✦ Getting there · How long you need · What to book
The Huasteca Potosina from Austin
Everything you need to settle before you book: which airport actually saves you time, where to base yourself, and how much you can see with the days you have.
Getting here from Austin–Bergstrom (AUS)
Connect through Houston or Dallas to Tampico (TAM)
There's no nonstop from Austin to Tampico, but both Texas hubs have one — United from Houston (about 1 h 55 min) and American from Dallas (about 2 h 20 min). One stop gets you to the closest airport to the Huasteca. From Tampico it's about a 2-hour drive to Ciudad Valles and about 2.5 hours to Xilitla. You can rent a car at the airport, or we can pick you up — our private transfer is priced per vehicle, round trip, for up to 12 passengers.
Fly nonstop to Monterrey (MTY)
VivaAerobus flies Austin to Monterrey nonstop in about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It's the only direct flight from Austin into the region — but Monterrey is still about 6 hours from Ciudad Valles by car, or 8 by bus. Take it if the fare difference is large and you don't mind the drive.
Fly to Mexico City (MEX)
The most frequent option, but it leaves 267 miles (430 km) of road ahead of you — about 6.5 to 7 hours on the Mex-85 / MEX-70 toll highway to Ciudad Valles.
Flight times and frequencies are approximate and change by season — confirm them with the airline when you buy. Drive times assume daylight and normal conditions.
Or we drive you
Private transfer from Tampico to Xilitla, round trip. The price is per vehicle, not per person.
- 1 to 4 passengers$5,000MXN
- 5 to 6 passengers$6,400MXN
- 7 to 12 passengers$10,000MXN
We pick you up where you're staying and take you back when your trip ends. It's held with the rest of your booking and confirmed over WhatsApp.
Coming from Austin, base yourself in
Ciudad Valles
Whichever way you come in, Ciudad Valles is the base that costs you the least road time, and it's where the turquoise waterfalls are. Xilitla is two hours further south if Las Pozas is the reason you're coming.
Read the full travel guide →What to book
The package that fits
Includes lodging at our own hotel in Xilitla, breakfasts, transportation to every site, all entrance fees and certified guides. That price covers two people, not one. Hold it with a 30% deposit and cancel free up to 48 hours before.
Or build the trip tour by tour
- Surrealist Route — Edward James, Springs & Jungle$1,400 MXN /person
- Tamul Expedition — Sinkhole, Canyon & Water Cave$1,550 MXN /person
- RZR Off-Road Ride in Xilitla — Pick Your Route$1,600 MXN /vehicle
What travelers from Austin ask
Can I fly from Austin to the Huasteca Potosina without connecting?+
Not to Tampico, which is the closest airport. Austin's only nonstop into the region is VivaAerobus to Monterrey — but that leaves about a 6-hour drive. Connecting through Houston or Dallas to Tampico is usually faster door to door, and it ends with a 2-hour drive instead.
Monterrey is cheaper. Is the drive worth it?+
Sometimes. Monterrey to Ciudad Valles is around 6 hours by car and about 8 by bus, but it's flat highway most of the way — not mountain road. If you were renting a car anyway and the fare gap is big, it's a reasonable trade. If you want to land and start, fly into Tampico.
How many days should I plan coming from Austin?+
Plan on four days and three nights minimum, since you'll spend part of a day connecting. Five days if you want both the waterfalls around Ciudad Valles and Edward James' garden in Xilitla.
Do the guides speak English?+
Our guides are NOM-09 certified and we have fully bilingual guides available — ask for one when you book and we'll assign them to your group.