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Peregrine Travel Centre

Hiking in Mexico: Oaxaca’s Indigenous Highlands

Hiking in Mexico: Oaxaca’s Indigenous Highlands

From $ 1,960 AUD

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Description

This five-day hiking trip takes you from Oaxaca to some of the small villages of the Pueblos Mancomunados – a Zapotec community tourism project in the Sierra Norte Mountains. With local guides and your handy local leader, you’ll hike from village to village along rural paths and forest trails, soaking up the natural scenery of the highlands. With hard-to-access Zapotec villages, you’ll leave the common tourist trail and visit local small farms, participate in a cooking class, join a pulque and tepache workshop and spend each night in a community cabin. With an Intrepid leader by your side, you can get closer to some of Mexico’s favourite places, no matter how much time you have.

Trip Name
Hiking in Mexico: Oaxaca’s Indigenous Highlands
Last Updated
1970-01-01
Days
5
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Support the local Zapotec villages that run the Pueblos Mancomunados – a small community project focused on eco-tourism. As you hike, meet locals and learn about the local culture and surrounding nature of the Sierra Norte Mountains of Oaxaca.
  • Visit local farms in La Neveria and learn about cultivating crops like corn, then join a local family for a gastronomic workshop based on the village’s local produce.
  • Hike on the Cipriano Cabrera trail towards Latuvi and meet Doña Martha for a workshop about making pulque and tepache – two traditional Mexican drinks, fermented and made with local plants, fruits and vegetables.
  • Start and end your trip in the colourful city of Oaxaca with its busy markets, artisan studios and world-renowned gastronomy.
  • See some of the best of Mexico with curated included activities and limited free time. Walk with your local guide along rural paths used by farmers and learn about the diversity of flora and fauna here among some unforgettable panoramic views.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway and has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if deemed necessary due to safety concerns. , OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Oaxaca
Bienvenidos! Welcome to Mexico. Your adventure begins in Oaxaca (pronounced wa-ha-ca), the city known for its mole (sauces) and mezcal. You’ll have a welcome meeting tonight at 6 pm at your hotel. If you arrive early, maybe see the main square with its architecture dating back to the 16th century or the 20 de Noviembre Market – a food market loved by the locals. Tonight, maybe join your group for dinner and try some of the regional specialities, like tlayudas (Oaxacan pizza) or one of the seven varieties of mole.
Day 2 - Benito Juarez
After breakfast, drive to the community of Benito Juarez – named after the prominent Mexican President. This is where your village to village hiking adventure really begins! When you arrive, you’ll meet your local guide for the walk to Mirador and the Hanging Bridge, where you’ll have a great view of the Central Valleys. If the day’s clear, you’ll be able to see the Pico de Orizaba – an active volcano, this is the highest mountain in Mexico and the third highest in North America! After, head to the farm where you’ll be staying tonight and meet the family of Mr Eli. Tuck into a home-cooked dinner made by your hosts and watch the sun go down before resting in your comfortable cabins for the night.
Day 3 - La Neveria
After your restful night, meet your group at the farm’s dining room for breakfast. It’s here that you’ll meet your local guide who will take you to the community of La Neveria along a rural path used by farmers. As you make your way along the trail, soak in the beauty of the forests of Sierra Norte and learn about the diverse flora and fauna there. When you arrive in the town, have lunch at a local restaurant, then it’s time to set off again with your guide for a tour of the community and its corn farms. Visit a local family for a gastronomic workshop based around the food that grows here, then settle in for another night in a small highland village.
Day 4 - Latuvi
As the sun rises, your hiking adventure continues. After breakfast, meet your guide and set out on the Cipriano Cabrera trail to the community of Latuvi. Along this quiet trail, you’ll see the biodiversity and climate of the Sierra Norte change, as you go from the cold pine forests of Neveria to the oak forests of lower altitudes. With diverse flora and fauna, local wildlife and gorgeous highland scenery, you’ll see why the people in these villages feel it’s important to protect their precious land. When you arrive in Latuvi, head to the community restaurant to try some local regional dishes for lunch. After, visit Dona Martha, who will show you the process of making pulque and tepache – traditional Mexican beverages typically made with agave sap and pineapple rinds or corn. Tonight, you’ll head back to Oaxaca, where you’re free to grab dinner and say ‘salud!’ to a beautiful, off-the-grid hiking trip.
Day 5 - Oaxaca
With no further activities planned, your adventure comes to an end this morning. If you’d like to extend your time in Oaxaca, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
10-10-202614-10-2026AUD $ 1,960-
24-10-202628-10-2026AUD $ 2,060-
14-11-202618-11-2026AUD $ 1,960-
28-11-202602-12-2026AUD $ 1,960-
05-12-202609-12-2026AUD $ 1,960-
12-12-202616-12-2026AUD $ 1,960-
26-12-202630-12-2026AUD $ 2,060-
16-01-202720-01-2027AUD $ 2,060-
13-02-202717-02-2027AUD $ 2,060-
27-02-202703-03-2027AUD $ 2,060-
13-03-202717-03-2027AUD $ 2,060-
27-03-202731-03-2027AUD $ 2,130-
24-04-202728-04-2027AUD $ 2,060-
22-05-202726-05-2027AUD $ 2,060-
15-01-202819-01-2028AUD $ 2,030-
12-02-202816-02-2028AUD $ 2,030-
26-02-202801-03-2028AUD $ 2,030-
11-03-202815-03-2028AUD $ 2,030-
25-03-202829-03-2028AUD $ 2,030-
22-04-202826-04-2028AUD $ 2,030-
20-05-202824-05-2028AUD $ 2,030-

Accommodation

Hotel (2 nights), Cabin (2 nights)

Transport

Private transport, on foot

Map

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