Jalcomulco and the Rio Antigua

A Small River Town That Is The White Water Rafting Capital Of Mexico, With Class II To IV Rapids On The Rio Antigua, Plus Rappelling, Canyoning, Zip Lining And Cabins Run By Adventure Outfitters. Water Is Highest From June To October, With Gentler Runs The Rest Of The Year. Reached From Xalapa In About An Hour · Jalcomulco, Veracruz

Jalcomulco is a small river town in the Veracruz foothills, about an hour from Xalapa, and the best-known base for white-water rafting in Mexico. The Rio Antigua, also called the Pescados, runs through it with rapids from class II to class IV, and a cluster of outfitters offers rafting, rappelling, canyoning, zip lines and cabin stays. Water is highest from June to October in the wet season, when runs are fast and splashy; the rest of the year the river is calmer and suits beginners and families. Guides supply life jackets, helmets and paddles. The place suits first-time rafters, school groups, couples on a weekend from Xalapa or Veracruz, and anyone who wants a day of controlled adventure. It is worth the trip if you like water and want guides who run the river daily. It is not worth it for travellers who dislike getting wet, for solo trips without an outfitter, or on days when the river is too low or too high. Always check levels with the outfitter.

Jalcomulco and the Rio Antigua (Pescados) rapids, about 45 km south-east of Xalapa in the Veracruz foothills; coordinates approximate, Jalcomulco, Veracruz, Mexico

Outfitters usually run trips by day, commonly from morning to mid-afternoon, with start times set by water level and group size, so confirm by phone or message before you travel. Many operate every day in high season and fewer in the dry months, and rafting can be cancelled when the river is too high after storms. Walking in town, watching the river from the bridge and swimming in calm spots near your cabin are FREE. Guided rafting, canyoning and zip lines carry a fee. The river is CLOSED to unguided rafting, and trips do not run in thunderstorms or at night.

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