Overview
All conversations about Oaxaca revolve around 3 things: culture, crafts and food. Join us on an exploration of vibrant Oaxaca through the streets, markets and celebrated landmarks of the city centre. Taking in plazas, historic buildings, local legends, exquisite architecture and of course the fascinating world of Oaxaca's markets, this tour will give you an excellent intro to life in the city as well as help you navigate the downtown area during your stay.
Community support
What you will be doing
The tour will begin in the main square or Zocalo, exploring the modern foundations of the city, the cathedral and its colonial past.
We will then move onto the markets before they get too busy. An integral part of life in Mexico, we will explore both the Benito Juarez food market and the Mercado 20 de Noviembre craft market, where you can find all manner of produce and wares. We will sample some typical food & drinks, have a look at how chocolate is made, visit a Mezcal superstore, checkout the world famous 'pasillo de humo' (corridor of smoke) as well as help you understand the layout of the markets for future reference and shopping. Believe us, you can get lost among the plethora of textiles, leather goods, shoemakers, ceramics, fried crickets & food stalls!
After the bustle of the market you will be delighted to enter the oasis of calm and biodiversity that is the Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca. Considered a gem among botanical gardens, although relatively small in size it houses a huge variety of cacti & agave, many among them endemic to the region. This is an eye opening walk among the representative vegetation of the state and an amazing spot for photo opportunities.
Next up, a welcome break for refreshments and light lunch at La Cosecha Market. This market is relatively small, open air, and very clean as opposed to the main city markets. It was setup to showcase the food from different regions of the state, which you can choose from the different vendors that surround a common eating area.
One of the most celebrated church in Oaxaca & Mexico.
We finish our afternoon by heading down to the Textile museum, a beautifully restored colonial mansion that houses a fascinating collection of Textiles from around the state. Oaxaca is known specifically for its textiles and this museum is a hidden gem.
Where we'll meet
🧭 Meeting/pick-up point: Av. José María Morelos 306, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico
🗺️ Instructions: We will meet you in front of the Café Bien Oaxaca shop.
Things to know
Accessibility:
Children friendly
Fitness requirement
Any fitness level
Tour Language
English
License requirement
None
Additional information:
Most of our group tours require a minimum of 4 people to run the tour. If we do not hit this minimum, we reserve the right to cancel the tour, in which case we will contact you to offer an alternative tour or send a refund.
Credit card payments have a fee up to 7% depending on Credit Cards. We recommend bringing cash.
Inclusion ✅
Lunch
Snack
Refreshments
Entrance ticket
Tour guide
Exclusion ❌
Pick up and drop off transport
About your host
Mexico Kan ToursSustainability is important to us. We have a zero waste programme: we do not use plastics in our tours - instead, we use refillable water bottles and bring homemade snacks in Tupperware boxes. We also have a recycling and composting programme. We select small, locally owned providers (Cenotes, Sian Kaan, food, restaurants, accommodation) to support local communities, and our team participates in beach/town clean-ups each year We financially support local organisations such as Movida Maya (empowering Mayan kids), Alma Animal (shelter for cats and dogs) and a local kids’ football team (Titanes).
For every trip booked, Kodama Travel donates £1 to Just One Tree to restore our forests and the ocean.