Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in Oaxaca City

Day 2

Tour to Monte Alban and Arrazola

A tour to the architectural site of Monte Alban. Founded about 500 B.C., it was the capital of the Zapotecs for over a millennium. The Zapotecs considered in their epicenter of culture and worship.The village of Arrazola will give you a different perspective on the crafting of alebrijes. These are whimsical animals carved from copal and painted in surrealistic design with vibrant colors. Each carver has his own unique style.

Day 3

Tour to Mitla, Teotitlan and Tule

Visiting the environs of Oaxaca takes us to the ceremonial center of Mitla built by the Zapotecs around 800 A.D as a burial place for great kings and priests. Later becoming a main city of the Mixtecs, Mitla is distinguised by the fineness of the many geometric mosaics decorating the palace walls. It was at its apex by 1350 AD, but occupied long after the conques of Mexico.

Photograph the largest tree in Mexico-15 stories high-on our route today. Two thousand years old, the Tule cypress tree's trunk diameter is around 45 feet and takes 50 people holding hands to form a circle around it.
A stop at Teotitlan completes your day. Visit local families to see the spinning, dying and weaving of the magnificent, richly colored hand made wool rugs produced in this village.

Day 4

Cooking Class with Iliana de La Vega (featured in BonApetit Magazine El Naranjo Restaurant)
You have the privilege of taking a cooking class with Iliana, the restaurant owner. Our hands-on class includes a market visit. Iliana shares her recipes that are based on a century of her family's traditions. Of course we get to eat the dinner we prepared.

Day 5

Folk Art Village Tour to Coyotepec, Ocotlan, Jalietza and Tilcajete
Be ready for your favorite tour into the colorful Oaxacan folk art villages today. Participate in a demonstration of the black pottery making in the village of Coyotepec, the world's capital of the glossy black pottery. Visit the women's coop in the village of Jalietza to see the fine woolen and cotton goods hand-woven on back strap looms. In the village of Tilcajete you will have opportunities to purchase the well-known alebrijes.Friday is market day in Ocotlan. You will love the coloful array of wares for sale-everything from animals to spices to clothing, etc. While in the village, we will visit the home of the famous Oaxacan painter-Rodolfo Morales.

Day 6

Botanical Garden Tour at Santo Domino Convent
Free time or time to visit museums
For a different pace this morning you have the privilage o ftakinig a guided botanical garden tour. Free time this afternoon allows you to vist some of many museums in Oaxaca City, vist the craft centers, go to the market, go shopping or stroll around the zocolo.

Day 7

Casa de Juarez Museum
Santo Domingo Museum of Oaxacan Cultures
Regional Craft Museum(Casa de Artesanias de Oaxaca)
Visit the house-museum of Mexico's most beloved president, Don Benito Juarez. Next a guided tour to the museum at the Santo Domingo Covent that dates back to the 16th century. Here you will appreciate an extraordinary array of artifacts from the Mixtec and Zapotec cultures, including Monte Alban's fabulous treasure from Tomb 7 (more than 500 pieces of jade, turquoise and gold brought out of here).An visit to teh regional craft museum will demonstrate all the stage of production-from the purchase of raw materials to the selling of their own product.

Day 8

Depart Oaxaca

Extra Information

Inclusions -

certified bilingual guide

Exclusions -

trip insurance

Extras -

This destination has something to offer everyone with its kaleidoscope of archeological treasures of the status fo Teotihuacan and Tikal, rich cultural traditions world famous folk art and the wide variety of typical regional foods. You enjoy the privilege of eating in the famous El Naranjo Restaurant owned by Iliana de La Vega. (see May 2004 Bon Apetit Magazine). Vegetarian love this restauran. {italic}{-italic}We also offer independent customized itineraries to this destination.