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Tacos al pastor with pineapple, onion and cilantro beside salsas and limes in Mexico City

FF10 · Mexico · 7 days · moderate pace

Oaxaca food tour with Mexico City: tacos, mole and mezcal

Seven days of tacos, markets and cantinas in Mexico City, then mole and mezcal in Oaxaca

See dates and pricesDay by day

From $3,290 per person, shared double room

  • Hold your seat with a $300 deposit, by card or bank transfer
  • Balance due 60 days before departure
  • One free change of date or tour up to 45 days before
  • Next date Nov 8, 2026: few seats

Questions? [email protected], Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:30 Eastern. Booking terms

Tacos al pastor

Key facts

Length
7 days, 6 nights
Starts in
Mexico City
Ends in
Oaxaca
Group size
12 guests at most
Minimum age
18; drinks 18 and over
Pace
Moderate, 3 of 5
Tastings
24 tastings, plus 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
Tour code
FF10

Overview

What to expect on this Oaxaca food tour

Two nights in Mexico City for tacos al pastor, a market morning, a cantina lunch and pulque, then a short flight to Oaxaca for mole negro, the smoke corridor at Mercado 20 de Noviembre, a cooking class with a traditional cook, the weavers of Teotitlán and a mezcal palenque in Santiago Matatlán.

Mexico has one of the deepest food cultures on earth, and two cities show it best. Mexico City is the capital of street food: tacos from a vertical spit at midnight, blue corn tlacoyos from a woman with a comal outside the market, churros dipped in hot chocolate, and cantinas where every round of drinks brings a new plate of botanas. Oaxaca is older and slower, a valley of corn, chiles, chocolate and agave, where mole takes two days to make and every market has its own smell.

The tour spends two nights in the capital and four in Oaxaca city, with day trips into the Central Valleys. In Teotitlán del Valle, Zapotec families weave wool rugs dyed with cochineal and indigo. In Santiago Matatlán, the self-styled mezcal capital of the world, a mezcalero shows how agave hearts roast for days in an earth oven and are crushed under a stone wheel.

Ximena Ruiz, who lives in Oaxaca, hosts every departure. Dates follow the dry season, from October to April.

More on the destination: Mexico City and Oaxaca food tours. Tour categories: Street Food & Markets, Cider, Sake & Spirits, Cooking Classes.

Chicken in dark mole negro with sesame, rice and warm tortillas in Oaxaca
Mole negro, Oaxaca

What you will taste

24 tastings on this Oaxaca food tour

Tasting portions at the markets, producers, cellars and kitchens on the route, on top of the meals listed. Dishes follow the season, so one or two can change from date to date.

Drinks
Pulque, Mexican beer and tequila in the cantina, espadín and wild agave mezcal at the palenque, tejate and agua fresca. Alcohol is poured only for guests 18 and over, the legal drinking age in Mexico, with ID; every pour has a non-alcoholic option.
Diets
Corn tortillas make most of the trip naturally gluten-free, and vegetarians eat well with notice. Many beans, tamales and tlayudas are made with pork lard, so we ask each cook ahead; peanuts and sesame appear in several moles. Severe allergies: ask Lena before you book.
  1. 01Tacos al pastor from the trompoMexico City
  2. 02Blue corn tlacoyosLa Merced
  3. 03Churros with hot chocolateCentro
  4. 04Tlayudas with asiento and quesilloOaxaca
  5. 05Chapulines with lime and chileBenito Juárez market
  6. 06Tasajo from the smoke corridorMercado 20 de Noviembre
  7. 07Stone-ground Oaxacan chocolateCalle Mina
  8. 08Mole negroVillage kitchen
  9. 09Agave roasted in the earth ovenSantiago Matatlán

Itinerary

Oaxaca food tour itinerary: 7 days, day by day

Day 1 is the arrival day: meet your host at the hotel in the late afternoon. The order of the days can shift with the weather, the harvest or a kitchen that closes early; the places stay the same.

  1. Day1

    Arrive in Mexico City

    Office workers and locals gathered around a street taco cart in downtown Mexico City

    Transfer at group times from the airport to the hotel in Roma, about forty minutes. Evening welcome dinner with Ximena in a Roma dining room: sopa de tortilla, enchiladas verdes and a first look at the fifty chiles of the Mexican kitchen.

  2. Day2

    La Merced, a cantina and tacos

    Morning in La Merced, the city’s great wholesale market, with blue corn tlacoyos from a street cook and fruit you have never seen. Lunch in a Centro cantina, where each round of drinks brings botanas. Churros and hot chocolate in the afternoon, then a taco crawl at night: al pastor, suadero and campechanos.

  3. Day3

    Pulque and a flight to Oaxaca

    Tasajo, cecina and chorizo beside a charcoal grill in Mercado 20 de Noviembre, Oaxaca

    Late morning at a pulquería in Centro to taste pulque, the old fermented sap of the maguey, plain and cured with fruit. Early afternoon flight to Oaxaca, about one hour. In the evening, tlayudas from a street grill: crisp tortillas with asiento, beans, quesillo and tasajo.

  4. Day4

    Oaxaca markets and chocolate

    Morning at Benito Juárez market for chapulines with lime and chile, tejate and quesillo. Lunch in the smoke corridor of Mercado 20 de Noviembre, where you choose meat at the stall and it is grilled in front of you. Afternoon at a chocolate mill on Calle Mina, where cacao is ground with sugar and cinnamon.

  5. Day5

    Mole with a traditional cook

    A full day with a cocinera tradicional in her kitchen outside the city: toasting chilhuacle chiles on the comal, grinding mole negro on the metate, pressing tortillas by hand. Lunch is the mole you made, with rice and agua fresca. Free evening around the zócalo.

  6. Day6

    Weavers of Teotitlán and mezcal in Matatlán

    A smoking earth oven, roasted agave hearts and a stone tahona at a Matatlán mezcal palenque

    East along the valley to Teotitlán del Valle for the morning market and a weaving family who dye wool with cochineal, indigo and marigold. Then Santiago Matatlán and a palenque, where agave roasts in an earth oven and a horse turns the tahona. Mezcal tasting for guests 18 and over, farewell dinner in Oaxaca.

  7. Day7

    Depart from Oaxaca

    Breakfast at the hotel and the transfer to Oaxaca airport, about twenty-five minutes, arriving around 10 am. Most guests connect home through Mexico City.

Route map of the Mexico City and Oaxaca food tour: Mexico City, Oaxaca and Teotitlán
The route in order; lines are not exact roads. Base map: Esri, HERE, Garmin, © OpenStreetMap contributors

The route

Route and hotels: Mexico City and Oaxaca

  1. 1Mexico City
  2. 2Oaxaca
  3. 3Teotitlán del Valle
  4. 4Santiago Matatlán

Hotels on the route

Mexico City2 nights
Boutique hotel in Roma Norte, or similar
Oaxaca4 nights
Colonial courtyard hotel in the historic center, or similar

Hotels are listed by class and area; the names come with your confirmation and may be replaced by a hotel of the same standard.

What the price covers

What the Oaxaca food tour price includes

One price covers 6 hotel nights, 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners and the tastings listed, the tastings and classes in the itinerary, transport on the route and your host.

  • 24 tastings
  • 6 hotel nights
  • 10 items included
  • 5 not included

01

Included in the price

  • 6 nights in central hotels with breakfast daily
  • Four dinners, including welcome and farewell
  • Four lunches, including the cantina, the smoke corridor and the mole class
  • Market walks in La Merced and Oaxaca with all tastings
  • Full-day mole class with a traditional Oaxacan cook
  • Pulque, mezcal and cantina drinks for guests 18 and over
  • Weaving visit in Teotitlán del Valle and palenque visit in Santiago Matatlán
  • Economy flight Mexico City to Oaxaca with one checked bag
  • Van with driver in the Oaxaca valleys and airport transfers at group times
  • Ximena Ruiz or another of our hosts throughout

02

Not included in the price

  • Flights to Mexico City and home from Oaxaca
  • Travel insurance
  • The meals not listed and drinks outside the program
  • Rugs, mezcal and chocolate you buy to take home
  • Tips for your host, driver and cooks

Tell Lena about allergies, diets or mobility needs before you book, and we will say honestly whether this tour suits you.

03

Getting there and rooms

Flights are not included, so you can use miles or fly from any airport. Arrive at Mexico City (MEX) by mid-afternoon on day 1 for the group transfer, and fly home from Oaxaca (OAX) after midday on the last day.

Single room
+$690
Deposit
$300 per person
Balance
60 days before departure

Dates and prices

Oaxaca food tour dates and prices, 2026 to 2027

6 group departures, 12 seats each. Prices per person in a shared double room; the single room supplement is per person.

All deals
Departure dates, prices and seats for the Mexico City and Oaxaca tour
DatesLengthPriceSingle roomStatusBook
to 7 days$3,290 $3,040Last minute: save $250$690Few seatsAsk about this date
to 7 days$3,290$690Few seatsAsk about this date
to 7 days$3,290 $3,090Early booking: save $200$690AvailableAsk about this date
to 7 days$3,340 $3,140Early booking: save $200$690GuaranteedAsk about this date
to 7 days$3,390$690AvailableAsk about this date
to 7 days$3,390$690AvailableAsk about this date
Private date, 6 or more guests7 daysPriced per groupAs bookedYour datesPlan with Grant

Guaranteed means the date runs: at least five guests have booked. Few seats means three or fewer seats are left. A deal price is shown next to the regular price.

Prices per person in US dollars: multi-day tours in a shared double room, flights not included; day tours paid when booked. Deposit $300 per person, balance 60 days before departure, one free change of date or tour up to 45 days before. Booking terms

Before you book

Before you book this Oaxaca food tour: honest notes

Pace and walking
Moderate: two to four hours on foot in the city markets, one domestic flight and a long day in the valleys by van.
Your host
Ximena Ruiz. Ximena was born in Mexico City and moved to Oaxaca to study anthropology, then spent years documenting village cooks in the Central Valleys. She has hosted our Mexico tour since it began in 2026 and speaks Spanish, English and some Zapotec. All our hosts
What can change
The order of the days can shift with the weather, a harvest or a kitchen that closes early. A stop of the same kind and value replaces anything that falls through.
Weather
Tours run in all weather. If a storm closes a boat trip or a farm visit, we move it or replace it, and if a serious weather warning stops the tour before it starts, you choose a new date or a full refund.
Arrival and departure
Arrive at Mexico City (MEX), leave from Oaxaca (OAX). Transfers are included at the group times on the first and last day.
Drinks and age
Adults only, 18 and over. Alcohol is poured only for guests 18 and over, the legal drinking age in Mexico, with ID; every pour has a non-alcoholic option.
Diets and allergies
Vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free versions with notice when you book. Tell us about severe allergies first; we will say honestly what we can and cannot promise.
Luggage
One suitcase and a day bag. Leave space for olive oil, coffee or a bottle of wine, and check your home customs rules before you pack cured meat or fresh cheese.

Questions about this tour

Oaxaca food tour FAQ

General questions on booking, flights, insurance and luggage are on the main FAQ page.

Ask Lena directly

Lena Ortiz in reservations replies within one working day, Monday to Friday.

Is the street food safe to eat?

We choose stalls our hosts eat at themselves, with high turnover and food cooked in front of you. Ximena will tell you when to skip raw salsas or ice. Most guests have no trouble; bring your usual stomach remedies anyway.

Will the altitude affect me?

Mexico City sits at about 7,350 feet and Oaxaca at about 5,100. Some guests feel short of breath or sleep badly the first night. Drink water, go easy on mezcal on day 1 and the second day is usually fine.

Can I buy rugs and mezcal to take home?

Yes. Weavers in Teotitlán ship rugs or roll them for your suitcase, and the palenque sells bottles. Check your airline’s rules; most travelers may bring a few bottles of spirits into the US, with duty above a set amount.

Is the Day of the Dead included?

Not as a set program. The festival falls on November 1 and 2, and Oaxaca is very full that week. Our November departure starts a week later; ask Lena about arriving early, and Ximena can suggest how to spend extra nights.

Can I join on my own?

Yes. About a third of our guests travel solo. A single room on this tour costs $690 extra, and some dates have no single supplement; we can also try to match you with a roommate.

What if I have a food allergy or a special diet?

Tell Lena when you book. Vegetarian, pescatarian and gluten-free versions are arranged with every kitchen before you arrive; for severe allergies we tell you honestly which stops we can and cannot make safe.

What if I need to cancel or change?

Your $300 deposit holds the seat, the balance is due 60 days before departure, and you can move once to another date or tour free up to 45 days before. The full scale is on the booking terms page.

Should we tip the host?

Tips are welcome but never expected. Guests who want a guideline usually give 10 to 15 US dollars, or the same in local money, per person for a day walk, or per person per day on a multi-day tour; restaurant tips on included meals are already paid.

Dates and seats

Ask about Oaxaca food tour dates

Tell us the tour, the date and how many of you are coming. Lena Ortiz in reservations replies within one working day with seats, room options, the total price and any questions about dietary needs.

Lena, Grant and Priya, Charleston

To[email protected]

SubjectMexico City and Oaxaca: Tacos, Mole and Mezcal: dates and seats

Please include

  • Tour: Mexico City and Oaxaca: Tacos, Mole and Mezcal
  • Date
  • Guests (all 18 or over?)
  • Room type (double, twin or single)
  • Dietary needs or allergies
  • Message
  • Your name, email and a phone number
Write to Lena

Lena Ortiz in reservations replies within one working day. No payment now. A $300 deposit per person holds seats on a multi-day tour; day tours are paid when you book.

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