Mitla, Teotitlan

After morning hotel pickup in Oaxaca, travel with your informative guide by air-conditioned coach to the Zapotecan ruins of Mitla. This archaeological zone of a former religious site dates back to 850. Walk the grounds and gain insight into Mitla’s elaborate fretwork and geometric patterns that adorn tombs, panels, friezes and walls. Constructed with precisely cut and polished tone, the intricate mosaics make Mitla one of the most important Mesoamerican sites of the Oaxaca Valley. Mitla, governed by kings, remained mostly isolated until the Spanish arrived in the 1500s. Learn about this conquest as you gaze at the colonial Church of San Pablo. After Mitla, continue to the pre-Columbian archaeological site of Monte Alban (White Mountain), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Situated on top of a mountain, you’ll be amazed by the panoramas of the city and Oaxaca Valley. Your guide takes you around the vast complex’s Grand Plaza, altars, temples and pyramids, and shares fascinating facts about Zapotecan history and culture. Discover some of the site’s 170 tombs, ceremonial platforms and an I-shaped ball court built in 100 BC. Make your way up to the South Platform (Plataforma Sur), which boasts a wide staircase and 360-degree views. Enjoy free time to gaze at the impressive ruins on your own before your coach takes you back to Oaxaca. You’ll arrive at your hotel in the evening.

• Local English- and Spanish-speaking guide

• Hotel pickup and drop-off

• Food and drinks

• Gratuities