Dear Reader,
Let me tell you about one of the best things I did during my three weeks in Cuernavaca, Morelos. One morning my boyfriend said we were going swimming, and I was excited. Swimming is always fun and I was sure the place was beautiful. It took us little less than one hour for Cuernavaca by car, and when I first saw the actual place I was speechless.
Las Estacas
Okay, now let me tell you a little more about the actual place. This is a spring of one of the many rivers flowing through Morelos. It comes up here and starts forming a river. This river than encouraged a rich ecosystem and this combination resulted in this beautiful place.
Las Estacas is a natural reserve and is being maintained by the people working there. If you come here for a day, you have to pay an entrance of about 350 pesos. You can also camp overnight for around 550 pesos. You can bring any kind of food inside along with drinks, as long as nothing is in glass bottles. Those they will confiscate because broken glass on grass can be very dangerous.
When you come here, just but your towel on the next best spot and enjoy the water. The temperature will be quite a shock, since it is very cold all year long, but it is great to cool down a little. Make sure to walk through the park and see the trees and the river from different angles to truly enjoy how gorgeous this place is.
Some photos not to miss here are the ones coming out of the water, general nature shots (since you can make it look completely empty), and of course the swings. They are located on both sides of the entrance and are a must when you come here. Make sure to climb on the block with your swing (if possible, get someone to help you with that since it can be a challenge alone) and swing all the way over the water. If you are brave enough you can also jump, the water is deep enough for it at those spots.
The overall area is generous and you will not find it crowded if you avoid the weekends. We went on a Friday and by walking around a little found a spot where we were basically alone. Over the weekend it does get quite crowded and with more infrastructure, so it loses the flair a little bit.
Infrastructure
Speaking about infrastructure, you can also rent different equipment from the stores for the day, such as swim masks or even little boats to explore the river with. You do not really need these things if you are a strong enough swimmer though, because you can swim the same path.
Las Estacas also has a restaurant you can eat at while here. They serve nice looking food, but the prices are of course quite high. Most people end up bringing their own things. You can even BBQ since they have grills set up around the perimeter of the river.
You can also stay here overnight but are not a fan of camping, you can also stay in a hotel on property. It is called Hotel Las Estacas and offers the great opportunity to enjoy this place almost completely abandoned.
Events
They also have different events and concerts going on in the park. Around February they have a music concent and for most national holidays they organize something special. They also have a promotion going at the moment when I'm writing this for your birthday. For more information and to be sure not to miss anything, check out their website.
If you don't believe me, the pictures should have convinced you that this place is one of the most beautiful in the world. If you have more time to spend and are looking for things to do around Cuernavaca, check out my guide on the city here. If you are spending more time in this area, I have a great itinerary for you to see as much as possible here.
When you end up visiting Las Estacas, please share your experiences with me here in the comments or on social media. I always love to hear what you are up to.
Kisses,
Juli