This is not just a tour — it’s a passage through centuries of creativity, ritual, and identity.
We begin in San Martín Tilcajete, the beating heart of Oaxaca’s magical realism, with a visit to the world-renowned Jacobo & María Ángeles workshop.
More than artisans, they are cultural visionaries, blending Nahuatl cosmology with vibrant design. Walk through their studio, see live carving and painting, and hear the spiritual meaning behind each alebrije, painted with natural pigments and ancient symbology.
Next, we head to Santo Tomás Jalieza, where you’ll visit a Zapotec family of traditional weavers who still use the pre-Hispanic waist loom (telar de cintura). Here, threads are stories — of resistance, of tradition, of women’s wisdom passed down for generations. You’ll see how raw cotton becomes wearable heritage, and witness the skill, balance, and patience it demands.
From there, we dive into the sacred world of ancestral mezcal at a small, family-run distillery. Learn the slow, soulful process of roasting, fermenting, and distilling agave using clay pots, underground ovens, and traditional tools — and enjoy a guided tasting that honors the spirit of the land.
We close the experience with a warm and delicious lunch in Ocotlán de Morelos, where Frida welcomes you with handmade dishes full of flavor and heart, served in the middle of the bustling market she calls home.
This tour is perfect for curious, conscious travelers seeking true cultural immersion, and a chance to connect with the artists, cooks, and mezcaleros who keep Oaxaca’s soul alive.
The second stop on our tour is at the Jacobo and María Ángeles Workshop, located in San Martín Tilcajete, Oaxaca. This workshop is internationally renowned for creating alebrijes, hand-carved and painted wooden sculptures that depict fantastic, colorful creatures.
During the visit, you’ll have the chance to learn about the entire alebrije-making process, from selecting and carving the copal wood to applying intricate designs inspired by Zapotec iconography.
The workshop also has a store where you can purchase certified alebrijes, which are considered art investments due to their increasing value each year. This visit allows you to appreciate the dedication and talent that Jacobo and María Ángeles bring to Mexican folk art, preserving and sharing the cultural richness of Oaxaca.
Live demonstration and explanation of ancient weaving techniques
Optional time to browse and purchase handmade textiles
Next, we head to Ocotlán de Morelos to meet Frida, a beloved cook and guardian of the local market. You’ll enjoy a flavorful lunch at her stand — a true Oaxacan home-cooked experience surrounded by colors, smells, and laughter. This is where food and community come together, and you’ll taste the love in every bite.
This full-day cultural tour takes you to the Jacobo & María Ángeles workshop in San Martín Tilcajete to see master alebrije makers, a Zapotec family of backstrap loom weavers in Santo Tomás Jalieza, and an ancestral mezcal distillery for a guided tasting.
It closes with a traditional market lunch in Ocotlán de Morelos. Private round-trip transportation from Oaxaca City and a bilingual guide are included.
Alebrijes are hand-carved and painted wooden sculptures of fantastic, colorful creatures, made from copal wood and decorated with designs inspired by Zapotec iconography.
At this internationally renowned workshop, you’ll watch live carving and painting and learn the spiritual meaning behind each piece, blending Nahuatl cosmology with vibrant artistry.
In Santo Tomás Jalieza, a Zapotec family demonstrates the pre-Hispanic backstrap loom (telar de cintura), showing how raw cotton becomes wearable heritage through skill passed down for generations.
At a small family-run distillery, you’ll learn the ancestral mezcal process — agave roasted in underground pits, naturally fermented, and distilled in clay pots — followed by a guided tasting.
Lunch is served by Frida, a beloved local cook and guardian of the Ocotlán de Morelos market. You’ll enjoy handmade Oaxacan dishes at her market stand, a warm home-cooked experience surrounded by the colors, aromas, and energy of a bustling traditional market.
The Oaxaca artisan tour runs about 6 hours, with hotel pick-up around 8:30 am and return near 6 pm, and is rated easy.
It centers on responsible travel, with the majority of your payment going directly to the artisans, weavers, mezcaleros, and cooks who keep Oaxaca’s cultural heritage alive.
