Guided tour
Eden in the Garden
Edward James's garden all to yourselves, before it opens to the public
About this tour
The Eden in the Garden tour costs $2,990 to $4,160 MXN per group, lasts about 3 hours and picks you up at your lodging in Xilitla in time for its fixed start (8:00 AM Mon, Wed, Thu & Fri · 7:00 AM Sat & Sun · 5:00 PM Wed–Mon). From Ciudad Valles the transfer costs extra — we'll quote it on WhatsApp. The price includes round-trip transport from your lodging in Xilitla, the admissions, the guide and travel insurance for everyone in the group.
Las Pozas with nobody else in it: you walk in an hour before it opens, with your own guide and access to areas closed to the public. Three hours in Edward James's garden at your own pace, including the upper levels of the Bamboo Palace and the Studio House, where a poem in his own handwriting still hangs on the wall. Groups of up to 7, one flat rate for everyone.
Keep readingShow less
There is an hour at Las Pozas that almost nobody has seen. Between seven and eight in the morning the garden is still closed to the public: the mist hasn't finished rising off the river, birds are the only sound, and the staircases that lead nowhere stand perfectly still, with not a single line of people waiting for a photo. Eden in the Garden is that hour, and the two that follow.
This is not the usual tour, earlier. It is a private experience inside the Edward James Sculpture Garden — an Artistic Monument declared National Heritage by Mexico's INBAL — for your group and nobody else, with a guide from the garden itself who walks at your pace. Areas that aren't part of the general visit are opened for you, and you climb to the upper levels of the Bamboo Palace, where the garden stops being something you look up at and suddenly makes sense: an entire jungle with surrealist architecture growing inside it.
The moment people remember is a different one. In the Studio House, the cabin where Edward James stayed to rest, a poem written in his own hand is still on the wall. Nobody has taken it down or put it behind glass. It's the kind of detail that appears in no guidebook, because almost nobody gets that far.
The three hours include the hiking trail, admission to the garden and round-trip transport from your lodging in Xilitla. Only one experience runs per day and the maximum is seven people. The rate covers the whole group, not each head: the more of you there are, the less each one pays.
Your day, hour by hour
Approximate times. We confirm your exact pickup by WhatsApp when you book.
- 7:00–8:00 AM
Pickup in Xilitla
We pick you up at your lodging. The exact time is set by the garden and we confirm it when you hold the date.
- 7:30 AM
The empty garden
You walk in an hour before it opens to the public. It's the only part of the day when Las Pozas has nobody else inside it.
- 8:15 AM
Bamboo Palace
You climb to the upper levels, which are closed on the general visit. From up there you finally grasp the scale of what Edward James built.
- 9:00 AM
Studio House
The room where a poem in his own handwriting is still kept. The general public does not go in.
- 9:30 AM
Hiking trail
You close on the garden's own trail, with the light already high among the ferns.
- 10:00 AM
Return
We drop you back at your lodging in Xilitla.
On this tour
- 1Edward James Sculpture Garden (Las Pozas)
- 2Bamboo Palace — upper levels
- 3Edward James's Studio House
- 4The garden's hiking trail
Tour photos
1 / 10
What's included
- ✦Round-trip transport from your lodging in Xilitla
- ✦Admission to the Edward James Sculpture Garden
- ✦Entry one hour before the general opening, with the garden empty
- ✦Your own garden guide, in English or Spanish (French and Italian on request)
- ✦Access to areas closed to the general public, such as the Studio House
- ✦Access to the upper levels of the Bamboo Palace
- ✦Admission to the hiking trail
- ✦Travel insurance for everyone in the group
- ✦Photos and video of the tour, taken by your guide
Book direct with us
You deal with the people who take you, from booking to the tour itself.
Hold your spot with 30%
Pay the rest on the day of the tour.
Pay us directly, in pesos
No middlemen: by card or bank transfer.
WhatsApp the same team
The people who run your tour answer.
Our own hotel and restaurant
In Xilitla, 400 m from Las Pozas.
Pickup & meeting point
We pick you up at your lodging in Xilitla and bring you back at the end. If you're staying in Ciudad Valles, we can come and get you there at an additional cost we'll quote on WhatsApp, or you make your own way up to Xilitla.
Xilitla
We pick you up at your lodging
Ciudad Valles
Transfer at an additional cost, quoted on WhatsApp — or make your own way to Xilitla
Departure time
8:00 AM Mon, Wed, Thu & Fri · 7:00 AM Sat & Sun · 5:00 PM Wed–Mon
Approx. return
3 h after the start
The included transfer only covers Xilitla, and the garden sets the schedule. If you're staying in Ciudad Valles, message us and we'll quote it separately.
Ask about your pickup →
Our hotel in Xilitla
Stay 400 m from Las Pozas
Hotel Paraíso Encantado is ours too: it's in La Conchita, a 5-minute walk from Edward James's garden.
- El Papán Huasteco, our Huasteca-food restaurant, is inside the hotel: open 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
- Outdoor pool for guests.
- Arriving on the morning bus? If your room is ready, it's yours when you arrive; if not, you leave your bags at reception and we pick you up there for the tour.
Book with total confidence
Move your date
Up to 5 days before · no refunds
Weather rescheduling
If the weather forces a cancellation, we reschedule at no cost.
Photos and video included
Taken by your guide · No extra charge
WhatsApp support 24/7
Reply in under 1 hour
Card, cash or transfer
Encrypted payment · Processed by Stripe
Before you book
Frequently asked questions
What's included in the Eden in the Garden?
Round-trip transport from your lodging in Xilitla, Admission to the Edward James Sculpture Garden, Entry one hour before the general opening, with the garden empty, Your own garden guide, in English or Spanish (French and Italian on request), Access to areas closed to the general public, such as the Studio House, Access to the upper levels of the Bamboo Palace, Admission to the hiking trail, Travel insurance for everyone in the group, Photos and video of the tour, taken by your guide. All of this is included in the price.
How long is the Eden in the Garden?
The tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
Can I cancel my booking?
This experience is non-refundable: once it's booked, that day is closed to everyone else. You can move it instead by telling us 5 or more days ahead, keeping the full amount valid for 6 months. If the weather forces a cancellation, we reschedule at no cost.
Is the price per person?
No — it is a flat rate for the whole group, from $2,990 MXN for one person up to $4,160 MXN for 7, which is the maximum the garden allows. The more of you, the less each pays.
Where does the tour depart from?
We pick you up at your lodging in Xilitla and bring you back at the end. The included transfer only covers Xilitla, and the garden sets the schedule. If you're staying in Ciudad Valles, message us and we'll quote it separately.
What do I see here that I wouldn't see on the regular visit to Las Pozas?
Three things. You go in an hour before it opens to the public, so the garden is empty. Areas that aren't part of the general route are opened for you, including the Studio House, where a poem written in Edward James's own hand is still on the wall. And you climb to the upper levels of the Bamboo Palace, which are closed on the regular visit.
What time does it start?
8:00 AM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 7:00 AM on Saturday and Sunday. There is also a 5:00 PM departure from Wednesday through Monday. We confirm the exact time when you book the date, since it depends on the day.
How many of us can go?
Anywhere from 1 to 7 people. The cap comes from the garden itself: no more than 7 per experience, and on some structures you go up one at a time because of their load limits.
What language is the tour in?
English or Spanish, whichever you prefer. French and Italian can be requested in advance, subject to guide availability.
Can I swim in the pools?
No. Water activities aren't allowed on this experience — the garden is an Artistic Monument and National Heritage site, and the rules of the grounds prohibit it.
Can I bring a drone or a tripod?
No. The garden doesn't allow pets, drones or tripods, and management can turn away any object it considers a risk to the site or an obstruction on the paths. Photos with your camera or phone are fine.
What if I need to change the date?
You can, as long as you tell us 5 or more days ahead: the full amount is honored and you can use it on any available date within the next 6 months. With less than 5 days' notice, or if you don't show up, there is no change and no refund. If the weather forces a cancellation, we reschedule at no cost.
More detail in our cancellation and weather policy.
Make the most of your trip
Tours that pair well with this one
Xilo Cave — A Night Walk Through Xilitla's Cavern
Already staying in Xilitla? Add the Xilo Cave on another date: it runs at night, we pick you up at your lodging and you go in with a helmet and headlamp.
