Hierve el Agua Petrified Waterfalls & Zapotec Village
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca08 HoursStarts 09:00Cancellation up to 1 day before
About this experience
Begin this signature journey at an ancient sacred Zapotec natural wonder: Hierve el Agua, world-renowned for its dramatic petrified calcium carbonate waterfalls rising 12 and 30 meters above the valley, formed over thousands of years. Explore scenic cliffside trails overlooking the Sierra Madre del Sur, observe ancient 2,500-year-old irrigation canals, and swim in natural cliffside infinity pools. Next, visit a traditional mezcal distillery to witness underground cone oven roasting, stone wheel tahona crushing, and copper alembic distillation, followed by a guided tasting of artisanal varieties (espadín, tobalá, tepextate). End in Teotitlán del Valle to watch indigenous weavers create handspun wool rugs on wooden looms using natural organic dyes like cochineal and indigo.
Key details
Destination
Oaxaca City
Duration
08 Hours
Start time
09:00
Operating days
Every day
Group size
2 – 16 people
Children ages
3 – 11 years
Cancellation
Up to 1 day before
Service
Spanish and English
What is included
Round-trip air-conditioned hotel transportation, certified bilingual tour coordinator, onboard liability insurance, guided tasting of artisanal mezcal varieties, loom workshop guided tour in Teotitlán del Valle; Hierve el Agua admission included in Full plan.
Not included
Hierve el Agua park admission on Light & Comfort plans (approx. $100.00 MXN p/p), meals and beverages, gratuities, optional local community site guides at Hierve el Agua.
Itinerary
09:00 AMDeparture from Oaxaca City | 10:45 AM Arrival at Hierve el Agua: hike along petrified waterfall lookouts & free swim time in natural infinity pools | 01:00 PM Drive to mezcal distillery | 01:45 PM Traditional palenque tour & guided mezcal tasting | 02:45 PM Free time for authentic Oaxacan lunch | 03:45 PM Teotitlán del Valle visit: spinning, natural cochineal dyeing & loom weaving demonstration | 05:00 PM Hotel drop-off.
Times are approximate and may vary with traffic and weather.
Meeting point
Hotel lobby in Oaxaca Downtown or designated meeting point (08:45 AM).
Comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes for rocky terrain, swimsuit and towel (if swimming), comfortable light clothes, eco-friendly sunscreen and bug spray, hat, and cash for admissions and textile/mezcal purchases.
Important notes
Per local indigenous community regulations at Hierve el Agua, tour coordinators must wait at the transport unit while visitors explore the site; optional community local guides are available on-site.
Cancellation and conditions
You can cancel up to 1 day before the date of the experience.
Minimum of 2 people per booking.
Child rate applies from 3 to 11 years; older travelers pay the adult rate.
After payment you receive your coupon and itinerary in PDF by email and in My trips.
An intimate, transformative, and deeply sensory holistic healing retreat nestled in a peaceful highland village just outside Oaxaca City, where mountain streams and cool pine breezes foster profound inner reconnection. Guided by 'La China', a respected traditional indigenous healer, embark on a sacred 5-stage ceremonial journey focused on emotional release, energetic renewal, and body-soul harmonization using ancestral elements: copal resin smudging, fresh medicinal herb cleansing, therapeutic stream water rituals, and deep mindfulness meditation. To protect sacred privacy and foster complete presence, cameras and mobile phones are strictly prohibited during the ceremony.
Duration: 08 Hours · starts 09:00
Mon, Tue, Fri
Group: 2 – 8 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 2 days before
From, per adult$93USD
A 2-day, 1-night immersive mountain journey through the majestic Sierra Juárez, fusing pristine cloud forest nature, Mexican history, and indigenous healing wisdom. On Day 1, visit the Guelatao Glass Skywalk, the historic sacred lagoon, and Ixtlán's colonial church, continuing to the picturesque Magic Town of Capulálpam de Méndez to savor rare chichilo mole in the community market, tour 17th-century San Mateo Church, and stay overnight in rustic mountain cabins equipped with wood-burning fireplaces. On Day 2, visit a white-tailed deer wildlife reserve (UMA), venture barefoot into the pitch-black caverns of Cueva del Arroyo for a sensory grounding walk, and visit the Indigenous Traditional Medicine Center with optional herbal temazcal steam bath and massage.
Duration: 02 Days / 01 Night · starts 08:00
Every day
Group: 2 – 12 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 3 days before
From, per adult$406USD
A premium connoisseur experience designed for true aficionados of Oaxaca's most sacred spirit. Begin with a photo stop at the ancient Tule Tree before traveling deep into agave country to visit two distinct, world-class palenques. At the first distillery, learn the artisanal method (underground stone oven roasting, horse-drawn stone tahona wheel crushing, and copper alembic still distillation). Next, venture to the community of Xaaga to meet an authentic Master Mezcalier preserving rare ancestral mezcal: agave crushed by hand using heavy wooden mallets in oak tree troughs and double-distilled exclusively in pre-Hispanic clay pots with reed tubes. Conclude with an educational guided tasting comparing wild agave varieties.
Duration: 05 Hours · starts 09:00
Mon, Tue, Fri
Group: 2 – 12 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 1 day before
From, per adult$93USD
Child (3–11)$70USD
An enriching Friday excursion into the southern Valley of Ocotlán to experience its vibrant weekly market day. Begin in Ocotlán de Morelos visiting its restored neoclassical church adorned with artwork by native painter Rodolfo Morales. Inside the lively town market, visit 'La Cocina de Frida', an iconic food stall run by Doña Beatriz, celebrated for her striking natural resemblance to artist Frida Kahlo. Savor a chilled bowl of pre-Hispanic téjate before continuing to Santo Tomás Jalieza, where indigenous women preserve ancient pre-Columbian backstrap loom weaving producing geometric cotton belts and textiles. Conclude in San Martín Tilcajete, stepping inside a family alebrije studio to witness copal wood carving and intricate fine-brush painting of mythical creatures.
Duration: 05 Hours · starts 10:00
Fri
Group: 2 – 14 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 1 day before
From, per adult$75USD
Child (3–11)$56USD
An extraordinary anthropological and culinary journey operated exclusively on Sundays to Mesoamerica's oldest and most vibrant indigenous open-air market: Tlacolula Traditional Market. Begin at the 16th-century Dominican Monastery of San Jerónimo Tlacochahuaya, admiring its hand-painted indigenous floral ceiling frescoes and historic working baroque pipe organ. Continue to San Marcos Tlapazola, a remote Zapotec village where indigenous women craft distinctive red clay cookware entirely by hand without a wheel. Arrive in bustling Tlacolula, walking among thousands of villagers dressed in colorful embroidered aprons where ancestral silent barter (trueque) is still practiced. Savor freshly pit-roasted lamb barbacoa, sweet pan de cazuela, and drink frothy téjate, the ancient pre-Hispanic 'drink of the gods'.
Duration: 05.5 Hours · starts 09:00
Sun
Group: 3 – 16 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 1 day before
From, per adult$77USD
Child (3–11)$58USD
Just 17 km north of Oaxaca City, venture into the verdant Valley of Etla to discover two celebrated regional wonders: eco-friendly artisanal papermaking and the true birthplace of iconic Oaxacan string cheese (quesillo). Begin in San Agustín Etla at the Arte Papel Oaxaca studio, housed in a historic hydroelectric mill, witnessing how native botanical fibers—pochote tree bark, wild cotton, and flowers—are transformed into fine handmade paper and jewelry. Tour the magnificent San Agustín Arts Center (CaSa), Latin America's first ecological cultural center, set inside a restored 1883 textile factory with stunning architecture. Conclude at a family-run dairy farm in Reyes Etla, watching fresh curds stretched into endless ribbons and coiled into classic quesillo balls, accompanied by a delicious tasting of fresh cheeses and regional snacks.
Duration: 04.5 Hours · starts 09:00
Mon, Wed, Fri
Group: 2 – 14 people
3 plans: LIGHT · CONFORT · FULL
Cancellation up to 1 day before
From, per adult$56USD
Child (3–11)$42USD
Experience one of the most exhilarating, vibrant, and unique Day of the Dead carnivals in all of Mexico: The Muerteada of San Agustín Etla, celebrated on the night of November 1st. With over 80 years of living tradition, the entire mountain community takes to the streets in a massive nocturnal procession where death is confronted with theatrical satire, infectious brass music, and community revelry. Hundreds of participants wear breathtaking costumes sewn with thousands of chiming metal bells and mirrors, portraying legendary folk characters—the Devil, Death, priests, doctors, and spiritualists—acting out an ancient comedic drama where a deceased soul returns to life before being guided back to eternity.
Duration: 06 Hours · starts 19:00
Every day
Group: 2 – 16 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 5 days before
From, per adult$103USD
A deeply moving, solemn nocturnal experience operated exclusively on the night of October 31st to witness how indigenous and rural Oaxacan families honor their departed ancestors. Departing from La Merced Temple, journey to two historic cemeteries in the Central Valleys (such as Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, San Bartolo Coyotepec, or Santa María Atzompa). Walk respectfully along pathways illuminated by thousands of flickering beeswax candles and enveloped in the fragrant aroma of copal incense and golden marigolds. Witness entire generations keeping vigil through the night, singing hymns, playing acoustic guitars, and sharing pan de muerto, tamales, and mezcal beside their ancestors' decorated graves.
Duration: 05 Hours · starts 19:00
Every day
Group: 2 – 16 people
1 plan: Standard
Cancellation up to 5 days before
From, per adult$103USD
Adults
Children
Some dates are closed for operation and cannot be selected.
