Oaxacan Traditions with Yvette Marquez

Itinerary Overview (Keep Scrolling to See Full Itinerary Below)
Day 1: Arrival Reception and Walking City Tour with Food Stops
Day 2: Zapotec Cooking Class in Teotitlán del Valle
Day 3: Visit Oaxacan Communities with EnVia
Day 4: Visit Oaxacan Artisan Villages (Shopping!)
Day 5: Farewell breakfast and Departure

What's Included?

• Roundtrip airport transfers
• 4-night stay at Casa Frida *or similar. (If group size exceeds Casa Frida's capacity limits, guests will be accommodated in a similar guest house within walking distance of Casa Frida.)
• Private vehicle with driver for all scheduled tours and transfers.
• Tours and Experiences: Private, local expert-led tours and tastings.
• 8 Meals Total, as listed below (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
• Gratuities

What's Not Included?

• Meals not listed above
• Travel Insurance
• Flights

(More Itinerary Details Below!)

Our Hosts: Frida and Yolanda
Frida Lyle García and her mother, Yolanda García Cabrello, co-manage Casa Frida, a welcoming B&B in Oaxaca dedicated to sharing authentic Oaxacan culture. Frida, who founded the B&B in 2016 and holds a degree in business management, focuses on creating a warm, joyful environment alongside her all-women team. Yolanda, a certified Spanish instructor with degrees in business and art, oversees language classes and staff while showcasing her deep love for Oaxacan art and culture. Together, they offer guests an experience rooted in hospitality, tradition, and local pride.

Casa Frida's rooms are all unique, varying in size, layout, and decor. Some feature private en-suite bathrooms, while some have shared bathrooms just outside the bedroom door. When booking, rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis and preferences are not guaranteed. If you have a specific request or need, please contact your group manager before booking.

Casa Frida is not a hotel, it's an authentic Oaxacan family home and offers a hospitable Bed & Breakfast experience.
The bedrooms are basic, clean and comfortable for a good night's rest after a day of exploring.
All rooms will differ in design, layout and decor. Only some rooms have en-suite bathrooms, others will have a bathroom shared bathroom in the hallway.

Room Categories

+Upgraded - 1 bed with en-suite - either Matrimonial or King Size bed
+Standard -  Shared bathroom - 1 bed 
+Standard  - Private Bath - 2 beds

*If group size exceeds Casa Frida's capacity limits, guests will be accommodated in a similar guest house within walking distance of Casa Frida.

Upon your arrival in Oaxaca, your driver will be waiting for you to transfer you from the airport to your accommodations in historical downtown Oaxaca. You will be reasonably grouped with other passengers from your tour, arriving at a similar time, and driven to your lodging.

The group will be staying at Casa Frida and similar nearby guesthouses of comparable quality. Both properties feature outdoor spaces and rooftop terraces with city views, and are a 5 minute walk from the other.

In the afternoon after you settle in, join us for a welcome reception at Casa Frida. Enjoy an agua fresca or your choice of alcoholic refreshment (local mezcal or beer) while getting to know your fellow travelers and meet your local guide for the night.

Departing on foot together, we’ll take you on a guided walking tour of El Centro Histórico de Oaxaca, introducing you to this magical city. Along the way, we’ll stop at several signature locations so you acquaint yourself with the geography, people, and flavors of the region.

• A popular evening street food cart, for your first taste of Oaxacan corn (maíz).
• Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán and its plaza: A central gathering place for the city and Oaxaca’s most photographed spot.
• Andador Turístico, also known as Calle Macedonio Alcalá. A pedestrian walking route that runs from the Templo de Santo Domingo to the Zócalo, lined with colonial-era buildings housing artisan shops, restaurants, galleries, and cafes.
• The Zócalo: A hub for local culture and gatherings. 
• Dinner for the evening at La Casa del Tío Güero

After enjoying breakfast at your guesthouse, you’ll start the day’s adventure with a  scenic drive to the Zapotec Village of  Teotitlán del Valle, where the group will enjoy an immersive cooking class in the home of Reyna Mendoza, a native of Teotitlán del Valle renowned for her deep-rooted knowledge of Zapotec cuisine.

Participants begin with a stroll through the Teotitlán market to select fresh, local ingredients, followed by the warm welcome of chocolate and pan dulce.

Then, you’ll cook a full menu: appetizer, main dish, and a dessert, all hands-on, using traditional tools like comal and metate, especially local herbs, roasted chilis, and Zapotec techniques. The experience ends with a sit-down group meal accompanied by mezcal, where you’ll enjoy the dishes you prepared, exchange stories, and receive take-home recipe packets in English.

After this activity concludes, the group will be transferred back to their accommodations in Oaxaca Centro. The day’s program will run approximately 6 hours..

In the evening: Enjoy a night of leisure or exploring independently at your own pace. We’ll provide you with a curated list of some of our favorite local restaurants you can choose from in making the perfect evening plans. 

After enjoying breakfast at your guesthouse, we’ll depart to the Tlacolula Valley, stepping beyond the typical sightseeing and discoveroing a transformative experience in Oaxaca’s countryside with the EnVía Microfinance Tour. We’ll visit two local communities where women entrepreneurs - textile weavers, tortilla makers, flower sellers, and more - welcome you into their lives.

Hear firsthand how microloans have helped them grow their businesses, see plans for the future, and understand the real impact of responsible tourism. The day includes private transport, a delicious authentic Oaxacan lunch with local hosts, bilingual guides, and the chance to contribute directly to sustainable, community-driven change.

The day’s program will run approximately 6 hours, before your return to your guesthouse in Oaxaca Centro.

In the evening: Enjoy a night of leisure or exploring independently at your own pace.

For an optional add-on, guests may sign up for an extra-special tasting dinner at La Cocina de Humo - a dining concept that celebrates the rich heritage of Oaxaca by showcasing dishes featuring ingredients drawn from the region of Sierra Sur. The kitchen is helmed by one of México’s most famous young female chefs: Chef Thalia Barrios García, the 2024 MICHELIN Guide winner of “Mexico’s Young Chef” award.

This dining experience includes a multi-course tasting menu of regional, seasonal dishes, traditional pre-Hispanic beverages, and dessert. Dishes highlight ingredients harvested from the chef’s hometown of San Mateo Yucutindoó. Guests are able to interact with the traditional cooks making your meal, who’ll guide you, explaining the origin of the kitchen’s recipes and gastronomic techniques.

The cost for this dining experience is $152 USD per person and includes the tasting menu, non-alcoholic beverages, and gratuities; alcoholic beverages are extra and can be purchased separately.

After enjoying breakfast at your guesthouse, we’ll head to San Antonino Castillo Velasco, a town known for its talented artisans who create one of the most distinguished regional costumes. Their ornate technique is characterized by fine multicolored embroidery called “San Antonino,” that originates from the indigenous attire of women in the Central Valleys. The town is called “the land of flowers,” a subject which inspires much of the artisan’s embroidery. The most detailed pieces can take up to nine months to make.

From the hands of a fifth generation women-owned workshop: We’ll see textiles made with silk and cotton threads, from simple to complex, in a range of applications — dresses, blouses, shawls, and men's shirts with distinctive finishing and embroidery. (See if you have the eagle eyes to spot the family’s signature design detail woven into each garment!) Try on and purchase special items for your wardrobe.

After, we’ll head to San Martin Tilcajete and have lunch al fresco at Azucena Zapoteca. The restaurant offers a delicious introduction to the region’s most beloved pre-Hispanic recipes.

Well-fed and ready for more culture, we’ll head into the village, for an introduction to an icon of Mexican culture - the alebrije. (You might have seen them in Disney-Pixar’s Coco.) While it was technically Mexico City-born artist Pedro Linares who first dreamt up the alebrije, it is Oaxaca’s gifted artisans who have transformed it into one of Mexico’s most beloved craft traditions. 

Today, more than 150 families across San Martin Tilcajete and neighboring towns work in the tradition. Colorful animal figurines featuring ancient mythical creatures, alebrijes are mostly made of copal wood, meticulously hand carved, and then painted. Depending on the size of the piece, the full process from start to finish can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to many months or even years. 

We’ll visit one of the most famous families of artisans, which trains apprentices in the craft and whose work is in international museum collections. Enjoy a tour through their practice, craft, and all the many patient steps it takes to bring an alebrije to life. 

In the afternoon, we’ll head back to Oaxaca City for you to enjoy your last night exploring the sights and sounds of the city before you have to pack and head home.

Need dinner plans? Sunday night is the best night to enjoy street food, alongside Oaxacan families. We’ll share our favorite stalls list for you to plan by!

On your final day, you’ll enjoy a final breakfast before checking out of your guesthouse and departing Oaxaca according to your flight schedule. Your airport transfer is included to ensure a seamless and comfortable journey to the airport. 

Relax and reflect on the unforgettable experiences of your culturally rich journey through Oaxaca, knowing you’re leaving with a deeper understanding and appreciate of Oaxacan food, art, culture and people!

Dates: October 22-26, 2026 

Price Per Traveler: $3,695 Standard Room | $3,850 Upgraded Room

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Save $200 per person when signing up before December 15, 2025.

Inclusions Overview:

• Accommodation: 4-night stay at Casa Frida or similar* 
• Private Transportation: Private vehicle with driver for all scheduled tours and transfers.
• Guide/tour leader for on-the-ground support and logistics management during the stay. 
• Tours and Experiences: Private expert-led tours and tastings 
• Meals: all breakfast and meals included as indicated on day (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
  
  *if group size exceeds Casa Frida’s capacity limits, guests will be accommodated in a nearby B&B of similar quality.

Group Size

Group Size and Minimum Requirement: This trip is designed for a group of 14-20 travelers. The trip will proceed only if a minimum of 14 participants is reached.

Booking and Payment Policy

• A non-refundable deposit of $100 USD per room is required at the time of booking to secure a reservation. This deposit will be applied toward the final balance of the trip. If the trip is cancelled, travelers can apply this deposit to any future itinerary managed by Vacationeeze.
• Deposit (Apx 50%) due: March 1, 2026.
• Final Payment Due: July 1, 2026.

Cancellation policy: All amounts paid are non-refundable. All cancellations are non-refundable and result in the forfeiture of any payments made. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect against losses in unforeseen circumstances.

Itinerary Subject to Change
In case of circumstances beyond the operators’ control, the itinerary may be adjusted but will offer equivalent quality experiences.

Health and Mobility Considerations
Participants should be in good physical condition as some activities require moderate walking. If you have mobility restrictions or need special accommodations, please inform us in advance.

Insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance, including coverage for cancellations, medical emergencies, and other unforeseen events, is not included in this itinerary package and is required. You may have this coverage on your credit card - check your policy. Vacationeeze can provide a quote for coverage for any traveler in need.

Weather Conditions
Weather may impact outdoor activities. In case of adverse weather, alternative arrangements will be made.

Not Included in the Price

• International flights or transport to/from Oaxaca
• Personal expenses, such as souvenirs, additional beverages, or optional activities not listed in the itinerary
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
• Medical expenses or emergency services
• Any expenses incurred due to flight delays or cancellations
• Optional excursions or experiences not specified in the itinerary
• Meals not described in the itinerary
• Alcoholic beverages with included meals, unless stated

Legal Disclaimer - By booking this tour, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined. The tour providers reserve the right to modify or cancel any part of the itinerary due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. The provider is not liable for personal injury, loss, or damages during the trip.

Dia de Muertos in Oaxaca is celebrated October 31 - November 2.
Do you want to stay a few more days to experience it?

If you'd like to extend your trip in Oaxaca, or even visit another destination in Mexico (before or after the tour), our trip manager can help you design your own individual itinerary. Just share your interest in the signup form!