Monte Alban, Alebrijes & Black Clay Heritage Tour

5.0 (10 reviews) 9 h 30 min

out of 5

10 reviews

5.0

Archaeological Site of Monte Alban, Oaxaca — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Visiting the archaeological area of Monte Albán — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Monte Albán is one of the great archaeological sites of the ancient world — but most visitors walk through it without understanding what they're looking at. What makes this tour special is the guide. Our SECTUR-certified bilingual expert doesn't just point at pyramids : they tell you who built them, why they positioned the observatory the way they did, and what the carvings on the walls actually mean. Then, instead of heading back to the hotel, we take you deeper — into a 16th-century roofless convent that history forgot, into a workshop where a family has been carving fantastical wooden creatures for generations, and into a village where the black clay pottery tradition is so refined it has been declared a UNESCO Intangible Heritage. This is Oaxaca's ancient and living culture, side by side, in a single day.

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At a glance

Duration: 9 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 15 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English, Spanish
Operated by: Operadora Turistica Dainzúu

Ages: Children (2–11 years) · Youth (12–19 years) · Adults (20–80 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Entrance fees: Entrance fee
Included: In-vehicle air conditioning: Air-conditioned vehicle
Included: Tourist Guide

Not included

Not included: Meals: does not include food or drinks in the restaurant
Not included: Gratuities

Itinerary

Zona Arqueologica de Monte Alban

1 h 30 min Admission included

Stand on one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world. Built by the Zapotecs over 2,500 years ago on a flattened mountaintop overlooking three valleys, Monte Albán was a thriving metropolis of astronomers, warriors, and priests for over a thousand years. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the site features grand plazas, pyramids, tombs, and a unique observatory building. Your certified guide will bring the history to life with stories of power, astronomy, and Zapotec cosmology.
San Antonio Arrazola

one hour

Watch skilled artisans carve and paint the fantastical wooden creatures known as alebrijes — each one a unique, hand-crafted work of art that takes days or weeks to complete. In the village of Arrazola, these brightly colored figures are carved from copal wood and painted in extraordinary detail, combining pre-Hispanic symbolism with the artist's own imagination. No two pieces are ever alike, making them one of the most authentic souvenirs you can bring home from Oaxaca.
Ex Convento De Cuilapam De Guerrero

40 min Admission included

Visit one of the most hauntingly beautiful colonial structures in Oaxaca — an unfinished Dominican convent begun in 1555 that was never completed. Beyond its architectural drama, this site carries deep historical weight : it was here that Mexican independence hero Vicente Guerrero was executed in 1831. A place where colonial ambition, indigenous history, and national memory converges in a single ruin.
San Bartolo

45 min

Discover the birthplace of Oaxaca's most iconic craft : black mud, or black clay pottery. In San Bartolo Coyotepec, master potters shape elegant vessels entirely by hand — without a wheel — using techniques passed down through generations since pre-Hispanic times. The distinctive metallic black finish is achieved through a special burnishing and firing process unique to this village. Watch the artisans at work and browse their pieces directly in the family workshop.

Meeting point and pickup

You can be picked up from your accommodation or go straight to the meeting point.

Meeting point

Wait in the hotel lobby

End point

Wait in the hotel lobby

Pickup points

One Oaxaca Centro
Hotel Oaxaca Real

We spend about 30 minutes before departure. The time depends on the remoteness of your hotel, in order to have a more accurate time it is necessary to contact us directly.

Using your ticket

present the ticket to the guide or driver

Cancellation

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

If you cancel	You get back
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.