The 12 Best Oaxaca Tours & Day Trips

1.Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,094 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $55Our pick

Travel with a small group of up to 16 from Oaxaca City to the Tule Tree, Teotitlán del Valle, Mitla, and Hierve el Agua. Guides such as Adriel, Miguel, Andrea, and Kevin lead bilingual visits, with rug-making, a buffet lunch, and mezcal tasting included along the way.

“It's a long day but very rewarding, the area around the tule tree is lovely, and I would definitely recommend doing at least the smaller hike in Hierve el agua to get the full scale of the 'falls'. The Mezcal tasting is great, and really fun. Our tour guide was excellent, always ready to answer questions without taking too much time.”

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2.Explore Hierve el Agua, Mitla, Tule, Textile and Mezcal for a day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,043 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $75Top rated

Spend about 11 hours outside Oaxaca City visiting Teotitlán textiles, Hierve el Agua, Mitla, the Tule Tree, and a mezcal palenque. English-speaking guides such as Luis and Pavel lead the day, while local specialists explain weaving and Zapotec history. Bring swimwear, a towel, sturdy shoes, and cash for lunch and small tips.

“Fantastic day exploring Oaxaca. Pavel is a fantastic host, very personable, knowledgeable and you can tell he cares both about Oaxacan culture and ensuring everyone on the trip has a great time. It is a long day (approx 12 hours) but if you’re not in Oaxaca for long and want to see as much as possible (as we did) this trip is perfect. Every activity brings value and even though you can buy items there’s no heavy pressure! Thanks again for a wonderful day Pavel and Hugo!”

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3.Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 880 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $32

Travel from central Oaxaca to Monte Albán in an air-conditioned vehicle, then explore the Zapotec site with an English or Spanish guide. Guides such as Miguel bring the ruins and valley to life, while flexible return trips let you stay longer. Entrance fees are extra, and steep, uneven steps require sturdy shoes.

“Great trip! Everyone was friendly, instructions clear, Miguel was a great guide. Driver was very safe and prompt!”

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4.From Oaxaca de Juarez: Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 615 reviews · 8 hours · from $64

Travel from central Oaxaca to Hierve el Agua for three hours of hiking, views, swimming, and free time, then visit a mezcal distillery for a guided tasting. English-speaking guides such as Leon, Steph, and Margarita add local context, while the park’s own guides offer optional Spanish-language walks.

“Coyote was a terrific guide. Knowledgeable and friendly. We all enjoyed spending the day with him. The tour was just the right length with 2 stops and plenty of time at each.”

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5.Oaxaca de Juarez: Monte Alban Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 492 reviews · 4 hours · from $31Best value

Travel by van from central Oaxaca to Monte Alban for a 2.5-hour guided visit among pyramids, stelae, tombs, and a ball court. English and Spanish guides such as Antonio, Daniel, Moses, and José explain Zapotec culture, then give you time to explore independently. Transport and hotel or Airbnb drop-off are included; site admission is extra.

“Excellent tour with good amount of time given to history on Monte Alban and free time to roam on our own.”

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6.AUTHENTIC OAXACA CULTURAL FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $114

Start at 9 a.m. with guides such as Aurora, Betsaida, or Ellie, then walk Oaxaca’s center, three markets, and street-food stops while tasting more than 24 local foods and drinks. Expect pre-Hispanic corn dishes, exotic fruit, tacos, grilled meats, chocolate, mezcal, and plenty of cultural context. Come very hungry.

“this was an amazing experience—a great way to learn about and experience oaxacan cuisine. betsaida and her whole team took great care of us, giving us so much insight on the history and culture of oaxaca while introducing us with the tastiest dishes, fruits, and drinks. she is engaging, passionate, warm, and attentive, and made sure the whole group had a wonderful time. her team also worked hard to make sure everything ran smoothly. it was a delightful tour from start to end!”

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7.Tule, Mitla & Hierve el Agua, & Mezcal Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 456 reviews · 10 hours · from $75

Travel from Oaxaca with a certified English and Spanish-speaking guide such as Ede or Miguel. Visit the Tule Tree, Mitla, Teotitlán del Valle, Hierve el Agua, a buffet lunch stop, and a mezcal palenque. Air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, tasting, and hotel pickup are included, though lunch is extra and Hierve el Agua time is limited.

“Great tour, excellent guide. We booked this for the Hievre el Agua but were also very impressed by the other activities throughout the day including the archeological site and the 2,000 year old tree.”

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8.Half day tour to Monte Albán

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 420 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $32

Visit Monte Albán on a roughly four-hour morning trip from Oaxaca City. Your English-speaking guide leads you through the Grand Plaza, tombs, ball court, temples, Los Danzantes, and South Platform, with time to explore alone. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and drop-off are included. Admission, food, and drinks cost extra.

“Our tour guide was amazing and very knowledgeable I definitely recommend booking. He showed us how things were made and the history he made it very fun.”

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9.Monte Alban Guided Archaeological Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 419 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $33

Travel from central Oaxaca to Monte Albán in an air-conditioned van, then explore the former Zapotec capital with a bilingual guide. You’ll see the ball court, tombs, astronomical structures, museum, and broad Oaxaca Valley views. The tour includes hotel pickup and free time for photos, but admission costs extra.

“The half day trip is great if you want to explore the wonders of Monte Alban in detail and learn about spiritual and religious traditions of the Zapotecs. Our guide lead us through the space with interesting insights and we also had some free time in the end to explore more of the pyramids or take photos. Highly recommend it especially if you want to combine this activity with an afternoon exploration of Oaxaca city or another sight. Pickup and transport were easygoing too even if we signed up last minute.”

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10.Boil the water and distillery mezcal tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 413 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Leave Oaxaca City at 9:00 am for three relaxed hours at Hierve el Agua, with time to hike, see the petrified waterfalls, and possibly swim. Then visit Mezcal Valle Oaxaca for an agave distillation lesson and a generous tasting. Guides such as Margarita, Estefania, Rodrigo, and Leon lead the English-language tour.

“Great excursion and the mezcal tasting was a Very interesting! Margarita has been really nice as well and very knowledgeable:)”

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11.Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets, All gastronomy included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 386 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Walk from central Oaxaca into a huge local market with a small group, guided by Etnofood hosts such as Brian or Yahel. Taste about 20 foods, including tacos, quesadillas, grilled meats, tejate, pulque, moles, baked goods, grasshoppers, and seeds. Food is included, and the route suits omnivores and vegans.

“Great experience. Can definitely recommend this tour. Brian was a great guide and we tried foods and drinks we probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise.”

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12.Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 333 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

Meet at Casa Crespo in central Oaxaca at 10 a.m. for a market walk and hands-on cooking class led by Oscar, Emily, or another Casa Crespo instructor. Menus are chosen by the group and may include mole, tortillas, soup, tacos, ceviche, dessert, and drinks. English or Spanish instruction is available.

“This class was so much fun! I went with my adult daughter that lives in the eastern part of th US. Very involving and clear. Everyone was so attentive and sweet and our enjoyment was number 1.”

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