Original
Explorer
Mexico City to Oaxaca
8 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
31 reviews
8 days
Start
Mexico City, Mexico
Finish
Oaxaca, Mexico
Trip Code
QBSI
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
2 breakfasts, 2 lunches
Transport
Private vehicle, Public bus, Metro, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights)
From £1,080(8 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
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.
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. Follow your nose to find the Pasillo de las Carnes Asadas, choose your favourites and load it up with guacamole, salsa and fresh tortillas for a classic Oaxacan lunch.
Soak up a full free day in Oaxaca to explore the city at your own pace, take a cooking class or venture into the countryside to see some local villages and mezcal distilleries.
See the ancient ruins of Monte Alban – a UNESCO World Heritage site that tells the story of the Olmec, Zapotec and Mixtec peoples.
Is this trip right for you?
Attempting to communicate in Spanish is an excellent way of showing you care when you’re mingling with the locals, so it’s a good idea to learn a few words and phrases before your trip.
Mexico City and Puebla sit at over 2000 m (6000 ft) above sea level, which means they can be quite cool compared to warmer and more humid Oaxaca. Be prepared with layers, including a warm outer layer, and remember to stay hydrated.
While no special physical preparation is required for this trip, you can expect to do a lot of walking, sometimes on uneven terrain.
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.
Itinerary
Go on a cultural adventure through the beating heart of Mexico’s past and present
Say Hola to an adventure into the heart and soul of Mexico. From Aztec to Zapotec, this eight-day trip is a cultural cocktail, blending the best of the country’s ruins and natural wonders. Wander through colourful markets, learn the secrets of black pottery, try pasita in a local bar, explore the ancient ruins of Monte Alban and Teotihuacan and discover the vibrant art scene of Oaxaca. With a local leader who knows all the best spots, you’re guaranteed to get a taste of Mexico’s magic at every turn.
Inclusions
Meals
2 breakfasts, 2 lunches
Transport
Private vehicle, Public bus, Metro, Taxi
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights)
Included activities
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)
Optional activities
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 - Cooking class - MXN1500
Hierve el Agua - Petrified waterfalls (Entrance fee, Guide & Transport) (requires a minimum of 6 travellers to operate) - MXN1200
Oaxaca – Mitla, Teotitlan weaving town & mezcal distillery (requires a minimum of 6 travellers to operate) - MXN1200
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Reviews (29)
5 stars
25
4 stars
4
Pietro
May 01, 2025
Exploring Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca and their surrounding was a wonderful experience that I would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. Our tour guide Sabina was amazing and we were really lucky to have her. We had also the privilege to share this magical adventure with a group of wonderful like-minded travellers. If you are looking for an experience that will enrich your life with the colours, the flavours, the vibes and timeless Mexico's history, this is the trip for you!
Lee
Apr 09, 2025
Yansi
Apr 08, 2025
I had a very good experience, beautiful places, excellent tours leaders, in the trip we had the opportunity to share with people that have small businesses in the community for me this is amazing.
Bernard
Apr 07, 2025
Great trip of the real Mexico. From Moles to luche wrestling to history, it has it all!
S
Feb 20, 2025
Overall the trip is very good and worth the money to me! I do wish the itinerary was a little more detailed and that you had more outreach from Intrepid and your guide/group leading up to the trip. However, you get to see a lot of central and southern Mexico and if you opt-in for every activity, you can cover a lot of ground. I was a solo traveler so it was nice to have a group and others to rely on and helped me feel safe navigating a new space. Our guide JJ was excellent, accommodations and transportation were good too but heads up the current hotel in Oaxaca is a little far from the towns center and most activities so take a cab or the hotel shuttle.
Katherine
Feb 16, 2025
I highly recommend this trip if you are considering coming to central Mexico. JJ was an excellent guide and the trip was a great introduction to Mexico. I arrived 2 days prior to the trip in Mexico City, wish I had given myself a few more days as it’s such a huge city and so much to explore. If you are having any reservations, hit the book trip button now!!
Marianna
Feb 10, 2025
This was a great intro/survey trip to inland Mexico! The orientation walks and modest free time gave me the sense of the cities, and the side trips allowed me to do things that would have been difficult to arrange (transportation, guides, etc). Now I feel like I could return to do a more laid-back trip to any of the bases without having to tie myself in knots to arrange the day trips. It was very packed, but that's what I wanted.
Glenda
Jan 06, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed my first ever trip to Mexico! This trip was a very good introduction to this beautiful country. The walking tours with sampling of local food- bakery, tamal and taco places- gave me good insights on the culture and daily lives of the people. Good combination of city and historical landmarks (Monte Alban). Couldn’t have asked for a better group and leader (JJ).
Tyrone
Nov 22, 2024
Excellent trip to Mexico. Learnt a lot about the culture. The trip was well organised and the group leader was superb would highly recommend.
Sandra
Nov 20, 2024
This was a wonderful overview of Southern Mexico. I enjoy the city tours and the free time to pursue my own interests. I absolutely feel the local guides add a lot to your trip from suggesting what you will need the next day to finding out where to shop for specific items. J.J.'s knowledge of the markets and food made our trip amazing!
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