• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to get a real local taste of the Oaxaca? Give it a taste and find out on this Mezcal private tour in Oaxaca! Join a local host expert in food and culture on a tour that will satisfy your cultural cravings for Mezcal with tastings, history, and highlights.

Destination

Oaxaca, Mexico

Category

Food Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Português

Included

• Private guide
• Mezcal Tasting
• Local Snack
• All Withocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance to Attractions other then mentioned

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 3 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at At the entrance of the Mezcal Cultural Center - Oaxaca to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Food & Culture

   On this private tour, discover why Mezcal is so relevant for the locals and their culture. Your local host is ready to take you on a tour where flavor, traditions, and cultural history combine to give you the perfect taste of Oaxaca

4. Authentic Tastings

   To fully understand the significance of food in the Mexican culture, you must give it a try. And on this tour, you’ll get to enjoy a Mezcal tasting, Oaxaca cheese, and other tastings that put this food tradition on the map!

5. Food Traditions

   Do as the locals do and embrace the way they enjoy Mezcal - the authentic way. Learn the history behind this local ritual, the right way to enjoy it, and tips and tricks on how to keep it alive for the rest of your stay

6. Cultural Highlights

   Visit highlights relevant to the food and cultural theme of your tour where you can know more about Oaxaca and where your local host can give more insights and recommendations

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

hsmbwnj6xb

(About local Rolando)

19 July 2025

Rolando was knowledgeable, funny and easy going. His walking tour of downtown gave us a brief, yet informative overview of some of the architectural, cultural and historical highlights found here. While walking to several small art galleries, museums (e.g. Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú), and churches (e.g. Iglesia Santo Domingo), Rolando shared insights related to the urban planning layout of the city or the architectural style of the buildings or even his favorite street food vendors found along the way. It was magnificent. But perhaps the most unique experience from this tour was walking just outside the city limits to visit the last remaining tin and textile workshops in downtown Oaxaca. We Highly HIGHLY recommend Rolando. Excellent, Fun, Easy Going

chanta🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

12 July 2025

Sofia has such a warm, positive and helpful personality. She was flexible with our needs given we had two young children. She was extremely knowledgeable of Oaxaca's history and modern day culture. She also translated so much for my family and I as we were shopping, currency exchange, dining, etc. She recommended a restaurant for lunch that was absolutely darling and we would've never found without her. She was 100% worth the booking and made our trip SO special. Thank you Sofia! Sofia is a GEM!

Elyssa

(About local Raquel)

10 July 2025

Raquel was a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable, friendly and do easy to be around. We loved our time with her and would highly recommend this experience. Amazing experience

Ashleigh

(About local Alejandro)

10 July 2025

We (a family of four) had a great experience with Alejandro as our tour guide through Oaxaca's city central. He took us to two mercados and we learned a lot about the culture and history of many of the items there. We walked around the streets, popped into popular stores (inlcuding a yummy chocolate experience), and visited churches. Alejandro was smart, knowledgeable, proud, and kind! We couldn't have asked for anything more.Excellent experience taking a Oaxaca tour!

William🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alejandro)

6 July 2025

I don't know what to say. Alejandro could not have been more professional, more helpful, more kind. He was the perfect person to take me to do the things that I wanted to do. I feel like I have made a new friend. And every time I come to Oaxaca, I will look him up because he was just so kind and friendly. If you need a guide to do pretty much anything in the city he is the one. I cannot thank him enough.Billy

Mark 🇲🇽 Mexico

(About local Raquel)

6 July 2025

We did Raquel's "A Magical Evening in Oaxaca" tour the first night we arrived in Oaxaca. It was a great way to get orientated in a new city. Communication with Raquel was through the WithLocals app and via WhatsApp and she was quick to respond to questions. When we met up Raquel asked us what we were interested in to try and tailor the tour to our requirements, which we appreciated as it made for a more personal tour. Raquel was engaging, passionate about her city, spoke perfect English and showed us some interesting places on our tour. I highly recommend Raquel to help you discover Oaxaca, particularly if you are interested in local art and culture!

Analisa🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sofia)

27 June 2025

Sofia was the perfect food tour guide. We experienced a great mix of food, drinks, visiting the market, and getting a bit of city history and local info. We would never have found some of the local delicacies without her help. Would recommend her highly. Best Food Tour

Barb🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 June 2025

Sofia was a wonderful guide and we had a great time. The weather was terrible and still we had so much fun. She was amazing! Highly recommend Great guide, fun trip!

A🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 June 2025

We scheduled three tours with Sofia and maybe the best way to describe in a few words the exceptional experience we had with her is that “she was simply fantastic, an extraordinary guide”. She is excellent in many ways, energetic, passionate, flexible, patient, helpful, knowledgable and fun! Sofia is really “Superb” We highly recommend using her services. Thanks a Lot Sofia !

A🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 June 2025

We scheduled three tours with Sofia and maybe the best way to describe in a few words the exceptional experience we had with her is that “she was simply fantastic, an extraordinary guide”. She is excellent in many ways, energetic, passionate, flexible, patient, helpful, knowledgable and fun! Sofia is really “Superb” We highly recommend using her services. Thanks Sofia !

A🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 June 2025

We scheduled three tours with Sofia and maybe the best way to describe in a few words the exceptional experience we had with her is that “she was simply fantastic, an extraordinary guide”. She is excellent in many ways, energetic, passionate, flexible, patient, helpful, knowledgable and fun! Sofia is really “Superb” We highly recommend using her services. Thanks Sofia!

Frances🇺🇸 United States

(About local Raquel)

17 June 2025

Our family of 4 enjoyed a tour and tasting of traditional Oaxacan food, hosted by Raquel. Raquel was engaging and friendly and shared her passion and knowledge for Oaxacan food and culture with us. We loved the market experience and tastings there, made more interesting by Raquel explaining some of the different foods, traditional, art work, etc. It was also lovely to see the relationships she has built over time with the market and food truck/restaurant vendors. Additionally, Raquel was so kind when my husband had to exit the tour due to an issue with his foot and walking too much the previous days. She arranged a taxi for him back to the hotel and also made sure we were able to get some special take away food for him from her favorite places. I highly recommend Raquel for a memorable experience! Lovely tour and tasting with Raquel!

Nathaniel🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

16 June 2025

My girlfriend and I had the pleasure of touring with Rolando on our last day in Oaxaca after spending a week in Puerto Escondido. Without being superlative, Rolando's incredible knowledge of the city of Oaxaca, Mesoamerican history and culture, and architecture, made our time with him not only the best part of our trip, but an experience we will remember forever. Rolando's personality, masterful English, and attention to detail make his city tour an absolute must for anyone planning on visiting this profoundly important place in Mexico. We look forward to visiting this incredible city again - and can gurantee we will be planning our trip around his availability! Muchos, muchos gracias!! The Highlight of Oaxaca!

Joan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

15 June 2025

Rolando was charming and knowledgeable and took us to the most delicious street food. His English is excellent and he gave us a wonderful experience. It is also a great way to get an orientation to the city. So much fun, we highly recommend this tour with Rolando.Excellent host

sebalo

(About local Sofia)

8 June 2025

We went to Hierve el Agua with Sofia and couldn‘t be happier to do so. She is a kind, fun and friendly person and a very competent guide as well. We saw so many beautiful and interesting spots, aditionally learned a lot about the local culture and had the best half day you could Imagine. Very happy that we did that, was totally worth the time and the money! Awesome experience with the best guide

Dan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

31 May 2025

We had a fantastic tour with Rolando. We were able to book him less than 24 hours in advance because our other guide got sick and had to cancel. He was friendly and informative and introduced us to all the unique treats of Oaxaca. Highly recommend.Excellent Experience

Tom

(About local Sofia)

31 May 2025

Sofia was great! We had an incredible street food tour. She took us to the market to start us off and we had delicious tamales that originated here in Oaxaca. Each stop was really well planned and you could the vendors were the best because they were packed with locals. Go with Sofia, you’ll have the best time!Best tour guide ever

Dominique🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Alejandro)

28 May 2025

We had a great time on the tour in Oaxaca exploring different eateries and hearing about the history and culture! Manuel was a fantastic host regularly checking in with us ensuring we had the best tour.Great afternoon in Oaxaca

Nathalie

(About local Rolando)

27 May 2025

Rolando is very kind and does not know what to do to please you and give you as many relevant information as possible He know so many things about Oaxaca that you will learn such a great deal with him during the tour Such a good moment We highly recommend !he is a ten and Even more Can only but recommend!!!

Felix🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sofia)

20 May 2025

My experience was awesome! Sofia was very knowledgeable of the area and had a very friendly disposition that made the your unforgettable and very wholesome.Your of El Centro

Mickaël🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Raquel)

11 May 2025

A warm and erudite evening with Raquel involving gastronomy, Oaxaca’s cultural traditions, anthropology and Mexican history. A wonderful window into the Oaxacan way of life. Raquel will be the first port of call when we inevitably come back.A wonderful tour d’horizon of Oaxacan life

2q2fq4f8g6

(About local Raquel)

7 May 2025

We had a great time on the street food tour in Oaxaca! Raquel was super friendly and shared lots of interesting insights—not just about the food, but also about the city’s culture and history. She adapted the tour to our needs, which made it feel very personal. We also appreciated that she helped us find vegan tasting options. Highly recommended!Personalized, Insightful & Delicious!

Brian🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

6 May 2025

Rolando was an amazing guide, starting us off right off with the tlayuda in the market! I won't give away the rest of the amazing dishes and drinks we were able to try, but this was a top-notch tour with an extremely friendly and foodie guide - Rolando. He listened to our needs, as we didn't want to overeat as we have on other food tours, but we still got to try some of the best food we had on the entire trip! And a great stop at the end was the perfect finish to our time together. If you enjoy food, especially LOCAL food, book this one with Rolando!Culinary magic - Rolando knows the spots!

Patrick

(About local Raquel)

5 May 2025

Raquel was an incredible guide to Oaxaca. And she structured the tour around what our group was in the mood for! She also went way beyond food - but include insight on the geography, culture, art, and politics. Would definitely recommend!Raquel was amazing!!

Daniel🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Sofia)

4 May 2025

Sofia was the prefect guide, tailoring the tour as we went. Highly recommend Amazing tour

Abhijit🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

1 May 2025

We had an amazing experience with Rolando. We requested early start to our tour & he gladly obliged.since he is studying architecture we not only get to enjoy delicious Oaxacan food but also historical buildings.. He was very personable , pleasant & passionate.. I will highly recommend him.Oaxaca food tour

Conor🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Rolando)

16 April 2025

Rolando tailored our tour to meet our preferences which resulted in a really fascinating few hours. He was particularly strong on the architectural, historical and craft perspectives. Great tour guide! Very flexible on timings etc tooWonderful introduction to Oaxaca

Dan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

14 April 2025

Rolando was exceptional. He was very knowledgeable, smart , interesting. He asked questions about us and our stories, but not too many. He shared stories about himself, but not too many. We travel all over the world. We especially like With Local guides. Rolando was one of the best guides we've had Excellent. He ended the evening by bringing to a restaurant that he suggested, and leaving us there. A wonderful introduction to Oaxaca.

Kevin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sofia)

13 April 2025

We enjoyed meeting Sofia. She grew up in the city and so had lots of interesting places to show and share. We appreciated that she shared her favourite places including somewhere nice for coffee!An enjoyable tour

Carla🇺🇸 United States

(About local Rolando)

12 April 2025

Rolando was great! We had a great time learning about Oaxaca and also visiting all the local food spots. Thank you Rolando! We hope to see you again in the future! Fabulous!

Stefanie

(About local Sofia)

10 April 2025

Our guide, Sophia, and driver, Saul, were absolutely amazing!! They made the entire day so memorable, and were so accommodating in every way and really made this trip special. I highly recommend both of them for any tour. They really were the best. 10 out of 10!

John

(About local Rolando)

4 April 2025

Rolando is an excellent guide. Our custom tour was designed to meet our needs. We saw what we needed to see. We had good food. Excellent educational tourMore than expected

Chris

(About local Rolando)

2 April 2025

Rolando was a wonderful guide for getting to know Oaxaca and the surrounding area. His background in architecture added a lot of interesting insights to our understanding of the area and the city. He adjusted our tour based on our interests and was happy to add on a few extra food stops and a tour of the market to help us get orientated. We also spent a great day with him at Mount Alban were we learned a lot about the history and design of the ruins and then travelled to a workshop and a wonderful Oaxacan buffet. Rolando is very friendly, interesting and very welcoming to our family. He was a great host and guide to help us get orientated and comfortable in Oaxaca.

Marylou

(About local Sofia)

22 March 2025

Sofía led our group of four to several delicious eateries. I was great to be able to eat food from several different street vendors with the confidence that Sofia knew the vendors and that their food was safe for tourists to eat. Sofia is very knowledgeable about Oaxaca as well as its cuisine. I highly recommend Sofia! Sofia

Lansford

(About local Rolando)

19 March 2025

Rolando was so knowledgeable. Great personality. Easy going. I would highly recommend his tour. Excellent

Jessica

(About local Rolando)

16 March 2025

Highly recommend Rolando! He’s an extremely knowledgeable and interesting guide. We had a fantastic time!Fantastic Tour

Linda

(About local Sofia)

14 March 2025

My husband and I had the good fortune to have Sophia guide us on a Oaxaca food tour. Because we are familiar with Oaxacan cuisine she wanted to introduce us to places we had not been. Her selections were both interesting and delicious. Besides being knowledgeable about Oaxaca and the food scene, Sophie is an absolute delight. We had a great time. Thank you so much, Sophia!Tour with Sophia!

Sharon

(About local Raquel)

14 March 2025

We did the Culinary Experience with Raquel and we absolutely loved it. Not only does Raquel know a lot about the foods that are an important part of the Oaxacan culture but she has relationships with many of the vendors. She chatted with them as friends and treated everyone with respect. We tried crickets (not required!) and mole sauces plus so many delicious dishes I can’t remember the names of them all. Raquel was easy to talk to, and loves the culture and people of Oaxaca. Her enthusiasm was infectious and made us want to know more. She also gave us great recommendations on restaurants and other must-see cultural sites. Book this tour early in your Oaxacan visit so you can take advantage of all the other places Raquel recommends!Raquel makes you feel like an old friend

Lisa

(About local Rolando)

12 March 2025

Rolando was the perfect guide, entertaining, fun and informative!10 hearts

Bennett

(About local Rolando)

11 March 2025

Rolando and his driver, Geizy, picked us up at our Airbnb to take us to Monte Alban to tour the ruins. Little did we know that not only would we (couple with two adult children) would learn so much about the ancient Zapotecs, but we would have so much fun. Rolando offers a wonderful balance of lots of information with a great sense of humor. He is absolutely wonderful to be with. Monte Alban blew me away and was the highlight of the trip for me because I knew nothing about the Zapotecs and how they were advanced in so many ways. After the tour, Rolando took us to see Angelico Jimenez whose grandfather created intricately painted wood carvings and who carries on the tradition (he also sells killer mezcal!). Then we were hungry so we went to a mole buffet, had a big lunch and a couple cervezas. (We asked to go somewhere to eat. This was not included in the tour, but not expensive.) When we got back to Oaxaca, we wanted to get some tuna (not the fish) ice cream and Rolando graciously accommodated our Mexican feasting needs, which was a great way to end a perfect day. Rolando, thanks so much for a great time and sharing your extensive knowledge with us! And a shout out to Geizy, too! Great guy!Rolando, cannot thank you enough!

Lesley🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Raquel)

10 March 2025

From the moment we met Raquel, her passion and enthusiasm for her ancestral home was apparent. With gentle enthusiasm she shared her vast knowledge and experiences here in Oaxaca. We were fortunate to have Raquel for two tours - a highlight of Oaxaca and a food tour. Raquel accepted our limitations and planned our excursions accordingly. Her knowledge is vast and with her pleasant disposition, she made our time in Oaxaca more memorable. Raquel made our Oaxaca experience!

Unknown

(About local Raquel)

5 March 2025

We did the culinary experience with Raquel and it was amazing - we learned not only a lot about Oaxaca’s native foods but also about the culture and how everything ties together. One of the things I have noticed since being in Oaxaca is how proud the people are of their culture and heritage and that certainly came through during Raquel’s tour. We not only sampled many of the items in the market but she also explained how it fit into their culture. She also took us to a cultural museum and made suggestions for other things we might want to consider while we’re visiting Oaxaca. Overall it was a great experience and would highly recommend.Totally enhanced our Oaxaca experience!

Maggie

(About local Raquel)

28 February 2025

We had an amazing tour our first evening in Oaxaca. Raquel was so knowledgeable about the history and culture of the area and also, where to get the best bites. From tamales and tlayudas in the market to street tacos and mezcal tasting, we ate and sipped our winding way through the streets of this tradition-rich city. Raquel was so personable and tailored everything to our wishes, even showing us an amazing print making cooperative at the end of the tour. Everyone in our group raved about how great she was, and what a fun time we had. It was a great introduction to the city and its food at the beginning of our trip! Wonderful way to learn and taste!

Chelsea

(About local Raquel)

26 February 2025

Raquel was a phenomenal guide in every way—I truly can't recommend her enough. She gave us such a great introduction to the history, culture, and flavors of Oaxaca. She went above and beyond to make our time in Oaxaca special and memorable, and we loved getting to know her! Raquel rocks!

Donna

(About local Raquel)

26 February 2025

We were so fortunate to book Raquel on our first day in Oaxaca, and I strongly suggest you do this! Not only did she give us an unbelievable introduction to Oaxacan food with the most respected vendors in the Benito Juarez market, she took us around town to familiarize us with several notable sites and artisan places which we were able to spend more time at later on. She also gave us an extensive list of restaurants, many of which we ate at and thoroughly enjoyed. Raquel is so energetic and enjoyable… truly felt like we were with an old friend. If you are going to Oaxaca and want a great experience, don’t hesitate to book her! Absolutely fabulous experience!

Peter🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Raquel)

24 February 2025

My wife and I had a terrific evening food tour with Raquel eating some wonderful local street food (the ice cream, mole and crickets were definite highlights), but more importantly meeting some amazing local folks and learning about Oxaxa from a different non-touristly perspective. Spending time with Raquel was truly special as she not only is deeply immersed in the culure of Oaxaca but also leverages her global experiences that help create the space for stimulating and insightful conversations. The night ended perfectly with an amazing mezcal in a cool local mezcaleria! We would highly recommend a tour with Raquel - you will not be disappointed!A great connection.

Erin

(About local Raquel)

23 February 2025

We got a custom tour the first day we arrived in Oaxaca and I am so happy we did. Raquel helped us get our bearings in a new city while learning about the history, art, food, and much more. Raquel is super knowledgeable and has a wonderful energy. I can’t recommend her enough - thank you!!Thank you Raquel!

Carol

(About local Rolando)

22 February 2025

My tour with Rolando was exactly what I wanted. A brief overview of the Zapotec & Mictec peoples and the Conquest with a more in depth discussion of the development of the city as reflected in its architecture. We stopped for a delicious snack, and visited a few artisans in the Barrio de Xochimilco. I highly recommend a tour with Rolando for an introduction to Oaxaca.Perfect

Ella

(About local Sofia)

21 February 2025

Sofia was an amazing host. We had a great time and loved how she tailored our experience to our specific wishes. She is the best! Would definitely do this tour again!Awesome tour!

David

(About local Rolando)

20 February 2025

Rolando is an excellent tour guide!! Knows the City really well and has great information about the history of the city. We saw some amazing artisans that we never would have seen on our own. Well worth it!!Great tour