The most beautiful waterfalls in El Salvador: Tamanique

One of the best things to do in El Salvador is a trip to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in El Salvador: Tamanique!

I would like to give you some impressions of this beautiful tour and also some tips for your trip.

Tamanique is a small town, about a 30-minute drive away from Playa El Tunco by car. To visit the waterfalls of Tamanique, you can easily book a tour.

I will give you some tips at the end of this post.

What can you expect from Tamanique Waterfalls?

To visit the waterfalls, you have to hike about an hour (depending on your physical condition) from the little town of Tamanique.

The hike isn’t that difficult, but you should be sure to bring proper shoes. The way can get slippery, especially during the rainy season. The landscape is gorgeous and worth a foto!

Coming closer to the waterfalls, you will pass through a real rainforest-like area. You will be able to see different types of butterflies, leaf cutter ants, birds, and a lot more interesting flora and fauna.

The waterfalls of Tamanique are actually three different waterfalls. Usually, two of them will be part of your tour. The third, and also the biggest one, is a bit too dangerous to visit.

There have been accidents before. If you want to visit it, definitely be sure to have a responsible tour guide that you can trust.

The smallest waterfall is the one where you can jump in from a 3-4 meter height -it is deep enough! Just be sure that you ask your guide before where to jump in.

The water is refreshing, especially after the hike down to the waterfalls. The second waterfall is the most spectacular one. You can have a bath and shower underneath it.

But be sure that you’re a good swimmer, sometimes the current can be a bit strong. We’ve seen some crazy dudes jumping from the top of the second waterfall!

It’s not recommendable at all because there have been severe accidents before!

The hike back isn’t too steep, and it’s a bit easier than the way down. The whole tour takes you about half a day.

Can I visit Tamanique waterfalls on my own?

We cannot recommend that. First of all, you have to pass private property to get there.

The tour guides earn some money with these tours, so it’s worth spending an extra dollar for it to support the people here in El Salvador.

Also, a responsible tour guide knows where to go and where no to go. You can also go to Tamanqique by public bus and meet your guide there; a tour is standard US$ 5 per person.

Pedro is a recommendable tour guide. Contact him a day before: +503 7057 3286

What tour operator do you recommend?

You can book the tour with us or ask one of the responsible tour operators in Playa El Tunco or Playa El Zonte. In general, we recommend a tour operator from El Tunco or El Zonte.

You might save you a lot of time and hassle – and also, it’s more fun to visit the waterfalls with a group. You can also write us a message and we can arrange that tour for you!

What to bring to Tamanique Waterfalls?

Be sure to have proper shoes to hike and don’t come in flip flops! Also, bring at least 1.5 liters of water, s small snack, and a towel. Because of the climate, you might sweat a lot, so it’s worth bringing a second T-Shirt and socks to change. Also, bring some money. After the hike, you can get a cold beer or a “choco-banana” in Tamanique!

I am not sure if I should go – can you help me?

Yes, we can: Don’t miss it! There’re other beautiful waterfalls in El Salvador. But we haven’t heard anyone coming back from Tamanique who was unhappy.

We’ve done it a couple of times, and we loved every single hike. Plus: On the way to Tamanique, you will pass some fantastic viewpoints that are worth a foto.

The waterfalls of Tamanique are pretty “instagrammable”! But bring a waterproof camera down to the second waterfalls only!

Do you need some more travel inspration? Check our blog post about Suchitoto.

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