Day trip from:

Sumidero Canyon

Dramatic 1,000-meter canyon walls and wildlife spotting

Half day (4-5 hours from San Cristóbal)

320 MXN(Boat ride 200-320 MXN + park entry 36-60 MXN; tours from San Cristóbal 450-650 MXN all-inclusive)

Morning before afternoon winds; dry season for calmer waters

Overview

Sumidero Canyon delivers spectacular scenery that rivals any canyon in the Americas. Boat tours pass through **1,000-meter vertical walls** along the Grijalva River, with cliffs so sheer that sunlight only reaches the water for a few hours daily. The 2-hour boat ride includes stops for **crocodile sightings** (the canyon hosts a healthy population), spider monkeys in the trees, herons and cormorants, and the famous "**Christmas Tree**" waterfall—a moss-covered cascade that creates a year-round green "tree" shape on the canyon wall. Tours from San Cristóbal run **450-650 MXN ($26-38 USD)** including transport and boat ride. The boat departure point is near Chiapa de Corzo (not San Cristóbal itself), about 70km away. Most tours also stop at the **canyon viewpoints** accessible by road, offering bird's-eye perspectives from the rim. The national park entrance costs **36-60 MXN**, with boat rides **200-320 MXN ($12-19 USD)** depending on group size. Best visited in the morning before afternoon winds pick up. The canyon is part of Sumidero Canyon National Park, established in 1980 to protect this geological wonder and its endemic species.