Rancho Nueva Caves and Arcotete
If you take just one tour in San Cristobal this is the one I'd recommend. It leaves around 9AM and you're back by 3PM and not a lot of time is spent in the van. It's also pretty cheap.
For this tour, the driver only spoke Spanish as well as the guides in the cave. For the El Arcotete ecological park it doesn't matter at because they just drop you off and let you run around for a couple hours. For the cave it matters a little because they point out some formations and tell some stories about what they are called and how they got their name.
Don't let that deter you in the slighest from taking the tour though. Even with the guide the cave is really cool.
The main feature of El Arcotete. Rock climbers were scaling the wall on the right
El Arcotete
El Arcotete is the first place you will visit. It's not that big of an area but it does have some pretty steep climbs. It is a pretty self explanatory path along a small river, then a pretty steep climb around it.
Once you get to the top, there is a section of cave you can go into. There is a small fee to do that, but I can't remember how much. Something like 20 to 50 pesos. Do it. It is worth, it's probably the best part of this park.
I don't know what kind of lizard this is, but if you lick it I bet either some really cool shit will happen or some really bad shit will happen.
They aren't in the pic but I saw some more rock climbers here
When you are in the caves in El Arcotete, you don't a light but you will have to suck in your gut and watch your head. It's a pretty tight fit in some places.
After about 2 hours here, make your way to the van and head to the next stop
Rancho Nueva Caves
When you get here the you'll just follow the driver and he'll take you to entrance and buy your ticket and then you'll join a guide and head in. I believe the guide comes with the group, some sites will have guides that are optional and will take tourist who want them. I don't believe that is the case here, but I don't speak Spanish so who knows..
The caves have a long metal walkway, probably about 1000 feet (300 meters) long and it's decently lit. When you get to the end there is another section you can go in for an additional 50 pesos ($3) and it is almost pitch black but the give you miners helmets and you go in in with another guide
It's a short trip but I think it's worth it.
