Things to Do at Tres Ríos

The natural attractions of Tres Ríos have led to the evolution of experiential and educational outdoor activities that will allow you to discover its natural wonders up close.  The nature park provides many things to do, such as independent hiking, taking a bike ride on jungle trails, going on interpretive nature tours, botanical garden and nursery tours, or snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming in cenotes and rivers.

When you participate in these outdoor activities, you will discover fascinating new worlds above and below ground that will delight your senses: unusual tropical plants and flowers, exotic animals, a botanical garden and nursery, clear rivers and cenotes teeming with colorful fish and marine life.

Access to Nature Park

Tres Ríos Nature Park is one of those rare, special finds, offering a variety of activities and tours that expose you to the region’s special cultural heritage and natural wonders.

Access to the nature park and related activities are exclusive to guests of Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park at no extra cost.  All sports gear, such as masks, visors, kayaks, and more, is also included free of charge.

Nature Walks

Take an invigorating early morning energy walk through the nature park led by one of our trail guides.  Enjoy the fresh air of the Riviera Maya as you admire the many exotic plants and animals along the way.

The nature walk consists of a brisk jaunt across the resort’s white sand beach on the Caribbean Sea and along nature park’s Cenote Trail (Sendero de los Cenotes) to get a glimpse of the incredible cenotes.

Nature walks take place by visitor request and last approximately 1 hour.

Interpretive Guided Nature Tours

Similar to nature walks, interpretive guided nature tours are organized hikes along the nature park trails.  Led by Tres Ríos’ qualified nature and wildlife experts, travelers learn fascinating facts about the many different species of plants and animals, and geological events in the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Bike Tour through the Jungle

Start your day with an exhilarating mountain bike ride along bike paths through the nature park.  The bike tour begins every morning at 9:30 a.m. with one of our trail guides leading the way as you take a leisurely spin through the jungle.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery with a wide variety of tropical plants and flowers, as you spot some of the many native animals–some that are endangered species–living in the rainforest.

The bike tour through the jungle is suitable for the entire family.  Bicycles are provided by the resort for all ages and sizes, from small children to adults.

Botanical Garden & Nursery Tour

This fascinating, educational, botanical tour is at the heart of Tres Ríos’ mission:  sustainable tourism and environmental conservation.  The botanical garden and nursery nurture the growth of various diverse species of plants that are indigenous to the area, some of which are in danger of extinction.  These plants will be used in Tres Ríos’ reforestation program and for on-site landscaping.

Travelers can also observe the process of cultivating mangroves and seagrass beds (flowering grass-like plants that grow at the bottom of the sea), or visit the orchidiary that supports the growth of breathtakingly beautiful, indigenous orchids of different species and varieties.  After the tour, visitors may opt to observe the unique natural composting process of developing fertilizer for the park’s plants.

Explore this fascinating botanical garden and nursery to learn all about the protected species of plant life in the nature park.  The tour lasts approximately 1 and ½ hours and is enjoyable for children too.  Kids may participate in replanting a mangrove to support the reforestation of mangroves that were previously destroyed by hurricanes.

Snorkeling & Swimming in Rivers and Cenotes

Snorkeling and swimming in clear, refreshing water filled with many colorful fish and marine life is nothing less than extraordinary.  Not only can you snorkel in the Caribbean Sea, where there are plenty of saltwater fish, but you can snorkel in the freshwater and brackish water (mixed sea and fresh water) of the cenotes and rivers, and see many varieties of unusual fish.

Our nature park offers 10 awe-inspiring cenotes with fascinating cave-like structures containing unique stalactite and stalagmite formations, and three beautiful winding rivers (rarely found in the Yucatan Peninsula) that offer a truly exhilarating swimming and snorkeling experience for travelers.

The most uplifting way to experience the refreshing natural waters of the park is to swim in the Cenote Aguila and take a tour down the river to the sea.

Snorkeling Tour

Take an aquatic journey from the Cenote Aguila along the Rio Selva (Jungle River) to the Caribbean Sea.  The group tour begins with swimming and snorkeling in the Cenote Aguila, the most frequently visited cenote in the park.

The main attraction continues as guests float from the cenote out to the Rio Selva following the river’s natural current down to the Caribbean Sea.  Led by a guide in a kayak, guests simply float down the cool, freshwater stream in a flotation device behind the kayak.

As guests float along the river toward the ocean, they experience a thriving tropical world of mangroves and other native plants and animals surrounding them.  Once in the ocean, guests may swim in the warm, soothing water of the Caribbean Sea, or relax on the cool, soft white sand beach.

This snorkeling tour is suitable for the whole family.  It does not require a high degree of physical effort and lasts approximately 1 hour.   Guests are provided with snorkeling masks and flotation devices that fit both children and adults.

Kayak Tour Across the Rivers to the Caribbean Sea

Our kayak tour allows guests to ride on two majestic rivers at Tres Ríos, the Rio Selva (Jungle River) and the Rio Pajaros (Bird River), on their way to the Caribbean Sea.  Led by a tour guide who mentors guests along the way, the guide will also draw attention to many, fascinating fish, birds, and other natural attractions.

One of the kayak tours begins at Cenote Tortuga and continues along the Rio Pajaros.  The strong surge of crystal clear water that flows out from the underground river feeds Cenote Tortuga, which extends out to Rio Pajaros, and then flows into the Caribbean Sea.  Then kayak back up Rio Pajaros into the nature park.

Another kayak tour begins at Cenote Manati, which connects to the Rio Selva, and then flows into the Caribbean Sea.  This kayak tour follows a similar course as the Rio Pajaros tour described above but offers intriguing variations in tropical vegetation and wildlife on a fascinating journey through the mangroves along the river to meet the sea.

By guest request, tours may be arranged as a private tour or a group tour, according to established schedules.  The basic tour consists of 2,625 feet (800 meters), whereas the advanced tour consists of 5,249 feet (1,600 meters).  Kayaks are double occupancy, so partnering up is possible.  If needed, our qualified tour guides will teach you how to navigate the kayak and are available to help at all times.

SenseAdventure Experience

The SenseAdventure activity is an exclusive experience at Tres Ríos and delightfully exhilarating.  Take a guided exploration of select areas in the nature park, such as the enchanting Cenote Manati, while blindfolded to heighten your other senses.

This magical journey through nature is led by a holistic guide, who presents various natural elements for you to touch, smell, and even taste, drawing attention to the sounds around you.  Listen to the flowing waters of the river and singing of tropical birds, while the guide describes your surroundings in such an evocative way that it connects you with nature.

The SenseAdventure experience lasts approximately 1 hour and is scheduled three times during the day.  11:00 a.m., 12:10 p.m., and 1:20 p.m.

Activities Near the Riviera Maya

Tres Ríos Nature Park is also located near other popular vacation attractions and activities in the Yucatan Peninsula, such as championship golf courses, archaeological sites of ancient Mayan ruins, spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving in the Caribbean Sea along the second largest coral reef in the world (the great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System), or cave diving in some of the largest, truly remarkable underground caves ever discovered.