Monte Albán tour with ruins, workshops & chocolate tasting

Walk the plazas of a Zapotec city built on a mountaintop, then watch artisans shape alebrijes and black clay by hand.

This nine-hour guided tour from Oaxaca takes you to Monte Albán, the most important archaeological site in the region, built by the Zapotec culture. You'll explore the ruins with a live guide in English or Spanish, then travel to San Antonio Arrazola to visit an ancestral mezcalería, watch alebrijes being made in a workshop, see black clay ceramics being shaped, and stop at a traditional Oaxaca restaurant for lunch. The day ends with a chocolate tasting at an authentic shop. Pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Monte Albán and local crafts

• Visit Monte Albán archaeological site
• Visit ancestral mezcalería
• Tour Alebrije workshop
• Enjoy traditional Oaxaca buffet lunch
• See black clay ceramics elaboration
• Visit prehispanic factory

The experience

If you're arriving in Oaxaca without a car or want a structured day that covers the region's archaeology and craft traditions, this tour handles the logistics. You get picked up in an air-conditioned vehicle and driven to Monte Albán, the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca and a former Zapotec city. A live guide walks you through the plazas and explains the history as you move through the ruins. The site sits on a mountaintop, so you're moving between structures and taking in the landscape as the guide talks.

From the ruins, the tour moves to San Antonio Arrazola, a village known for its artisans. You'll stop at an ancestral mezcalería to taste mezcal and learn about the production techniques, then visit an alebrije workshop where you watch the elaboration process. These are the hand-painted wooden figures Oaxaca is known for. A separate stop shows you black clay ceramics being made, another traditional craft. Lunch is at a buffet restaurant serving traditional Oaxaca food: moles, meats, salads, tortillas made on the comal. The day finishes with a chocolate tasting at an authentic chocolate shop.

The whole experience runs nine hours. You're moving between archaeological ruins, working craft studios, and food stops, so there's no single location where you sit for hours. The guide speaks English or Spanish depending on the group. Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed. The archaeological zone itself is not adapted for people with physical disabilities, so that's a constraint worth knowing before booking.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle pickup.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• entry to Monte Albán archaeological site.
• visits to an ancestral mezcalería, an alebrije workshop and a black clay ceramics workshop in San Antonio Arrazola.
• mezcal tasting.
• chocolate tasting at an authentic chocolate shop.

Before you book

Lasts 9h, runs every day at 09:00, from US$ 38 per person, with a live guide in English and Spanish and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (22 to 49 years) · Senior (50 to 90 years) · Youth (16 to 21 years) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Oaxaca Dreams

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying in central Oaxaca without your own car: pickup and drop-off mean you skip the taxi coordination between Monte Albán, the craft workshops, and Cuilapam.

Traveler reviews

4.70★★★★★★★★★★

150 verified traveler reviews

5 ★125

4 ★13

3 ★7

2 ★2

1 ★3

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (16 to 21 years); Child (4 to 15 years); Infant (under 4).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Monte Albán and why is it important?

Monte Albán is the most important archaeological site in Oaxaca and was built by the Zapotec culture. You'll walk through the plazas and structures on a mountaintop with a guide who explains the history and significance of the ruins.

Do I get to see artisans actually working, or just finished pieces?

You watch the elaboration process in both the alebrije workshop and the black clay ceramics workshop, so you see artisans shaping and working with the materials, not just viewing finished products on display.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, though the itinerary stops at a buffet restaurant serving traditional Oaxaca dishes like moles, meats, salads and tortillas made on the comal.

How do I get picked up, and where does the tour start?

Pickup is included in the tour price. A guide will meet you in an air-conditioned vehicle and take you from your location to Monte Albán to begin the day.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though Monte Albán's archaeological zone is not adapted for people with physical disabilities. The site involves walking between structures on a mountaintop, so it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.