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Explore Oaxaca, Mexico, where the rich tapestry of history, cuisine, and indigenous heritage unfolds in a vibrant symphony. Begin your journey at the ancient archaeological marvel of Monte Albán, where millennia-old ruins whisper tales of civilizations past amidst panoramic views of the Oaxacan Valley. Dive into the heart of Oaxacan gastronomy with a hands-on cooking class, immersing yourself in the art of crafting traditional delicacies. Continue your exploration in the mystical town of Mitla, where intricately designed Zapotec ruins showcase the architectural prowess of ancient civilizations. Savor the flavors of authenticity with a Zapotec lunch, a culinary voyage that encapsulates the essence of Oaxacan heritage. This itinerary promises an immersive encounter with the soul-stirring beauty and flavors of Oaxaca, inviting travelers to indulge in the richness of Mexico's cultural mosaic.
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6 days
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8 - 22 spots
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Double occupancy in 3-star hotels (limited single rooms available)
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5 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches and 2 Dinners
Activities Included
- Monte Alban tour
- Oaxaca City Tour
- Cooking Class
- Tule Tree
- Mitla Archeological Site
- Beeswax Candle Making
- Zapotec Textile Demonstration
- Zapotec Lunch
Other Inclusions
- Double occupancy in 3-star hotels (limited single rooms available)
- Local guide throughout trip
- All city transfers
Exclusions
- International flights
- Food and alcohol (except as noted)
- Visas and travel insurance
- Airport transfers
- Tips for Guides
Itinerary
Day 1
info
Welcome to Oaxaca!
Welcome! Please be prepared to meet in the lobby at 5:30pm to depart for your welcome dinner. The dinner reservation time will be finalized closer to your trip date. If you plan on arriving today, we recommend flying into OAX
meal
dinner
Welcome dinner at a local restaurant is included. Your meal will typically be a 2-course set menu with an additional shared appetizer and 1 non-alcoholic beverage included, subject to change.
accommodation
Oaxaca Real, or similar
Overnight in Oaxaca
Day 2
info
Explore Monte Alban
This morning, fill up on breakfast then head out to Monte Alban! Explore this ancient archeological site and learn about the ancient civilization that once stood here. Then head back into town for lunch, after which you’ll transfer to a lookout point to get fantastic views of the city. Return back to the city center and start your walking tour. You’ll visit local landmarks and finish the tour at your hotel. Then you’ll have the rest of the evening at your leisure. Today you’ll want to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a water bottle, and don’t forget your camera!
meal
breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental, full/American, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.
activity
APPROX. 3 HOURS
Monte Alban tour
Depart your hotel on a 25 minute private transfer to Monte Alban. Then led by a local guide, you will explore the archaeological site of Monte Alban, which is among the largest in Mexico. It is the capital of Zapotec culture and perhaps the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca. Head to Monte Albán’s flat mountain top for views of the city, then explore the vast site’s temples, tombs, underground tunnels, and ball court. After a guided visit, spend some free time walking around, taking pictures (as this is probably one of the most picture-perfect views in Mexico!). Depending on how much you explore the archeological grounds, expect to walk 2-3 miles on hard dirt paths and be ready to encounter large stone steps. After your tour you’ll take a 20 minute transfer to lunch.
meal
lunch
Lunch at a local restaurant is included. Your meal will typically be a la carte with 1 non-alcoholic drink included, subject to change.
activity
APPROX. 2 HOURS
Oaxaca City Tour
After lunch, you’ll transfer 15 minutes to Mirador de la Ciudad where you’ll get expansive views of the city. Then you’ll transfer roughly 15 minutes back to the city center and set out on foot to explore Oaxaca City. Led by your guide, you’ll visit important landmarks such as the Temple of Santo Domingo, the Fountain of the Seven Regions, and the Mercado Benito Juárez. You’ll finish your tour at your hotel. Expect to walk around 1-2 miles on paved roads.
accommodation
Oaxaca Real, or similar
Overnight in Oaxaca
Day 3
info
Learn the Flavors of Oaxaca
I hope you're hungry! After breakfast, you’ll take a short transfer to meet a local chef who will be your culinary guide today. Spend time scouring the local market for ingredients, then make your way back to the kitchen to learn how to prepare them. Finally, you’ll enjoy your authentic creations for a delicious lunch! Then return to your hotel with the rest of the afternoon free.
meal
breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental, full/American, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.
activity
APPROX. 4 HOURS
Cooking Class
One of Oaxaca’s MUSTS is local gastronomy. Only a 10 minute transfer away, today you will completely indulge in local flavors with a cooking class led by a local chef. Spend about an hour visiting a local market, in which you will see different types of regional ingredients. After finding fresh ingredients for local traditional dishes, get in the kitchen and start preparing some Oaxacan dishes. Over the course of roughly 2 hours, you will learn how to make tortillas, 3 different salsas, an appetizer, a soup, and a mole (subject to change based on seasonal menus). Wrap up your meal with a dessert and an agua fresca (fruit water). Enjoy a meal with your group and take some of the best kept secrets in Oaxaca cuisine back home. After your meal you will transfer back to your hotel.
meal
lunch
Lunch is included as part of the cooking class. You will enjoy 3 salsas, tortillas, an appetizer, a soup, a mole, a dessert, and an agua fresca as a beverage.
accommodation
Oaxaca Real, or similar
Overnight in Oaxaca
Day 4
info
Discover Mitla: Ruins & Crafts
Today after breakfast, you’re heading out of the city. On your way to Mitla, you’ll stop at the Tule Tree, the world’s largest tree! Then you’ll continue on to Mitla, the second most important archeological site in Oaxaca. Compared to Monte Alban, Mitla became and functioned as a religious center for the Zapotec and eventually Mixtec people. After exploring these ruins, cool off with a local ice cream snack then you’ll head to a local town to observe and take part in some of the traditional crafts like beeswax candle making and a textile demonstration. After which, you’ll transfer to the home of local Zapotec people where you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch. After lunch you’ll transfer back to Oaxaca with the evening free.
meal
breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental, full/American, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.
activity
APPROX. 30 MIN
Tule Tree
30 minutes after departing Oaxaca City, you’ll stop to see the world’s widest tree, the Tule Tree. At over 36 feet (11 meters) in diameter, the tree is located on church grounds in the town of Santa Maria del Tule. The tree is thousands of years old, but the exact age is debated with an estimated range between 1,200 and 3,000 years old. You’ll stop to learn more about this magnificent tree and take some photos before continuing on to Mitla.
activity
APPROX. 1 HOUR
Mitla Archeological Site
After another 45 minutes you’ll arrive at Mitla archeological site. Led by your guide admire and soak in the history at these ancient ruins. Mitla was once the religious center for the Zapotec people and later the Mixtec and considered the second most important archeological site in Oaxaca. Unlike Monte Alban, the construction of Mitla is lower to the ground, and characterized as being constructed for the comfort of the residents rather than for grandeur. Walk among these ruins as your guide explains to you the significance and history of this important site. Expect to walk 1 hour (2-3 miles) on stone, dirt, and gravel paths.
meal
snack
After you’ve visited Mitla, stop for a short break and enjoy a scoop of local hand-churned ice cream! Perhaps try some Mexican vanilla, fresh fruit sorbet or even a scoop seasoned with chili.
activity
APPROX. 1 HOUR
Beeswax Candle Making
A 30 minute transfer away from Mitla will take you to a small town. Here you’ll partake in a beeswax candle-making workshop, led by a local family, and learn age-old processes passed down for generations. You’ll observe the intricate designs that are created, and you can take home your candle as a souvenir.
activity
APPROX. 1 HOUR
Zapotec Textile Demonstration
In the same location, you’ll watch as local families meticulously craft folk clothing and rugs, some of which take months to complete. This Zapotec weaving demonstration uses only traditional techniques, tools, patterns and organic dyes.
activity
APPROX. 1 HOUR
Zapotec Lunch
Transfer less than 10 minutes to the home of a local family that has been preserving traditional homemade foods and recipes for many generations. You’ll be welcomed with open arms into their home as you enjoy a delicious traditional and authentic Zapotec lunch of tortillas, mole, rice, beans, and more. Enjoy your lunch and then take a 45 minute transfer back to the hotel.
meal
lunch
Lunch at a local family home is included. Your meal will typically be 1 main dish with water provided as a beverage, subject to change.
accommodation
Oaxaca Real, or similar
Overnight in Oaxaca
Day 5
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Free Time to Explore
Your final day in Oaxaca will be free for your own exploration. After breakfast, take some time to relax or create your own adventure! Cultural activities are plentiful in Oaxaca with scores of free museums, galleries, and workshops which showcase world-class, locally produced arts and crafts, such as intricately designed black pottery, hand-woven Zapotec rugs and surreal mythical animal sculptures. You can spend all day wandering the different markets.
meal
breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental, full/American, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.
meal
dinner
Farewell dinner at a local restaurant is included. Your meal will typically be a 2-course set menu with an additional shared appetizer and 1 non-alcoholic beverage included, subject to change.
accommodation
Oaxaca Real, or similar
Overnight in Oaxaca
Day 6
info
Wave Goodbye to Your Newfound Friends!
All good things must come to an end, but only until your next adventure! Enjoy a final breakfast and then make your own way onward. If departing directly from the hotel, we recommend flying out of OAX
meal
breakfast
Breakfast at the hotel is included. Typical hotel breakfasts are continental, full/American, or buffet style. The exact breakfast offered will be determined by your finalized hotel.
Itinerary Details
Itineraries may change throughout the year due to several factors
including logistical issues, Traveler feedback, or operational changes.
The provided itinerary, including estimated times, serve as guidelines
only. As your date of travel approaches, our Operators will amend the
itinerary to include more details, adjust activities and provide updated
information.
TrovaTrip and our Operators reserve the right to alter itineraries as we
deem necessary before and during your experience in-destination.
$1241+ USD
per traveler