Oaxaca Food Tour: A Truly Feast From Monte Alban to Huatulco Dishes (Small-Group / 10 Days)

Overview

Join our 10-day "Mexico: Foodies’ Adventures in Oaxaca & Puebla" gastronomic tour to immerse into the rich gastronomic, cultural & natural heritage of these two famous Mexican states. Representing 2 out of the 8 most important gastronomic regions of Mexico, both states indeed have a lot to offer. With substantial mestizo, Spanish and pre-Hispanic influences, they gave the world various types of mole & tamales, chiles en nogada, tlayudas, memelas, cemitas, and many other dishes. Except for an already world-famous mezcal, that both states have been producing for centuries, you will be able to try such typical locally-produced drinks as pulque, tepache, rompope, tejate, coffee & chocolate. Additionally, get ready for impressive archaeological sites, wide sand beaches, picturesque colonial towns, indigenous traditions, and much more. Start from bustling Mexico City, cross whole states of Puebla & Oaxaca before reaching ruggedly handsome bays of Huatulco in the end...

Highlights

• Try the most typical regional dishes & drinks from Oaxaca & Puebla.
• Cook your own mole poblano & pre-Hispanic dishes with local chefs.
• Get to know Oaxacan coffee traditions on the family coffee farm.
• Visit am artisanal distillery and see the production of mezcal.
• Admire UNESCO-listed pre-Hispanic ruins of Monte Alban & Teotihuacan.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Sat): Mexico City

Bienvenidos a la Ciudad de Mexico - the largest city in Latin America where ancient and modern coexist in harmony. Arrive at any time on Saturday (or some days before) and take your time to explore this diverse city before meeting your group and Tour Leader in the evening. After a brief welcome meeting, follow your guide and go to discover some of the most iconic tacos places in the historic center, try pulque and have a shot of smoky mezcal!

• Transportation: walking
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Mexico City
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: "Tacos, Pulque & Mezcal Crawl" in the Historic Center of Mexico City

Day 2 (Sun): Mexico City

Start your day with a local food tour in a famous San Juan Market. There you will have a traditional Mexican breakfast and see some of the exotic foods & dishes that Mexican regions have to offer. Afterward, visit a museum of chocolate, learn about the history of this drink, and prepare your own chocolate in a traditional way. Finally, we will have a buffet-style lunch in one of the traditional cantinas.

In the afternoon, choose by yourself what to do next in this unique city - your Tour Leader will be happy to give suggestions. Optional dinner & get-together with the group in the evening.

• Transportation: walking
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Mexico City
• Meals Included: breakfast (Local Food Experience); lunch
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: guided visit to the Museum of Chocolate in Mexico City

Day 3 (Mon): Mexico City - Teotihuacan - pulque farm - Cholula - Puebla

After breakfast & checkout, go to visit the UNESCO-listed Teotihuacán - Mexico's biggest ancient city and the capital of the country's biggest pre-Hispanic empire.

In the afternoon, after a guided visit of the archeological zone and buffet lunch in a nearby restaurant, go to a pulque farm. Once there, see all stages of production of this ancient fermented drink and try some of the local specialties. Additionally, make a stop in the "Magical Town" of Cholula where except witnessing the largest pyramid in the world, you will visit a local cider factory.

Afterward, head to Puebla. Once a bastion of conservatism and tradition, the city retains a fantastically well-preserved UNESCO-listed historical center, a stunning cathedral, and dozens of beautiful churches. This place is also full of galleries, cozy cafes & bars where younger poblanos (people from Puebla) are embracing the city’s booming art and nightlife scenes. Optional dinner & get-together with the group in the evening.

• Transportation: private vehicle; walking
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Puebla
• Meals Included: breakfast, lunch
• Culture & History Experiences Included: guided visit to Teotihuacan Archeological Zone; orientation walk of the historic center of Cholula
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: pulque ranch tour with local food tastings; guided visit to the Museo de la Sidra Copa de Oro with cider tasting

Day 4 (Tue): Puebla

Start your morning with a walking tour of Puebla's charming historic center with its fine colonial mansions, the 16th-century cathedral, leafy Zócalo square, 17th-century Biblioteca Palafoxiana, and others. Then, have a guided visit to the Museum of Popular Art located in Ex-Convent of Santa Rosa, which, according to local legend, is the birthplace of famous mole poblano.

In the afternoon, cook your own mole with a local chef before continuing your walking tour and stopping by for liquor tastings in one of the oldest and most famous canteens in Puebla.

Optional dinner & get-together with the group in one of the local restaurants in the evening.

• Transportation: walking
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Puebla
• Meals Included: breakfast
• Culture & History Experiences Included: guided visits to the Museum of Popular Art in Puebla; walking tour of the historic center Puebla
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: cooking class of Pueblan cuisine &  local liquor tasting in Puebla

Day 5 (Wed): Puebla - Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve - Oaxaca City

In the morning, go to San Juan Raya - a little village in the middle of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. There, accompanied by a local community guide, visit a place with impressive vegetation and dozens of million-year-old dinosaur steps. After a tour, transfer to Oaxaca City with a stop for a lunch at a unique restaurant with delicious insect- and cacti-inspired regional cuisine and visit of local salt mines.

Once in Oaxaca City, join your Tour Leader for an introductory walking tour of its historic center seeing its main attractions. Check-in, optional dinner & get-together with the group in one of the local restaurants.

• Transportation: private vehicle
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Oaxaca City
• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast, lunch
• Culture & History Experiences Included: orientation walk of Oaxaca's historic center
• Nature Experiences Included: guided hike in Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: guided visit of salt mines around Zapotitlán Salinas

Day 6 (Thu): Oaxaca City - Monte Albán - Oaxaca City

In the morning, have a traditional Oaxacan breakfast in one of the city's most iconic markets. Afterward, go to explore UNESCO-listed Monte Albán - one of the most important archaeological zones in Mexico.

Once done with a tour, transfer back to the historic center and enjoy a buffet-style lunch in one of the popular restaurants. Later, continue exploring the city with your Tour Leader before taking a pre-Hispanic cooking class in the late afternoon.

Free time or optional get-together with the group in one of the local bars in the evening.

• Transportation: private vehicle, walking
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Oaxaca City
• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast (Market Food Experience), lunch & chocolate tasting
• Culture & History Experiences Included: guided visit to Monte Alban Archeological Zone
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: pre-Hispanic cooking class with local beer & mezcal

Day 7 (Fri): Oaxaca City - San Martín Tilcajete - Miahuatlan - San Jose del Pacifico

After breakfast & check-out, continue our "Mexico: Foodies’ Adventures in Oaxaca & Puebla" tour visiting San Martín Tilcajete. This little but charming town is known for its colorful fantastical creatures hand-carved by local artisans. There we will visit several workshops and have an orientation walk in the center of the town. Later, transfer to Miahuatlan, one of the regional centers of mezcal production, with an optional lunch in one of the local restaurants on the way. Once there, visit a family-owned mezcal distillery and learn about the production process of this famous distillate and try several of its varieties.

After a factory tour and some digestive shots of mezcal, continue your journey towards San Jose del Pacifico. High in the foggy mountains, this picturesque village looks magical touching the clouds and providing wonderful views over pristine forested ranges and valleys. Once there, have an orientation walk of the town and see a beautiful sunset from your accommodation. Optional dinner & get-together with the group in one of the local restaurants in the evening.

• Transportation: private vehicle
• Accommodation: eco-cabins in San Jose del Pacifico
• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast
• Culture & History Experiences Included: orientation walks of San Martín Tilcajete & San Jose del Pacifico
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: mezcal distillery visit with tastings around Miahuatlan

Day 8 (Sat): San Jose del Pacifico - Pluma Hidalgo - Huatulco

After breakfast and checkout from our accommodation in San Jose del Pacifico, take a picturesque mountain road towards the coffee region of Pluma Hidalgo. As a matter of fact, the local Pluma Gourmet type is one of the most prestigious in the country. Once there, visit a family-run coffee farm to have a delicious lunch of local specialties and learn about the production of this aromatic drink.

Thereafter, visit Pluma Hidalgo itself. Located in Sierra Sur mountains at 2,500 meters above sea level this little town literally touches the sky. After an orientation walk of the town's compact center and a cup of local coffee with delicious waffles, we will head to our final destination - Huatulco. This region is famous for world-class beaches snuggled in sheltered bays scattered along the thickly forested Pacific coast. Orientation walk of La Crucecita's center, optional dinner & get-together with the group in one of the local restaurants in the evening.

• Transportation: private vehicle
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Crucicita
• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast, lunch, waffles & coffee tasting
• Culture & History Experiences Included: orientation walks of Pluma Hidalgo & La Crucecita
• Gastronomic Experiences Included: coffee farm tour with tastings around Pluma Hidalgo

Day 9 (Sun): Huatulco

Free time in the morning. In the afternoon, take a boat tour to picturesque bays of Huatulco National Park, do snorkeling and enjoy a gorgeous sunset. Optional farewell dinner & get-together with the group in one of the local restaurants in the evening.

• Transportation: private vehicle
• Accommodation: conveniently located, locally-owned hotel/B&B in Crucicita
• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast; beers, water, soft drinks, fruits & snacks during a boat tour
• Nature Experiences Included: boat tour to Huatulco National Park

Day 10 (Mon): Huatulco

Free program: last day of our "Mexico: Foodies’ Adventures in Oaxaca & Puebla" tour. Depart at any time or extend your vacations & stay longer!

• Food & Drinks Included: breakfast

Why go with us

• Small groups of up to 13 travelers: closer communication, easier coordination, more adventures & fun!
• Off-the-beaten-track tours with maximum immersion in local nature, culture, and traditions.
• The easy-going atmosphere of our tours is perfect for informal travel & making new friends among co-travelers and locals.

Logistics

• DEPARTURE: We will leave our accommodation in Mexico City on Day 3 early morning.
• ARRIVAL: We will arrive at our accommodation in La Crucecita on Day 7 late afternoon.
• AIRPORT TRANSFERS: This tour includes neither flights between Mexico and your place of origin nor airport transfers, so you will need to arrive from and to the airport by yourself. However, taking into consideration the ubiquity of taxis and car-hauling services such as Uber, this is an easy task. Mexico City International airport is just 30-40 min away by car from our accommodation in Mexico City, while Bahías de Huatulco International Airport is just a 15 min drive from our place of stay in La Crucecita.
• ACCOMMODATIONS: You will receive an exact list of accommodations together with trip notes 2 weeks before the tour. Most of the accommodations are centrally located, tourist-class, locally-owned properties with private facilities in each room (unless otherwise specified in the itinerary).
• ROOM TYPES:
  • Shared Twin Room: Single bed in a twin room shared with another co-traveler of the same gender. This option is specifically designed for solo travelers and applies just to group departures.
  • Double/Twin Room: Private room for 2 people. You can choose between 1 double bed or 2 single beds.
  • Triple Room: Private room for 3 people. It normally has 1 double bed for 2 people and 1 single bed for 1 person.
  • Quad Room: Private room for 4 people. It normally has 2 double beds for 2 people each.

  If none of the room types above fits you, please contact us and we will send you a personalized quote.

• TRANSPORT: The type of private vehicle for inter-city transfers depends on the size of the group and may include a car, a 7-seater, and a minivan. Inside urban areas, walking is the most widespread mode of movement.
• ACTIVITIES: Participation in all activities is optional - just be sure to be in time for scheduled departures. Both walking tours (normally >2h, in historic centers of bigger cities) and orientation walks (<2h, normally in smaller towns & villages) focus on local history, culture & gastronomy and are led by a Tour Leader.

Notes

• FOOD: Food & drinks included in the tour (be it breakfasts at our accommodations, Market Food Experiences, lunches, or dinners) can normally meet most of the common dietary restrictions. However, due to the active program of the tour and different menus in each place, satisfying a special diet or food preferences of a particular traveler will depend on circumstances and cannot be fully guaranteed. Market Food Experiences normally involve live commentary about local gastronomic traditions & tasting of the most representative regional dishes.
• PHYSICAL CONDITION: This tour involves a decent amount of hiking & walking. Therefore, travelers should have at least moderate physical fitness condition.
• AGE: Due to the requested physical condition and itinerary of the tour, the recommended age of participants is 12-69 years. Participation of travelers outside of this age group is not excluded but needs to be confirmed by the tour organizer.
• WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU: Comfortable clothes & (preferably hiking or walking) shoes that are suitable for local weather at this time of the year; swimming suit & slippers; a smaller backpack for daily tours; hat/cap, sunglasses & sunscreen; travel insurance; good mood & curiosity.
• PRICING: * The price of the tour/person depends on the number of travelers & room option you choose.