oaxaca mexico tour guide

The state of Oaxaca (wah-hah-kah) has a special magic felt by Mexicans and foreigners alike. A bastion of indigenous culture, it’s home to the country’s most vibrant crafts and art scene, some outstandingly colorful and extroverted festivities, a uniquely savory cuisine and diverse natural riches. At the center of the state in every way stands beautiful, colonial Oaxaca city, an elegant and fascinating cultural hub. Nearby, the forested Sierra Norte is home to successful community-tourism ventures enabling visitors to hike, bike and ride horses amid delicious green mountainscapes. To the south, across rugged, remote ranges, is Oaxaca’s fabulous tropical coast, with its wide sandy beaches, pumping Pacific surf, seas full of dolphins and turtles, and a string of beach towns and villages that will placate even the most anxious of travelers: surfer-heaven Puerto Escondido; planned but relaxed Bahías de Huatulco; and the mellow delights of Mazunte, Zipolite and San Agustinillo.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions.

Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca

Oaxaca City

Got two hours? You'll need it for the Museum of Oaxacan Cultures, housed in the beautiful monastery buildings adjoining the Templo de Santo Domingo. This…

Monte Albán Ruins

Valles Centrales

The former capital of the Zapotec people is today an illustrious ruin, but for over a thousand years it served as the second-largest ceremonial site in…

Playa Zicatela

Puerto Escondido

Legendary 3.5km-long Zicatela is the best-known surfing spot in Mexico courtesy of the tempestuous surfing waves of the Mexican Pipeline. The heart of the…

Playa Zipolite

Zipolite's beach is huge, running for a good 1.5km and dispatching massive waves. It's famous for its nudity; you'll see people randomly swimming,…

Playa Carrizalillo

Small is beautiful at Carrizalillo, set in a sheltered cove west of the center that's reached by a stairway of 157 steps. It’s popular for swimming and…

Playa Salchi

Bahías de Huatulco

Halfway between the western edge of Parque Nacional Huatulco and Puerto Ángel awaits some of the most precious coastline in Oaxaca. The water can be…

Mineral Springs

Hierve El Agua

Natural springs have never looked this good. Set in truly ethereal surroundings amid low brush-covered mountains, Hierve El Agua (meaning 'the water boils…

Templo de Santo Domingo

Gorgeous Santo Domingo is the most splendid of Oaxaca’s churches, with a finely carved baroque facade and nearly every square centimeter inside decorated…

Top picks from our travel experts

Top free things to do in oaxaca city.

Mercado 20 de Noviembre

Looking for cheap street food? Look no further. Dozens of good, clean comedores (food stalls) fill this large market where wait staff will thrust menus to…

Voces de Copal

A classy crafts shop with superb alebrijes from the workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles in San Martín Tilcajete. These brightly painted wooden figurines,…

Centro de las Artes de San Agustín

Pretty San Agustín's large, early-20th-century textile mill has been superbly restored as the Centro de las Artes de San Agustín (CaSa), a spectacular…

Auditorio Guelaguetza

The July Guelaguetza celebrations take place in this rather spectacular semi-open-air auditorium on the Cerro del Fortín.

La Mano Mágica

You’ll find art by leading figures such as Tamayo and Morales, plus a fine selection of handicrafts and rugs, at this commercial gallery founded by the…

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

This textile museum promotes Oaxaca’s traditional textile crafts through exhibitions, workshops, films, presentations and a library. Themed selections…

Centro Fotográfico Álvarez Bravo

With a taste for provocative social commentary, this contemporary gallery displays weird and wonderful work by local and international photographers.

Fonda Florecita

A popular local haunt for more than 50 years, this is the classic Oaxaca market-food experience. There's no printed menu, so you might try the salsa de…

Andador Turístico

Historic, romantic, dignified and safe, wonderful Calle Alcalá (traffic-free since the 1980s) is what Oaxaca is all about. It runs north from the…

Traffic-free, shaded by tall trees and surrounded by elegant portales (arcades), the Zócalo is the perfect place to start soaking up the Oaxaca atmosphere…

Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca

In a beautiful colonial house and founded by Oaxacan artist Francisco Toledo, IAGO offers changing exhibitions of graphic art as well as a superb arts…

Xochimilco Aqueduct

Wander northwest of the historical core and you’ll ultimately encounter this arched aqueduct rendered in typical green cantera stone that runs the length…

Cerro del Fortín

Oaxaca’s sentinel hill with stairs, statues, a park and – of course – views makes a robust early-morning run or walk. It starts on Calle Crespo at the…

Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad

Oaxaca doesn’t lack distinguished churches, but many locals rate the Soledad as their favorite. The original baroque facade dates from 1690; while the…

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Asunción

Oaxaca’s cantera stone cathedral is suitably massive and old, but in a city as culturally rich as Oaxaca, it is arguably only the third most impressive…

Jacobo & María Ángeles

Jacobo and María Ángeles have been making particularly wonderful alebrijes (colorful animal figures fashioned out of soft copal wood) for over 25 years…

Alfarería Doña Rosa

It was doña Rosa Real Mateo (1900−80) who invented the method of burnishing barro negro with quartz stones for the distinctive shine. Her family…

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Oaxaca Tours & Trips

Find the right tour for you through Oaxaca. We've got 111 adventures going to Oaxaca, starting from just 3 days in length, and the longest tour is 58 days. The most popular month to go is November, which has the largest number of tour departures.

111 Oaxaca tour packages with 493 reviews

• Festival & Events
• Coach / Bus

Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido: Day of the Dead

Twas marvelous 5 stars ????

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

Oaxaca City Break - 3 Days

• Sightseeing

Mexican stroll ( 8 days )

An amazing tour with a very experienced tour guide. Maria made it a perfect experience! I really recommend this tour to everyone who wants a first glimpse of Mexico. Next time we're going for the bigger tour all the way to Cancoun!

Mexico City to Oaxaca: Pottery & Aztec Pyramids

• Food & Culinary

Mexico Real Food Adventure

Victor was an excellent guide, extremely knowable and very entertaining. Would very much enjoy another tour with his guidance.

The Mystical Mayan Trail: A Trip Through Mexico's Vibrant Culture and Natural Beauty

Die Route und die Dauer der Tour durch das schöne Chiapas war für uns perfekt. Die Abwechslung von Natur und Kultur war optimal. Die Hotels waren bis auf eine Ausnahme (Palenque) gut, das Frühstück überall sehr gut. Der Comfort des Minibusses war ausbaufähig. Bei größerer Körpergröße gibt es eigentlich nur einen Sitzplatz, der in Frage kommt, der insbesondere auf längeren und kurvigen Strecken ungemütlich ist. Die Tourguides und Fahrer waren allesamt äußerst kompetent und freundlich. Insbesondere Hector und Francisco, die uns über mehrere Tage begleitet haben, haben die Reise zu etwas besonderem gemacht. Auch, weil sie uns bei gesundheitlichen Problemen beratschlagt haben. Am Ende der Reise konnten wir uns in Valladolid (statt Cancun) absetzen lassen, was unsere Weiterreise erleichtert hat.

8 Days Tailor-Made Best Mexico Tour, Daily Start

Our guide Enrique and driver Riccardo we’re both very accomodating and provided great support making our trip stress free. At every stop Enrique checked accomodation, explained breakfast, meals and checked the room. His knowledge of each site and the historical context of significant events was exceptional. We would highly recommend this trip with this guide and driver

• Book With Flexibility This operator allows you to rebook your dates or tours with them for free, waiving change fees.

Yucatan Highlights (6 Days)

Contiki went above and beyond - my whole trip was jam packed full of amazing "cultural experiences"! I'd definitely go Contiki again!!

• €100 deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

Unforgettable Mexico ( 16 days )

Viva Mexico

The IntroTravel Mexico trip is a great way to sample areas in Mexico other than Cancun and Mexico City. Every place we visited was extremely unique and exciting and the food was next level. Ethan (group leader) did an excellent job in making sure we had the best time . Our driver Jose and guide JP were both extremely friendly and passionate about their jobs. Our accommodation ranged from standard hotels to beautiful lagoon resorts. Every place was clean and tidy. At all times we felt safe and well looked after. If you are after a trip that showcases the beautiful side of Mexico, look no further.

Exploring Oaxaca's Rich Heritage: A 13-Day Journey through local Communities and Pacific Coast Treasures

Discover the Mysteries of the Mayan World

Mexico Unplugged

"Oaxaca Wonders: A Six-Day Immersion in Oaxacan Culture"

The Taste of Mexico

I was a solo female traveller. During this tour, I was travelling on my own, as there were no other travellers. This is no bother to me, as I am quite independent person. You have itinerary and assistance via whatsapp (e-mail/phone) during your tour. I can say, that worked fine for me. Any questions I had were promptly answered by Olivia/Marvelus. Just make sure, you have access to internet or buy Mexican SIM card. (cheaper option and this is what I did) I would say that this tour is quite fast paced, you are on the move a lot, so it may not be suitable for travellers with mobility issues etc. Arrival: Taxi driver met me at the airport. Although it took me really long time to get through immigration and to get my luggage (approx. 1.5 hrs in total) taxi driver was waiting for me, which was great. Hotels: Hotels were simple, clean and with everything fully functioning. They were well located (near the centre). I never had problem with check in, as receptionists were always aware about my arrival. Most of receptionists were able to speak English only few of them spoke little or didn’t speak English at all. I sorted this language ‘problem’ with google translate. Accommodation was mostly short drive by taxi from ADO bus station, except for Oaxaca, where you could walk to the hotel. (literally 2 mins walk). I was bit disappointed, that some taxi drivers charge you double, what the taxi should really cost. I always checked the price of the taxi at the reception, when I arrived to the hotel, so just beware of this. Price of taxi: hotel in Mexico city to ADO stn (200 Mexican Pesos), ADO stn to hotel in San Cristobal (60 Mexican Pesos), hotel in Palenque to ADO stn (40 Mexican Pesos), ADO stn to hotel in Merida (70 Mexican Pesos). Transport: Travelling by ADO buses and navigating around the bus stations was simple enough, but very few staff at the station/bus spoke English, which I sorted with google translate. Olivia/Marvelus always sent me bus ticket via whatsapp the day before departure. You show ticket on your mobile phone to bus driver, and of you go. ADO buses are comfortable, with TV, chargers, aircon, and toilet on board. I enjoyed travelling by bus, as you can see the bit more of the country. Tours transport was always approx. 10 -14 ppl minivan equipped with aircon. Guides: Tour guides always picked me up on time. Two of the tours were with Spanish speaking guide only, which was not ideal, when all you can say is Buenos dias and maleta plateada. ???? You need to be able to understand in Spanish at least where and what time you will meet. I used translator again, but when we were in the forest by the waterfalls and I had no signal/internet access (I was depending on internet), then it was a real problem to communicate. Luckily, there were two Mexican ladies (bilingual) on our tour, which helped me with translating. Tours: Selection of tours was great, you have bit of everything (culture, nature..) and you get to see a lot. Suggestions: I would add 1-2 days to this tour. After night spent on the bus (Oaxaca – San Cristobal - 11hrs), you go for a tour in the morning after arrival. It would be nice to have more time to recover and to see more of San Cristobal. Overall, this tour was great and I had really nice time in Mexico.

What people love about Oaxaca Tours

Just a great experience. The right balance between cultural experiences, fun and nature/beach

An amazing tour with a very experienced tour guide. Maria made it a perfect experience! I really recommend this tour to everyone who wants a first glimpse of Mexico. Next time we're going for the bigger tour all the way to Cancoun!

Mexico was amazing. Mexico City, Puebla and Oaxaca were such great places to visit and eat. Huatulco was a bit touristy and cruise ship town for my liking. The food, markets, arts and sightseeing were totally worth it. I would recommend arriving early and staying on after to visit thermal springs or tour bays and waterfalls.

Tours starting from Oaxaca

• for 7 Days (6)
• to Latin America (9)
• to Mexico (9)
• Mexico Travel Guide | All You Need to Know
• 10 Best Mexico Vacation Packages 2024/2025 (with Reviews)

International Versions

• Deutsch: Oaxaca Rundreisen
• Français: Circuits et voyages au Oaxaca
• Español: Circuitos y viajes por Oaxaca
• Nederlands: Oaxaca Rondreizen