Mexico City to Oaxaca with Zapotec Village Hiking




Explore Mexico's cultural corridor then head to the mountain villages of Siera Norte for a rural hiking adventure
Say Hola to an epic adventure into the heart and soul of Mexico. From Aztec to Zapotec, this 12-day trip focuses on cultural immersion, ancient sites and rural hiking through the highlands. Wander through colourful markets, learn the secrets of black pottery, try pasita in a local bar, explore the UNESCO-listed ancient ruins of Monte Alban and Teotihuacan and discover the vibrant art scene of Oaxaca. Then, change the pace and get a more active with a hiking trip village to village in the Pueblos Mancomunados. Here, local guides will lead you between remote mountain communities, where you'll experience authentic village life, traditional craftsmanship and natural highland surroundings – all while contributing directly to community-based ecotourism efforts that preserve both the environment and Indigenous ways of life!
Start: Mexico City, Mexico
End: Oaxaca, Mexico
- Duration
- 12 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
Basix: Simple accommodation, local transport and lots of free time
Original: Tourist-class hotels, some meals included and a great mix of included activities and free time
Comfort: Comfortable accommodation, with a relaxed pace of travel and many included meals and activities
Premium: Our best accommodation, exclusive inclusions and our most experienced leaders
- Original
- Theme
Our themes categorise trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Walking & trekking
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Why you'll love this trip
- Begin your trip in cosmopolitan Mexico City, exploring world-class museums, ancient Aztec ruins and vibrant food markets.
- Support an Indigenous community tourism project by hiking from village to village in the Pueblos Mancomunados, meeting locals and immersing yourself in the landscape of the Sierra Norte Mountains and the daily life or local villagers.
- Wander the UNESCO World Heritage site of Teotihuacan and see the archaeological site’s ruins that predate the Aztec Empire by more than 1000 years. Then, see the ruins of Monte Alban – another UNESCO World Heritage site that tells the story of the Olmec, Zapotec and Mixtec peoples.
- Visit a local black pottery studio and learn about the secret history of this artform – watch a demonstration using this ‘pottery of the night’ and support the locals who hold this tradition in such high regard.
- Tour the colourful local markets of Oaxaca, known for its gastronomy. Follow your nose to find the grilled meats aisle, choose your favourites and load it up with guacamole, salsa and fresh tortillas for a classic Oaxacan lunch.
Itinerary
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe explore the array of museums, galleries and architecture or check out the nightlife and delicious street food. Maybe walk through Bosque de Chapultepec, visit the Frida Kahlo Museum or relax in one of the many plazas and gardens. After your meeting, maybe head out for dinner and get to know your fellow travellers.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Mexico City - Frida Kahlo Museum (entrance fee) - MXN320
- Mexico City- Market Secrets and Salsa Making Lesson - USD49
t’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Due to high demand, tickets for the Frida Kahlo Museum may not be available to book locally. We recommend booking online at least one month in advance to secure your place. Please visit http://www.museofridakahlo.org.mx to purchase your ticket.
Today, your leader will show you around the historic city centre. Visit Zocalo Square – a prominent central meeting place since Aztec times – and soak up the sound of rapid-fire Spanish and booming drums that fill the centre. Pass by the dome-topped Palacio de Bellas Artes, then stop to see some murals painted by the famed Diego Rivera. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Mexico City as you like. Maybe sit down for lunch at a fonda (a home that a family has opened to the local community as a restaurant) or take a boat ride down the Xochimilco Canal.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Mexico City - Leader-led Historico Centro tour
- Mexico City - Diego Rivera Murals in the Mural Museum (Entrance Fee)
- Mexico City - Boat ride through Floating Gardens of Xochimilco (Approx. per boat per hour) - MXN700
After breakfast, learn the local lingo with an informal Spanish lesson as you travel to Puebla. Along the way, you’ll stop at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Teotihuacan – an archaeological site that predated the Aztec Empire by more than a thousand years! Then join a local family for lunch before continuing on to Puebla – known for its culinary history, architecture, pottery and the painted Talavera tiles that adorn buildings here. When you arrive, head out for an orientation walk to get your bearings. Tonight, join your leader for a drink at La Pasita Bar. Pasita is a sweet liqueur made of raisins, served in a caballito (tequila glass) and decorated with a cube of fresh goat cheese and a raisin stuck on a toothpick. This bar is particularly famous because of its way of serving the pasita.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
- Puebla - Leader-led orientation walk
- Teotihuacan - Archaeological site (Entrance fee, Guide & Transport)
- Mexico City - Lunch with a local family
- Puebla - Visit to La Pasita Bar
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Today is free for you to explore at your own pace. Puebla is Mexico’s culinary capital, so why not head out to indulge in some street food? If the season is right, maybe try some chiles en nogada (stuffed chilies covered in creamy walnut sauce) or visit the nearby Pueblo Mágico of Cholula – home to the UNESCO-listed Cholula pyramid. Tonight, maybe find a local restaurant for dinner – your leader will have the best recommendations.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Puebla - Santo Domingo Church and Rosary Chapel (No entrance during mass) - Free
- Puebla - San Pedro Art Museum (entrance fee) - MXN50
- Cholula – Cholula Pyramid (entrance fee, closed Mondays and Tuesdays) - MXN100
- Puebla - Cholula town visit & Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios - Free
Get cosy with the locals as you travel by local bus to Oaxaca – this is a great time to read a book or take a nap! Stretch your legs with an orientation walk when you arrive. Oaxaca is an old town full of graceful arcades and markets. After your walk, you’ll tour the 20 de Noviembre Market, where you'll do as the locals and head to the Pasillo de las Carnes Asadas (the grilled meats aisle). Follow your nose (and your leader) to find it – smoke and the smell of grilled meat is thick in the air. Maybe grab some guacamole, salsa and some fresh tortillas on the way and then find a spot at one of the long tables where you’ll sit down for a classic Oaxacan lunch. From here, the rest of the day is free for you to explore Oaxaca at your own pace – maybe explore Monte Alban’s ruins or visit the Cathedral of Oaxaca.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Oaxaca - Market Tour with Lunch
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
Today is a free day. Maybe try your hand at whipping up the local cuisine with a cooking class, wander through the Jalatlaco neighbourhood or venture out on an optional daytrip around town. Begin the adventure at the millenary Tule tree – one of the oldest trees on Earth, with an impressive trunk size of nearly 44 m and hear some of the local stories it’s inspired. Then, hike through the Oaxacan mountains to reach the petrified waterfall, Hierve el Agua. You may even be able to stop for a swim along the way. After lunch, continue to the village of Teotitlan del Valle where you’ll meet an indigenous family of weavers, experts in traditional Mexican colours and textiles. Finish the day’s excursion with a trip to a mezcal distillery and an agave field and maybe sample the varieties made here on a tour of all things mezcal culture and cultivation.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Oaxaca - Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Teotitlan weaving town & mezcal distillery (requires a minimum of 6 travellers to operate) - MXN1200
- Oaxaca - Cooking class - MXN1500
This morning, you’ll visit the nearby UNESCO World Heritage site of Monte Alban. Walk through the architectural site that was inhabited for over 1500 years by the Olmecs, Zapotecs, and Mixtecs, and explore the terraces, dams, canals, pyramids and artificial mounds carved out of the mountain – now symbols of a sacred topography. Then, head to a local barro negro (black pottery studio). See a demonstration of how the famed black pottery (or pottery of the night) is made and learn about the history of this artform – legend says the clay is blessed! Then, join an alebrijes workshop where you’ll paint your own alebrije – brightly coloured sculptures that often combine various elements from different animals to create mythical creatures. Tonight, maybe join your fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate the last night of your trip.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
- Coyotepec artisan community - Black Pottery Studio visit
- Oaxaca - Monte Alban - Archaeological Site (Entrance)
- Oaxaca - Alebrijes workshop visit
Today is a free day in Oaxaca until your next welcome meeting tonight at 6 pm. After, maybe join your new group members for dinner and try some of the regional specialities, like tlayudas (Oaxacan pizza) or one of the seven varieties of mole this city’s known for (maybe with a glass of mezcal). Until then, you’re free to explore at your own pace or rest and recharge, getting ready for your next few days of hiking.
- Hotel (1 night)
There are no meals included on this day.
As this trip is a combination of shorter itineraries, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change today.
After breakfast, drive to the community of Benito Juarez – named after the prominent Mexican President. This is where your village to village hiking adventure really begins! When you arrive, you’ll meet your local guide for the walk to Mirador and the Hanging Bridge, where you’ll have a great view of the Central Valleys. If the day’s clear, you’ll be able to see the Pico de Orizaba – an active volcano, this is the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America! After, head to the farm where you’ll be staying tonight and meet the family of Mr Eli. Tuck into a home-cooked dinner made by your hosts and watch the sun go down before resting in your comfortable cabins for the night.
- Cabin (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Benito Juarez - Mirador & Hanging Bridge hike with local guide
- Benito Juarez - Farm visit with Senor Eli's family
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Your hiking time will be approximately 3 hours or 5 km.
After your restful night, meet your group at the farm’s dining room for breakfast. It’s here that you’ll meet your local guide who will take you to the community of La Neveria along a rural path used by farmers. As you make your way along the trail, soak in the beauty of the forests of Sierra Norte and learn about the diverse flora and fauna there. When you arrive in the town, have lunch at a local restaurant, then it’s time to set off again with your guide for a tour of the community and its corn farms. Visit a local family for a gastronomic workshop based around the food that grows here, then settle in for another night in a small highland village.
- Cabin (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- La Neveria - Gastronomic workshop with local family
- Benito Juarez to La Neveria hike via rural paths
- La Neveria - Colors of the corn tour with local guide
Your hiking time today will be approximately 3 hours or 8 km.
As the sun rises, your hiking adventure continues. After breakfast, meet your guide and set out on the Cipriano Cabrera trail to the community of Latuvi. Along this quiet trail, you’ll see the biodiversity and climate of the Sierra Norte change, as you go from the cold pine forests of Neveria to the oak forests of lower altitudes. With diverse flora and fauna, local wildlife and gorgeous highland scenery, you’ll see why the people in these villages feel it’s important to protect their precious land. When you arrive in Latuvi, head to the community restaurant to try some local regional dishes for lunch. After, visit Dona Martha, who will show you the process of making pulque and tepache – traditional Mexican beverages typically made with agave sap and pineapple rinds or corn. Tonight, you’ll head back to Oaxaca, where you’re free to grab dinner and say ‘salud!’ to a beautiful, off-the-grid hiking trip.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Latuvi - Pulque and tepache workshop
- La Neveria to Latuvi hike via Cipriano Cabrera trail
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Your hiking time will be approximately 4 hours or 12 km.
With no further activities planned, your adventure comes to an end this morning. If you’d like to extend your time in Oaxaca, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.
- Breakfast
Inclusions and activities
6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
Private transport, public bus, on foot
Hotel (9 nights), Cabin (2 nights)
- Mexico City - Leader-led Historico Centro tour
- Mexico City - Diego Rivera Murals in the Mural Museum (Entrance Fee)
- Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
- Puebla - Leader-led orientation walk
- Teotihuacan - Archaeological site (Entrance fee, Guide & Transport)
- Mexico City - Lunch with a local family
- Puebla - Visit to La Pasita Bar
- Oaxaca - Market Tour with Lunch
- Coyotepec artisan community - Black Pottery Studio visit
- Oaxaca - Monte Alban - Archaeological Site (Entrance)
- Oaxaca - Alebrijes workshop visit
- Benito Juarez - Mirador & Hanging Bridge hike with local guide
- Benito Juarez - Farm visit with Senor Eli's family
- La Neveria - Gastronomic workshop with local family
- Benito Juarez to La Neveria hike via rural paths
- La Neveria - Colors of the corn tour with local guide
- Latuvi - Pulque and tepache workshop
- La Neveria to Latuvi hike via Cipriano Cabrera trail
- Mexico City - Frida Kahlo Museum (entrance fee) - MXN320
- Mexico City- Market Secrets and Salsa Making Lesson - USD49
- Mexico City - Boat ride through Floating Gardens of Xochimilco (Approx. per boat per hour) - MXN700
- Puebla - Santo Domingo Church and Rosary Chapel (No entrance during mass) - Free
- Puebla - San Pedro Art Museum (entrance fee) - MXN50
- Cholula – Cholula Pyramid (entrance fee, closed Mondays and Tuesdays) - MXN100
- Puebla - Cholula town visit & Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios - Free
- Oaxaca - Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Teotitlan weaving town & mezcal distillery (requires a minimum of 6 travellers to operate) - MXN1200
- Oaxaca - Cooking class - MXN1500
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Before you book you should know
- This journey offers an accessible blend of cultural exploration and outdoor adventure. The first portion (Days 1 to 8) focus on cultural immersion with walking tours suitable for all fitness levels. Days 9 to 12 transition to moderate hiking in the Pueblos Mancomunados, where trails cover 6.5 to 13 km (4 to 8 mi) daily with some elevation gain. While no technical skills are required, participants should be comfortable walking on uneven terrain for several hours and have a reasonable level of fitness for the hiking segment.
- This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the Medical and health information section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Hotel Benedicta (Formerly Soy Local Ciudad de Mexico)
Marsella 28 Colonia Juarez
Mexico City
MEXICO
Phone: +57 3114060803
Instructions
Intrepid offers a pre-arranged arrival transfer service from Mexico City International Airport [MEX] at an additional fee. If you have pre-booked this service, please ensure you provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel so the transfer can be organized.
Your meeting location depends on which terminal you will arrive to:
Terminal 1 International Arrivals: From Arrivals Hall E2/E3.
Terminal 1 Central American Arrivals: From Arrivals Hall E1.
Terminal 1 Domestic Arrivals: From Arrivals Hall A1.
Terminal 2 International Arrivals: From the immigration exit in room P.
Terminal 2 Domestic Arrivals: From the immigration exit in room Q.
After customs, proceed directly to the hall indicated for your terminal and flight. Your driver will be there to meet you with an Intrepid sign showing your name. Please stay in the arrivals area and do not leave the terminal or walk to another hall.
If you have any problems and cannot locate your driver on arrival, please call our Intrepid Emergency number listed under the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of your Essential Trip Information document. If you don’t have a device or mobile coverage, Mexico City Airport has a free Wi-Fi connection, so you can call that same number via an online application such as Skype. There are also several information desks and tourist information desks around if you require further assistance.
Otherwise, you can travel from the Mexico City Airport to the hotel by taxi. We recommend you use the authorized taxi services organized from inside the terminal. They will charge you approximately MX$250-350 (USD$14-20) for a trip to downtown. The drive to where the hotel is located is approximately 30 minutes depending on traffic.
Dates and prices
Important notes
1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6pm on Day 1 in Mexico City. Please see Joining Point Hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary.
2. Check out of the hotel is typically at 10am on the last day. If you would like to spend more time in Oaxaca we can happily request you additional nights - please speak to your booking agent.
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip and subject to availability at the time of booking.
4. We will transport your luggage between cabins during your hikes. You will have the opportunity to store large suitcases at your hotel in Oaxaca.
5. Come prepared with sturdy hiking boots, layered clothing, a daypack and water bottle/hydration system, and sunscreen. Ensure you have warm layers for the evening as it can get cold. A waterproof rain jacket, boots/shoes, and rain pants will be essential in wet weather.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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