Teotitlán Weaving & Natural Dyes

Date: Tues, Dec 22 /Schedule: 9am-3pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $165 USD/3,100 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca city (40 minutes each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Visit to a regional market

• Breakfast at the market of local delicacies like chotolate atole, tamales, memelas, and tepache

• Hands on class with members of the Vida Nueva women’s cooperative learning how they process wool, use natural dyes, weave, and use Zapotec design

• A chance to dye our own garments (feel free to bring your own); each participant will be provided 2 cloth napkins in the cost of the experience

• Lunch prepared by a cocinera tradicional accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project

Mezcal Minero (2 palenques) &

Procession for Niño Jesús

Join us for a unique cultural tradition that celebrates one of the heroes of the Christmas season: baby Jesus. Many devotees praise the importance of Jesus in his representation as an infant during this time of year. Families take dolls made in his image from their Nativity scenes or home altars, dress them in intricate, locally-made ensembles, and bring them to church on December 24 to take part in a community blessing. In the Ocotlán valley we will witness part of the day-long celebration involves a community parade of church-goers with the town´s figure and dancing with Christmas pine branches and boquets of wild mint. The party is colorful and joyous -a really fun regional tradition to witness as you deepen your understanding of Oaxacan culture in mezcal country!

Date: Thurs, Dec 24 /Schedule: 9am-6pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $195 USD/3,665 MXN

Includes:

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (1 hour each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Big breakfast of at our favorite roadside comedor, which only uses wood fire for cooking and specializes in local corn tortillas

• Tour of 2 mezcal palenques producing clay pot distilled mezcal

  • Tour of an agave nursery or agave fields and palenque which produces small batch clay pot distilled mezcal. We learn about the mezcal production process from seed to bottle with the family who makes this small batch mezcal. The palenque is owned and operated by a family that has been making mezcal for 4 generations and has a focus on sustainable agriculture and maintaining local traditional production methods.

  • Visit to a second palenque in the home of a traditional mezcal producer working with his sons to make micro batches of mezcal minero for local consumption

• Tasting of mezcal made on site at each palenque. We have the opportunity to taste upwards of 25 different mezcals

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Watch the procession for Niño Jesús, a chance to participate in the dancing and merriment

• Lunch at Ocotlán market of regional dishes

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to community library

*Please wear closed toed shoes

Teotitlán Traditional Cooking Class

Date: Fri, Dec 25/Schedule: 11am-5pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $165 USD/3,100 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Breakfast at our favorite local spot in El Tule. Free time (15 minutes) at the famous tree (entry included)

• Comfortable round trip transportation from Oaxaca city (40 mins each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Cooking class of regional dishes with a cocinera tradicional utilizing 4 types heirloom corn grown on site and traditional tools such as the comal and metate

• Enjoying the lunch that we cook accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Rug weaving and natural dye demonstration

• Time permitting visit to a beeswax candle maker´s workshop

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project

Mezcal Minero (1 palenque)

Date: Sat, Dec 26/Schedule: 9am-4pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $165 USD/3,100 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable and safe transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (1 hour each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Breakfast en route of tamales and fresh fruit

• Tour of an agave nursery or agave fields and palenque which produces small batch clay pot distilled mezcal. We learn about the mezcal production process from seed to bottle with the family who makes this small batch mezcal. The palenque is owned and operated by a family that has been making mezcal for 4 generations and has a focus on sustainable agriculture and maintaining local traditional production methods

• Tasting of Minero mezcal made on site

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Lunch at Ocotlán market of regional dishes such as mole, empanadas de amarillo, tejate, and enchiladas

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to community library

*Please wear closed toed shoes as we will have the opportunity to walk through agave fields

Tlacolula Market & Teotitlán Traditional Cooking Class

Date: Sun, Dec 27/Schedule: 9am-6pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $195 USD/3,665 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable round trip transportation from Oaxaca city (45 minutes each way)

• Guided visit to the día de plaza in Tlacolula where vendors come from all over the state to sell produce, coffee, bread, chocolate, honey, chilies and other local delicacies; 

• Breakfast of local dishes at the market such as memelas and goat barbacoa

• Cooking class of regional dishes with a cocinera tradicional utilizing heirloom corn grown on site and traditional tools such as the comal and metate

• Enjoying the lunch that we cook accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Weaving and natural dye demonstration

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project

Miahuatlán Market & Mezcal

Date: Mon, Dec 28/Schedule: 9am-7pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $195 USD/3,665 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (2 hours each way)

• Big breakfast of at our favorite roadside comedor, which only uses wood fire for cooking and specializes in local corn tortillas

• Tour of weekly regional market, samples of local cuisine such as palo de chile, hoja de leon, plátano perón, and pan serrano

• Visit to a traditional mezcal palenque, learning about the process and history of the mezcal of the region directly from the producing families who have been distilling their mezcal in copper for 4 generations

• Learn about and see the biodiversity of different types of agaves used to make mezcal

• Tasting of traditional mezcal made on site

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Farm to table unch of local delicacies prepared by a cocinera tradicional

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to future community youth center

*Please wear closed toed shoes as we will have the opportunity to walk through agave fields

*If you are interested in purchasing mezcal directly from the producers, note they only take cash (MXN)

Red Pottery Workshop & Traditional Cooking Class

in San Marcos Tlapazola

Date: Tues, Dec 29/Schedule: 9am-6pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $210 USD/3,950MXN

Includes:

• Two personalized guides and translation (Zapotec/Spanish and Spanish/English)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca city (40 minutes each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Breakfast at our favorite spot in Santa Maria del Tule of local favorites like memelas, chocolate de agua, and chilaquiles

• Brief visit to the Tule tree (entrance fee included, 15 minutes free time)

• Cooking class of regional dishes with a cocinera tradicional utilizing heirloom corn grown by our teacher and traditional tools such as the comal and metate

• Enjoying the lunch that we cook accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Red clay workshop, demo from our teacher of her free hand cups with their signature face, learning about her story and the history of the red clay pottery in the community. We will work on our own pieces with her guidance

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project

*Cost does not include shipping of your piece. We are happy to coordinate the delivery at an additional cost. Please allow time for your piece to be fired

Temezcal

Leave the old year in the past and get your mind and body ready for 2027! We will participate in a spiritual cleansing (limpia), Zapotec massage, and traditional steam bath (temezcal) with a our teacher and healer Aurora and her family to welcome the new year.

Date: Weds, Dec 30/Schedule: 3pm-9pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $240 USD/4,500 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca city (40 minutes each way)Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Learn about traditional healing practices in the community from our hosts, learning about the plants used and practices preformed for thing like ojo and sustso

• Participate in a limpia (spiritual cleansing)

• Traditional Zapotec massage (performed while clothed, 15-20 minute duration)

• One hour steam bath in the temezcal, rest and acclimate

• Option to learn about weaving and natural dyes while we rest

• Nourisning dinner by a cocinera tradicional such as chicken or vegetable soup and atole

• A chance to purchase rugs or other woven goods (such as bags) directly from our hosts (price of items not included)

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project

*A bathing suit, sandals, and a change of warm comfortable clothing for after the steam bath are all recommended for this experience

**We recommend eating a light lunch before pick up, we will be having a filling and nourishing dinner after our temezcal experience

Mezcal Minero (2 palenques) &

Procession for Niño Jesús

Join us for a unique cultural tradition that celebrates one of the heroes of the Christmas season: baby Jesus. Many devotees praise the importance of Jesus in his representation as an infant during this time of year. Families take dolls made in his image from their Nativity scenes or home altars, dress them in intricate, locally-made ensembles, and bring them to church on December 24 to take part in a community blessing. In the Ocotlán valley we will witness part of the day-long celebration involves a community parade of church-goers with the town´s figure and dancing with Christmas pine branches and boquets of wild mint. The party is colorful and joyous -a really fun regional tradition to witness as you deepen your understanding of Oaxacan culture in mezcal country!

Date: Thurs, Dec 31/Schedule: 9am-6pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $195 USD/3,665 MXN

Includes:

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (1 hour each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Big breakfast of at our favorite roadside comedor, which only uses wood fire for cooking and specializes in local corn tortillas

• Tour of 2 mezcal palenques producing clay pot distilled mezcal

  • Tour of an agave nursery or agave fields and palenque which produces small batch clay pot distilled mezcal. We learn about the mezcal production process from seed to bottle with the family who makes this small batch mezcal. The palenque is owned and operated by a family that has been making mezcal for 4 generations and has a focus on sustainable agriculture and maintaining local traditional production methods.

  • Visit to a second palenque in the home of a traditional mezcal producer working with his sons to make micro batches of mezcal minero for local consumption

• Tasting of mezcal made on site at each palenque. We have the opportunity to taste upwards of 25 different mezcals

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Watch the procession for Niño Jesús, a chance to participate in the dancing and merriment

• Lunch at Ocotlán market of regional dishes

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to community library

*Please wear closed toed shoes

Mezcal Minero

(1 palenque)

Date: Sat, Jan 2/Schedule: 9am-4pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $165 USD/3,100 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable and safe transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (1 hour each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Breakfast en route of tamales and fresh fruit

• Tour of an agave nursery or agave fields and palenque which produces small batch clay pot distilled mezcal. We learn about the mezcal production process from seed to bottle with the family who makes this small batch mezcal. The palenque is owned and operated by a family that has been making mezcal for 4 generations and has a focus on sustainable agriculture and maintaining local traditional production methods

• Tasting of Minero mezcal made on site

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Lunch at Ocotlán market of regional dishes such as mole, empanadas de amarillo, tejate, and enchiladas

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to community library

*Please wear closed toed shoes as we will have the opportunity to walk through agave fields

Miahuatlán Market & Mezcal featuring Rosca de Reyes

Join us in preparing for the Tres Reyes or 3 Kings day celebration! We visit a bakery who has been baking bread in their wood fired oven since 1916. Now the fourth generation of bakers show us how they make the traditional bread for the holiday rosca de reyes Similiar to a king cake, this round sweet bread has 2 plastic figurines hidden in it representing baby Jesus. If you find one in your piece of bread you have the responsibility to bring tamales or atole to your family´s or office party on February 2nd, the day of the Virgin of the Candelaria. From here we visit a traditional mezcal palenque where we will have a farm to table lunch accompied by traditional mezcal made on sight as well as dessert-the freshly baked rosca!

Date: Mon, Jan 4/Schedule: 9am-7pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $185 USD/3,475 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (2 hours each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Quick breakfast of antojitos, little local snacks at our favorite roadside comedor

• Visit to a bakery founded in 1916, baking bread out of their wood fired oven. We will watch the production of and learn about the tradition of the rosca de reyes or traditional sweet bread made for the Three Kings day holiday on January 6th

• Visit to a traditional mezcal palenque, learning about the process and history of the mezcal of the region directly from the producing families who have been distilling their mezcal in copper for 4 generations

• Learn about and see the biodiversity of different types of agaves used to make mezcal

• Tasting of traditional mezcal made on site

• A chance to purchase mezcal directly from the producers (price not included), our help packing it for travel

• Farm to table lunch of local delicacies prepared by a cocinera tradicional

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to future community youth center

Tlacolula Market & Teotitlán Traditional Cooking Class

Date: Sun, Jan 3/Schedule: 9am-6pm

Spaces available: 6/Cost per person: $195 USD/3,665 MXN

Includes:

• Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

• Comfortable round trip transportation from Oaxaca city (45 minutes each way). Pick up and drop off from your hotel or vacation rental (Centro, Jalatlaco, Xochimilico, Reforma, San Felipe)

• Guided visit to the día de plaza in Tlacolula where vendors come from all over the state to sell produce, coffee, bread, chocolate, honey, chilies and other local delicacies; 

• Breakfast of local dishes at the market such as memelas and goat barbacoa

• Cooking class of regional dishes with a cocinera tradicional utilizing 4 types of heirloom corn grown on site and traditional tools such as the comal and metate

• Enjoying the lunch that we cook accompanied by our selection of traditional mezcal

• Weaving and natural dye demonstration

• Drinking water and light snacks

• Donation to women's cooperative annual project