Join me for ten glorious days (and 9 nights) in the small village of San Pablo Mitla an hour east of Oaxaca City. The village is indigenous Zapotec and you will experience the slow, safe, and happy pace of village life. Our days are full and rich spent visiting ancient petroglyph caves, archaeological sites, world class artisans and village festivals. But we also have time built in for relaxation and retreating - reading by the pool, journaling, birdwatching, hiking and wandering the village.

We stay in a beautifully appointed eco lodge with private kitchen, solar warmed pool, open air palapa, amazing gardens and nearby hiking trails. Cactus and stars abound. We have it all to ourselves. Our meals are catered by a local family and they are local, fresh and delicious. Our footprint is small and our dollars spent locally. I like that.

Our “Casa” is a 10 minute walk from the famous archaeological zone of Mitla and 20 min ride to the site of Yagul. The culture is ancient and the people thrive. We use several guides, all local, many Zapotec speakers, each with their own specialty. Expect to hear greetings and blessings in Zapotec. Mitla also has a thriving crafts tradition and we visit several famous weavers and take day trips to nearby artisan villages. And no trip is complete without a little dive into mezcal traditions.

This journey runs deep: caves of petroglyohs, mystical ruins, magical trees, church rooftops, traditional steambath, local artisans, sacred traditions and healing foods. Mitla is a perfect outpost to explore the best of what Oaxaca offers.

Step away from the high tourism of the city and ground yourself in the village.

Please note - Mitla is at almost 5,000 ft elevation and some days we’ll be doing a moderate amount of walking (less than 3 miles). Tiny taxis are plentiful should you choose. Please talk to us about any fitness concerns or accommodations you might need. 

Also- Some people will want to pair this with time in the city for a taste of urban life. We are happy to make lodging recommendations for Oaxaca City.

And - . 🥰 Please note that only four rooms are available—all rooms have two beds and are double occupancy. Bring a partner or friend or we can pair you up with a roommate. Dont be shy. It’s almost always great fun to have a roomie.

And, as always we look forward to lots of laughter, fun and connection that always seems to happen when a group of intuitive, curious, joyous travelers come together with intention. Please reach out with any questions!  

Today is mostly a travel and get situated day. We’ll arrange to pick you up at the airport or in Oaxaca City during the day. Plan to be picked up in Oaxaca by 6. We’ll gather for a light meal and sharing in the evening. 

After a nourishing breakfast of local food, we walk down the road to the archaeological site of Mitla, home to pre-Hispanic Zapotec priests and some architectural wonders. A huge network of underground caves have recently been acknowledged here. We’ll have a private tour with our local guide who shares Zapotec traditions and the meaning of the mysterious symbols embedded into the buildings. Learn about the law of the center and the dance of the ancestors. Free afternoon. Dinner at Lyobaa 

Really special morning as we head out to the prehistoric caves of Mitla home to the people who first domesticated corn (and squash and turkeys) and filled with mysterious rock paintings. Our local guide Pepe shares with us stories of this remarkable land, their uplifting community project and the flora and fauna that call this place home. Back at the Casa for lunch and an open afternoon. You will have time to hike, journal, swim, read or reflect. This 3/4 mile 600 ft elevation gain always leaves us feeling lots of good energy.

Our morning excursion takes us to award winning Zapotec weaver and culture keeper Arturo Hernandez.  He shares his home altar with us and beautiful sometimes heartbreaking stories of his village. Afterwards we visit his weaving studio and see backstrap and shuttle looms and learn how he weaves myth into his cloth. Plus a natural dye demo if we’re lucky. This is a wonderful chance to shop handmade maker direct!! Then we’ll lunch at a huge buffet Oaxacan style. Dinner at our abode.

Teotitlan de Valle is one of the most prosperous indigenous artisan villages in all of Latin America largely because of their rug making traditions. Today we’ll visit a family run studio where we’ll learn about natural dyes, see their beautiful rugs and have a chance to shibori dye our own wool rebozos! Plus time at their market and community museum. Dinner at our Casa.

 Today is a morning hike at the ruins of Yagul. We take our time and amble through this pre Hispanic site. Our guide Gadviel , who grew up playing among the stones and statues, makes this ancient city come alive for us - with its tombs, ball courts, palaces and stunning views. Then we hike to the top the Fortaleza (the Fortress) with an herb walk along the way, more stunning views. We learn to call in the ancestors and give offerings like his ancestors have done for millennia. We almost always have this site to ourselves which makes it extra special. Back at our abode for lunch and an afternoon to swim, wander, sketch and integrate. Dinner on your own.

The day is super chill with just a short walk into town and a visit to their (pretty amazing) community museum. In the evening we head out to learn all about mezcal, a distilled beverage that dates to colonial times. Afterwards, a home cooked meal in a magical setting.

Today is the natural wonders piece of our excursion. An optional morning outing in the countryside to Hierve el Agua. Mineral rich spring waters have created stunning calcified waterfalls where we can hike and explore. Afternoon on your own. And this evening, we’ll have a special opportunity to experience a steam bath used traditionally for purification and cleansing. Our hostess Sylvia guides us. Such a gentle way to end our day.

My longtime, erudite and charming friend and guide Pablo Gonzales joins us today as we continue our exploration of Oaxacan artisan traditions.. Red pottery, stone masons and a church filled with artisan candles round out our day. Farewell fiesta at our Casa.

Today we’ll ease back into the hustle and bustle of the big city with a morning visit to the Tlacolula Market, one of the longest running weekly indigenous markets in the Americas. Be amazed by all manner of food, see the Hall of Smoke, have your fortune read by a canary, dance to the music and generally revel in the beautiful cacophony of sights and sounds that make the Mercado one of my favorite things to do in Mexico. Afterwards lunch at an award winning village hole in the wall. Back in Oaxaca City you can fly out this afternoon or we can recommend hotels for the rest of your visit. We come as travelers and leave as friends.