Discover Oaxaca
WHERE TRADITION, FLAVOR AND CULTURE MEET
The Discover Oaxaca Culinary Tour is your gateway to exploring Oaxaca’s vibrant culture through its extraordinary gastronomy.
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Fall 2025
October 9th-15th, 2025
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Winter 2026
February 19th-26th 2026
A culture and Culinary tour
The Discover Oaxaca Culinary Tour is your gateway to exploring Oaxaca’s vibrant culture through its extraordinary gastronomy. Whether it’s your first visit or your seventh, this enchanting region promises new discoveries as you delve into its culinary traditions, rich history, and cultural heritage.
Known as Mexico’s gastronomic capital, Oaxaca is a feast for the senses, with bustling markets, colorful produce, and centuries-old recipes passed down through generations. On this journey, you’ll experience the heart and soul of Oaxaca through its kitchens, markets, and street-side eateries. From savoring the complex flavors of legendary moles to enjoying traditional tlayudas hot off the comal, sipping artisanal mezcal, and crunching on perfectly seasoned chapulines, each bite tells a story of indigenous roots, colonial influences, and the creativity of Oaxacan chefs.
Cook with heirloom ingredients
Making antojitos at the cooking school
Cacao Masterclass
Eating at Almú - Michelin Bib
Drinking pre-hispanic beverages
Tasting 8 breads in different markets
Learn, try and cook
mole
the mother of all sauces
Our founder Susana Trilling wrote her first cookbook “My Search for the Seventh Mole" as a homage to the seven moles of Oaxaca and the occasions when these are prepared and eaten.
During the Discover Oaxaca tour, you will learn about the culture that mole means for its people and the traditions kept alive through this magnificent dish.
Mole Negro
Mole Rojo
Mole Verde
Segueza
Mole Coloradito
This carefully curated tour offers a perfect balance between Oaxaca’s charming colonial city center—where we’ll stay in a walkable hotel with comfortable rooms, private bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and daily breakfast—and the surrounding countryside.
Daily Activities: Each day begins with a simple or sumptuous breakfast, followed by an activity designed to immerse you in Oaxaca’s culinary and cultural richness. In the city, we’ll wander through vibrant markets, sample local delicacies, and dine at restaurants led by lauded chefs who combine tradition with modern flair.
Excursions to Nearby Villages: We’ll also visit nearby towns to connect with Oaxacan culture and its people. Along the way, you’ll encounter artisans crafting goods by hand, learn traditional cooking techniques, and gain insight into the stories that shape this incredible region.
Cooking Classes: Most afternoons will bring us to the renowned Seasons of My Heart cooking school, where hands-on classes will celebrate Oaxaca’s rich diversity of ingredients and culinary traditions. Each class will culminate in a memorable six-course meal, expanding your culinary expertise and leaving you inspired to recreate the flavors of Oaxaca at home.
What to expect
Mezcal tasting in Santa Catarina Minas
Learning about Alebrijes
Zapotec backstrap weaving
Visiting a tomato farm
Rug weaving in Teotitlán del Valle
Visiting Artist’s studios
Cooking Classes
Each class builds on the techniques and ingredients introduced previously, to expand your culinary expertise and give you a deeper appreciation for Oaxaca’s culinary artistry.
Maíz
This masterclass us centered on the region’s most cherished crop: corn. We’ll explore its history, demonstrate the nixtamalization process, and craft traditional dishes with fresh corn masa.
Cacao
Discover chocolate as you’ve never experienced it before. Learn to toast and grind cacao beans in the pre-Hispanic tradition, and use them to make hot drinking chocolate, dreamy desserts, and more.
Mole
Dive into Oaxaca’s most iconic culinary contribution: mole. These complex sauces incorporate up to 30 ingredients, including chiles, chocolate, nuts, seeds, and spices. You’ll prepare a variety of moles, each with its distinctive flavor so you can find your favorite!
Learn about Artisan Traditions
Oaxaca’s villages are renowned for their artisanship, we will visit the studios of different crafts makers and learn about their sourcing and passed-down techniques and have the opportunity to shop for one-of-a-kind pieces.
The famous woven rugs done with pedal looms from Teotitlán del Valle
All kinds of ancestral motifs woven into textiles crafted on backstrap
Hand-shaped intricate beeswax candles from Doña Viviana
Brightly painted wooden animal totems called Alebrijes from Jacobo y Maria Angeles
MEZCAL
No food tour in Oaxaca would be complete without celebrating mezcal, the region’s beloved spirit. Mezcal is a complex, artisanal beverage crafted from the heart of the agave plant. We’ll visit a dear friend and master mezcalero who will guide us through the distillation process, sharing insights into this centuries-old tradition. To top it off, you’ll enjoy a tasting of over 25 kinds of mezcal, discovering the incredible diversity of flavors of the wild agaves.
meet your guide
Chef
Kaelin Ulrich Trilling
Kaelin, the son of famed chef and the founder of the Seasons of My Heart cooking school Susana Trilling, was raised in Oaxaca and developed a deep appreciation for food and Mexican cultural traditions. Inspired by his mother's commitment to authenticity, Kaelin recognized the transformative power of cooking.
October 9th-15th, 2025
February 19th-26th 2026
Discover oaxaca
investment
3,150 USD (2025)
3,465 USD (2026)
Per person based on double occupancy. Single occupation supplement available.
Payment plans available.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
1 room left
6-night hotel accommodation
Transportation to tour-related activities and events
All activities, excursions and cooking classes
Most meals (you’ll have some free time to rest or choose your own adventure) and drinks
WHAT IS not INCLUDED
Airfare
Transportation to and from airport
Gratuities
Ready to sign up?
This tour is curated and unique.
The Discover Oaxaca tour is offered twice per year. We strive our best to design this tour based on activities since 1996.
Small groups, big enjoyment.
Our maximum is usually 12 to 14 people per tour. That means you'll travel the local way, all guided by Chef Kaelin Ulrich Trilling.
Can't travel on these dates?
We understand that certain dates can work better than others, or sometimes a more private experience is more appealing.
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Dia de Muertos
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10-day tourThis ten-day journey takes you into the heart of Oaxaca City and its surrounding villages, where families honor their ancestors through music, food, and long-standing traditions.
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Chef's Intensive
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