have to go deep into the earth. It’s the kind of adventure you won’t forget.
This river is located within the Cacahuamilpa Caves National Park. We’ll tell you more about El Chonta and how you can experience it.
Fascinating and Curious Facts about El Chonta
Its real name is Chontalcoatlán, but it’s affectionately called “El Chonta.”
- This underground river is 5.6 kilometers long and is located 400 meters underground.
- The expedition to this natural wonder of Mexico lasts two days and one night.
- The experience includes hiking, rappelling, swimming, and camping.
- The river journey itself takes approximately 5 hours.
What is the experience of exploring El Chonta like?
The adventure begins with a hike through trails that cross the hills of the Sierra Madre del Sur. During this journey, it’s possible to encounter deer, rabbits, snakes, ocelots, badgers, and jagarundis, the strange and unknown feline.
As you advance on the hike, the landscape around you transforms from golden and ocher tones to a deep green. In the last stretch, you have to carefully descend a slope between rocks.
Finally, you reach an abyss. It’s time for the rappel descent, one of the most exciting parts of the adventure.
Upon reaching the river, you find the entrance to the grotto, a huge stone door from which the darkness that awaits you emerges.
As you enter that darkness, El Chonta awaits you. It’s time to enter the river and let yourself be carried by the current. The first stretch will last approximately two hours, during which you entrust your life to the river. Along the way, you can use your flashlight to discover the many hidden shapes on the cave walls.
After a while, you reach the point where you will spend the night. After drying off, the group builds a campfire to keep warm all night. Since the cave protects them, a tent is not necessary; a sleeping bag is sufficient.
Sunlight filters into the cavern to reveal a skylight—literally a hole in the ceiling—that illuminates the space. Thanks to this natural alarm clock, the group gets up for breakfast and continues the journey.
It will be necessary to join the current of El Chonta for about three hours. A second skylight awaits you at the end of the journey. It is much larger than the first and illuminates a kind of internal mountain full of formations, galleries, and limestone nooks. A spectacle!
Recommendations for exploring El Chonta
- Undertake this expedition with the help of guides, as they know the route and the area and will provide you with the necessary equipment to do it safely.
- Register your visit at the entrance module, with the park administration, or rescue groups.
- Respect the plants, animals, rock formations, and fossils you find along the way.
- Wear a neoprene suit for the river section, as the water is cold.
- Remember to bring provisions for food in the evening and the following morning.
- If you don’t know how to swim or are not in good physical condition, it is preferable not to do this expedition.
How to get to El Chonta
By car from Taxco, take federal highway 95 towards Axixintla. After this town, take federal highway 55 towards Cacahuamilpa Caves. Take the detour to Rancho La Candelaria, and there you can find guides who will take you to explore El Chonta.
You can also find guides and tours in the Pueblo Mágico of Taxco, who will take you to Cacahuamilpa Caves.
