TRADITION & TASTE
Culinary Tour Oaxaca
Experience the vibrant heart of Mexican culture through elite mezcal tastings and private culinary tours led by heritage chefs.
This is How we
EAT
With MOC Adventures
Behind Oaxacan Food
Oaxaca’s world-renowned food scene transcends standard travel, offering a deeply authentic connection to Mexican culture through flavor and tradition.
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Geographic Diversity: Fresh seafood, rich cacao, native chilies, and seasonal fruits sourced directly from surrounding valleys, mountains, and coasts.
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The Market Experience: Lose yourself in iconic local markets where food is celebrated as the heart and soul of daily life.
Chocolate
In Oaxaca, cooking is a sacred ritual. Timeless recipes require deep passion and intricate technique—from mole negro, crafted with over 30 distinct ingredients, to tejate, an ancient "drink of the gods" perfected over thousands of years.
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The Sacred Trinity: Oaxacan cuisine centers on corn (cultivated here since 4300 BC), vibrant native chiles (like smoky Pasilla and intense Chile de Árbol), and stone-ground cacao blended with cinnamon and almonds.
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Essential Ingredients: Rich black beans, indigenous herbs like hoja santa and pitiona, artisanal meats (tasajo, cecina), creamy quesillo, and crunchy, toasted chapulines (grasshoppers).
In villages outside the city of Oaxaca, the celebration of Muertos is most commonly known as Todos Santos, or All Saints. This day is often the most celebrated day of the year. The altars found in the homes of the villagers and in cemeteries are honored by all. It is most commonly located in the cemetery and during the course of Muertos, one will find the graves wonderfully decorated with candles, flowers and food.
During this time the living join together to rejoice the return of their ancestors. Visiting cemeteries and homes enables one to enjoy the richness of this celebration. The energy of the occasion is awesome. All present rejoice in the happy reunions, and you too shall feel the presence of the departed souls returned!
In addition to visiting homes and cemeteries, one may experience the cultural richness of this time by getting involved in the Comparsas, theatrical performances representing the return of the dead, which take place in various outlying villages.
You will find that there is much to see and do in the city of Oaxaca and in the outlying villages. For this reason, we designed the Day of the Dead itinerary, considering time for you to stay in the city to experience the altars and comparsas with us. This freedom enables you to design your own days, yet guarantees an all-encompassing series of events sure to deliver the diverse wonders of Oaxaca’s Day of the Dead celebration.
Best Oaxaca food tours
Oaxaca is a Mecca for food enthusiasts and chefs alike. We invite you to join us for our culinary adventure, where we’ll explore amazing cuisine inspired by a rich and dynamic cultural heritage. We’ve combined cooking classes with an exploration of the city and its surrounding pueblos to create an engaging tour that acquaints people with the culture, art, and food of Oaxaca.
Food and Drink of Oaxaca
In Oaxaca, food and drink are central to every story. The state is world-famous as the “Land of Seven Moles”—from dark, complex sauces to fresh, vibrant greens—derived from the Nahuatl word molli (mixture) and crafted by blending dozens of ground ingredients.
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Iconic Street Food: Savor the Tlayuda—a large crispy tortilla layered with pork lard, black beans, stringy quesillo, fresh salsa, and grilled meats like tasajo or cecina.
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The Sacred Spirit: No meal is complete without Mezcal, an artisanal spirit crafted from roasted maguey agave. As the local saying goes: “Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, también”—Mezcal for the bad times, and for the good times too.
Oaxaca cooking classes
Culinary tour Itinerary 2027
The creation of this tour involved extensive research and careful planning. We are certain that it will be an enlightening and enjoyable experience for all! Please scroll down for the specific daily activities and events.
Double Occupancy USD$ 2,950
USD 295 single supplement applies
* Taxes NOT included
Prices based on double occupancy per person
Deposits are non-refundable and governed by a 60-day window
Our group tours are limited to a maximum of 10 people
Items Included
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7 nights lodging in Oaxaca at a Bed and Breakfast
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Breakfast every morning in our hotel
Dinner at the best Oaxacan restaurants -
Airport transfers and land transportation within Oaxaca.
Entrance fees to museums, archeological ruins and other activities mentioned in the itinerary. -
English speaking guides in Oaxaca.
Items Not Included
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Air Fares and Airport Taxes.
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Beverages and Alcoholic drinks.
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Personal expenses, meals not included in the itinerary, tips and gratuities and other independent tour guides.
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Taxes NOT included
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Any other incidentals not listed under “included”.
July 8th to July 15th, 2027
(8 Days, 7 nights)
Day 1
We will pick you up at Oaxaca’s International Airport; from there we will take to one of Oaxaca’s nices hotels where you will be staying, located in the heart of the city center of Oaxaca, just a few blocks away from Oaxaca’s main plaza, the Zocalo. After checking in we will hit the streets for an introductory walking tour of Oaxaca City.
Day 2
Day 3
Start the day with a traditional breakfast at a Oaxacan Market before taking a tour to the vibrant market of a nearby outlying village. Next, visit a Mezcal Palenque to learn all about the artisanal production process of mezcal, followed by a Mezcal tasting and lunch right on-site at the Palenque. The evening concludes with a memorable dinner at a local Oaxacan restaurant.
Day 4
Once you've finished breakfast at the hotel, you will participate in a traditional Zapotec cooking class at the home of a traditional cook in Teotitlán, where you will learn to make traditional Oaxacan food such as mole and hand-made tamales. Following lunch at the cook's home, you will also meet a traditional weaver in Teotitlán to learn about the detailed and labor-intensive process of making a woven rug from carding to dyeing to weaving. The day wraps up with dinner at a Oaxacan restaurant.
Day 5
Discover two iconic Oaxacan cultural sites, starting with the ancient archaeological complex of Monte Albán, a Zapotec stronghold that thrived between 500 B.C. and 800 A.D. Next, head to Arrazola, a village famous for its vibrant hand-carved and painted wooden alebrijes. Conclude the evening with dinner at a renowned culinary staple where an acclaimed chef crafts heritage-rich Oaxacan cuisine, widely praised for serving the region's finest and most sophisticated moles.
Day 6
Following breakfast, head out to tour the workshop and gallery of a famous modern woodcarving master in San Martín Tilcajete. Next, enjoy a delightful lunch in the charming courtyard of an authentic regional eatery, where fresh hand-pressed tortillas are served. In the afternoon, immerse yourself in a guided excursion through a local artisanal palenque to learn the full journey of mezcal production—from harvesting the agave plants to distillation and bottling—finished off with a curated tasting. Wrap up the day's journey in San Bartolo Coyotepec, the world-renowned heart of Black Pottery craft.
Day 7
Begin the morning with breakfast at the hotel, then head out on an excursion to the archaeological site of Mitla and Santa María del Tule, home of the famous, grand Tule tree—widely known as the widest tree in the world. The tour concludes with a farewell lunch in Santa María del Tule.
Day 8
Begin your day with a relaxing breakfast at the hotel before taking your arranged transportation to the airport.
