Mexico

Oaxaca & Puebla: A Modern Look Into an Ancient Land

Program No. 23949RJ
Ancient cities, handmade textiles and chocolate making are just the beginning of an incredible learning adventure deep in the heart of Oaxaca and Puebla.

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At a Glance

Walk in the footsteps of the Zapotec, Maya and more during a modern-day exploration of Oaxaca and Puebla in southern Mexico. Beginning in Oaxaca City, get a taste for the region as you explore local markets and enjoy a field trip to the Mayordomo Chocolate Factory, where you’ll learn about a drink once made for Mayan royalty. Immerse yourself in Zapotec culture as you explore the archaeological sites of Monte Alban and Mitla, and marvel in the 2,000 year-old cypress tree that calls El Arbol del Tule its home. In Puebla, explore the city’s historic district that is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Journey to Cholula to thrill in the history of the Great Pyramid before returning to Puebla to take in the award-winning architecture of the International Museum of the Baroque, and enjoy a field trip to the ancient site of Cacaxtla.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking 1-2 miles daily over varied terrain.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Learn about ancient cities and holy places as you join an expert on field trips to archaeological sites, including the Zapotec city of Mitla and the ceremonial centers of Monte Alban and Cacaxtla.
  • Examine the artistry of handmade textiles during a field trip to the village of Teotitlan del Valle, and enjoy a weaving demonstration by a local expert.
  • Marvel in the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the largest pyramid in the world and a feat engineering.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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María Teresa Peniche
Maria Teresa Peniche, who prefers to be known simply as “Teri,” is a highly regarded addition to Geronimo’s Road Scholar staff. Teri pursued a career in higher education, preparing school curriculums designed as well as teaching English in secondary education. After retiring, Teri’s vast knowledge of Mexico’s history and culture paved the way towards her becoming a Group Leader. Blessed with a caring disposition and a great desire to share her love of her country, Teri’s capacity for sharing her considerable knowledge is unrivaled.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of María Peniche
María Teresa Peniche View biography
Maria Teresa Peniche, who prefers to be known simply as “Teri,” is a highly regarded addition to Geronimo’s Road Scholar staff. Teri pursued a career in higher education, preparing school curriculums designed as well as teaching English in secondary education. After retiring, Teri’s vast knowledge of Mexico’s history and culture paved the way towards her becoming a Group Leader. Blessed with a caring disposition and a great desire to share her love of her country, Teri’s capacity for sharing her considerable knowledge is unrivaled.
Profile Image of Arturo Vertiz
Arturo Vertiz View biography
Arturo Vertiz knew from an early age that he wanted to work in the travel industry, focusing on learning English and French in school. Graduating with a degree in tourism and business administration, he worked in the hotel industry before founding his own travel agency. Arturo’s greatest honor was being chosen to manage the housing complex for athletes participating in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. As a Group Leader and a Mexican national, Arturo loves interacting with visitors in search of learning experiences.
Profile Image of Haydee de Hoyos
Haydee de Hoyos View biography
Originally from the northern state of Sonora, Haydee de Hoyos learned English through her interest in American television, especially “Sesame Street.” Her affinity for American culture led her to pursue a career in the travel industry with a degree in tourism and business form the University of Guadalajara. Haydee has worked for Geronimo for more than 20 years and served as a Group Leader on programs focusing on art, culture, history, the environment and Mexican cuisine, developing an encyclopedia of knowledge of all things Mexico.
Profile Image of Suzanne Barbezat
Suzanne Barbezat View biography
Suzanne Barbezat grew up in Montréal, Canada, but holds a deep love and appreciation for Oaxaca. After graduating with a degree in anthropology, she lost her heart to Oaxaca on a solo trip through Latin America. Moving to Mexico in 1998, she has worked as a teacher, group leader and writer Suzanne spends her free time discovering off-the-beaten-path locales around Oaxaca with her Mexican husband and children. There's nothing she enjoys more than getting to know Oaxaca better and sharing her love for it.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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9 days
8 nights
21 meals
8 B 7 L 6 D
DAY
1
Arrive to Oaxaca, Check-inn, Welcome Dinner
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Hotel Check-in from 2:00 p.m.

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, checking in and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a plated 3-course meal, plus soft drinks, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner will be saved for those arriving late to the hotel

Evening: At leisure

DAY
2
Orientation, Downtown Oaxaca, Benito Juarez Market
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
B,L,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walk approx. 3 miles total throughout the day; flat terrain.

Breakfast: At the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a buffet breakfast of Mexican and international cuisine featuring a variety of hot dishes, bread, pastries, fruit, and yogurt, plus coffee, tea, water.

Morning: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. An instructor conduct classroom sessions, a certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. We will provide suggestions for restaurants and on-site visits for personal independent exploration and several meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Our first lecture will begin with a presentation at the hotel given by our Study Leader will build on our knowledge of Oaxaca and and its history stretching back 3,000 years back. We will then walk with our local expert to the Historical Center where we will visit some of the most important buildings. Though the current city was founded in 1532, the Zapotec and Mixtec pre-Columbian civilizations had already been settled in the area for thousands of years. The city is known for these archaeological sites and the large number of colonial-era structures. We will learn about the Templo of Santo Domingo. Founded by the Dominican order, the rooms that once constituted the monastery, today house the Cultural Center of Oaxaca. The construction started in 1570 and continue over a period of 200 years, and has since undergone a complete restoration that was finished in 1999.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy a two-course lunch with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase

Afternoon: The field trip for today will continue with a visit to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices and Mayordomo Chocolate Factory where we will learn from a local expert about the history of chocolate making and receive a step-by-step demonstration of how it is done. After these visits, we will return to the hotel for a social hour and a great opportunity to get to know your fellow Road Scholars.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure

DAY
3
Mitla, Santa Maria del Tule, Teotitlán del Valle
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
B,L,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walk approx. 2.5 miles total throughout the day; compact trails. Driving approx. 60 miles total for the day; about 2.5 hours, with stops.

Breakfast: Hotel bufffet

Morning: Aboard our bus with a local expert, we will set out for Santa María del Tule. This used to be marshland filled with bulrushes, which the Aztecs called “tulle,” and cypress trees. We’ll stop in the town center where El Árbol del Tule is located, a 2,000 year old Montezuma cypress tree that is the widest tree in the world with a diameter of almost 40 feet. Continuing, we’ll go to Mitla, an archaeological site that is an important representation of Zapotec culture as it features unique and intricate geometric and mosaic work. Well-preserved thanks to the dry climate, Mitla was the residence of the high priest, whom the Spanish likened to the Pope, and served as the main religious center for the Zapotec.

Lunch: At a local restaurant just outside Mitla, we’ll enjoy a tasty buffet specializing in different kinds of moles, a variety of salads, main dishes, and desserts, plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our exploration will continue with a visit to Teotitlán del Valle, a small village known for its handmade textiles from local materials. The village was originally founded by the Zapotec under the name Xaguixe, meaning “at the foot of the mountains,” and still retains much of its original culture. The Spanish then renamed the site Teotitlán del Valle; Teotitlán meaning “land of the gods” in Nahuatl. While here, we will be treated to a unique demonstration given by our local experts, as well as local professional weavers from Teotitlán del Valle. The demo will include the treating of the wool, the organic coloring, and weaving by a team of professionals weavers.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out in the morning

DAY
4
Monte Alban Archaeological Site, Museum
Oaxaca City, Oaxaca
B,L
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walk approx. 2.5 miles total throughout the day; flat surfaces; lots of sun; bring hats, sunscreen and plenty of water. Driving approx. 12 miles one way to Monte Albán Archaeological Site & Museum; about 1 hour roundtrip.

Breakfast: Hotel breakfast

Morning: Aboard our bus, we will begin our field trip to Monte Albán, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in México with the most spectacular views. One of the greatest Mesoamerican cities, it served as a political and economic center for the Zapotec from roughly 500 BCE to around 500 CE. One of the defining features of the city are the carved monuments, or Danzantes, lining the Main Plaza. After the site visit, we will walk to the Monte Albán Site Museum and observe many of the artifacts excavated from the area, including the impressive collection of Danzantes.

Lunch: We will drive to a restaurant outside of Monte Alban known for their delicious food; a buffet featuring Mexican food, with a variety of main dishes, salads, soups, water, coffee, soft drinks, other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will return to the hotel.

Dinner: On your own. This meal cost has been deducted from the program cost, for you to enjoy what you like the most in Oaxaca

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
To Puebla, Downtown Puebla
Puebla City, Puebla
B,L,D
Hotel Colonial De Puebla

Activity note: Driving approx. 212 miles to Puebla City; about 4.5 hours total, with stops. Walking approx. 2 miles in Puebla; periods of standing.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we will board the motorcoach and transfer to Puebla, arriving in time to check in and have lunch.

Lunch: At the hotel restaurant featuring Mexican cuisine, we’ll enjoy a 3-course meal, plus soft drinks, coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll set out from the hotel with a local expert on a walking field trip into the Historic Center of Puebla, a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site. The area was unsettled during the Aztec empire, having served as the location for “flowery wars” between the Aztec alliance and their rivals. Until the establishment of Puebla in 1531, the area was known as Cuetlaxcoapan, or “where serpents shed their skin.” Today the city is known for its diverse architecture and Talavera pottery in addition to being one of the largest cities in México. We will make stops at the Templo de Santo Domingo; the Capilla del Rosario, also called the House of Gold, considered one of the modern wonders of the world; Casa de los Muñecos, the Doll House, a baroque house from the 18th century with beautiful talavera tile; and the artisan Market “El Parian.”

Dinner: We will walk with the Group Leader to a local restaurant to enjoy a two- course dinner with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase

Evening: At leisure

DAY
6
Cholula, International Museum of Baroque
Puebla City, Puebla
B,L
Hotel Colonial De Puebla

Activity note: Getting on/off of a bus; driving approximately 10 miles, 45 minutes. Walking and standing at museums

Breakfast: Hotel buffet

Morning: Aboard our bus, we will then depart Puebla for a field trip to Cholula and the Great Pyramid, one of the largest pyramids in the world. With the widest base of any pyramid in the world at a length of a quarter mile, the pyramid stands 180 feet tall. Built in four stages over a period of 800 years, it was the primary temple to Quetzalcoatl. Following a period of population growth, the pyramid became abandoned until the Toltec-Chichimecas overtook the city and built a new temple atop the pyramid. The temple remained overgrown after the arrival of the Spanish and remained undisturbed until the 19th century, except for the Nuestra Señora de los Remedios church on top. Upon arrival, our local expert will lead us on a walking field trip around the area.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we will enjoy a 2-course lunch, including. Coffee, soft drinks, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will then be transferred to Puebla for a visit to the International Museum of the Baroque (Museo Internacional del Barroco); this new museum opened its doors to the public in 2016. The museum was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, who was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize – architecture’s equivalent to a Pulitzer Prize – in 2013. After an introductory talk at the museum, we will have an opportunity to browse the permanent exhibition halls as well as the temporary exhibitions to admire the many pieces related to the Baroque times from painting, sculpting, music, dance, and architecture,among others

Dinner: On your own, this meal has been deducted form the program cost for you to enjoy what you like in Puebla

Evening: At leisure

DAY
7
Cacaxtla archaeological Site, Ex-hacienda Chautla
Puebla City, Puebla
B,L,D
Hotel Colonial De Puebla

Activity note: Getting on/off of a bus. Walk up to 2 miles throughout the day.

Breakfast: At the hotel

Morning: We’ll take a field trip to the archeological site of Cacaxtla. A prosperous city for more than 300 years, Cacaxtla declined around 900 CE before ultimately being abandoned by the year 1000. Cacaxtla was built around the Gran Basamento, a large elevated platform where the most important buildings were located, offering unobstructed views of the surrounding area. It is known for its colorful murals with their unmistakable Maya influence that are in excellent condition having not been excavated until the 1980s.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a three-course meal plus coffee, tea, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: After lunch we will rerun to puebla for some time to relax before dinner

Dinner: At the hotel, tonight we will have farewell dinner with a three-course meal with beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for for check-out and departures in the morning

DAY
8
To Mexico City, Teotihuacan Archaeological Site.
Mexico City
B,L,D
Hotel NH Mexico City Centro Histórico

Activity note: Driving approx. 90 miles one way; about 2.5 hours. Walking approx. 2 miles throughout the day under direct sunlight. Bring hats, sunscreen, bottle of water

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we will then board the motorcoach and transfer to Teotihuacan Archaeological Site. Upon arrival, our field trip will begin with a visit to the Teotihuacan Pyramids and its archaeological site where our local expert will introduce us to Teotihuacan and explain how it became the 6th largest city in the world between 150 BCE and 450 CE. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pyramids are the centerpiece of the holy city that once hosted a population of at least 125,000 people. Some of the most famous temples include the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, and the Temple of the Plumed Serpent.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we get to chose from a variety of main dishes, soups, and salads, plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will continue exploring the archaeological site before departing in time to check in to our hotel and to enjoy the remainder of the afternoon to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: At the hotel, we will enjoy a farewell dinner

Evening: We’ll then gather with our Group Leader for a review of the program and to discuss transfers for the conclusion of the program. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

DAY
9
Program concludes
Mexico City
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 1:00 p.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.

Breakfast: At the hotel, the buffet features Mexican and international cuisine including a variety of hot dishes, fruit, and pastries, plus coffee, tea, juice, water. This concludes our program.

Morning: Independent transfers to the airport If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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