Declared a World Heritage Site, Monte Albán was one of the most important cities in ancient Mesoamerica. During its peak, the majestic city of Monte Albán housed a population of 35,000 people. Monte Albán is Oaxaca´s best example of an urban center with a large central plaza. This tour lasts approximately four hours. Monte Albán is the biggest and most visited archaeological site in Oaxaca, receiving 700,000 visitors per year.
Mitla is one of the many well-preserved archeological sites of the Oaxaca Valley, where the dry climate has conserved sites as old as 10,000 years. We’ll travel to Teotitlán del Valle, a world renown town of textiles, especially rugs, which are hand-woven on looms with pedals made with wool obtained from local sheep and dyed mainly with natural products. We’ll stop to see Santa María El Tule, an ancient tree which has the stoutest trunk of any tree in the world. The tour will end with a beautiful lunch at Rancho Zapata, a restaurant that specializes in the traditional foods of Oaxaca
Located about one hour and forty-five minutes from Oaxaca City, Hierve el Agua is a set of natural rock formations that resemble cascades of water. These formations are created by natural water springs, whose water is over saturated with calcium carbonate and other minerals like barium, iron and silver. You will also have the opportunity to swim in the natural swimming pools or to take a small hike around the waterfalls to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
For our Mezcal Distillery Tour, you will arrive in Santiago Matatlán which is known as the “World Capital of Mezcal,” and is a one-hour drive from Oaxaca City. Our visit features family owned Palenques to see the process for making artisanal mezcal. You will also experience free tastings of premium mezcals. At the end of the tour, you’ll have the opportunity to buy bottles of the best mezcals directly from the producer. There is no pressure to buy mezcal and all the tastings are free.
This is a full day tour that will take us through the towns of Ocotlán de Morelos, Santo Tomas Jalietza, San Martín Tilcajete and San Bartolo Coyotepec. A glimpse into the rich diversity of handcraft traditions will bring us to Ocotlán where you will see a traditional market with crafts, food and indigenous people. In Santo Tomás Jalietza, you will see backstrap loom weavers at work and, amongst other towns, you’ll visit San Martín Tilcajete, a community that is best known for its production of vibrant wooden carvings. To finish your tour, we will visit San Bartolo Coyotepec to see the black pottery.
A day in Tlacolula de Matamoros will introduce you to one of the oldest, largest, and busiest markets in Oaxaca State. Tlacolula is also home to a 16th-century Dominican church. Its chapel, “La Capilla del Señor de Tlacolula,” is known for its Baroque ornate decoration and a crucifix to which many miracles have been ascribed. This Sunday market is one of the most authentic markets of Oaxaca, selling barbacoa de chivo, pan de cazuela, mezcal, pulque, tejate and handcrafts of this region.
