Wild Mushroom Foraging in the Sierra Sur

We are excited to offer this overnight mushroom foraging and cooking experience in the southern moutains of Oaxaca! We lucky to be working with local mycologists as well as hongeros-community members with a vast knowledge of local mushrooms, and traditional cooks who will learn all about the mushrooms of the region with. Join us for our group trip to the Sierra Sur for a weekend of immersing ourselves in the beautiful landscape of the high pine forests where wild mushrooms flourish during the summer months in Oaxaca. In past years we´ve found over 150 unique varietals of mushrooms and had the pleasure of cooking dishes like yellow mole with mushrooms, mushroom soup with epazote, and locally grown potatoes with mushrooms.

2026 dates: Fri-Mon, July 24-27 2027 dates: Fri-Mon, July 23-26

Fri-Mon, Aug 7-10 Fri-Mon, Aug 6-9

Fri-Mon, Aug 21-24 Fri-Mon, Aug 20-23

Itinerary: 4 days, 3 nights

Groups: 4 minimum, 8 maximum

Cost per person: $1,500 USD/28,200 MXN

Activities planned:

  • A guided walk in the high altitude (2440 m/8000 ft above sea level) pine forests of the region where we will collect different kinds of mushrooms with the mycologist and local guide from the community

  • Talks by a local mycologist teaching us about the local mushrooms of the region and Oaxaca and their uses

  • Create an identification table to learn about the varieties of mushrooms we collect, their scientific classifications, and their uses

  • A cooking class with a cocinera tradicional learning local dishes like amarillo or hongos a la mexicana that use edible mushrooms

  • Learn how to make traditional mountain bread in a wood fired oven 

  • Group meals featuring edible mushrooms of the region

  • Traditional mezcal tasting

  • Temezcal

Includes:

  • Personalized guide and translation (English/Spanish) 

  • Comfortable transportation round trip from Oaxaca City (3 hours each way) 

  • Cost of all programmed activities over the course of the trip

  • 10 meals (most featuring edible mushrooms)

  • 3 night stay at Puesta del Sol cabins (double occupancy) or accommodations of equivalent quality

  • Drinking water and light snacks 

  • Donation to local elementary school for much needed school supplies

*Option to add a stay at Rancho Los Nahuales mezcal farm or take trasportation to the beach after the experience (additional cost)


Chapulines

Join us for chapulines season! We venture out in the into the agave and corn fields surrounding Rancho Los Nahuales and search for grasshoppers. We hand select them and bring them back to the ranch to learn how to process them and cook them with a cocinera tradicional, and finally feast on Oaxaca´s favorite snack! The rumor is that if you eat chapulines in Oaxaca you’ll keep coming back. Check out

2026 dates: Fri-Sun, Oct 19-20

Itinerary: 2 days, 1 nights

Groups: 4 minimum, 8 maximum

Cost per person: $450 USD/8,460 MXN

Activities planned:

  • Tour of the Ocotlán weekly Friday market. Some historians estimate that this weekly market has been happening in this town for the last 5,000-7,000 years. Today the weekly market continues to be an important economic and cultural hub of the Ocotlan valley. Many vendors come from the surrounding areas only on Fridays to sell organic vegetables, native chilies, aguamiel, smoked fish from the coast, and handmade crafts such as embroidered blouses, clay chilimoleras, and rope made of agave fibers. Sample of local delicacies such as boiled camotes with local honey and jamoncillo, a coconut and brown sugar dessert

  • 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

  • Optional bonfire at Racnho los Nahuales

  • Early morning rise to learn to collect chapulines

  • Learn to prepare chapulines with a cocinera traditional, take home some of the chapulines we prepare

  • Cooking class at a mezcal ranch which grows agaves as well heirloom varieties of corn, squash, and beans. Our teacher will show us how to make regional dishes with ingredients grown on site such as següeza, amarillo, and hand made tortillas

Includes:

  • Drinking water and light snacks

  • Donation to future community youth center

  • 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)

  • 1 night at Rancho Los Nahuales (double occupancy)

  • 5 meals


Inviting the Souls

2026 dates: Weds-Fri, Oct 14-16 2027 dates: Thurs-Sat, Oct 14-16

Itinerary: 3 days, 2 nights

Groups: 4 minimum, 8 maximum Cost per person: $850 USD/15,980 MXN

Activities planned:

  • 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

  • Optional bonfire at Racnho los Nahuales

  • Early morning rise to learn to collect chapulines

  • Learn to prepare chapulines with a cocinera traditional, take home some of the chapulines we prepare

  • Cooking class at a mezcal ranch which grows agaves as well heirloom varieties of corn, squash, and beans. Our teacher will show us how to make regional dishes with ingredients grown on site such as següeza, amarillo, and hand made tortillas

  • Learn about the traditions of inviting the souls in Miahuatlán, visit to the local graveyard with our hosts, decorating the grave and inviting the souls to visit during Day of the Dead

Includes:

  • Drinking water and light snacks

  • Donation to future community youth center

  • 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)

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

  • 2 nights saty at Rancho Los Nahuales (double occupancy)

  • 7 meals


Day of the Dead

2026 dates: SOLD OUT 2027 dates: Thurs-Weds, Oct 28-Nov 3

Itinerary: 6 days, 5 nights

Groups: 4 minimum, 8 maximum Cost per person: $2,500 USD/47,000 MXN

Includes:

  • 2 traditional cooking classes featuring important dishes of the season: mole negro, chocolate, and tamales

  • Visit to a bakery making bread for the season; the chance to decorate your own bread

  • 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

  • Participate in making an altar with a local family

  • The chance to participate in a local comparsa (all night parade)

  • Visits to multiple graveyards

Includes:

  • Drinking water and light snacks

  • Donations to community projects (Biblioteca el Rosario, Vida Nueva women´s cooperative, and future homework center)

  • Personalized guide and translation (Spanish/English)

  • Transportation throughout the scheduled itinerary. Airport pick up and drop off

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

  • 1 night saty at Rancho Los Nahuales (double occupancy)

  • 5 nights stay at Casa M (double occupancy) or equivelant quality

  • 16 meals


Please review our Overnight Workshops Cancellation policy before booking.