El Chiflón and Lagos de Montebello Combo

This combined route runs about 150 km from San Cristóbal de las Casas to Cascadas El Chiflón, with the Lagos de Montebello national park another 60 km beyond, adding up to a full 10-12 hour round trip. Agencies on Real de Guadalupe run a shared van covering both stops in one day, while independent travellers take a colectivo to Comitán de Domínguez and arrange separate colectivos or a hired taxi on to each site. A dawn or early-morning departure from San Cristóbal is essential to fit both destinations into daylight hours. At El Chiflón, a paved riverside path climbs past a sequence of five waterfalls to the 120-metre Velo de Novia, the tallest and most photographed of the falls, with a zip line strung across the gorge for those who want an aerial view; the walk up and back covers a couple of hours of steady, moderately steep ground. From there the route continues to Lagos de Montebello National Park, where more than fifty karst lakes in shades of cobalt, emerald and jade sit along the Guatemalan border. A road loop connects short forest trails at several of the named lakes, and rowing boats are available on Lago Tziscao and Lago Pojoj for those who want to get out on the water. Simple comedores at the entrance to El Chiflón and at the main Montebello lakes serve regional lunch options, and it is worth eating before continuing on, since food stands thin out later in the loop. November through April is the recommended season, since heavy rains during the wet months muddy the lake colours and swell the waterfalls beyond safe swimming; this window also gives the most reliable driving conditions on the unpaved sections of the Montebello loop. Comfortable walking shoes and a swimsuit are worth packing for both stops, along with cash, since neither site takes cards at the entrance gates.