Mexico · OAXACA CITY TOURS

The 15 Best Oaxaca Tours & Day Trips

68 tours  ·  from $15 a head

Oaxaca argues that it cooks better than the capital and it is not obviously wrong. The 15 below cover Monte Alban above the valley, the mezcal palenques, Hierve el Agua and the markets, priced and timed.

Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour - Teotitlán del Valle shows how Oaxacan rugs are made
Oaxaca City Tours, Tequila & Mezcal Tastings, Tequila Tastings in Oaxaca City, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour

1.Hierve el Agua, Tule Tree, Mitla and Mezcal Distillery Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,094 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $55Our pick

See Oaxaca’s Tule Tree, Mitla, Hierve el Agua, village textiles, and mezcal in one full-day tour with transport and tastings.

“We had an amazing tour in Oaxaca with the best tour guide. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the culture and history. The experience was well organized and enjoyable from start to finish. Definitely recommend!”

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Explore Hierve el Agua, Mitla, Tule, Textile and Mezcal for a day - Teotitlán del Valle and the work behind a wool rug
Oaxaca City Tours, Tequila & Mezcal Tastings, Tequila Tastings in Oaxaca City, Tour Reviews

Explore Hierve el Agua, Mitla, Tule, Textile and Mezcal for a day

Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour - Meeting in central Oaxaca and riding uphill
Guided, Oaxaca City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour

3.Monte Alban Guided Half Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 880 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $32

Explore Monte Albán from Oaxaca with an expert guide, air-conditioned transport, free time, and flexible return options for $32.24.

“Monte Alban is amazing and our guide was both entertaining and knowledgeable. He told us about the history of the site, the archaeological investigations and the Zapotec. Great stories and great delivery. Just be prepared to crab walk up and down a lot of stairs!”

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From Oaxaca de Juarez: Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery - The 105-minute journey from Oaxaca
Oaxaca City Tours, Tequila & Mezcal Tastings, Tequila Tastings in Oaxaca City, Tour Reviews

From Oaxaca de Juarez: Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery

4.Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Distillery

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 615 reviews · 8 hours · from $64

Review of Oaxaca’s Hierve el Agua and mezcal tour, with petrified waterfalls, natural pools, local guides, tastings, and practical booking advice.

“Great tour with Estefany + Otto, having the 3 hours at hierve el agua is perfect because you can take a hike, go to (or into) the pools and have lunch. On the way back you get a looot of mezcal. Recommended!”

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AUTHENTIC OAXACA CULTURAL FOOD TOUR, eat like a local. - Mercado Sanchez Pascuas: an early look at local shopping
Food, Food & Drink, Food Tours, Oaxaca City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

AUTHENTIC OAXACA CULTURAL FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.

6.AUTHENTIC OAXACA CULTURAL FOOD TOUR, eat like a local.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 462 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $114

Taste 24-plus Oaxacan foods, drinks, mezcal, fruit, and market fare on a six-hour walking tour with local guides.

“This 6+ hour tour will take you from breakfast past lunch. You'll try several traditional Oaxacan dishes and beverages, some dating back to pre-hispanic times — and learn about their ingredients and their place in the culture. At every stop there's a generous sample, always followed by an offer of a second helping. It's all fresh and all delicious. Our guide, Aurora, was knowledgeable and clear. This is a great tour to do on your first day to introduce yourself to the food and the city center. There is not that much walking (considering the length of the tour) but it might be difficult for those who can't stand in…”

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Oaxaca: Tule, Mitla & Hierve el Agua, & Mezcal Tour - Teotitlán del Valle and the work behind a woven rug
Oaxaca City Tours, Tequila & Mezcal Tastings, Tequila Tastings in Oaxaca City, Tour Reviews, Tours

Oaxaca: Tule, Mitla & Hierve el Agua, & Mezcal Tour

Boil the water and distillery mezcal tour - Three hours at Hierve el Agua
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Boil the water and distillery mezcal tour

10.Boil the water and distillery mezcal tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 413 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Explore Hierve el Agua, hike and swim in mineral pools, then learn mezcal making and taste up to 14 varieties near Oaxaca.

“This tour is great! You get about 3 hours at Hierve el Agua, which is just the right amount of time, and then you get to taste about 10 different Mezcals at the distillery. Our guide Margarita was knowledgeable, friendly, and funny! Highly recommend.”

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Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets, All gastronomy included - From Tlacolula tacos to quesadillas
Oaxaca City Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets, All gastronomy included

11.Immersion Tour and Oaxaca Markets, All gastronomy included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 386 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Explore Oaxaca’s local markets with about 20 tastings, expert guides, pre-Hispanic drinks, tacos, quesadillas, and practical food tips.

“We walked through the enormous local city market and tasted several different foods including creating our own taco, moles, baked goods, roasted grasshoppers and toasted pumpkin seeds. It’s a slow walk so very easy and our guide Yiel was super knowledgeable and got all the foods for us.”

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Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour - Walking through the market before cooking
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Oaxaca City, Markets, Oaxaca City Tours, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Workshops

Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour

12.Flavors of Oaxaca: Cooking Class with No Set Menu and Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 333 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $75

Shop Oaxaca’s market, help make a changing menu, and sit down to mole, tortillas, drinks, and other local dishes.

“Nicely paced market tour and cooking class! The different settings and pacing made it easy to stay engaged. We also enjoyed the balance between hands-on opportunities to cook and Oscar and the staff helping with clean up and set up to keep the class moving along efficiently. We had a nice group of just 6 of us and we enjoyed lunch together. They also served us a margarita, some mezcal, and iced tea. No complaints!”

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Oaxaca Conmigo Private Tours - Monte Albán gives your day a strong beginning
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Oaxaca Conmigo Private Tours

13.Oaxaca Conmigo Private Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 274 reviews · 3 to 9 hours (approx.)

Build a private Oaxaca day with Monte Albán, Hierve el Agua, artisan villages, markets, and mezcal, guided in English from $309.90 per group.

“We had a wonderful experience with Oaxaca Conmigo Tours. Our guide, Tony, was accommodating and flexible, making sure we maximized our time, and did just the things we were excited to do. Conversation was genuine and informative during our drive. We made a stop for an authentic breakfast at Comedor Citali on the way to Hierve El Agua. Per Tony's suggestion we arrived at early to beat the crowds and the heat. Tony procured a wonderful local guide while at Hierve el Agua. The tour far exceeded our expectations. We had a wonderful hike, took in multiple views, all while receiving fascinating history of the site. The stop was made…”

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The Mezcal Journey - Walking through the agave fields at Campo Enigma
Oaxaca City Tours, Tequila & Mezcal Tastings, Tequila Tastings in Oaxaca City, Tour Reviews

The Mezcal Journey

14.The Mezcal Journey

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 273 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $105

Follow Oaxaca mezcal from agave field to palenque, taste widely, and enjoy a generous local lunch with a small English-speaking group.

“Experience was amazing! Tasted over 10 Mezcals. We got a chance to walk where they plant the mezcals. The guide explained in detail how the mezcal process is done and how it is similar but also different to tequila. Our group was small but we bonded enough to get to know each other a bit. All in all worth every second”

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Traditional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma's Recipes - Chileajo con verduras shows the quieter side of Oaxacan cooking
Oaxaca City Tours, Tour Reviews

Traditional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma’s Recipes

15.Traditional Oaxaqueña Cooking with Grandma’s Recipes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 260 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $90

Cook Oaxacan family recipes with Chef Adhey Andrade, from hot chocolate and salsas to chile rellenos, in a warm small-group home kitchen.

“We were greeted at a local park and driven to the chef’s home. The kitchen, which was designed by Chef Adhey and her husband Enrique, is a beautiful oasis to prepare Oaxacan food. Chef Adhey shared her culinary story and led us on a wonderful journey to prepare some Oaxcan dishes. The experience was wonderful, friendly and fun. We highly recommend this experience. Let them know your dietary restrictions ahead of time and you should be good.”

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