DEPOSIT POLICY: A $200.00 per person deposit is required to secure a reservation for your tour, which is not considered firm until the deposit is received. The deposit, however, is fully refundable if you cancel within 72 hours of booking the tour. All cancellations will only be accepted in writing. Email your cancellation to dewi@thedaywetravel.com including your reservation number, full name, and date of travel. After 72 hours, the deposit becomes non-refundable and standard cancellation fees apply. See cancellation fee schedule below.

*Note* - If the booking is made 60 days or less prior to departure, full payment is due at the time of booking.

CANCELLATION FEE SCHEDULE

• 91+ Days Prior to Tour Departure: All monies refunded minus initial $200.00 deposit

• 90-61 Days Prior: 75% of tour cost refunded

• 60-46 Days Prior: 60% of tour cost refunded

• 45-31 Days Prior: 35% of tour cost refunded

• 30-8 Days Prior: 15% of tour cost refunded

• 7 Days Prior or less: 0% of tour cost refunded

DAY-TO-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1 - Arrive Oaxaca, Mexico – Hotel Check-in –Welcome Dinner                                                

Bienvenidos a Oaxaca! Welcome to the magical city of Oaxaca, where every corner is a pleasant surprise. Meet your Tour Director at the airport and transfer to your beautiful accommodations for the next 6 nights. Catch a nap or hit the ground running where many attractions are within walking distance from your room. This evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers, the first of many wonderful meals together. Meals – (D) Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar            

DAY 2 – Monte Alban – Atzompa Pottery – La Merced Market tour & lunch                

Buenos dias! This morning, we travel just a couple miles outside the city center, yet feel a world away during our visit to the pre-Columbian archaeological site known as Monte Alban. Located 6,400 ft. above sea level, and overlooking the valley of Oaxaca, this place was the residential & economic heart of the Zapotec civilization. See large plazas, temples, carved stone monuments, and discover the rise and fall of these mysterious people. Later, travel to Atzompa, a town known for its clay pottery. Visit a multi-generational family-run factory and learn all about the craftsmanship from start to finish. Maybe even try your hand at giving that clay a whirl! This afternoon, enjoy lunch at one of the city’s oldest markets, followed by a colorful tour of what the local people sell there. The rest of the day is yours at leisure.  Meals – (B, L)  Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar

DAY 3 – San Martin Tilcajete Alebrijes – Mezcal Distillery/tasting                                                             

Today’s adventure takes us to the town of San Martin Tilcajete, known for its alebrijes, colorful folk art carvings of fantastical creatures. Visit a family shop that explains the humble beginnings of this craft, demonstrates the carving, sanding, and polishing of the copal wood, and the painting of the final sculptures. Then spend some time creating your own alebrije! This afternoon, head south to Santa Catarina Minas, a village famed for its mezcals distilled in the ancient manner using small, hand-made clay pots. We will tour a local palenque, distillery, learn where mezcal comes from, its different varietals, how it’s produced, and then have a taste. The flavors and fragrances are diverse. But first, a countryside lunch spread awaits. Evening at leisure. Meals – (B, L)  Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar

DAY 4 – Hierve el Agua – Mitla – Lunch at Dona Chica                                                     

Rise early and sit back for a leisurely ride into the countryside. This morning, have a traditional Oaxacan breakfast at a local family’s home in a village up in the mountains before venturing to one of the most beautiful places on earth: Hierve el Agua, a rock formation that looks like a waterfall. Enjoy an easy, guided walk of the area, or if you dare, take a dip in one of the two fresh water pools noted for their medicinal properties. Spend the rest of the afternoon in Mitla, “Land of the Dead,” the most important city to the Zapotecs following the decline of Monte Alban. The site is most famous for intricate geometric designs carved onto the exterior rock walls. Build up an appetite for lunch at a local restaurant in Mitla. Meals – (B, L)  Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar

DAY 5 – Teotitlan del Valle – Weaving/Candles – Lunch at the Lake                                    

Travel outside of Oaxaca to a village known for its production of colorful weavings. Visit a local family business and see the process from carding wool to natural dyes, including indigo and turmeric, to weaving, which is done on large pedal looms passed down through many generations. Enjoy a beautiful selection of handmade products. The variety of designs is amazing – from Zapotec gods and Mitla-style geometric patterns to imitations of paintings by Rivera and Picasso. Then visit a family home whose matriarch, Viviana, specializes in handmade ceremonial beeswax candles. See wicks suspended from wheels as she climbs a chair to work on them. These elaborate candles are used for all major celebrations of life and holidays. Later, enjoy a home-cooked lunch outdoors overlooking a small village lake. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Meals – (B, L)  Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar

DAY 6 – Tlacolula Valley/market – El Tule Tree – Farewell Dinner                                                          

This morning, head east to Tlacolula Valley, whose city of the same name is known for its weekly open air market held on Sundays. It is one of the largest and busiest markets in Oaxaca. Take in all that this sensory experience has to offer. Then travel to the picturesque town of Santa Maria del Tule whose claim to fame is Arbol del Tule, the widest tree in the world. Even the Giant Sequoia doesn’t even come close. Have lunch on your own at the open market in town. Then return to Oaxaca to spend the day at leisure. Later this evening, join your newfound friends for a delightful cooking class + Farewell Dinner hosted by a local family. Meals – (B, D)  Overnight: La Casa Carlota or similar

DAY 7 – Adios Oaxaca! – Transfer to Airport for flights home                                                         

Savor the colors, smells, and tastes of this magical region during your last morning in Oaxaca. Bid your travel companions hasta luego and transfer to the airport for your flight home with fantastic memories of this magnificent city. Meals – (B) 

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

• Monte Albán & Mitla - ancient Zapotec ruins

• Mezcal distillery & tastings

• Hierve el Agua calcified waterfall & pools

• Atzompa family pottery workshop

• San Martín Tilcajete alebrije workshop - paint your own!

• Teotitlán del Valle weaving demonstration & gallery

• Handmade beeswax candle-making factory

• Traditional open-air markets

• Traditional homemade Oaxacan meals

• Cooking class during Farewell Dinner with a local family

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

• Round-trip airport transfers & ground transportation per itinerary

• Hotel accommodations - 6 nights: unpack once!

• Meals - 12 in total (6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners)

• An English-speaking local Oaxacan guide

• A professional Tour Director 

• All sightseeing & entrance fees per itinerary & applicable taxes

• All mezcal tastings per itinerary

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?

• Airfare - You will fly in and out of Oaxaca International Airport (OAX). If you book independently, please arrive sometime between 2:00-3:00 PM CST. Return flights from OAX should be scheduled after 10:00 AM CST. Airfare can be booked through The Day We Travel. There is a 10% service fee added to the total cost of the airfare. If you prefer to book on your own, *once you have purchased your airfare, please e-mail The Day We Travel at dewi@thedaywetravel.com your flight information (airline, flight #, & departure/arrival times).

• Meals and/or alcoholic beverages not listed on the itinerary

• Personal expenses (shopping, meds, etc.)

• Gratuities for your local guide & driver (both Mexican pesos & U.S. dollars are accepted), and tour director (U.S. dollars appreciated)

• Travel Insurance - Missing a vacation is bad enough. Losing the money you paid for your vacation is even worse. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you purchase Travel Protection that helps provide coverage for Trip Cancellation, Interruption, Baggage Loss or Delay, Medical Expenses and more. The Day We Travel currently does NOT offer travel insurance. However, some of the more popular insurance companies are Allianz Travel, Travel Guard, World Nomads, Travelex, Axa Travel, etc. Please look into these to see what suits you best.

VISAS, PASSPORTS, AND OTHER ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A visa for your visit to Mexico is not necessary for US citizens. If you hold a passport from another country, check with your local consulate about requirements for travel to Mexico. All passengers traveling internationally are required to have a passport. Most countries require that the passport be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the conclusion of your trip, so please check the expiration date carefully. It is also recommended you have a minimum of three blank pages in your passport when traveling, as many countries require blank pages.

*****Once again, this is a small group tour of 10 guests*****