8-Nights Highlights of Mexico: Culture, Gastronomy & Beaches - Food & Drink, Private Guided Experiences from $3,926

Day 1: Arrive in Oaxaca

Transfer: Oaxaca Airportto Oaxaca - City Centre

Hotel: Hotel Angel Inn (4 Star Rating)

The Hotel Angel Inn, situated in the tranquil San Felipe del Agua neighborhood, offers a peaceful escape just 15 minutes from Oaxaca's historic center. It features traditional Mexican architecture, lush gardens, and a serene pool area, perfect for relaxing after a day of exploration. Spacious rooms with warm decor and modern amenities ensure a restful stay. Its location provides easy access to top attractions like Monte Alban, the Ethnobotanical Garden, and Santo Domingo Church. Combining colonial charm with modern comfort, attentive service and a cozy atmosphere, the Hotel Angel Inn is a great base for discovering the rich culture, cuisine, and beauty of Oaxaca.

Led by your private driver-guide, experience three aspects of Oaxaca today. First is a tour of breathtaking Monte Alban, one of Mexico's most important archaeological sites. Perched high above the Oaxaca Valley, this ancient Zapotec and Mixtec city offers wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. Then visit the artisans of Alebrijes and learn about a tradition where artisans carve and paint fantastical creatures from copal wood. Finally, explore Oaxaca de Juarez itself. Admire the stunning Church of Santo Domingo, then Stroll through the cobblestone streets where the air is filled with wonderful aromas, a nod to Oaxaca's culinary scene, renowned for moles, mezcal, and Oaxacan chocolate. You'll also discover the city's growing art scene, with galleries and murals blending traditional and modern styles.

A hike from Benito Juarez to Cuajimoloyas is a stunning journey through the Sierra Norte mountains, displaying the region's rich biodiversity and scenic beauty. With your private driver-guide it’s a journey of about 1.5 hours from Oaxaca. The actual hike starts in the village of Benito Juarez and joined by a local guide, you'll wander along winding trails surrounded by dense forests of pine and oak, with occasional glimpses of rugged cliffs and valleys. As you ascend, the views of the surrounding mountains and valleys become more dramatic, offering great photo opportunities. Upon reaching the quaint Mixtec community of Cuajimoloyas, you'll be rewarded with panoramic vistas and a true sense of accomplishment.

Gastronomy is one of Oaxaca's big attractions and the city can nowadays boast restaurants with a Michelin star rating. A cooking class to explore the diversity and unique authentic flavours of Oaxaca is, therefore, the focus of your tour today. Join your private driver-guide to a local market to pick up the ingredients based on the instructions from local Zapotecan cooks. From there it's a short drive to a wonderfully rustic kitchen where you'll be engaged to help creating a typical Oaxacan menu, including tortillas, a starter, one of the seven famous moles, and a local dessert All of this is taking place in in a delightful rural environment. Best of all, at the end of the class, you can enjoy a meal that you helped to prepare. A fun time of immersing yourself in Zapotecan cuisine is complete when your driver-guide takes you back to your hotel.

Transfer: Oaxaca - City Centre to Oaxaca - Puerto Escondido

Hotel: Posada Real Puerto Escondido (4 Star Rating)

Posada Real Puerto Escondido offers a serene beachfront escape on Bacocho Beach, featuring over 5,000 feet of private shoreline. The resort boasts 141 rooms, including Standard Deluxe, Superior with Terrace, and Junior Suites, equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen TVs. Guests can indulge in diverse dining options across three restaurants and unwind at three bars. Recreational facilities include two large pools, a children's pool, tennis court, mini golf, and a putting green. Coco’s Beach Club provides a private haven with hammocks, palapa dining, and ocean views. The resort's lush gardens, colonial-inspired architecture, and tranquil ambiance create an inviting environment for relaxation and leisure.

Learn all about how coffee is cultivated high in the mountains, in and around the village of Pluma de Hidalgo. The constant supply of humid air from the Pacific provides the region with an ideal climate for growing the magic bean and shaded by the leafy canopy of giant subtropical trees, allows coffee plants to thrive here. Today, its coffee is among the most sought-after varieties in the world. With your private driver-guide, it’s about 2.5 hours from Puerto Escondido and accompanied by a professional coffee roaster, you then explore one of the highland fincas located in the fascinating cloud forest. Following your tour enjoy a meal and degustation at the Cafeteria Origen Magico.

Transfer: Oaxaca - Puerto Escondido to Puerto Escondido Airport