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Oaxaca: Hierve el Agua, Mitla & Mezcal Day Trip with Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/21

Duration11h

GroupUp to 20

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Hierve el Agua pools, Mitla ruins, Tule tree and mezcal tasting in a full Oaxaca day

You’ll walk beneath the world’s widest tree in Tule, hike and swim at Hierve el Agua’s mineral pools, explore Mitla’s ancient ruins with a local guide, watch Zapotec weavers at work in Teotitlán del Valle, and taste smoky mezcal straight from the source—all packed into one full Oaxaca day trip that lingers long after you’re home.

11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Teotitlán del Valle textile workshop
Explore Hierve el Agua petrified waterfalls
Swim in Hierve el Agua natural pools
Visit Tule Tree in Santa Maria del Tule
Tour Mitla archaeological site
Learn mezcal production and tasting

The Experience

I didn’t expect to start my day staring up at a tree so wide it made our whole group look like ants. The Tule Tree is just there in Santa Maria del Tule—locals chatting on benches, kids darting around—and our guide (I think his name was Enrique?) told us legends about spirits living inside. I tried to wrap my arms around the trunk for a photo but honestly, you’d need twenty people. The air smelled faintly sweet, almost mossy. Weird detail to remember, but it stuck.

After that we drove out past fields dotted with agave. Mitla was next—those ancient stone mosaics are sharper than I thought they’d be. Our guide walked us through the Zapotec history; I kept squinting at the patterns trying to picture hands carving them centuries ago. It was already getting hot by then, and I bought a tamarind soda from a lady at the entrance who smiled but didn’t say much (my Spanish is still pretty bad). Hierve el Agua came after lunch—there’s this moment when you first see the petrified waterfalls and it’s so quiet except for wind and distant voices bouncing off rock. The water felt cool and slightly slippery; I sat on the edge for ages with my feet dangling, not really talking.

We stopped in Teotitlán del Valle where rugs hang everywhere like bright flags. One of the weavers explained how they use cochineal bugs for red dye—I’d never seen that before—and let me try spinning some wool (not easy). My attempt looked more like tangled spaghetti than yarn. Li laughed when I tried to say “gracias” in Zapotec; probably butchered it. Last stop: mezcal tasting. The smoky smell hit before we even went inside. They walked us through every step—cooking agave hearts in earth pits, crushing them with this big stone wheel pulled by a horse—and then poured tiny glasses for us to sip (not shoot!). I still think about that earthy burn on my tongue.

The drive back was quiet—everyone half asleep or watching sunset shadows move over the hills outside Oaxaca city. Not everything went smoothly (I forgot my towel for swimming), but honestly that made it feel more real.

What’s included

Your day includes comfortable air-conditioned transport with water bottles provided throughout, all entry fees covered for Tule Tree, Mitla ruins and Hierve el Agua pools, a buffet lunch featuring local Oaxacan dishes plus vegan options, guided visits led by bilingual experts—including hands-on moments with Zapotec weavers—and ends with a complimentary mezcal tasting before heading back to Oaxaca city.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Zapotecos Tours