Hierve el Agua & Mezcal Tour from Oaxaca Centro: Small Group

Seven hours across three stops: mineral pools, artisanal bread, mezcal distillery

A small group tour from Oaxaca Centro to Hierve el Agua and a traditional mezcal distillery, with private transportation, a live guide in English or Spanish, and entry to the natural pools included. Lunch at a local buffet restaurant and mezcal tasting are part of the day. Children from age 5 are welcome. The tour keeps groups small so there is time to move at a pace that lets you absorb each stop instead of rushing through.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hierve el Agua and Mezcal Tour

• Meet at Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden entrance
• Drive 40 minutes to artisanal bread tasting
• Taste three main breads from Tlacolula de Matamoros
• Drive 40 minutes to Hierve el Agua
• Swim in natural mineral pools and optional hike
• Eat buffet lunch with traditional Oaxacan food
• Drive 40 minutes to mezcal distillery
• Learn mezcal production and enjoy tasting
• End of tour

The experience

The day starts at the Oaxaca Ethnobotanical Garden, where you meet your guide and the small group. From there, a 40-minute drive takes you to Tlacolula de Matamoros for a tasting of three traditional Oaxacan breads made by hand: the kind most visitors never find because they do not know where to look. Another 40 minutes on the road brings you to Hierve el Agua, where you can swim in natural mineral pools carved into the mountainside and hike the surrounding area if you want to. The pools sit high enough that the valley spreads out below them, and the water stays warm year-round.

Lunch happens at a local buffet restaurant with traditional Oaxacan food. The cost runs about 200 MXN per person (roughly $10 USD). After eating, you head to a traditional mezcal distillery for an explanation of how the spirit is made and a bottomless tasting included in your tour price. The drive back to Oaxaca Centro takes another 40 minutes. The whole day runs seven to eight hours from start to finish.

Because the groups stay small, you get more time with the guide and at each stop instead of moving as part of a larger crowd. The guide speaks English or Spanish depending on the group, and the route is designed so that couples, families and solo travelers can move at the same pace without feeling rushed or held back.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Oaxaca Centro.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• entrance to Hierve el Agua.
• mezcal tasting at the distillery.
• artisanal bread tasting in Tlacolula de Matamoros.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (18 to 50 years) · Senior (51 to 60 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “We will meet at the entrance of the ethnobotanical garden.”

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomeNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Oaxacool tours & experiences

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to visit three distinct sites (mineral pools, a local lunch spot, and a mezcal distillery) in one day with a small group that moves at a relaxed pace between stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What exactly is Hierve el Agua and what can I do there?

Hierve el Agua is a natural spring site in the mountains outside Oaxaca where mineral-rich water has carved pools into the rock face. You can swim in the pools, which stay warm year-round, and hike the surrounding area if you choose to. Both are optional parts of the stop.

Is lunch included in the tour price?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but you eat at a local buffet restaurant with traditional Oaxacan food. The cost is approximately 200 MXN per person (about $10 USD), which you pay separately at the restaurant.

What happens at the mezcal distillery?

At the traditional mezcal distillery, your guide explains the mezcal production process from start to finish, and then you taste mezcal. The tasting is included in your tour price with no limit on how many samples you try.

How long does it take to get from Oaxaca Centro to Hierve el Agua?

The drive from Oaxaca Centro to Hierve el Agua takes 40 minutes each way, and the whole tour runs seven to eight hours including all three stops and travel time between them.

Will there be a foreign guide at Hierve el Agua itself?

The community at Hierve el Agua does not allow foreign guides to lead tours within the town, so your guide will give you instructions before you enter and you explore the pools and hiking area on your own.