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A Day in the Life of a Zapotec Village: Experience Traditions and Culture of Oaxaca
Immerse yourself in the traditions and culture of a Zapotec village in Oaxaca. Experience the art of making traditional chocolate, visit artisans, and indulge in authentic cuisine.
Immerse yourself in the traditions and culture of a Zapotec village in Oaxaca. Experience the art of making traditional chocolate, visit artisans, and indulge in authentic cuisine.
Duration:
9 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Laxha tours - my driver and I will pick you up at your hotel at 8:30 am in the city of Oaxaca, we will travel 75 minutes to reach my hometown of San Dionisio Ocotepec, once at home my mother will receive us with a traditional breakfast. Later, my family will show you how to make traditional chocolate with an ancestral technique. Later we will walk…
- Laxha tours - my driver and I will pick you up at your hotel at 8:30 am in the city of Oaxaca, we will travel 75 minutes to reach my hometown of San Dionisio Ocotepec, once at home my mother will receive us with a traditional breakfast. Later, my family will show you how to make traditional chocolate with an ancestral technique. Later we will walk towards the center of the town to learn about the history and culture of this town, we will also visit a small typical clothing store. Lunch time arrives and my mother will cook for us in her traditional kitchen. After lunch we will take a little ride in my tuk-tuk around the town. Mezcal occupies a very important place in our Zapotec culture, so to end our day we will visit an artisan mezcal distillery where you will receive an explanation of the process of this drink as well as tastings. We will return back to the city after a day full of adventures
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Complimentary water
- Inclusive of lunch
- Snacks provided
- Breakfast included
- Guided explanations in English and Spanish
- Private transportation
- Complimentary water
- Inclusive of lunch
- Snacks provided
- Breakfast included
- Guided explanations in English and Spanish
Additional Information
In this tour you will be able to live the experience of sharing a day with my family in a Zapotec town in the central valleys of Oaxaca, this tour includes gastronomy, crafts, culture and history.
You will learn step by step about the elaboration of traditional chocolate with an ancestral technique, since for us this drink is very significant. We will…
In this tour you will be able to live the experience of sharing a day with my family in a Zapotec town in the central valleys of Oaxaca, this tour includes gastronomy, crafts, culture and history.
You will learn step by step about the elaboration of traditional chocolate with an ancestral technique, since for us this drink is very significant. We will also visit a couple of artisans of typical clothing and handmade footwear to see the products that they offer us. Mezcal occupies a very important place in Zapotec culture and ritual, so we will also visit an artisan mezcal distillery. Over lunch my mother will prepare fresh and healthy traditional food including tortillas that she makes in her kitchen.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(36 Ratings)
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Tourist99987
Mar 30, 2024
A wonderful day in a Zapotec village - Authentic, hands-on experience with family! Best mezcal distillery visit. Thanks Cesar for a great day ! Highly recommended !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessied677
Mar 7, 2024
The Best Way to Visit a Village - Ceasar offers a personal and truly marvelous experience of life in a Zapotec Pueblo. He arrived promptly, the car was safe and comfortable, and his love for his community was evident throughout the day.
Visiting his home, watching cacao turned into chocolate, enjoying a traditional meal, and meeting his family enriched our Oaxaca experience. It was market day in this tiny village, and as we strolled with him, we met locals, learned about indigenous government, and toured the nearby fincas. We ended the day with a stop at a local palenque to taste traditional mescal.
Caesar is a comfortable, charming guide and knowledgeable local. We give this tour our highest recommendation.
Jessie and Dan
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peggys642017
Nov 4, 2023
Fantastic Day - Cesar was an excellent host and tour guide. He made sure our tour and visit to his village and Oaxaca was enjoyable. Cesars family was warm and inviting and didn't mind that our cooking skills weren't as good as theirs. His mother was funny and a very happy lady and we enjoyed her very much. The distillery tour was informative and relaxing. Very enjoyable day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Estefania_r
Oct 22, 2023
Amazing experience ! - This experience is so FULFILLING ! Cesar really does a beautiful job by inviting you to spend a whole day with his family at their actual house in his village, alongside with his mother, father & aunt. You'll share the table for breakfast and lunch (freshly made by his mom & aunt!) while you learn from their culture, as well as learning how to actually make traditional Oaxacan Chocolate & some traditional savory dishes. Cesar also takes you to get to know his village and see some very cool things, like a local hand-made shoe factory and also visit one of his friends (Samuel) to where he makes hand crafted Mezcal. Overall, it's a very humbling and wonderful experience, and Cesar makes you feel at home from the very beginning !
I would for sure re-do this experience again when I come back !
Review provided by Viator
Danamancinelli
Aug 9, 2023
Engage and share - Sharing a day with this family and this village was truly a treasure. We arrived on market day and even though, at nearly 6' tall I towered over all the other women by at least a foot, I felt welcomed and my curiosity felt no language barrier. I love that this town is actively preserving and sharing their culture and tradition. I am so glad to have been a part of their day. Learning can be a two way street and engaging together with multiple generations was beautiful. Contact Cesar at ladxatours.com or [email protected] to plan your experience. You will not regret a single moment.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Leah7900
Jul 8, 2023
The most amazing day trip we have been on! - Our day spent with César and his family was truly unforgettable. It will be hard not to write a very, very long review! César was the kindest, most welcoming guide who brought us into his home and offered a very authentic experience. It’s obvious that he is passionate about showing people his culture and he’s very good at what he does. His mother showed us how to make chocolate from scratch, and we even got to try grinding the cacao beans ourselves! She also showed us many other things in the kitchen, and we loved everything. We got to try some really delicious breakfast and lunch too, which was truly the best food we had in Mexico ! César took us all around his town, and we visited many interesting places which we loved. He took us to his friends Mezcal distillery (Dios Nunca Muere), where we saw how Mezcal is produced from the plant to the bottle, and tried some delicious samples with him and the owner. It was a very intimate experience, and did not feel like the usual Commerical tours as we just sat and chatted for a while, drinking mezcal like friends. We really appreciated being collected and dropped back to our accommodation in Oaxaca. I also want to note that we were hesitant about the deposit through PayPal but it is as César needs to buy all the ingredients etc. for the trip! It’s also best for both of you to book through his website directly. This was the best way to spend your money if you are looking for an authentic, relaxed and memorable day to learn about culture. Thank you so, so much to César and your family for welcoming us into your home. There is so much more I can say but instead, go experience it yourself. Lea and Jon Joaquín from Ireland :-)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I8549vidaniele
Jun 11, 2023
A wonderful day with a Zapotec family - We did a lot of great things in Oaxaca, but this was the best day of all. Our guide welcomed us into his home in a remote Zapotec village for a day preparing chocolate and meals the traditional way. You can’t get this experience in Oaxaca City. We also toured the pueblo and went to local sites, including an artisanal mescal distillery run by a local family dedicated to the tradition vs the comercial industry. You will be lucky to have this experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A5074brbenh
Apr 13, 2023
Zapoteco Family - This experience was very personal - you essentially are welcomed into Caesar's own actual family, in his home, with his mother, father, brother and two lovely dogs Choco and Arena and a cat named Tita?. He offered to send the dogs off but we declined.
If you are looking for high paced adventure travel or are afraid of missing out this may not be for you. If you want to have an intimate understanding of a life and attempt to see the world through another persons eyes then this is an extraordinary experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hugo_e
Feb 28, 2023
Amazing - Wonderful authentic experience. Cesar fielded our questions with thoughtful, articulate and insightful responses. His appreciation for sharing and conserving the Zapotec ancestral way of life is a warming to see in todays younger generation (fom historical references to modern day efforts to keep the land pure of pollutants, waste and contamination). Highly recommend this tour for those looking for a true authentic day in the life of a traditional Zapotec village that has yet to be fully engulfed with urbanization.
Review provided by Viator
209mackenziea
Feb 22, 2023
DON'T MISS THIS EXPERIENCE! - If you want to see what true Zapotec / Mexican village life is like, do not miss this day with César! Great guide; excellent English; down-to-Earth. He and his family are as warm and welcoming as can be. Understand, this is not a "Luxe" excursion. If you're someone who needs to go "glamping" instead of "camping" this is likely not for you. It's a long day in that the drive out is a bit over an hour. Breakfast (homemade chocolate and bread) and lunch (homemade tortillas with various toppings) are made in a traditional "comal" over an open wood fire. César's mother and the ladies preparing everything are charming and gracious. In truth, the tortillas were the best food experience we had in Oaxaca (we found some of the restaurants to be highly over-rated). We helped prepare the chocolate from the freshly-toasted beans (again, over on open fire).
The visit to a small, locally run mezcal distillery was very interesting and worth seeing despite the fact we had already seen a larger operation on a different day.
If you're fortunate enough to be in the village around noon, ask César if it's possible to go up to the old church's bell tower for the midday ringing!
Can't recommend this excursion highly enough! Thank you, César & Family!
Jesse & Mac
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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