Exploring Oaxaca:
From the Sierra to the Sea
The Diversity of Southern Mexico - January 26 to February 4, 2027
This tour of Oaxaca is run together with the OSHER chapter at Boise State University.
Come explore the natural and cultural diversity of southern Mexico
January 26 to February 4, 2027
Oaxaca is one of the most culturally rich places in the Americas with 16 indigenous peoples, each with its own language. Its people, traditions, and way of life is spread across a landscape that shifts from cloud-draped mountains to high desert valleys, and on to the Pacific coast.The city itself is vibrant and walkable with a thriving art scene, lively markets, and extraordinary food around every corner.
On this tour, we begin in Oaxaca City and its surrounding villages, taking in the crafts, history, and daily life of the central valleys. Then we cross the mountains to the coast, where the pace changes.
We'll settle into a beachside base to explore the Pacific side of Oaxaca, visiting a turtle rescue center and an environmental conservation site, heading out on the water to watch for dolphins and possibly whales, and taking an early morning bird walk through the tropical landscape.
For those who have visited Oaxaca before, we're building in new activities and options so there's no need to repeat what you've already done. And for everyone, this will be something new: The first time a Travel Fever group has visited the coast.
Expect uncrowded beaches, warm water, and a stretch of shoreline largely untouched by mass tourism. We'll stay active and curious, but we'll also leave plenty of room to slow down, walk the beach, sit by the pool, or settle beside a shaded table with something cold in hand.
See it for yourself
Here are two videos for you, both filmed and produced by Travel Fever Tours. The first shows you some of the activities we undertook during our most recent group visit to Oaxaca City. The second introduces you to the beach, just in front of our hotel on the Pacific Coast.
From our trip to Oaxaca in January 2026.
Location of our hotel on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca.
Dates: January 26 to February 4, 2027
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
Cost: $4650 (see below for details)
Maximum group size: 15
More:
This trip is run in partnership with the OSHER chapter at Boise State University
Receive a $350 credit on a future trip when you refer a friend. Learn More.
Scroll down for more trip information…
Questions about payments, costs, our cancelation policy and more? Consult our Frequently Asked Questions.
Our time in Oaxaca City
We begin with three nights in the historic center of Oaxaca City. It is a walkable, endlessly interesting place where indigenous traditions, contemporary art, and one of Mexico's great food cultures coexist on every block. Even those who have visited before will find something new.
Beyond the city, we'll visit the archaeological site at Mitla — less famous than Monte Albán but architecturally stunning — along with the weekly market and well-regarded community museum in Santa Ana del Valle, and a working mezcal distillery where the spirit is still produced by hand.
Back in town, you'll have free time to explore at your own pace: Galleries, museums, the botanical gardens, the city's many murals and markets.
We'll share several meals at some of Oaxaca's best restaurants, but the real discoveries tend to happen on the street at market stalls, corner shops, and neighborhood comedores.
On the Pacific coast
From Oaxaca City we head south toward the Pacific, stopping along the way in Ocotlán de Morelos, timing our drive to catch market day and eat lunch among the stalls. From there we continue over the mountains to the coast, arriving at our beachfront hotel in time for dinner at the neighboring restaurant with the ocean before us.
Once we reach the beach, we've deliberately left the schedule loose. You'll want time to walk the sand, swim in the pool, and settle into a stretch of coastline that you'll have almost entirely to yourselves, where you can watch pelicans, terns, and cormorants dive for fish between the waves.
That said, there's plenty to see when you're ready. We'll visit the environmental conservation center at Ventanilla and take a boat through its mangrove lagoon, home to crocodiles and iguanas. We'll spend time at Piña Palmera, a respected community-based center dedicated to rehabilitation and social inclusion of people with disabilities — one of the most quietly remarkable organizations on the coast.
We'll head to the Escobilla sea turtle protection area to help with a turtle release, and have a sunset dinner on Zipolite beach. From Puerto Escondido, we'll take a boat tour along the coast with the chance to spot dolphins and possibly whales, and join a naturalist for an early morning birding walk at Manialtepec lagoon. Our last evening together will be a send-off dinner in Puerto Escondido.
Trip Details
(Click + to expand)
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January 26 to February 4, 2026 (9 nights - 10 days)
Total cost of the tour: $4650
Supplement for single occupancy: $625
Deposit required to reserve a place on the tour: $600
(Places in the tour are limited to 15 and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that you reserve your place early!)Payment schedule
$600 deposit is due when you make your reservation.
The remainder of the cost will be due in 3 installments on the first day of August, October, and December, 2026. Each installment payment will be $1350. The cost of a single room is additional and will be due August 1.
Cancelation Policy:
If you cancel up to 90 days prior to the trip’s start, any payments you’ve already made will be held for you so that it can be applied to a future trip. If you are within 90 days of the trip’s start, we’ll have already incurred substantial costs related to your reservation and so we won’t be able to offer you a credit. Instead, you will need to file a claim through your travel insurance. More information is found in our FAQ.If we need to cancel a trip for another reason, such as a natural disaster at the trip’s destination, the trip will be rescheduled. You will also have the option to apply the payments you’ve made to another trip.
** Receive a $350 credit on your next trip when you bring or refer a friend. Read More.
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Excursions and special activities throughout the week
Boat and other group tours
Pick-up and drop-off at designated airport at designated times
9 nights lodging
9 dinners with appropriate amounts of alcohol and breakfasts
Local transportation by minibus and driver
What’s not included:
Airfare & Travel Insurance
Lunches
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While in Oaxaca City, we will stay at the Hotel Casa de la Tía Tere, a short walk from the historical center of Oaxaca. The hotel features comfortable rooms, an inviting pool, and pleasant outdoor spaces for breakfast and general relaxation.
Learn more about the hotel at: www.casadelatiatere.com
Casa Chula Hotel Boutique - Frente al Mar
While on the Pacific Coast, we will stay at the Casa Chula Boutique Hotel. It is located directly on the beach in Tierra Blanca, less than 30 minutes south of Puerto Escondido. It offers direct access to a private beach area and beachfront. Guests enjoy sea views and a serene setting with a sun terrace and lush garden.The hotel features an infinity swimming pool, sun terrace, and free WiFi. Additional amenities include a shared kitchen, outdoor seating area, and picnic spots. Each room is equipped with air conditioning. The hotel’s website is at: www.casachulaoaxaca.com.
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Dinners will be taken at local restaurants throughout the trip. Breakfasts are included and will be at our hotel or a nearby cafe. Appropriate amounts of beer or wine are included with dinners. On some days, we may have our main course of the day at lunch, rather than at dinner.
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To extend your trip, and take some time to catch up on your sleep before the tour begins, you may wish to arrive early in Oaxaca.
You can also extend your trip with a longer visit to the Mexican coast or Mexico City.
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Yes, you may cancel your trip if you need. Up to 90 days prior to the trip’s start, any payments you’ve already made will be held for you so that it can be applied to a future trip. If you are within 90 days of the trip’s start, we’ll have already incurred substantial costs related to your reservation and so we won’t be able to offer you a credit. Instead, you can file a claim through your travel insurance.
Contact Us as soon as you know you must cancel and going forward, let us know what future trip you’d like to join and we’ll set it up for you.
You will not be responsible for any payments that have not yet been made.
Any credit you have with Travel Fever Tours may be applied to a different person’s account, if you like. Credits are valid for a period of three years.
You will be contacted once the trip reaches minimum enrollment so that you can proceed with purchase of your flights and make other travel arrangements.
Note: This trip will involve a reasonable amount of walking both within the city of Oaxaca and on the coast. Within the city and elsewhere there are cobblestones and other uneven surfaces. You should be able to walk distances, as city dwellers do, over uncertain surfaces to participate in this trip.
Meet your Tour Leaders
Mimi Marchev
Mimi is an experienced program leader with a decade of service overseeing SIT Study Abroad college semester programs in Chile and Mexico as Academic Director. She has also developed and led additional experiential programs in Oaxaca for organizations including the River Gallery School and Maine Audubon, as well as customized programs for U.S. universities and nonprofit partners. She is fluent in Spanish and English.
After practicing Law in New Jersey and Maine, Mimi earned a Master’s degree from SIT Graduate Institute in International Administration. A permanent resident of Mexico for over 25 years, Mimi lives in Oaxaca where she is retired from full-time program administration but remains actively engaged in the community, serving as President of the board of Libros Para Pueblos and providing translation and interpretation services for several local NGOs.
For this trip, Mimi has leveraged extensive local academic and cultural networks to arrange experienced instructors, knowledgeable guides, and local community leaders, ensuring an immersive and well-supported experience for participants. She has previously led six trips for Travel Fever Tours.
Oliver Froehling
Oliver Froehling has spent 30 years living and working in Oaxaca, Mexico, building relationships with indigenous communities, civil society organizations, and grassroots initiatives across the state. As director of SURCO A.C., a Oaxacan civil society organization, and through long-standing university affiliations, he has coordinated dozens of international group experiences — from university programs to community learning exchanges. He works to connect visitors with the people, landscapes, and traditions that make Oaxaca one of the most culturally rich regions in the Americas.
His deep familiarity with the Pacific coast, the central valleys, and the Sierra Norte means Oliver brings not just logistics but context — on indigenous rights, community organizing, ecological practice, and the social fabric of the communities participants will encounter.
Oliver is fluent in Spanish and English and is as comfortable navigating a coastal fishing village as a community assembly in the mountains. He has co-led previous trips for Travel Fever Tours.
“This trip exceeded my expectations... The two local guides were knowledgeable about a wide range of issues and knew the city really well. Thanks so much for putting together this trip”
“We had so many unique experiences in Oaxaca and wonderful food. Highlights for me were visits to local markets, with all the interesting local foods and other items, and the people watching.”
Is Oaxaca a city or a state?
Oaxaca is both, as New York is a city within the state of New York. Oaxaca City is the largest metropolitan area in the state, with a population of about 250,000 in the city and 750,000 when you include the surrounding towns.
The state has a population of 4.2 million and is roughly the size of the US state of Indiana.
The mountainous terrain makes the state feel larger than it is. The care that has been given the historic center of Oaxaca makes the city feel much smaller than one first thinks.
Where we’ll stay:
We will stay in two hotels on this trip.
Hotel Casa de la Tía Tere
The first, at the Casa de la Tía Tere, is a short walk from the historical center of Oaxaca. The hotel features comfortable rooms, an inviting pool, and pleasant outdoor spaces for breakfast and general relaxation.
The Hotel Casa de la Tía Tere’s website is at: www.casadelatiatere.com
Casa Chula Hotel Boutique - Frente al Mar
The Casa Chula Boutique Hotel is located directly on the beach in Tierra Blanca, less than 30 minutes south of Puerto Escondido. It offers direct access to a private beach area and beachfront. Guests enjoy sea views and a serene setting with a sun terrace and lush garden.
The hotel features an infinity swimming pool, sun terrace, and free WiFi. Additional amenities include a shared kitchen, outdoor seating area, and picnic spots. Each room is equipped with air conditioning. The hotel’s website is at: www.casachulaoaxaca.com.
Reserve this trip today:
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