Nestled in a high valley in southern Mexico, this UNESCO-recognized city is the birthplace of mole and a global center of chocolate, mezcal, and heirloom corn. Here, the foods of ancient Mesoamerica aren’t history lessons. They’re what people cook for dinner tonight, shaped by Zapotec and Mixtec traditions that have been passed down for thousands of years. This week is an invitation to go beyond the recipe and understand the people, land, and stories behind it. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for the foundations of Oaxacan cuisine, from the ancient partnership of corn, beans, and squash to the techniques that make a humble tortilla extraordinary.

This is travel for people who love to cook and want to understand where great food actually comes from. Instead of a checklist of tourist stops, you’ll meet the farmers, cooks, vendors, weavers, and artisans who keep these traditions alive, and bring home new techniques, new ingredients, and a deeper appreciation for the land behind the cuisine. Between hands-on classes, you’ll have time to explore at your own pace, with local bilingual experts guiding you throughout. It’s an intimate, immersive week designed for curious home cooks.

Meal inclusions are indicated on each day below:
B = Breakfast
L = Lunch
D = Dinner

• Airport transfer to your hotel
• Hotel check in
• Welcome Dinner at Cocina de Humo

Upon arrival at Oaxaca Airport, you will be welcomed and privately transferred to your accommodation. Take some time to settle in, relax, and check in, subject to availability and arrival hour, at Casa de las Bugambilias, a charming property exclusively reserved for your group and a beautiful home away from home.

In the evening, come together for a special welcome dinner at Cocina de Humo. This first culinary experience will introduce you to Oaxacan flavors, local ingredients, and traditional cooking techniques, setting the perfect tone for the foodie experiences that await you throughout the week.

• Breakfast the the guest house
• Market Tour and talk with chile vendor
• Lunch at a market stall
• Walking Tour of the City
• Mole tasting at Los Danzantes

After breakfast at your guest house, walk to the bustling market district of Oaxaca City. Discover the flavors of Oaxacan cuisine at the lively 20 de Noviembre Market, where the group can explore the local products, ask questions and learn about the raw ingredients that shape Oaxaca’s cuisine. A highlight of this tour: participate in an educational talk with a local chile vendor, introducing you to the region’s variety of fresh and dried chiles and their culinary uses.

Enjoy lunch at a traditional fonda (market stall) where local people eat. Then visit a local molino and chocolate producer to learn about how locals use the mill service, see traditional chocolate-making techniques and sample local chocolate. Later in the week you’ll have a more hands-on workshop involving chocolate.

Continue with a guided introduction to Oaxaca City’s colorful streets and architecture, followed by a mole tasting at Los Danzantes, where you’ll explore the ingredients and flavors behind this iconic Oaxacan dish. The evening is free to enjoy at your leisure, with the option to stay at Los Danzantes for dinner.

• Breakfast at the guesthouse
• Milpa Tour and Cooking class in San Agustin Yatareni
• Lunch with Doña Juana
• Free time in the evening

After breakfast at the guest house, head out into a small town on the outskirts of Oaxaca to discover the heart of Mexican cuisine. In San Agustín Yatareni, about 15-20 minutes from Oaxaca City, and enjoy an educational morning, centered on a local family’s traditional farming, including the milpa system of corn, beans, and squash grown together. 

Guests explore the fields and learn about the milpa, then cook with Doña Juana, making handmade tortillas and other corn-based dishes. Guests will learn about the process of nixtamalization, and ancient Mesoamerican process where dried corn kernels are cooked and steeped in an alkaline solution, increasing the bioavailability of the corn. Learn about the metate, an ancient tool still used today to grind corn.  

After your hands-on cooking class, enjoy your creations for lunch. Return back to Oaxaca city for an evening at leisure, with a new appreciation for the traditional Oaxacan connection between land and kitchen.

• Breakfast at the guesthouse
• Visit the ancient Zapote capital of Monte Albán
• Stop for birria tacos
• Shop a local market with a local cook, then take a cooking class with her
• Evening at leisure

After breakfast at your guesthouse, head out early with a private guided visit to Monte Albán, the ancient Zapotec capital overlooking the Oaxaca Valley. Explore its temples, plazas, and tombs while learning about the region’s rich history and culture. After touring the ruins, stop for a quick bite at a local birria vendor to tide you over for the rest of the afternoon until lunch time.

Then, your driver will drop the group off at a local market, where you will meet a traditional Oaxacan home cook. She will guide you through a local market to shop for fresh, seasonal ingredients and to teach you how she selects the best produce for her dishes.

Then, head to her kitchen for a hands-on cooking experience with Pilar of Casa de las Bugambilias. Learn about the traditions and ingredients behind the dish, prepare a meal together, and enjoy the meal you’ve created for lunch.

The rest of the evening is at leisure to explore Oaxaca City at your own pace. 

• Breakfast at your guest house
• Visit the weavers of Teotitlan del Valle
• Cooking class in the home of a Zapotec family with lunch
• Evening at leisure
  

Enjoy breakfast at your guest house, then head out to the traditional Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle. Situated about 19 miles west of the city, the village is world-renowned for its hand-woven wool rugs, tapestries, and other textiles crafted on traditional pedal-operated wooden looms. Take some time to explore their craft and learn about their traditional dying techniques - and purchase some beautiful pieces to take home. 

Later, visit the home of a local Zapotec family to learn more about their culinary traditions through a hands-on cooking class. After cooking, enjoy the meal with your group. What makes this experience extra special is the direct connection with a Zapotec family for a particularly beautiful cultural exchange, with a strong focus on learning directly from the family and understanding their connection to the land and their techniques passed down through generations. 

In the evening, return to Oaxaca for a night at leisure to explore at your own pace.

• Breakfast at your guest house
• Chocolate workshop. Make your own chocolate bar!
• Free afternoon
• Farewell dinner and live music

After breakfast, begin the day with a hands-on chocolate workshop, exploring Oaxaca’s cacao traditions and learning how chocolate is prepared, flavored, and enjoyed locally. You’ll leave the workshop with some chocolate to bring home.

Spend the afternoon at leisure, with time to browse local shops and galleries, revisit a favorite market, or simply relax and enjoy the city.

In the evening, celebrate your final night in Oaxaca with a memorable night out featuring great food, drinks, and live music. The venue will be selected based on what’s happening in the city during your stay.

After a final farewell breakfast with your travel companions, you’ll be transported to the airport according to your flight schedule.

Want to explore more of Mexico? Contact the trip manager Kelsey. As a dual citizen and 15-year resident of Mexico, please consider Kelsey as a resource for travel planning.

Kelsey Caballero
kelsey@vacationeeze.com
(215) 454-2069

Included in Program Price

• Gratuities for all service providers, including guides, housekeeping, drivers, and restaurant wait staff for included meals 
• 12 meals as outlined in the itinerary, plus tastings
• AC Private vehicle transportation for all programmed activities 
• Local bilingual guide for all programmed activities 
• Round-trip airport transfers
• 24/7 concierge support services

Not Included in the Program Price

• Flights to/from Oaxaca
• Travel and accident insurance
• Additional meals, services, or transportation apart from the program
• Personal expenses such as laundry, medical services, or telephone service

Important information for consideration

• Several of the experiences included in this itinerary are provided by small, family-owned businesses. We select these suppliers deliberately for their local character and quality; however, availability can be limited and cannot be held indefinitely. These services will be booked once the final number of travellers are confirmed and their deposits collected. Should any of the itinerary’s components no longer be available at that stage, we will arrange a comparable alternative of equivalent quality. This applies to the experiences and activities mentioned throughout the itinerary, as well as to hotels, restaurants and other local suppliers. 
• Cooking class menus will be finalized after booking, and the operator will ensure that classes are varied and not duplicative.
• If the above-mentioned hotels are fully booked or overbooked, we reserve the right to replace them with accommodation of an equivalent standard.
• The operator reserves the right to make changes to the itinerary as needed, provided that such changes do not significantly affect the overall course of the trip.
• If attractions are closed due to local conditions such as natural disasters, strikes, political unrest, or similar circumstances, the operators reserve the right to adjust the program as needed. Naturally, we will do our best to provide an equivalent alternative if and when the need arises.
• In large cities, traffic conditions are often unpredictable. For this reason, both the order of the sights visited, and the pick-up times may change. All tour times provided are approximate.
• Travelers should hold their own travel insurance. Our team will recommend a trusted provider on your booking page for travelers needing coverage. 
• Travelers should be in good health with a physical condition that allows for light to moderate walking. Due to local conditions, we cannot guarantee accessibility for wheelchair users. 
• If guests have dietary restrictions or allergies, they should disclose this at the time of booking. While our team cannot guarantee special arrangements, we will request accommodations with suppliers as necessary.
• This program will not be suitable for vegans.

Minimum Passenger Sale Requirement:
The minimum passenger sale requirement for this group is 14 paying travelers, and the maximum is 20. If the minimum is not met, the trip will be cancelled or rescheduled.

Passenger Deposit, Cancellation, and Payment Scheduling

• $100 RSVP payment per person to hold a spot. This deposit will be applied toward the final balance of the trip. If the trip is cancelled due to not meeting the minimum, or if the traveler cancels before February 1, 2027, 2027, the travelers can apply this deposit to any future travel experience managed by Vacationeeze within a year.
• Approximately 30% deposit due by February 1, 2027.
• Remaining balance due by May 1, 2027. 
• All amounts paid are non refundable. Travelers are strongly encouraged to purchase a travel insurance policy that protects them from losses in unforeseen circumstances. 
• $200 discount for early bookings apply through December 1, 2026.