Oaxaca Mexican Tour Itinerary, Pricing and Information – Oaxaca Mexican Tours – This itinerary is subject to change during Radish festival and Posadas celebration in the city. Christmas is beautiful around Oaxaca, a site to behold. Lots of fun during our trips!!
San Diego, CA

Your personal guided tour to Oaxaca starts here. Read below for more information about our upcoming trip to Oaxaca. Interested in making a reservation for this tour? Or small group tours anytime. Just contact us!

Oaxaca, the capital of the state of Oaxaca, has been declared Humanity's Cultural Patrimony by UNESCO. Oaxaca is famous for the beauty and harmony of its architecture, the variety of its foods, and its soft, spring-like climate throughout the year.

• Itinerary
• Oaxaca Tour Prices
• Disclaimer / Terms
• Facts and Information

Saturday
Dec.18th, 2010

Welcome to Oaxaca!! After we have taken a nap from our 3 1/2 hr fight, we meet for lunch at 1:30pm, "La Olla", home of Oaxaca's famous chef Senora Pillar. We take a tour of the city, so you can become acclimated to this wonderful place. A uniquely expression of the Christmas season is  the Noche de Rababnos ( night of the Radishes) on the evening of December 23rd, an evening in which the Zocalo becomes the scene of a hugh exhibition of figures sculpted from radishes. Often these figures are in scenes of the birth of Jesus or other scenes expressing the history and culture of Oaxacans. A contest is held with everyone vying for the first place prize and having their picture in the morning paper. This day also celebrates "La Virgen de Soledad" , we're just in time to see the all festivities around town.

Oaxaca's Zócalo The Zócalo early in the morning in Oaxaca. The streets of Oaxaca City run along the grid laid out in 1529 by Spanish architect Alonso García Bravo. The zócalo is the city's largest plaza.

Sunday
Dec.19th

Buenos dias, we'll gather for an early continental breakfast at 7:30 am, then leave at 8:30am for Ocotlan, where we visit the famous Aquilar family and then see Rodolfo Morales's home.  Then we visit the museum, mural, and church that Rodolfo Morales helped to restore in his village. Lunch will be in San Martin Tilcajete. This village has some of the best wood carvers in Oaxaca, whom we will visit in their homes, Jacobo and Maria Angeles Ojeda, Inocencio Melchor, Jesus Sosa and family, Justo Xuana, Maria Jemenez Ojeda, Martin Melchor Angeles, Fuentes family and many more. Demonstration will be given on how their figures are made and how they're painted.

Monday
Dec.20th

Continental breakfast at 7:30 am. We start our tour at 8:30am and head towards Monte Alban, a Zapotec Ruin high upon a mountain top above Oaxaca. Off to San Bartolo Coyotepec, the famous village of the black pottery. It was also the home of the famous Dona Rosa, who died in 1979. We visit the new museum,"Museo Estadal del Arte Popular de Oaxaca,” and the studio of Carlomagdo Pedro Martinez and his sisters Magdalena & Adelina, also Antonio Eurpedes Pedro Gonzales.  Lunch on the mountaintop of Zaachilla, “La Capilla”, where we eat outdoors under some walnut trees. Our travels will then take us to Atzompa, home of Angelica Vasquez and Enedina Vasquez, Irma Blanco family, who are fine figural pottery makers in their village. Your evening is free, go visit the Zocalo, something is always going on there. Have a nice dinner or just have a couple of drinks at the open air restaurants. Lots of scenery during the Christmas week.

Cuilapan de Guerrero, Oaxaca Cuilapan de Guerrero's major attraction is the Dominican ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol. It was left unfinished sometime in the middle of the 16th century, but the cloister, walls, cupola and foundations of what was supposed to be an enoromous church remain.

Tuesday
Dec.21st

After breakfast at the hotel, we meet at 8:30 am and go to Santa Maria del Tule, we visit the 2000-year-old tree, “El Tule”. Just wait until you see all the figures in this tree, it is unbelievable!! We also visit the 17th century chapel, Santo Cristo, which is the town's principal church. Headless saints include the decapitated figure of Juan Bautista, holding out his severed head. Tlacolula is famed for its mescal. Lunch will be at " Rancho Zapata" . Lastly we view the Capilla del Muier this parochial church has a stunning display of virtuosity in wrought iron!  Back to the city and it's grand festivities around town.

Wednesday
Dec.22nd

Buenos dias, we'll meet for continental breakfast at 7:30 am. At 8:30 am we tour this wonderful colonial city of Oaxaca. There are lots of historic buildings to see, especially Santo Domingo Church, “the jewel of Oaxaca” and the Bascilica de la Soleda. Lunch at “15 Letras”. We proceed to Benito Juarez market. Time permitting we visit art museums, the Governors Palace and it's beautiful painted murals. We'll visit some tin artist in town, beautiful work! Good day to your big purchases packed and shipped. We'll help you go to the right places.

Thursday

Dec.23rd

Breakfast at 9:00 am . We walk to the Zocalo where by mid afternoon the Zocalo bustles as contestants set up their wooden tables some covered with oil cloth and often topped by three-sided frames to set off the radish tableaux. Dried grass, leaves, corn husks and dried flowers decorate the simple settings. Carefully packed boxes are opened to reveal dozens of radish churches, homes, trees, folks of all types and four-legged characters. This is a family affair and each member struggles to get every detail just right. The outdoor cafes surrounding the zocalo are jam-packed with people enjoying food, drinks and mostly the festival atmosphere.As the sun sets, the contest begings, you can't believe what your eyes are seeing, just beautiful figures from radishes. Wow!

Friday
Dec.24th

Breakfast at 8:30, then we're off to see some Posadas in town, and some of the villages who have invited us to see this spectacular event . These Posadas are an enactment of looking for lodging of St. Joesph and the Virgen Mary, called The Pilgrims going to Bethleham for the Census according to the Scriptures. In Spanish we call them "los Pedegrimos", "San Jose y la Virgen Maria". Each family in the neighborhood will schedule a night for the Posadas to be helded at thier home starting  on Dec.16th and finishing on the 24th, "Noche Buena".  Oaxacans exchange gifts on Jan.6th, dia de Los Reyes, day of The Kings, it's when the Magi brought gifts for Baby Jesus. Children in Oaxaca place their shoes by the window so the Magi will place thier present in the shoe, and if it's bigger, then it will be put next to the shoe.

Mitla, Oaxaca The ancient city of Mitla was made up of 5 main palaces, or precincts: One for the Zapotecan High Priest, one for secondary priests, one for military officers, with one reserved for the king and another for his entourage.

Saturday
Dec.25th

Merry Christmas everyone, breakfast at 8:30 am. We then proceed to visit the city of Oaxaca one last time.  We enjoy the wonderful festivities around town." Felix Navidad ". We've dinner once last time together in Oaxaca.

Sunday
Dec.26th

We leave Oaxaca to make our trip back home, filled with contentment and bags of new items for ourselves, our friends and our families. While we leave Oaxaca behind, we will be bringing back memories from Oaxaca. The soul of Mexico!

Artisan Wood Carvings These colorful wood carvings are an example of the beautiful craftsmanship of the local artists in Oaxaca. These are some of the highly detailed and colorful works of art you'll see on your tour with us to Oaxaca.

^* Continental breakfast and lunch are included daily, dinners are paid by guest. Itineraries are subject to change.

Oaxaca Tour Prices

The prices for the trip to Oaxaca for December 18th-26th, 2010 are as follows:

• Double Occupancy is $1699 per person
• Single Occupancy is $1999 per person

The tour for December 18th- 26th, 2010: Air fares tickets are through Volaris Airlines or any other airlines of your choice and are not included in the cost of the tour. Volaris is the best buy. The flight leaves at 1:45am from the Tijuana airport.

Volaris has transportation from the Greyhound Depot in San Diego direct to Tijuana airport; cost is $17 per person. Another service is direct pick up from your home, TTE international taxi, that goes directly to the airport for a cost of $65. Both offer the same service from Tijuana airport.

All transportations to and from airports in Oaxaca are included.

All tour transportations and exhibit cost during daily itineraries are included.

Two daily meals are included, continental breakfast and lunch.

back to top

Disclaimer / Terms

After Your Reservation

Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC. will hold your reservation without deposit for up to 5 days.

Once you have officially booked your reservations we will need to sign and date the form below and return it to us. We will also need your emergency contact information. The information from the form is contained below for you to review.

A PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat, needs to be installed to view the PDF below.

• Download Disclaimer Form (PDF - opens in a new window)

Terms and Conditions

$300 per person deposit required to secure booking by May 1st, 2010
Deposits are not refundable.
Final payment is due 30 days prior to departure on July 17th, 2010
Travel insurance and travel cancellation insurance is recommended for your safety and protection.
Any form of payment constitutes acceptance of Terms and Conditions.

Insurance:

• Quote Right
• Good Neighbor Insurance, Inc.

Responsibilities

Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC does not assume responsibility for the inherent risk which may cause unfortunate accidents or incidents during ordinary travel conditions. Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC will not be held responsible for injury, death, damage, loss, delay, cost, expense, sickness, or inconvenience arising from travel misfortunes beyond our reasonable control. Travel insurance is highly recommended. With this knowledge and information, I agree to participate in the tour and the air travel, at my own risk. I release and hold harmless Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC and every person and agent of each of them, from all claims and causes of action that I may have against them. This release and hold- harmless shall be binding on my heirs, assigns, successors, and all other persons who may claim through me. Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC does not own or operate the hotel or any transportation companies. Itineraries are subject to change. Baggage is at owners risk at all times.

Payment

Final payment is due at least 10 days prior to departure. All payments can be made by money order, check, or bank transfers, all in US dollar currency. Any additional charges imposed for transfers or administrations of funds is the responsibility of the paying party and will not be the responsibility of Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation of a trip must be made 7-30 days of your departure date. Deposits are non-refundable. Our cancellation policy: for cancellations requested prior to 30 days before departure, participants are due a complete refund less $300 administrative fee. There are no refunds for cancellations made within 7 days of departure. Cancellation request are due in writing and refunds, if any, are based on the date that the written request is received by Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC prior to 7 days of departure. I understand that if I can't complete the tour for any reason, Dos Vagos Mexican Tours, LLC will not reimburse any fees and trip cancellation insurance is strongly advised.

Be prepare to walk some on this tour. Terrain in some areas are sometimes uneven. Wear comfortable shoes, especially when we visit archeological sites and villages.

back to top

Facts and Information

Consulate

The U.S. Consulate Agency is located at Alcala 407, Int. 20. The phone number is 951-514-304. Hours are Monday thru Friday from 10am to 3pm.

Currency Exchange

It is best to use your Debit or Credit cards and make withdraws at banks located around town. Check for the best exchange rate.

Doctor

Dr. Carlos Araund Carreno is a reputable internist at Calle Reforma 905. His phone number is 951-515-4035. Hours are Monday thru Friday 12pm to 2pm.

Telephone Info

The telephone area code is 951. The phone number for emergencies is 060.

Internet Service

This will be available at your hotel. Internet cafes are also located around the Zocalo and the Plaza Santo Domingo.

Post Office

This is located at the corner of Independcia and Alameda Park. Hours are Monday thru Friday 8-5 and Saturday 9-1.

Safety

The Ceprotur government agency helps people who have lost documents or possessions. The phone number is 951-514-2155. The State Tourism Office is at Calle Independencia 607 and the phone number is 951-516-0123.

Radish festival
Christmas in the Zocalo
Santo Domingo
Artist homes
Musuems
Villages
Eateries of Oaxaca