10 Days in Oaxaca - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Mexico's Archaeological Wonders & Foodie Culture: Mexico City, Puebla & Oaxaca

This classic highlights itinerary offers a blend of historical exploration and gastronomic delights, with highlights that include cantina-hopping in Mexico City, cycling around the Teotihuacán archaeological site, sampling authentic Oaxacan dishes, touring the ancient city of Monte Albán, visiting some of the famous churches of Cholula, and learning about mezcal production in Santiago Matatlán. It's an excellent choice for history buffs and archaeology enthusiasts keen on experiencing local cuisine.

On arrival in Mexico City, dive into Mexican cuisine and culture with a food and cantina tour in the Navarte neighborhood, followed by a visit to the National Museum of Anthropology. Next, your guide will take you to Teotihuacán, where you'll tour the archaeological site by bike before continuing to Puebla. You'll have some free time in Puebla to explore on your own, then you'll make a day trip to Cholula to see some of its famous churches, including the Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios. The second half of your trip is dedicated to Oaxaca, a city renowned for its culinary treasures.

Embark on a guided walking tour of the Oaxaca and sample sweets at a chocolate factory before visiting Monte Albán to learn about Zapotec history. Then, your driver will bring you to Hierve el Agua, a natural wonder of terraced waterfalls and mineral-rich pools. Take a dip here before continuing to Teotitlán del Valle, a village where you can watch local artisans weave rugs. Cap off your trip with a mezcal tasting at a palenque (mezcal distillery), a culinary excursion through Oaxaca's markets, and finally, a full-day mezcal experience in Santiago Matatlán, where you'll learn about production, from field to bottle. Learn more

Itinerary #2: Highlights of Mexico City, Oaxaca & Puerto Escondido

This active itinerary is best for beach and ocean lovers visiting for the first time and seeking a mix of culture, food, history, nature, and wildlife. You'll attend a Mexican wrestling match and sample street food in Mexico City, tour the Mount Albán ruins, taste the flavors of Oaxaca at an Indigenous Roots dinner, make mythical creatures in a handicrafts workshop in Arrazola, take a surf lesson at Puerto Escondido, snorkel with local marine life at San Agustín Bay, and witness bioluminescence on Laguna de Manialtepec.

Refuel after your flight to Mexico City with sweet and savory eats (yes, there will be tacos and churros) on a food tour that includes a stop at the famous gourmet market, Mercado de San Juan. Visit a traditional cantina for a mezcal tasting before heading to Aréna Mexico to experience the entertaining world of lucha libre (Mexican wrestling). On Day 3, your driver will transfer you to Oaxaca for an Indigenous roots dinner. Then, explore the archaeology, history, and crafts of the Oaxaca Valley with a visit to the Monte Albán archaeological site and an alebrijes (handcrafted mythical creatures)-making workshop in Arrazola.

Shop for artisan-made textiles in Teotitlán del Valle, then enjoy a sunset hike to the summit of El Picacho. Say adios to Oaxaca as you travel to Puerto Escondido, where you'll take a surf lesson on the Mexican Pacific coast. You'll have free time to relax at the beach or shop at Mercado Benito Juárez before visiting the Playa de Escobilla Sanctuary to help release sea turtles into the wild. Your trip will conclude with a whale watching tour, a snorkeling excursion at San Agustín Bay, and a sunset cruise on Laguna de Manialtepec for a chance to witness the bioluminescence phenomenon. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Culture, Cuisine & Conservation in Oaxaca & Huatulco

Foodies and aspiring chefs (who love outdoor activities) will appreciate the opportunities to learn, make, and taste culturally significant food and drinks on this trip. You'll learn about amaranth cultivation (and try your hand at making a traditional dessert), study the process of agave harvesting in Latuvi, visit a mezcal distillery, hike in the cloud forests of San José del Pacífico, canoe through mangrove lagoons, observe sea turtles, swim in a waterfall in the Sierra Madre del Sur, make tortillas in a corn workshop, and snorkel in Huatulco National Park.

Kick off your journey with a deep dive into an ancient practice—the cultivation and processing of huautli (amaranth)—in the San Pablo Etla community. Then, return to Oaxaca City for a gastronomy journey that includes fresh empanadas at Mercado de la Merced and tacos on García Vigil street before your guide takes you to Latuvi. Here, you'll learn how sap is harvested from agave plants and how pineapple rinds are fermented, then prepare and sip some drinks in a pulque and tepache workshop. Next, visit the UNESCO-listed archaeological ruins of Monte Albán and check out handicrafts in Arrazola.

After visiting a mezcal distillery, you'll tour a Zapotec site in Mitla and transfer to San José del Pacífico for a cloud forest hike. Continue to Huatulco, where you can paddle through mangrove lagoons and take a guided night walk to observe nesting sea turtles. Trek to waterfalls on Day 7 and enjoy a refreshing swim in the Sierra Madre del Sur jungles, then end your trip on a high with a snorkeling excursion in Huatulco National Park and a culinary workshop in a local community where you'll learn about corn's cultural significance, prepare tortillas, and feast on local dishes together before departure. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Mexico's Nature & Culture: Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido & San Cristóbal de las Casas

This alternate itinerary takes you farther east from the state of Oaxaca to Chiapas and blends cultural discovery with nature activities. After a culinary tour in Oaxaca City, you'll go bird-watching in San Felipe del Agua, meet artisans and learn about traditional techniques in the villages of Oaxaca Valley, create personal souvenirs in a wood carving workshop, ride horses to Laguna del Manialtepec, surf in Puerto Escondido, spot wildlife on a cruise to Sumidero Canyon, and hike to the waterfalls of El Chiflón.

Start in Oaxaca with an Indigenous foodie tour, tasting dishes representing the state's eight regions. Next, take a bird-watching walk in San Felipe del Agua, then enjoy a countryside tour that includes a stop at the famous Árbol del Tule—a 2,000-year-old Montezuma cypress—a dip in the Hierve el Agua pools, and a visit to a women's weaving cooperative. After exploring UNESCO-listed Monte Albán, your guide will take you to four villages known for their artisanal treasures. You'll witness clay crafting in Coyotepec, dressmaking in San Antonio, the art of backstrap loom weaving in Jalietza, and colorful alebrijes sculptures in Tilcajete.

Create a keepsake on Day 5 in a wood carving workshop before departing for Puerto Escondido. Then, ride horseback to Laguna del Manialtepec, where you'll hop in a kayak to check out local flora and fauna. Thrill to a surf lesson at Playa Zicatela, then rest your tired muscles as your driver chauffeurs you to San Cristóbal de las Casas. Watch for crocodiles and spider monkeys on a boat tour to Sumidero Canyon, followed by a stop in Chiapa de Corzo for lunch and pozol con cacao (an ancestral Maya drink). Spend your final full day in nature with visits to the waterfalls of El Chiflón and the lakes of Lagunas de Montebello. Learn more

Itinerary #5: Mexico City & Coast Discovery: Mexico City, Oaxaca & Huatulco

Consider this option—great for first-time visitors to Mexico looking to experience a variety of activities and environments. With Mexico City as your first stop, you'll participate in a cooking class, watch a folk dance performance, cruise Xochimilco on a traditional boat, and see Teotihuacán from above in a hot-air balloon. Then, you'll tour the markets, taste Indigenous foods, and visit a mezcal distillery in Oaxaca. And finally, in Huatulco, you'll hit the beaches, learn about turtle conservation, trek in the Sierra Madre del Sur, and snorkel in San Agustín Bay.

If your stomach is rumbling on arrival in Mexico City, you'll be happy to know your journey begins with a cooking class and coffee workshop at Casa Malinche Coffee Bar. Then, cruise the canals of Xochimilco on a trajinera boat before heading to Mercado de San Juan to taste local cheeses, fruits, and more. Soar above the ancient pyramids of Teotihuacán in a hot-air balloon on Day 3, then return to Mexico City for a walking tour that includes a stop at the landmark-laden Zócalo and a dance performance. Next, your driver will transfer you to Oaxaca, where you'll tour the markets and indulge in an Indigenous food experience. 

On Day 6, you'll hike to Hierve el Agua for a swim in the mineral-rich pools and visit a family-run Mezcal distillery before continuing south to Huatulco. Learn about turtle conservation at Escobilla Ecoturismo Tortugas Marinas and witness the release of baby sea turtles, then enjoy a guided trek and lunch with a local community in the Sierra Madre del Sur. Make the most of your last full day with a snorkeling excursion in San Agustín Bay, followed by a bioluminescence tour at Laguna de Manialtepec and, of course, one final Mexican meal and mezcal. Learn more

More Great 10-Day Mexico Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Mexico? Check out these other 10-day Mexico itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.