Mexico Vacations

18 itineraries through Oaxaca · guaranteed departures

Oaxaca Vacations, Guided End to End

Every route below starts in Mexico City and takes in Puebla, the Monte Albán Zapotec site and the Oaxaca Valley. Hotels, breakfast, coach and an English-speaking guide included, from $1,360USD per person.

Oaxaca in 8 to 10 days

Mexico City and Puebla, then Monte Albán and the Oaxaca Valley. The shortest way to do it properly.

Add Chiapas: 11 to 13 days

Everything above, plus the Sumidero Canyon by boat and a stay in San Cristóbal de las Casas. The sweet spot, and what most people book.

Coast to coast: 14 to 20 days

On past Chiapas to Palenque, Campeche, Mérida and Chichén Itzá — the longest crossing the whole country to the Caribbean.

The Mexico City and Oaxaca itinerary

If you have tried to plan this yourself you have probably landed on the same route the operators use — the geography leaves very little choice.

  1. 1

    Mexico City

    Every route starts in the capital — the Zócalo, the Basilica of Guadalupe, and the pyramids of Teotihuacan an hour outside town.

  2. 2

    Puebla

    Southeast to colonial Puebla — the cathedral, the Palafoxiana Library, the Callejón de los Sapos. Most routes stop at Cholula on the way.

  3. 3

    Monte Albán

    The Zapotec city on the ridge above the Oaxaca Valley. A guided visit is included on every route here. Nobody skips it.

  4. 4

    Oaxaca & Mitla

    A night in Oaxaca itself, then the Zapotec stonework at San Pablo Villa de Mitla, a designated Pueblo Mágico.

What changes between itineraries is what happens after Oaxaca. The short trips loop back to Mexico City. The longer ones push south into Chiapas, and the longest carry on through Palenque and the Yucatán to the Caribbean. Pick your length and the route picks itself.

Why nobody visits Oaxaca alone

Oaxaca sits a long day's drive south of Mexico City. Getting there under your own steam means an internal flight or a lot of time behind the wheel — which is why it is almost always the centrepiece of a wider route rather than a trip on its own. These three stops are what you are actually going for.

Monte Albán

The Zapotec capital, levelled into a mountain ridge 1,300 feet above the valley floor around 500 BC. A guided visit is included on every itinerary here — standing on the Gran Plaza with the valley falling away on all sides is the bit people remember.

Mitla

San Pablo Villa de Mitla is a designated Pueblo Mágico, and its Zapotec stonework is unlike anything else in Mexico — geometric mosaic fretwork cut from thousands of individually shaped stones, fitted without mortar.

Oaxaca city

An overnight in the colonial city itself — green cantera stone, arcaded squares, and the food that made Oaxaca famous. Several itineraries include a lunch in Oaxaca, so one meal is handled before you go wandering.

Going for Día de Muertos

Day of the Dead falls on November 1st and 2nd, and it is the single busiest moment in the Mexican travel calendar. Oaxaca is one of the places it is celebrated most intensely, and departures that fall across those dates are the first to sell out — often months ahead.

Several of the itineraries on this page have late-October and early-November departures that put you in Mexico across the holiday. Exactly which city you are in on the night itself depends on the tour and the departure date, so check the day-by-day on the tour page, or ask us and we'll tell you before you book. If Día de Muertos is the reason you're going, it's worth getting that detail right.

Planning a trip to Oaxaca: your questions

How many days do you need for Oaxaca?

Oaxaca is almost always visited as part of a wider Mexican circuit rather than on its own, because it sits a full day's drive south of Mexico City. Our shortest Oaxaca itinerary is 8 days and the longest is 20. Eight to ten days is enough to pair Mexico City and Puebla with Monte Albán and the Oaxaca Valley without rushing.

What is the standard Mexico City to Oaxaca route?

Mexico City, then southeast to Puebla, then on to the Monte Albán Zapotec site above the Oaxaca Valley, with a night in Oaxaca itself. Most itineraries then continue to the Zapotec ruins at Mitla before heading into Chiapas or turning back toward the capital.

Do these tours visit Monte Albán and Mitla?

Monte Albán, the Zapotec city on the ridge above the Oaxaca Valley, is on every one of these routes and includes a guided visit. San Pablo Villa de Mitla — a designated Pueblo Mágico known for its Zapotec stonework — is included on most of the longer itineraries. Check the day-by-day on any tour page to see exactly what is scheduled.

What's included in the price?

Hotels, daily breakfast, an English-speaking guide, coach transport between cities, basic travel insurance and your arrival airport transfer. Several Oaxaca itineraries also include a lunch in Oaxaca. International flights are not included.

How does the 20% deposit work?

When you book, your card is authorized for a 20% deposit — nothing is charged yet. We place the booking with the tour operator, and only once it's confirmed (usually within 48 hours) is the deposit actually charged. If we can't confirm it, the hold is released in full.

When is the best time to go to Oaxaca?

The dry season, roughly November through April, is the most reliable weather. Late October and early November draw the biggest crowds because of Día de Muertos — if you want to be in Mexico for it, book early, as those departures fill first.

Not sure which Oaxaca route is yours?

Tell us how long you have and what you want to see. We'll shortlist the best matches from all 18 — no charge, no pressure.

Get a recommendationBrowse all tours