1 Week in Oaxaca - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Explore Oaxaca Through Its Cuisine

Partake in a gastronomic adventure as you explore Oaxaca through its cuisine. Ideal for food lovers, this itinerary takes you on a tasty culinary journey through Oaxaca's markets, traditional cooking workshops with Zapotec communities, and tasting sessions of Oaxaca's famous drinks, cacao (chocolate) and mezcal. Highlights include a memorable picnic in the cloud forest of Ixtepeji and a hands-on experience with the ancient grain, amaranth.

Your culinary journey through Oaxaca, Mexico, begins with a city tour and a cacao tasting. You'll explore the markets and taste the local delicacies such as memelas (open-faced tortillas), empanadas, and grasshopper omelets. The following day, join a rural cooking workshop in the Oaxaca Valley, where you'll prepare regional dishes with the local Zapotec community using regional products purchased from the market. The next day, partake in a pottery workshop and wool rug weaving. Afterward, you'll taste varieties of agave at a local mezcal distillery and enjoy a gastronomic Indigenous food tasting for dinner.

The adventure continues on Day 5 with a five-hour hike past imposing guardian trees through the enchanted cloud forest of Ixtepeji, where you'll enjoy a locally sourced picnic with panoramic views of mountains. After the walk, you'll have dinner prepared with ingredients and recipes from the region. Then, on your final full day, participate in a huautli experience led by a local woman from Amaranto Alegria de la Vida, a group dedicated to preserving the cultural history and uses of amaranth, an ancient Mexican grain. You'll learn about the plant and make a traditional dessert using amaranth seeds. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Off-the-Beaten-Path Oaxaca: Countryside & Coast

Travelers wanting to discover lesser-known parts of Oaxaca can venture out of the city to the coast. This off-the-beaten-path itinerary combines culinary experiences with cultural excursions, such as learning about artisan crafts in local villages and the traditional mezcal production process at an agave farm. From a sunset hike to Picacho Mountain to a turtle hatchling experience in Mazunte and a horseback ride to the biodiverse Laguna de Manialtepec, you're bound to hit all the non-touristy highlights. 

Your journey begins in the lively city of Oaxaca, where you'll take a guided culinary tour through authentic markets, tasting local delicacies, such as empanadas paired with various sauces. Then, head east to the village of Teotitlán del Valle for a glimpse of traditional weaving techniques and embark on a sunset hike up Picacho Mountain. Continue learning about mezcal as you tour the distilleries along the Mezcal Route in Santiago Matatlán. Hear about the cultural importance of this famous Mexican spirit and its production process, from the agave plant to the cup.

As the week progresses, you'll venture to San Pablo de Etla for an amaranth cooking experience, gaining insights into this ancient grain and its significance in the local community. From there, travel to the coastal village of Mazunte, where you'll witness conservation efforts at the Escobilla Ecoturismo Tortugas Marinas and watch baby turtles make their first journey to the sea. The next day, saddle up for a horseback ride to Laguna de Manialtepec, a biodiversity hotspot known for its mangrove swamps, where you'll enjoy a regional meal and a kayak tour. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Coastal Mexico Adventure: Oaxaca, Huatulco & Puerto Escondido

Outdoor-oriented travelers will enjoy exploring the culture and natural landscapes of coastal Mexico on this active adventure through Oaxaca, Huatulco, and Puerto Escondido. You'll dive into the sights, smells, and tastes of Oaxaca with a city and market tour, visit local wool weavers and mezcal makers in the Oaxacan countryside, sail and snorkel around Huatulco's nine pristine bays, and relax on the golden beaches of Puerto Escondido. The more active will relish the chance to hike through the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains to hidden waterfalls and kayak through wildlife-rich lagoons.

On a walking tour, explore Oaxaca City's main sites, including the centuries-old Aqueduct Arcos De Xochimilco and the striking cathedrals of Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán and Señor del Rayo. You'll also visit a local chocolate factory and sample Oaxacan cuisine at the bustling markets of Benito Juárez and 20 de Noviembre. The next day, venture outside the city to see highlights, such as an enormous, ancient cypress tree, the rock formations at Hierve el Agua, the Mitla Archaeological Zone, and wool-weaving workshops in Teotitlán del Valle. You'll also visit a traditional palenque to taste mezcal.

Transfer to Huatulco, known for its charming villages, unspoiled beaches, and pristine marine ecosystems. Here, you'll spend a day exploring the Bahías de Huatulco and Huatulco National Park with a boat tour and snorkeling adventure. The following day, hike through the Sierra Madre del Sur mountain range, marvel at waterfalls, and have lunch in a local mountain community. Afterward, head to Bahía San Agustín for a day of snorkeling and then to Puerto Escondido for a beach day and kayaking in Laguna de Manialtepec. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Mexican Culture, Cuisine & Crafts in Oaxaca

Those eager to venture off the tourist trail and experience authentic Mexican culture should consider this weeklong trip. Explore traditional markets, participate in a food tasting, hike in the enchanting Ixtepeji forest, and learn about handicrafts from artisans in local villages. You'll also have an opportunity to delve into Oaxacan medicine and prepare a traditional dessert using an ancient ingredient.

Day 1 has you indulging in Oaxaca's famed gastronomy, tasting authentic dishes from eight regions, and meeting the Indigenous chefs who create them while learning about ancient ingredients and cooking techniques. The next day, spot exotic flora and fauna on a hike through a dense cloud forest as your guide regales you about the region's way of life and the history of the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca mountains. Following the hike, you'll visit villages known for producing distinctive handicrafts, such as Coyotepec's black pottery and Jalietza's backstrap loom weaving.

Explore the Central de Abastos (Center of Supplies) market and learn about the various herbs used to concoct traditional medicines. Then, venture to a community where a traditional doctor will educate you about medicinal plants and their uses. On Day 5, you'll venture to San Pablo Etla to hike the Puma Trail. On your last full day, visit a collective in San Pablo Etla that works to preserve the culture and use of huautli, an ancient grain. You'll learn about huautli's cultivation process and its health benefits and even participate in making a traditional dessert based on this ancient ingredient. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Mexican Art & Craftsmanship in Puebla & Oaxaca

This art and craftsmanship itinerary takes you through Puebla and Oaxaca, providing firsthand experiences in pottery making, weaving, and cooking traditional Oaxacan cuisine, along with exploring neighborhoods and nature reserves. Exciting highlights include painting your own alebrije (wooden sculpture), a mezcal tasting in Santiago Matatlán, and a tour of the ancient Zapotec capital, Monte Albán. 

Your journey begins as you arrive in Mexico City and transfer to Puebla, known for its Baroque architecture, cuisine, and UNESCO-listed historic center. With your guide, you'll embark on a walking tour of the city, stopping to admire its cathedral, library, and the Uriarte Talavera ceramic factory. The next day, travel to Oaxaca via the Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve, taking time to explore its cactus forests. Once in Oaxaca, visit the village of Santiago Matatlán to learn all about the region's most famous drink, mezcal.

The Oaxacan leg of the trip continues along the Ruta Ocotlán, a route that winds its way through towns specializing in the region's celebrated handicrafts. You'll visit, among others, San Bartolo Coyotepec and Jalietza, meet talented artisans, and learn about their crafts. Afterward, you'll treat your taste buds to a traditional Oaxacan gastronomy experience at a local restaurant. Your exploration of Oaxacan culture deepens with a visit to the ancient Zapotec capital of Monte Albán, followed by an alebrijes workshop in Arrazola. Your adventure concludes with an art workshop and cooking class in Oaxaca City. Learn more

More Great 1-Week Mexico Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Mexico? Check out these other weeklong Mexico itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and foodie tours to hit the culinary highlights.