Mendoza Thermal Baths | What You Need to Know About Cacheuta

The Cacheuta Hot Springs are the best thermal baths in Mendoza, Argentina. This post offers everything you need to know about them.

Mendoza is the ultimate escape for full relaxation. While Mendoza is most well-known for its wineries and bodegas, there are also the lesser-known Mendoza Thermal Baths, called Termas Cacheuta Mendoza (Cacheuta Thermal Baths).

Argentina is full of hidden gems, and this is one of them, hidden in the countryside of the Mendoza province, just a short bus ride away from the capital city of Mendoza. You can visit the public baths, which are larger, or the more private spa. I spent two weeks in Mendoza, and visiting the Cacheuta baths was one of my favorite things to do.

You can soak in the Mendoza Thermal baths in the heart of the province, while gazing out at the incredible mountain landscape, full of cacti and wildflowers. Treat yourself to the relaxing atmosphere in one of the most peaceful areas of the country. Imagine yourself enjoying a thermal soak surrounded by the Argentine Andes.

My experiences below are based on going in November.

Basic Info for Cacheuta Thermal Baths

Email: inquiries@termascacheuta.com
Phone: +54 261 5191676
Hours: 10 am– 6 pm
Address: Ruta Provincia Nº 82 KM 39 for the water park (Nº 38 for the hotel/spa)

What’s the difference between the Cacheuta Thermal Baths Hotel/Spa and the Water Park?

Mendoza has so much more to offer a traveler than just biking to wineries. You can have a fun experience with the family at the water park, or a relaxing experience at the Cacheuta spa. But what’s the difference?

When beginning to research Cacheuta Thermal Baths (Termas Cacheuta Mendoza), this becomes the big question. The information online is not always clear. But the Cacheuta thermal baths water park and the Cacheuta spa are two different spaces offering two different experiences.

Cacheuta Hotel/Spa

The Hotel and Spa offers a more luxurious experience. Staying at the Termas Cacheuta Hotel is an all-inclusive experience, offering both meals and access to the spa and thermal baths included in the price. There are extra benefits for the more nights you spend.

Check the hotel/spa prices here.

If you don’t want to sleep at the hotel, but you want the more exclusive experience of using these spas, you have the option of 4 main packages:

• Full day: Price includes all-day access to the spa (10 am – 6 pm), plus a Creole lunch and a towel.
• Connect Your Senses: Price includes all-day access to the spa (10 am – 6 pm), plus guided activities, lunch, a towel, and a bathrobe.
• Afternoon spa: Price includes half-day access to the spa (3 pm-6 pm), and a towel. There is also an option to add a snack to the cost.
• Full-Day with Breakfast and Afternoon Tea: Price includes a breakfast buffet (no espresso), access to the spa, Creole lunch, an afternoon snack, and a towel.

These options don’t include a Mendoza city pick-up/transfer, but you can add it for an additional cost. You need to book very well in advance for any of the Hotel/Spa activities as the space is limited (between 6 to 50 people) and they fill up very quickly.

You can purchase the above activities directly from the website. If they require a DNI (Argentine residence number) and they don’t accept your passport number, you can also purchase a package directly from GetYourGuide or Viator.

Termas Cacheuta Water Park

The Mendoza Thermal Baths (Parque de Aguas Termas Cacheuta Mendoza) are open to the general public. Spaces are limited (2300 people in summer/800 in winter), so you should also try to purchase tickets in advance if you’re going in high season or on a weekend.

That said, the water park is not as limited as the Hotel/Spa experiences are. If you go on a less busy day, like a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, you should have no problem showing up and buying a ticket at the entrance. That’s what I did.

Going to Argentina soon? Get Ready at a glance:

Get travel medical insurance with SafetyWing.
Book your stay with Booking.com.
Check Flights with Skyscanner or Hopper.
Rent a car with RentalCars.com or Discover Cars.
Download the Airalo app and get an Argentine eSIM.
Purchase the Ultimate Buenos Aires guidebook.
See all my Argentina guides on the Thatch app.
Take a tour with GetYourGuide or Viator.
Have a 1:1 consultation with me in advance!

How much does it cost to go to the Cacheuta Water Park?

The ticket entry price was $13,000 ARS (9 USD) in January 2025. You can check current prices here.

The water park includes access to indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a wave pool, a lazy river, interactive activities for kids, picnic and grill areas, and a small shop to buy beverages and snacks.

There are also additional adventure activities to add to your Mendoza Thermal Bath adventure if you so wish to purchase them.

What is not included in the park entrance:

• lockers
• towels
• robes
• umbrellas
• Chairs

How do I get to the Cacheuta Thermal Baths?

The Mendoza thermal baths (Termas Cacheuta Mendoza) are about an hour west of the capital city of Mendoza. There are a few ways to get there:

Drive

If you have your own car, getting there shouldn’t be an issue. According to GPS, the drive is about 50 minutes. Just across the street from the water park entrance, there is a small dirt parking lot. The hotel has a parking lot.

Shuttle

This option is the easiest way to go if you don’t have a car, as you can get a shuttle service between Plaza Independencia and the front door to the thermal baths. You will need to book in advance and pay online, and the price is higher than the city bus fare. You can buy tickets here.

As of January 2025, the ticket price for entry + shuttle transfer is 37,000 pesos (25 USD) on a weekday and 39,000 pesos (27 USD) on Saturday/Sunday.

Meeting point: Provincial Shield in Plaza Independencia – Chile and Sarmiento streets. The return shuttle always leaves from the water park, not the hotel/spa.

Meeting time (Sept 21 – May 31): 8:45 am to leave at 9:00 am. The return from the water park is at 6:00 pm.

Meeting time (June 1 – Sept 20): 9:15 am to leave at 9:30 am. The return from the water park is at 5:30 pm.

You should also try to book this in advance, as there is a capacity of 76 people.

Bus

This is the most affordable option. It’s easy too. From the Terminal De Ómnibus de Mendoza, you can catch a public bus directly to the Cacheuta Thermal Baths. The bus that goes to the Cacheuta Thermal Baths (and hotel/spa) is with the Andesmar company.

Buying the ticket

You can buy your tickets in advance or on the same day you want to visit the Mendoza Thermal Baths. I personally like to buy my tickets in advance to eliminate ‘same-day stress.’ That way, you can just go directly to the bus platform, ticket in hand, when you arrive at the station.

If you prefer to buy your tickets on the same day, I suggest going about 20-30 minutes before the bus is due to leave. The line to buy tickets gets really long just before departure, and that anxious feeling of missing a bus is the absolute worst.

You need to purchase your tickets inside the main bus station at the Andesmar counter. It is downstairs, next to Rapipago (east side of the station near the entrance). You need to purchase your return ticket at the same time, and you have to know the time for your return in advance, so plan accordingly.

Getting on the Bus in Mendoza

You can find the bus between platforms 41 and 50 at the station. The platforms are on the west side of the station (after walking through a shopping gallery hallway).

There is no assigned seating on the bus, so you can sit wherever you want. But if the bus is crowded, standing up is not allowed, which is why you should buy your return ticket in advance. There is no bathroom on board, so try to use the restroom at the station before you get on the bus. Otherwise, it will be about an hour before you arrive.

Getting off the bus at Cacheuta

There is a very obvious stop where to get off once you reach the Cacheuta Water Park, since the majority of the people on the bus will also be getting off.

If you want to get off at the Hotel/Spa, that stop will come first (marker 38). I suggest letting the bus driver know you’re going there when you get on, so you don’t miss your stop. Try to sit in the front of the bus as well. That way, you get a great view, and you’ll be close to the driver if you need to clarify your stop.

Returning to Mendoza from Cacheuta

You can catch the bus going back to Mendoza from the Cacheuta Water Park, exactly across the street from where it drops you off in the morning. There is no sign, but you will see a group of people congregating, also waiting to take the bus back.

Unfortunately, the “bus stop” is in the sun, in a gravel parking lot, but there are a couple of trees you can wait under until the bus arrives. You can also get fresh fruit juice for a few pesos at a small shop just across the street to keep hydrated while you wait. Have your return ticket ready to hand to the driver when it arrives.

Bus schedule between Mendoza and the Cacheuta Thermal Baths

Leaving Mendoza

6 am, 9 am, 10:30 am, 12 pm, 1:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:15 pm (9 pm on Saturday/Sunday/holidays)

Leaving Cacheuta

7:10 am, 10:30 am, 11:20 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm, 3:45 pm, 6:50 pm, 9:20 pm

My personal experience on the Mendoza-Cacheuta bus

I took the 9 am bus to the thermal baths, and the 3:45 bus back to Mendoza. It was perfect timing. I got there right as the baths opened at 10 am, had lunch in the middle, and then left in the late afternoon as the baths were starting to get fuller and the sun was at full strength.

Depending on the time of year, you may be able to catch the sunset in the Cacheuta Thermal Baths, which would be a magical experience. In that case, you could just take the 6:50 pm or 9:20 pm bus home.

For me personally, 5 hours was perfect. But if I went with friends, and not as a solo traveler, I probably would have wanted to pack a picnic or bring food for an asado and make a day of it. But whatever you decide to do, you won’t regret coming.

Take an Organized Tour to the Cacheuta Hotel/Spa

Unfortunately, it seems there are currently no tours available to go to the Cacheuta Water Park. However, there is a tour available for the Cacheuta Hotel/Spa. The tour includes:

• Use of all facilities at the thermal center in the Hotel Termas de Cacheuta
• Lunch
• Hotel pickup and drop-off (select hotels only)
• Mud Therapy (mud bath)
• Sauna

If you’re looking for something more fancy for a several-day trip, check out this other tour that offers:

• 4 nights’ accommodation in a Standard room in a 5-star hotel
• Private guides
• Round-trip private transfers from/to the airport
• 24-hour assistance available
• Breakfast (4)
• Lunch (2)

This great adventure tour will take you to the Cacheuta Thermal Hotel/Spa, along with a trip to see the famous Mendoza Potrerillos Dam.

What can I expect to find at the Cacheuta Water Park?

Locker Rooms

When you first walk into the covered thermal bath area from the entrance, you’ll see the locker room entrances for men and women to your right. There are bathrooms, changing rooms, mirrors, and three showers (with hot water).

There are no lockers to rent, so make sure you bring a small bag that you can easily carry around with you. Even better if it’s a waterproof bag because it will get some splashes on it.

Indoor Thermal Baths

These are the first baths you’ll see when you enter. They are also the hottest. I suggest starting here in the morning before it gets too hot. In the afternoons, the heat feels suffocating (at least for me).

Outdoor Thermal Baths

There are a ton of outdoor baths, both on the upper level and in the lower level. They are of varying temperatures, though a general rule is that the water gets colder the lower you go. There are also more children the further down you go.

Many of the outdoor pools toward the bottom are not open during the winter. They are open from September 21 until Easter.

There is an 18+ pool with an incredible viewpoint. This is a great place to escape from the children.

Wave Pool

This is a large circular pool in the center of the lowest level. It is not that deep, maybe about 2 feet. There is a large fountain in the center, and this is where the water slides empty into. That means there are a ton of kids in this area.

Lazy River

This is a giant ring of water that goes around the entire bottom level of the water park. The water is quite cold here. It gets full in the afternoon, but relatively empty in the mornings. It’s a great place to wade through in the afternoons when the sun gets very bright and hot.

Picnic Tables/Gazebos

You can find tables all over the Mendoza thermal baths/Cacheuta Water Park. Near the entrance, when you first walk in (both to the left and right), you’ll see picnic tables with asado grills.

At the very bottom near the river are several other covered picnic tables, but I didn’t see any grills. There are a few uncovered tables in the grassy area on the bottom level, though these fill up fast and early, as people like to claim them and leave their stuff there all day.

What can I eat at the Cacheuta Thermal Baths?

If you choose to go to the Hotel/Spa, food is included with the package you purchase.

At the Cacheuta water park, you have several options:

Picnic

There are tons of picnic tables scattered all around the water park area. You can find them down below by the river, up above by the entrance, and in the grassy area of the lower section. If you like to eat your own food, it is very easy to bring what you want and eat when you want, wherever you want.

Quincho

You also have the use of a quincho (covered gazebo) and a bbq area. There are several parrillas (grills) next to the picnic tables near the entrance. I saw several very prepared families BBQ’ing their own meals. Lots of families used their table as a home base. They would cook all day and go back and forth between the table and the pools.

Restaurants

There are a ton of dining options just outside the water park gates. You’ll see them on your journey down the dirt road from the bus stop to the water park entrance. There are not only restaurants on this main strip, but on smaller streets as well, as you walk uphill.

You can come and go as you please from the water park as long as you leave your wristband on. I ate at a delicious restaurant just a few hundred steps from the entrance to the park, with great prices and a nice atmosphere.

If you’re interested in eating at the same place as me, simply walk out of the water park exit and walk straight up the hill. It is the first left you come to. You’ll know it’s the place because the garden is covered in lush green plants and tables with umbrellas. I highly recommend this restaurant called El Riel.

What should I bring to the Mendoza Water Park?

At the Mendoza thermal baths, there are no lockers. You should only bring what you feel comfortable carrying around from pool to pool. But these are the main essentials:

• SPF – It gets very hot and sunny
• Sunglasses – again, the sun
• Hat – If you don’t want the sun in your eyes
• Swimsuit – Duh
• Flip flops – the ground is rocky and not comfortable to walk on with bare feet
• Phone (with waterproof case if necessary) – you gotta get those enviable photos
• Selfie stick – to keep your phone out of the water easier
• Towel – Get dry!
• Money – to get in and to eat lunch
• Food/snacks – if you want to bring your own, it’s allowed
• Extra change of clothes & undies – Make sure you’re comfortable for the ride back
• Book/Kindle – take a rest in the grass or read while at lunch (I did!)
• Headphones – to listen to music/podcasts on the hour-long bus ride
• Water bottle – it gets hot, stay hydrated. I personally love the LifeStraw filter water bottle.
• Backpack – to keep all your items easily transportable. I used the Cotopaxi Allpa 28L, which was the perfect size.

Where to Stay in Mendoza

If you’re planning to spend several days in Mendoza, check out these places to stay:

Gorilla Hostel

This is one of the most popular hostels in Mendoza. It seemed that everyone I met was staying here. It’s a very social hostel in a hip part of town. It’s a great place to meet other travelers.

Chill Inn Hostel

This hostel is RIGHT on Aristides street, which is the most popular street for going out. If you’re into nightlife and like to be around all the action, this is the perfect place to stay.

Villaggio Hotel Boutique

This Boutique Hotel is right in the center of town, just one block from Plaza Independencia (where you can see the fountain show). There is a small outdoor pool and a free breakfast every morning.

Hotel Nutibara

This hotel is also just one block from Plaza Independencia, which is super central. Free parking is available, as well as free breakfast, a fitness center, and a swimming pool.

Posada Cavieres Wine Farm

If you like the idea of sleeping where wine is made, this could be the place for you. A breakfast buffet is included. If you don’t have a car, transportation can be arranged for a small fee to reach this destination. On the property, you can find a garden, vineyard, and olive grove.

Get Travel Medical Insurance before you go!

I use SafetyWing. This is great travel medical insurance created by nomads for nomads. You can sign up for as many days as you need, and cancel whenever you want. They have particularly good prices for those under 40 years old. Check them out here.

Final Thoughts on the Mendoza Thermal Baths

Spending the day at the Cacheuta Thermal Baths Water Park (Termas Cacheuta Mendoza) was easily one of my favorite days in Mendoza. I hope you’ll make time in your schedule to do this activity.

If you are reading this in advance of your trip, I also strongly suggest making reservations now at the Hotel/Spa if you’re looking for something extra peaceful and relaxing. Disfrutá!

TRAVELING SOON?

INSURANCE: Cover yourself with travel medical insurance by SafetyWing.

FLIGHTS: Get the best flight deals with Skyscanner and set flight alerts with Hopper.

STAYS: Check out hotels and apartments with Booking.com and Vrbo.

RENTAL CARS: Get the best deal on rental cars with Discover Cars or RentalCars.

GOING HIKING? Get a 30% discount off your yearly AllTrails+ Account (code: nickiposts30)

eSIM: Get an international eSim with Airalo.

CITY GUIDES: Save time and purchase pre-made city guides with Thatch.

CITY TOURS: Book your tour with GetYourGuide and Viator

LUGGAGE: Get the best carry-on suitcase here.

CREDIT CARD: Start earning travel points with the best travel credit card.

BUENOS AIRES GUIDE: Purchase my Buenos Aires travel companion here.

CONSULTATION: Book a 1:1 travel consultation with Nicki here.

SUBSCRIBE: Get the Nicki Posts Travel Stuff newsletter every month.

TRAVEL BETTER: Check out my Travel Tips and best Travel Resources pages.

MORE? Check out more on my LINKS page to find me in more places!