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Monte Albán, Arrazola, Cuilapam y San Bartolo Coyotepec.
Oaxaca City, Mexico
- 8 hours
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
From the mountaintop pyramids of Monte Alban to the Cuilapam Convent on the valley floor, learn all about the rich history of Oaxaca Valley on this guided full-day trip by coach. Discover the Zapotec pyramids and excavated ruins of UNESCO-listed Monte Alban, admire the mystical woodcarvings of San Antonio Arrazola and meet resident artisans in San Bartolo Coyotepec, a town known for its beautiful black pottery. Hotel pickup and drop-off from Oaxaca included.
- Oaxaca day trip to Monte Alban, Arrazola, Cuilapam and Coyotepec
- See the ball court, temples and tombs of Monte Alban, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Admire artisan-made alebrijes (woodcarvings) in San Antonio Arrazola
- Visit the San Bartolo Coyotepec Church and the Cuilapam Convent in Cuilapam de Guerrero
- Hear stories about the ancient Zapotecs from your guide during your full-day sightseeing tour
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Oaxaca hotel included
What's Included
- Professional English- and Spanish-speaking guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Brunch
- Tickets to Cuilapam
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Start time
08:00 AM
Pickup details
Please specify your Hotel or Airbnb address. We will only cover areas close to the city center due to traffic issues. time: 8-8:20 am If you would like to get to our meeting point on your own, we are at the Quinta Real Hotel, located at 5 de Mayo #300, downtown. Time: 8:30 am Please send your location. If you confirm on the same day of the tour, we will not be able to go to your location and you have to arrive at the meeting point
What To Expect
Enjoy midmorning pickup by coach from your Oaxaca hotel and kick off your day of sightseeing at Monte Alban, a UNESCO site located on a mountaintop boasting panoramas of the city and Oaxaca Valley.
Spend about 2.5 hours at the archaeological site. Your guide takes you around the complex, including the Grand Plaza, a large open area on the flattened plateau. Hear engaging facts about Zapotec history and culture as you gaze at ceremonial platforms, including a series of rock carvings called The Dancers (Los Danzantes). You’ll see some of Monte Alban’s 170 tombs, whose excavations revealed a range of paintings and stone carvings. Visit pyramids, temples, altars and the I-shaped ball court constructed in 100 BC. Make your way up the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), a large area known for its wide staircase and great views.
Next, head to San Antonio Arrazola, a tranquil town at the base of Monte Alban. For about 45 minutes, stroll through the town and admire the local folk art, such as the world-renowned woodcarvings from the copal tree called alebrijes depicting a fantastic zoology of mythical creations and monsters.
In the traditional town of Cuilapam de Guerrero, swing by the Cuilapam Convent, a 16th-century Dominican convent known for its unfinished basilica and capilla abierta, or open chapel. Learn about this historical colonial feature aimed at encouraging larger numbers of indigenous people for conversion to Catholicism.
After refueling with lunch (own expense), wrap up your sightseeing in San Bartolo Coyotepec. Visit the 16th-century San Bartolo Coyotepec Church, the Oaxaca State Museum of Popular Art (MEAPO) and a craft market displaying the work of more than a dozen families. Learn about this town known for its black pottery (barro negro), unique ceramics made locally since pre-Columbian times.
Your full-day tour ends with drop-off at your hotel in Oaxaca in the evening.
Spend about 2.5 hours at the archaeological site. Your guide takes you around the complex, including the Grand Plaza, a large open area on the flattened plateau. Hear engaging facts about Zapotec history and culture as you gaze at ceremonial platforms, including a series of rock carvings called The Dancers (Los Danzantes). You’ll see some of Monte Alban’s 170 tombs, whose excavations revealed a range of paintings and stone carvings. Visit pyramids, temples, altars and the I-shaped ball court constructed in 100 BC. Make your way up the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), a large area known for its wide staircase and great views.
Next, head to San Antonio Arrazola, a tranquil town at the base of Monte Alban. For about 45 minutes, stroll through the town and admire the local folk art, such as the world-renowned woodcarvings from the copal tree called alebrijes depicting a fantastic zoology of mythical creations and monsters.
In the traditional town of Cuilapam de Guerrero, swing by the Cuilapam Convent, a 16th-century Dominican convent known for its unfinished basilica and capilla abierta, or open chapel. Learn about this historical colonial feature aimed at encouraging larger numbers of indigenous people for conversion to Catholicism.
After refueling with lunch (own expense), wrap up your sightseeing in San Bartolo Coyotepec. Visit the 16th-century San Bartolo Coyotepec Church, the Oaxaca State Museum of Popular Art (MEAPO) and a craft market displaying the work of more than a dozen families. Learn about this town known for its black pottery (barro negro), unique ceramics made locally since pre-Columbian times.
Your full-day tour ends with drop-off at your hotel in Oaxaca in the evening.
Zona Arqueologica de Monte Alban
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
San Antonio Arrazola
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Convento de Cuilapam
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
San Bartolo Coyotepec
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Winston_H
I forgot to mention my guide's name was Antonio. He was very knowledgeable about the Monte Alban site.
Reviews
4.5
143 reviews
Shyrl_K, Apr 2024
It was nice to be picked up on time close to our hotel. We were a smalll group of 7 and so we were looking forward to touring Monte Alban. However, the tour guide allowed about 25-30 "non-tour" folks to come along on the tour around Monte Alban with us. This made it impossible to get close to him to hear his explanations etc. It was really annoying.
The wood factory was very interesting. We then went for lunch which was sub-par at best and not at all comparable in quality to the lunch we had on our tour to Hierve el Agua. It was very disappointing.
The monastery itself was a good place to see. The black pottery not so much as it was just a store and did not demonstrate the process of making the black pottery.
All in all we found the tour guide to be disinterested in his customers and he did not engage with us other than to provide information. He was also very tired and slept when we were driving.
Angela_H, Apr 2024
Our guide, Moses, was excellent! He was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his culture and made it come to life. The only complaint I would have is that it was a very long day (about 11 hours from pick up to drop off), so be prepared. If I had to do it over I would probably break it up into two days, but if you want to see all the sights with limited time, this is definitely a great option. Seeing the artisans at work was interesting, especially the black pottery.
Aneta_R, Mar 2024
Monte Alban was a truly magnificent site; happy to have gone earlier in the day as the sun is fierce. Could have done without the trip to the artisans.
Maureen_D, Mar 2024
Our guide Gabriel was an excellent tour guide. His command of both Spanish and English languages and knowledge made our tour informative and fun.
Susana_S, Mar 2024
Guides were so knowledgeable and helpful. The entire day was packed with rich cultural and historical information that we would have easily missed on our own. Teenagers loved it too!
James_J, Mar 2024
My favorite part was Monte Alban by far,but our tour guide made a special stop at a Convent in Cuilapam,that is not on the tour but he added it for our enjoyment.
Tour guide was Moises,who was excellent,friendly and spoke very good English.
The other stops were nice as well.
Elizabeth_S, Feb 2024
The itinerary was great—saw exactly what we wanted to see. Hotel pick-up & drop-off was prompt & efficient.
But our guide was one of the worst we’ve ever had. For this alone I rate this tour lower—maybe a 1.
The guide was pedantic —more expressing his own POV and was short on facts about what we were seeing. He was arrogant & spent more time speaking Spanish. When at one site my husband & I were the only English speakers in the group he went completely Spanish & ignored us. Very unprofessional, obviously didn’t care.
Why book this tour as both for English & Spanish speakers?
What a lousy tour agency you are to employ such a bad, indifferent guide.
SueAnne_S, Feb 2024
Our guide spoke very good English, and was quite knowledgable about the natural and cultural history of the area. The bus was comfortable, and the pacing of the activities was good.
Charles_M, Feb 2024
Monte Alban is truly an astonishing site and a view of civilizations past and their accomplishments. The artistry of wood carving/painting and pottery of today. Painstaking craftmanship.!
Barbara_W, Jan 2024
Our guide, Moses, was excellent. In addition to providing lots of historical and other information about our various destinations, he was very personable and added lots of extra info and details. Our driver, Ramiro, was great, and the bus was brand new and very comfortable. An excellent day altogether!
...
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