If you’re looking for the best small group private tours in Oaxaca with a focus on local culture, we’ve found them for you. We have enjoyed every one of these experiences ourselves and will give you everything you need to know so you can stop searching and start planning. This is a list of our personal favorite cultural Oaxaca tours with authentic reviews.
Why Choose Small Cultural Tours in Oaxaca?
Assuming you’ve been to our site before you already know that we love Mexico! We love the diverse landscapes, the delicious food, the interesting history and especially the beautiful range of cultures. The country is huge and therefore so is the diversity.
Since you’re here looking for Oaxaca tours, we can also assume you love Mexican culture as we do. After all, the state and city of Oaxaca is one of the most culturally rich areas of Mexico with an incredible history of traditions that are still evident today.
By choosing one or more of the following cultural experiences in Oaxaca you will not only have an enriching experience, but you will also be contributing to keeping these beautiful traditions alive.
Where Sidewalks End Travel
All the tours we will be covering are created by Where Sidewalks End (WSE Travel). As you’ll see it’s a perfect name as they specialize in off-the-beaten-path tours that work directly with locals.
Our first experience with WSE Travel was several years ago in Thailand where we received a traditional sak yant tattoo from a Thai Buddhist monk. This authentic experience was so special to us that we didn’t hesitate to choose their tours in Oaxaca when we visited.
So, let’s get on with the list of the fabulous cultural tours in Oaxaca we experienced during our 6-week stay.
Oaxaca Artisanal Cheese Experience
Oaxacan Cheese (known locally as Quesillo) is somewhat like mozzarella string cheese but don’t let that description fool you. Quesillo is 1000 times more delicious and when you taste it freshly made it’s out of this world. If you’re a foodie or a cheese lover this Oaxaca tour is not to be missed!
WSE Travel believes “one of the best ways to connect with a culture is through their food” and we completely agree. This tour is so much more than a cheese lover’s dream, it’s an inside look at how quesillo has been made in the village of Reyes Etla for more than 130 years.
Local legend says that a young girl named Leobarda Castellanos Garcia stumbled upon the process accidentally when she let the milk coagulate too long and, in a panic, poured hot water over it. Rather than get into trouble she found she’d created a stringy, sticky cheese with a delicious flavor that people loved.
Our private Oaxaca cheese tour took us to the small village of Reyes Etla where we entered through a wall painted with a colorful mural depicting the process and the current quesillo makers.
We were led to a table laden with several types of freshly made cheese and I’m not ashamed to say I gorged myself on the offerings.
After we’d had more than our fill, we made our way to big pots containing the different stages of quesillo and watched in awe of the process. We were even allowed to try working with the cheese ourselves before our host took over and handed us pieces of freshly made, salted strings of quesillo. I thought I was too full for another bite, but it was so delicious I accepted more than one piece.
A surprise addition to our tour (I’m not sure if this is always included) was a short hike to a small church that was famous for being in the Jack Black movie Nacho Libre. It was a fun way to work off a bit of the cheese we’d eaten.
Oaxaca Zapotec Candle Experience
For our velas de concha (shell candle) making tour, we drove to the family-run workshop of Velas San Pascual in the village of Teotitlán del Valle. This village, near the city of Oaxaca, is rich with Zapotec traditions and these shell candles played a large role in wedding ceremonies for centuries.
The laborious art of hand-making these candles all but died out several decades ago due to the fact that the candle makers were not paid well for their work. Fortunately, the tradition survived thanks in large part to Doña Viviana who was taught the skill by her grandmother as a small child.
Although she continued this work her whole life, it wasn’t until she was a married woman that she fought the male and church-dominated system and found a way to sell her candles and support her ailing husband.
She then took things a step further and taught the process to other women in the village and even the surrounding areas. Until this time, it had been customary to only teach family. The combination of selling her candles and teaching others how to make them revived this beautiful art form and is the reason we can visit the workshops today.
The family of Velas San Pascual is an example of those who have made good use of Doña Viviana’s teaching and tenacity. They have built a thriving business based on the painstaking candle-making process that almost vanished.
Anyone can visit Velas San Pascual to see a demonstration and purchase the exquisite hand-made candles. However, I believe that the WSE tour is the only one that provides a hands-on experience in making the elaborate decorations that adorn the candles.
The beeswax candle making itself is extremely labor intensive and fascinating to watch. The flower and shell-shaped decorations are also made from beeswax using hand-carved molds and this is what you will try your hand at. The girls make it look much easier than it is but with patience, you will come away with a beautiful candle of your own.
Oaxaca Artisanal Mezcal Experience
If you like mezcal and/or are interested in the history and production of this ancient elixir then a visit to a mezcal Palenque is a must. Mezcal’s rise in popularity in the 2000s led to a huge boost in commercial production and there is even a Mezcal Route (Ruta de Mezcal) that runs for 30 miles from Oaxaca City to Santiago Matatlan.
While you can take a group tour or easily make your own way to one of the many large mezcal producers along the route we highly recommend a more intimate experience. WSE offers two options for mezcal experiences: the Oaxaca Ancestral Experience and the Oaxaca Artisanal Experience. We chose the Artisanal Experience.
We were picked up in Oaxaca City and driven to the town of Santiago Matatlan which is known as “The World Capital of Mezcal.” After passing some of the big commercial producers along the way we were relieved to arrive at the small family-run Palenque of Desde la Eternidad.
Desde la Eternidad is unique because it is run by women, something that was unheard of not long ago as it’s always been a very male-dominated profession. Lidia Hernadez took over the production after her father’s death and is now running the show.
Before our tasting, we were taken in the back of a pickup truck out to the expansive fields of giant agave growing on the family’s ancestral land. The bumpy ride along dirt tracks added to the excitement of the experience and is something you will not get with large group tours or self-drive visits.
Most traditional mezcal makers are also farmers and we passed other crops in the fields before stopping at a shady spot under a beautiful flowering Huisache tree. “Now you will have a traditional blessing,” said our guide.
This was an unexpected addition to our experience, so we were both excited and a tad nervous. We each took turns sitting on a chair under the tree to receive our blessing. I’m torn as I write this whether to describe the unique and beautiful experience or leave it as a surprise. I’ve decided to go with surprise. I’ll just say two things: “It’s amazing” and “Close your eyes.”
Following the blessing and a lesson on the different varieties of agave and how they are farmed we returned to the palenque to learn about the production. Then, finally the tasting!
The Desde la Eternidad is a small production, but the quality is exceptional and the mezcal is delicious. They mainly sell their mezcal on site so it’s unlikely you’ll find it in shops or restaurants. Of course, we had to buy some to take back and enjoy later.
It was lunchtime when we left the palenque so we were pleased to hear we were going to be treated to a family lunch hosted at the home of a tiny one-man mezcal production. Here was sat among the various pots and distilling equipment and learned more about how they make their mezcal while the ladies made fresh tejate (a delicious pre-Hispanic maize and cacao drink) and grilled meat for our lunch.
The day was a perfect blend of tradition, wonderful people and amazing flavors. I can’t recommend this tour more if you want an authentic experience in Oaxaca!
Oaxaca Chocolate-Making Experience
If you love chocolate, as I do, you can’t miss this Oaxaca chocolate-making experience. But don’t expect the super sweet, milky chocolate you’re probably used to. This chocolate is quite different and, in my opinion, even more delicious. Plus, you will learn about the long history of the consumption of cacao dating back to ancient civilizations like the Olmec, Aztec and Maya.
It is said that the first use of cacao in Mexico was by the Olmec who ground the beans into a powder that was mixed with water and spices. The drink was used in sacred ceremonies and served to emperors and warriors and given as an offering. In other words, it was very special to these ancient civilizations and, in fact, they valued the cacao bean above gold.
Our small group was taken to La Autentica Chocolateria where we were warmly welcomed by Areli and Edi, the passionate chocolatiers and owners. Their contagious smiles and obvious excitement for their craft gave us a hint at the special experience we were about to have.
After learning about the history of the cacao bean and hearing the lovely story of how Areli and Edi started their business we went to work.
We all participated in the process of roasting, shelling and then grinding the beans into a paste. The grinding was fun as we used a homemade contraption powered by riding an old bicycle. Next, we added sugar, cinnamon and ground nuts to the paste and returned to the grinder to process further.
Finally, we placed the concoction into molds and added whatever toppings we wanted before leaving the chocolate to set in the fridge.
While our chocolate set, we were treated to a tasting of a variety of chocolate bars and drinks, including a delicious chocolate porter. As the tasting progressed it became clear why our hosts loved their work and why the ancient people so valued cacao…have you ever become tipsy on chocolate?
Once set we wrapped our masterpieces in colored paper to take home with us and joyfully thanked our hosts before heading off to a delicious lunch of the best tlayudas I’ve ever tasted.
One word of warning about this experience; you will need a chocolate-induced afternoon siesta!
About Where Sidewalks End Oaxaca Tours
- All WSE experiences in Oaxaca are private tours of up to 6 people. There is a discount as you add people to your group so if you’re a couple it’s beneficial to bring friends to make up the numbers.
- Transportation to and from your Oaxaca City hotel is included but don’t expect a big fancy bus. These experiences are all about getting to know local culture and people so you may be driven by your local guide in their car. It’s like going with a friend!
- Lunch is normally included in these experiences and it’s always local, authentic and delicious.
- Don’t wait until the last minute to book as these aren’t mega-group tours with tons of availability.
- These are not cookie-cutter group tours. They are carefully crafted experiences that give back to the local communities so be ready to open your heart and mind and have an adventurous mindset.
- This is not a complete list of WSE experiences offered in Oaxaca, it’s just the ones we have done ourselves. So make sure to review all the other tours. We’ve heard amazing reviews of the Oaxaca Day of the Dead Experiences and plan to return to try one ourselves.
Born in England, Sarah developed her wanderlust at a young age as she traveled around Europe with her parents. As a young adult she spent every penny she could on experiences as opposed to possessions. Eventually she found a way to earn a living doing what she loved: traveling, writing and capturing images of the wondrous world we live in. When not on the go Sarah enjoys time in her “sometimes home” of Vancouver.