Oaxaca Small Group Journey

Welcome to Oaxaca, Mexico’s vibrant culinary heartland. Upon arrival, you’ll be met for a private transfer to your boutique hotel in the historic center. Take the afternoon to settle in and unwind, perhaps with a stroll through the colorful nearby streets or take a moment to relax in the hotel courtyard or rooftop bar. As evening falls, we’ll gather for welcome cocktails and a dinner celebrating Oaxaca’s bold flavors, ancestral ingredients, and warm hospitality, a perfect beginning to your journey through this captivating region.

Today we set out to explore the beating heart of Oaxaca’s culinary scene, its bustling local markets. We head to the charming Jalatlaco neighborhood, where cobblestone streets and pastel façades set the scene for our market tour and private cooking class. Guided by a local chef and expert in Oaxacan gastronomy, we’ll weave through colorful stalls overflowing with chiles, cacao, herbs, and handmade tortillas, meeting the vendors who have supplied generations of families and restaurants across the city. Along the way, you’ll learn about the regional ingredients that define Oaxacan cuisine and the stories behind its most cherished dishes.

From the market we will head to the kitchen where our host will guide us through the process of preparing classic Oaxacan dishes, perhaps a rich mole, handmade tlayudas, or seasonal specialties, using ingredients gathered that morning. As aromas fill the air, you’ll experience first-hand the rhythm, patience, and artistry that make Oaxacan cooking so deeply rooted in heritage.

We’ll gather around the table to enjoy the meal we’ve created together, paired with local mezcal or agua fresca.  

It’s a day that celebrates Oaxaca’s essence, where food is memory, markets are living museums, and every flavor tells a story of place and tradition.

Today we journey beyond the city to discover two of Oaxaca’s most iconic art forms, black clay pottery and hand-carved alebrijes, each a reflection of the region’s creativity and cultural soul.

Our morning begins in San Bartolo Coyotepec, a village renowned for its distinctive black clay pottery, barro negro. Here, local artisans share their centuries-old techniques passed down through generations. We’ll be welcomed into a family workshop to watch the transformation of raw earth into gleaming works of art, polished by hand and fired in underground kilns. As the artisans shape each piece, their craft becomes a window into Oaxaca’s enduring traditions of patience, precision, and pride.

Lunch is served in a beautiful open-air setting, where rustic wood-fire cooking celebrates the flavors of the land and the rhythms of the season. Every dish reflects Southern Mexico’s deep connection to its ingredients, simple, soulful, and full of heart.

In the afternoon, we travel to San Martín Tilcajete, a village famous for its whimsical alebrijes, brightly painted wooden creatures born from imagination and folklore. Guided by local artists, you’ll learn the meaning behind these fantastical figures and have the chance to paint your own, a colorful keepsake of your day immersed in Oaxacan artistry.

As evening falls, we return to Oaxaca City for dinner at one of its most celebrated restaurants. It’s a day of creativity, culture, and connection, a celebration of the hands, hearts, and stories that make Oaxaca unlike anywhere else.

Today we venture into Oaxaca’s countryside to explore the artistry, flavors, and traditions that define its cultural soul.

Our morning takes us to Teotitlán del Valle, a Zapotec village celebrated for its master weavers who continue ancient techniques passed down through generations. In a family workshop, you’ll witness how natural dyes, from cochineal to indigo and marigold, transform wool into vibrant hues that tell stories of the earth and community. You’ll see how every tapestry reflects not just craftsmanship, but heritage woven into each thread.

Next, we dive into one of Oaxaca’s sweetest traditions with a hands-on chocolate-making workshop. Using hand-carved stone mills, we’ll grind cacao with spices and sugar to create the distinctive flavors of Oaxacan drinking chocolate, a ritual as rich in history as it is in taste.

The afternoon unfolds at a family-run mezcal distillery, set amid agave fields that have sustained generations. Here, you’ll learn the art of small-batch mezcal production, from roasting and fermenting to distilling by hand. A private tasting reveals the spirit’s incredible diversity, smoky, floral, earthy, followed by a leisurely lunch featuring seasonal ingredients and regional flavors. Each pour and plate celebrates a family’s devotion to preserving this ancient craft.

As evening falls, we’ll gather for dinner at a restaurant deeply rooted in sustainability, where every dish honors the cycle of the land. Ingredients are sourced from the chef’s own garden and neighboring producers, creating a meal that embodies Oaxaca’s philosophy of comer con conciencia — to eat with awareness.

It’s a day steeped in color, flavor, and meaning, where tradition meets passion, and every encounter deepens your connection to Oaxaca’s living culture.

This morning, we journey back in time to Monte Albán, one of Mexico’s most important archaeological sites and the ancient capital of the Zapotec civilization. Perched high above the Oaxaca Valley, its grand plazas, pyramids, and carved stone stelae tell stories of a culture that flourished more than 2,000 years ago. With our private guide, we’ll explore the site’s ceremonial temples and sweeping terraces, uncovering how its architecture, astronomy, and artistry continue to shape Oaxaca’s identity today.

After a morning steeped in history, we’ll return to the foothills to experience a traditional cooking class hosted by a local family in Atzompa. In their open-air kitchen, you’ll learn age-old techniques, from toasting spices on a comal to grinding ingredients on a metate, that transform humble produce into soulful regional dishes. As the meal comes together, you’ll feel the deep sense of pride and hospitality that defines Oaxacan home cooking.

We’ll sit down together to share the dishes we’ve prepared, savoring the flavors of the land and the warmth of genuine connection. The afternoon and evening are yours to unwind, perhaps explore Oaxaca’s artisan shops, enjoy a rooftop drink at sunset, or simply relax and take in the city’s rhythm at your own pace.

It’s a day that bridges ancient heritage and living tradition, a journey through the flavors, landscapes, and stories that make Oaxaca timeless.

Today is a celebration of Oaxaca’s culinary spectrum, from refined chef-driven artistry to the soulful flavors of its bustling streets.

We begin with an exclusive chef’s table experience that pays tribute to the bold, layered flavors of the Tehuantepec Isthmus. In an intimate setting, our host chef will share the stories, ingredients, and ancestral techniques that define this distinctive regional cuisine, a melting pot of coastal and mountain influences shaped by centuries of trade and tradition. Each dish is a personal expression of place, crafted with seasonal ingredients and served with Oaxacan warmth and flair.

The afternoon is yours to relax, perhaps browse Oaxaca’s artisan boutiques, visit a local gallery, or enjoy a quiet moment on your hotel terrace.

As evening falls, we’ll head into the heart of downtown Oaxaca for a guided street food tour. Together with our local expert, we’ll wander lively plazas and side streets illuminated by food stalls and music, sampling tlayudas, memelas, tamales oaxaqueños, and other beloved favorites from vendors who have perfected their craft over generations. Along the way, you’ll discover how the city’s food culture thrives equally in its humble corners as in its celebrated restaurants.

It’s a day that captures the soul of Oaxaca, refined yet rustic, innovative yet rooted, where every bite tells a story of passion, heritage, and community.

This morning is yours to enjoy at leisure. Take a final stroll through Oaxaca’s vibrant streets, browse the artisan markets for last-minute treasures, or simply relax in the courtyard of your boutique hotel, soaking up the easy rhythm of local life.

In the afternoon, we’ll gather for an intimate mezcal tasting led by a local expert, who will guide us through a curated selection of small-batch expressions. Each pour reveals the spirit’s remarkable range, from floral and fruity to deep, smoky, and earthy, and tells the story of the families and traditions that make mezcal the true heart of Oaxaca.

As evening falls, we’ll come together for a farewell dinner in a warm, intimate setting, hosted by a chef and his mother who open their restaurant to us for the evening. This final meal captures everything Oaxaca embodies, generosity, connection, and a deep respect for ingredients and tradition. With each dish, you’ll taste the creativity and care that define Oaxacan cuisine today.

Together we’ll raise a final glass to a week of unforgettable flavors, new friendships, and the enduring spirit of Oaxaca.

After a final breakfast, we bid farewell to the colors, flavors, and warmth of Oaxaca, a land where every meal, market, and meeting has told a story of connection. Over the past week you have enjoyed insider access to people and places that few travellers ever encounter, enjoyed immersive culinary experiences that honor heritage and craft, and the kind of authentic moments that transform travel into something deeply personal.

As we make our way to the airport, we carry with us more than memories of mezcal, mole, and mountain vistas, we leave with new friendships, a richer understanding of Oaxaca’s living traditions, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty of traveling slowly, thoughtfully, and with purpose.

 It’s not goodbye, but hasta luego — until we wander again.

Note: This is the current itinerary and it is possible that things may change. We will make every effort to ensure that the tours and experiences offered are as described. However, it is possible that things may change last minute. Please also note that you do have the option to skip an excursion, however, we will be unable to offer any refunds for missed meals or events.

Dietary restrictions - Due to the nature of the event it may not be possible to accommodate dietary restrictions, however we let the chefs/restaurants we work with know of any restrictions you inform us of. This tour is also not recommended for vegetarians.