How to make the most of your visit to Tapalpa, Jalisco

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If you’ve been following my blog and my adventures around Mexico and Spain for any time at all you’ll know that Tapalpa is exactly the type of place I love to go – somewhere locals love but tourists aren’t yet flocking to, somewhere you can enjoy a slower pace of life and enjoy nature.

🌲 Tapala is a small town in the Jaliscan countryside around two hours from Guadalajara. It is surrounded by the Sierra Madre Occidental and is stunningly beautiful. Truly it is a great spot for anyone who loves outdoor fun. 

⭐️ The buildings in Tapalpa are painted white with a deep red stripe at the base and the buildings in the centre of town have stunning wooden balconies that remind me strongly of Tibetan architecture. The only other place in Mexico that conjures memories of Tibet for me in the same way is the church in Chamula, outside San Cristobal. I visited there when I was exploring Chiapas. 

➕ The name “Tapalpa” means “Land of Colours” in Nahuatl. 

🦄 Tapalpa was named a pueblo mágico (magic town) in 2002 and not only was it the first town in Jalisco to receive this title but also one of the first in all of Mexico. Despite this, its popularity remains primarily with the locals rather than with international visitors.

🚗 From Guadalajara, it’s about a two-hour drive to Tapalpa along the 54D across what looks like big lakes on the map. Apparently these areas can fill up with water, although when we went in the rainy season, they were almost entirely dry. 

→ Check your rental car options from Guadalajara here

🚌 It’s possible to take a bus from Guadalajara to Tapalpa. It takes around 3.5 hours with Sur de Jalisco Autobuses. 

→ Check your bus options and book here

👣 There are day tours to Tapalpa from Guadalajara you can take if you don’t have time to spend a few nights in town. You can, of course, pick up guided tours of the area once you’re in town, too.

Visit the unmissable Las Piedrotas

For me, and most others, the primary draw of Tapalpa is Las Piedrotas, an area of incredible natural beauty about a ten-minute drive from town. Here you’ll find green fields and some impressive and monolithic rock formations to explore. 

I recently discovered that this area is somewhat enticingly called “The Valley of the Enigmas”, which is very cool. Some people believe that these giant rocks could actually be meteorites that fell to Earth millions of years ago, while others, less romantically, suggest they arrived via a volcanic eruption many thousands of years ago. Either way, people also like to claim it as a powerful energy centre to which people flock at the equinoxes. 

There are a few pre-Hispanic petroglyphs to be found on these giant rocks although while climbing and exploring with my family, sadly I didn’t find them.

🆓 Entry is free, but the locals may ask for a donation for the upkeep of the area as you enter or leave (we paid).

⏱️ I recommend arriving before midday to beat the crowds (if you go at the weekend) but note that the adventure activities begin around 1 pm.

🌮 There are a few food options here.

How to get to Las Piedrotas

Drive – the road is decent and there’s parking just opposite the entrance to the area

Tourist train – there’s a small tourist train that runs from the centre of town to Las Piedrotas

​Quad bike tour – once you’re in Tapalpa you’ll see agencies offering quad bike tours

Activities at Las Piedrotas

As well as being truly beautiful to walk around and fun to climb, there are also a number of awesomely fun activities. None of them are free, but they’re not expensive either.

Horseback riding – as you enter the area you’ll see a group of horses (if you don’t, just wait around until they return). You can join a group and explore the area on horseback. 

Go-karts – officially called pista de buggies. Both my kids were too small to ride in the go-karts alone as their feet didn’t reach the pedals. Handily for them, their dad is kind and loves speed (going fast, I mean) so was more than happy to help out. My favourite moment was the random three-year-old who took a go-kart with his dad. The dad drove through a cow-pat that splattered up over their faces and hands. The kid promptly licked his hand, much to the horror of every adult nearby. Hilarious…because it wasn’t my kid.

Zipline – the zipline runs between the first rocks and the main set in the middle of the field. 

Via Ferrata – this looks amazingly fun for non-wusses (that counts me right out). You climb up a ladder in the rock, head across the wobbly bridge and up the next rock before abseiling down again.

Climbing the rocks & skipping through the fields – free and fun for everyone.

Parque Natural Los Frailes

At this fun activity park you can enjoy ziplining, rappelling, 4×4 adventures, hanging bridges and great adventure hiking. There’s also a fun play area for the smaller kids and if you should so desire, you can camp here overnight. 

Ekoparque

Here there are even more adventures to be had – not ‘just’ ziplines and hanging bridges but also paint ball, tree climbing activities, glamping and more. 

El Salto del Nogal (Nogales Waterfall) 

At 105m, this is apparently the highest waterfall in Jalisco state. We were in town in the rainy season so were recommended not to go with little kids as the paths can be difficult. Honestly, I am 99% certain my kids would have been fine and that the woman in tourist information was being cautious but we didn’t actually have free time to visit anyway.

If you love a good waterfall, and let’s face it, who doesn’t, then I highly recommend Creel, Chihuahua as a great vacation spot. It has so much opportunity for outdoor fun and is the starting point for visiting two amazing waterfalls.

Mountain biking around Tapalpa

Due to its gorgeous and excellent location, people love to bike around Tapalpa – whether you’re an extreme biker coming for the Tapalpa Bikefest or someone who just enjoys a gentle cycle ride in nature, you’re sure to find a track to enjoy here. 

🚴🏾 I’ve never been able to find a bike rental company in Tapalpa (let me know if you know of one) so it’s recommendable to come with a bike if you’re hoping to go for a ride.

Tapalpa is a tiny little place with a rich history that doesn’t take long to explore. You’ll find 2 temples, a lovely plaza and a great little market selling traditional foods and local artisanias.

🌲 Due to the abundance of pine forests in this region, many of the traditional products are made from wood. You’ll also find clay and wool products available for sale. 

☕️ While there are some really great restaurants in Tapalpa (around the main plaza), one joy of being in town is heading to the market for a traditional breakfast & coffee. We didn’t have a single bad meal in Tapalpa so I’m not going to tell you where to eat or not eat, just enjoy it all!

🎞️ When we were in town we also got to sit on the main square one evening watching a free movie with everyone. There’s truly nothing like a Mexican plaza to sooth a tired and weary body. 

Sacred Art Museum

There is a small museum in town located in the Templo de San Antonio, opposite the church. It is free to enter. 

Hacienda de la Media Luna, La Lagunilla

Some claim that this hacienda played some role in the works of Juan Rolfo (Pedro Paramo, anyone??) – it’s located a little way out of town.

Paper mill (Fabrica del Papel)

Apparently the oldest paper mill in Latin America is just outside of Tapalpa. It dates from 1849 and is no longer running but this is kind of what makes it fun in my eyes – exploring overrun ruined spaces is something that makes me inexplicably happy. Whether it was the giant house near where I grew up in the UK or gorgeous old hacienda ruins in Mérida, Mexico, I just love the feeling of being in these places. 

Miradores

There are a few lookout points that get mentioned including Mirador La Cruz Roja.