Monte Alban, Alebrijes & Black Pottery: Oaxaca Essential Day Tour

Monte Albán is a majestic archaeological zone! If you go to Oaxaca, you must visit this amazing place. You truly feel closer to heaven and their Zapotec's Gods. The tour included a visit to one of Arrazola´s alebrijes´factories, where you will be immersed in the magic of colorful creatures. We also went to a ¨Black Pottery¨factory, where the bilingual worker explained the full process of creating this beautiful ceramic. Ede, our tour guide, was engaging and funny. She is very passionate about Monte Albán and the Zapotec culture. Jesús, our driver, drove carefully and entertained us with Oaxacan music, Oaxaca history and legends. It was a wonderful trip!

The tour of the ruins was amazing, and I had worried that a short tour (only a couple of hours) meant a boring or shallow experience. No, this was actually fascinating, with lots of room to walk and explore, and our guides were so helpful in Spanish and English. The van picked us up right at our hotel. What stood out to us on the tour was that in the second half of the day, we explored two local artisan groups (one of wooden carvings, one of pottery) we never would have thought to seek out, and we were charmed. We've told all our friends this was the best day of our week-long trip to Oaxaca!

Amazing tour! I really enjoyed the time at Monte Alban. We were lucky the weather was perfect! Ede is a good and patient tour guide. ❤️

We did the full day tour to Monte Albán, Arrazola town (alebrijes, Manuel Jimenez) and Coyotepec town (black pottery). It was a fantastic experience to learn more about the history and culture of Oaxaca and Mexico. Most of the tour is spent at Monte Albán and at the craft towns you see a bit of how things are made and have time to do some shopping. It’s nice because everything is quite close to Oaxaca city so the drives in-between weren’t too long and the transportation was very comfortable. Lunch was paid separately (230); it was a buffet that had a lot of local food and was good. Edelmira was our guide and Oscar was our driver. Both were fantastic! Edel was very knowledgeable, friendly, and took good care of the group. Tip: it gets very hot in the day and Monte Albán is very exposed so make sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water! Snacks also if you tend to get hungry, but there are places to buy things along the tour.

This is a trip that should not be missed. I was worried that it was in both Spanish and English but Edde was fully explaining in both languages. She has such a talent for telling the history and legends that you travel in time with her. I can't thank our driver, Ramsee enough for his skill and safe driving skills. All in all a magical trip. They took excellent care if this eighty year old!

Great tour with Ede and Clay! Ede is a passionate guide with an incredible knowledge and perfect attitude! Loved it! Thank you Ede!

Ede is a fantastic tour guide, really passionate and funny and knows so much, you can tell she really cares which made the experience 10 times better! Easy day being driven around by Chris (didn’t feel car sick like I normally do). Really enjoyed it, definitely reccomend

All events were wonderful Monte Alban very impressive Enjoyed demonstrations of alibrejes and black pottery greatly, giving us better appreciation of what we have collecting for many years Sebastian and Jayme were outstanding

My guide was Joshua, he was friendly, and knowledgeable. He was considerate and helpful. Wish the tour company would have provided a bottle of water. The site was incredible, wear a hat if it's 80 degrees

I took the Monte Albán tour that also included San Antonio Arrazola, Cuilapan, and Santa Maria Atzompa. Moses was our guide, and he was excellent. He had a lot of energy and had lots to say about every place we visited. He made the trip very interesting. I was blown away by the history and buildings at Monte Albán. It’s definitely worth visiting. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes. We toured an alebrijes factory in San Antonio Arrazola that, in addition to selling the colorful figures, was started to give jobs to the local young people. I appreciated that my purchases supported a good cause. The restaurant we stopped at for lunch had lots of different choices and everything I ate was delicious. I also enjoyed the presentation of how the black pottery is made by the originator’s grandson in Santa Maria Atzompa.

Great tour. Grest guide, Ede. She explained everything in english and spanish. Wish the lunch wasn't a buffet - it was good but too much food.

Had an amazing time! The tour was educational and fun. Pickup and drop off was on time. I definitely recommend booking this trip with Ede.

Itinerary and driver were wonderful! However, our guide was horrible. He said his name was David but I don't know if that was his real name. It didn't seem to match the name on his ID. He did not provide much info at the sights and he seemed to be drunk. He kept taking shots at the various stops.

Our guide (Ede) was very knowledgeable and accommodating; the driver was a safe driver. The sites were amazing and time given was sufficient.

My trip to Monte Alban and the artisanal experience was the perfect way to spend the day. Our tour guide, Ede spoke effortlessly in Spanish and English to explain in detail each detail of the trip. She spent time to answer questions and point out interesting comparisons to other regions and pre-Columbian cultures of Meso America. All with a wonderful sense of humor as well.

We had a great experience visiting Monte Albán, Ede our tour guide gave us an wonderful insight to the local indigenous peoples way of life and the ruins. She wasn't rushing us and even took time to be our photographer! I'm not adding those photos but believe me, she is good. The church, Alebrije and black clay stops are a great addition to the tour, not a lot of walking compared to other tours. The buffet was amazing, local traditional food with great service.

I can't say enough wonderful things about this tour. Ede (our guide) was great - she was so passionate about the places we visited! She gave us so much information - and she did so twice, in both Spanish and English due to the needs of our group. I would very much recommend this tour. They took great care of us, and it was run very efficiently.

Our guide Ede was so knowledgeable and very kind. Her Spanish and English is really good. Not only is she caring but also has a good sense of humor making this trip more enjoyable. I felt like I got the experience to learn a lot about Oaxaca in this trip. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen and a hat because it’s a lot of walking on the sun. The entrance to the Monte Albán wasn’t included so we had to pay an additional 95 pesos so make sure you bring small bills. Also, the lunch wasn’t include. In the tour they took us to a buffet place where the food was okay. They take us to artisian shops which are entertaining but don’t feel pressured to purchase. Overall it was a good experience. The van has AC so highly recommend. Alberto was a great driver too.

This tour was incredible, by far the best I’ve taken in Oaxaca City. Ede makes you dream, imagine and get excited with each site and experience. If you want to really know Oaxaca and fell in love with it, this is the tour 🙌🏻

Amazing experience!! Ede made an incredible job. She’s the best tour guide ever. She took us through the history, traditions and delicious food. She is passionate about Oaxaca. I highly recommend this tour with Ede.

Monte Alban is a must do tour. The times on the site and lunch were a bit short and time in the factories was too long. Lunch was great. It was a buffet that mostly caters to non-vegetarians. But there were sufficient vegetarian items in the menu. Our guide Jeshua and driver Marcos were wonderful and courteous.

Monte Alban was breathtaking and our guide was excellent. The low point of the day was lunch, which was very very bad. Since this is not included in the price of the tour and we had to pay for it, i was enormously frustrated and left both hungry and thirsty. The drink selection should at least include juice, not just pop. Mango juice is everywhere in Oaxaca! Lunch really put a big damper on the experience.

We loved our day touring Monte and the artisan villages. Monte was the most amazing collection of ruins I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of ruins. What made it even more special was our tour guide ,Ede...she was very well informed, was an excellent teacher and told stories about the site from an archaeological, historical, cultural perspective. She did an amazing job translating back and forth from Spanish to English. She was passionate about the artisans and gave us a lot of backround of their personal journey inside the creative process. I can t say enough positive things about Ede and Enjoy Oaxaca...they even came early to pick us up...that has never happened to me in Mexico before.

Great tour, well balanced between visits od archeological sites and the different workshops. I particularly liked Monte Alban and the black pottery workshop in San Bartolo Coyotepec.

Very personable and knowledgeable guide. Nice to meet and chat with other tourists. On time, and clean vans. I would rather pay extra than stand in lines, or pay for lunch. The tours should be all-inclusive.

This was great! Tour guide (Jeshua) was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of details about various sites.

Loved the Monte Alban segment of the trip. Ede was increfible! She was very knowledgeable and her ability to switch back and forth between English and Spanish was truely amazing. She has a lot of energy and enthusiasm which was contagious.

Amazing experience! Had great time learning about history, culture, tradition, and craftsmanship. Also, Edelmira took amazing pictures and took great care of us !

La juquilena tours took us to Monte Albán, mezcal fábrica, barro negro and a woodcarver. Excellent full day tour

This day was an exceptional experience. Marcos, the driver picked me up from my hotel right on time. Ede, our guide was very knowledgeable about everywhere we stopped. She was also very conscious of everyone’s safety and well-being. I was the only non-Spanish speaker on the trip and she repeated everything for me in English. Monte Alben is amazing. The artisans we visited were all impressive. I was able to buy several mementos for myself and gifts for friends and family. It was a full, tiring day, but well worth it.

The tour was excellent from the moment we were picked up at our lodging! Our guide, Ede, was very knowledgeable and caring. She gave us wonderful information on all the sites we visited. I would highly recommend this tour!

Knowledgeable funny guide, lovely tour companions, super great value for the cost because we were able to see so many places. Highly recommended!

I am so grateful to Enjoy Oaxaca. I was supposed to go on a Monday, but I got very sick on Sunday night. I sent a very early text to the company on Monday morning asking if I could reschedule, and sure enough, I received a reply a few hours later confirming that since there was room on Tuesday's trip, I could reschedule! I am so grateful for this, especially because Tuesday's group was so lively and kind, and our group leader, Edelmira, was fantastic! Thank you, Enjoy Oaxaca, for being accommodating and flexible. Most of all, thank you, Edelmira, for being such a great, informative guide!

I had a great time, Ede is very kind, knowledgeable, and funny. She also keeps things moving which is helpful because this tour is a packed day. Everyone is happy at the end and you will be too.

Ede was a very engaging, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide, and was very attentive to everyone’s questions; she always (and others on the tour) extended help to me when walking up the steep steps at Monte Alban. The stops at the artisan towns were amazing, as was the ride to get to them! The place for buffet lunch had many interesting choices, but they weren’t as tasty as i had hoped.

What a phenomenal experience. Our tour guide Ede was so animated and knowledgeable. Truly you can feed off her energy. She genuinely cared about sharing the great history of Monte Alban. She was perceptive and made sure all guest we set up to the comfort level in activity. She offered alternatives for those unable to climb. Additionally she hosted the tour in Spanish and English flawlessly. Because of her, the driver, and clean and well maintained tour bus we booked second tour. Highly recommend!! Some tips: We went in June (I know it’s hot) our tour started in Monte Alban. This was perfect as it’s before the sun’s glare isn’t as intense. Bring water, not that there isn’t areas where you could purchase some there but I found myself constantly thirsty to combat the heat. And my cooled water cateen was perfect. Wear comfortable light fabrics preferably longer sleeves and pants. Linens do best. Bring plenty of sunblock and reapply! As well as bug repellent. You’ll thank me.

The experience was wonderful and varied and we got to see things I would’ve never known to look for. My only complaint was it was very difficult to understand the English of the guide.

Must do if you’re in Oaxaca. Eda was great, and made the experience fun (even though it was HOT). Recommend !!!

Our day was amazing… very intense tour but totally worth it. Our guide Ede was very knowledgeable and attentive to the needs of the group (8 ppl) . I highly recommend it

The crafts places were great and also good lunch! Small group, great guide (Ede) and driver (Alan). Lots of interesting information about Mount Alban.

David and Alberto were amazing! A wonderful experience. We got to experience the beauty with an informed and wonderful guide

So Mont Alban is definitely a must see. This tour gets a 3 stars for several reasons. I have for a tour like this 3 times now, and the previous times, the tour guide walked us around and gave brief descriptions of each structure and then left us to read up on them for more info. The briefing was given, but there was so much more that needed to be explained. He had a Spanish/ English mixed group and that may have caused some communication problems. The Spanish speakers knew where to meet for the bus and the English speakers had no idea where to go after exiting. He clearly forgot to translate that part. Afterwards we saw the Alebrijes. Honestly, not that great. I have been to 2 other workshops that were much better. The black clay stop was okay. I would find another Mont Alban tour that is guided throughout the site. There are many others to choose from

We had a fantastic day, what a great experience! Monte Albàn was incredible! We could've spent all day there. The artisan colonies were beautiful. It was fascinating to see the artists at work and learn the history of their crafts.

The site was amazing and our guide was very knowledgeable. It involved a lot of walking and the scenery from the Monte Albán site was amazing

My family and I had a wonderful time because the tourist guide Roberto with his knowledge and his very nice. Attitude make my Birthday wonderful., Monte Albán, the food and the environment around the places were fantastic, thank you.

Our guide Ede took this experience from interesting to fascinating! A highly skilled story teller and a masterful leader, conscious of the different belief systems and interests in the group, she allowed enough freedom balanced with guidance to make for a perfect day.

This was a fantastic tour! Our capable driver was Roberto and our incredible guide was Ede. Ede has a wealth of knowledge and information and her tour brought history to life for us. She supplemented her explanations by showing us images from publications that she brought with her, which really added to our understanding. Ede was also kind enough to offer to take photos of us at Monte Alban so that we could capture some of this magical day. The visit to the Casa Museo Don Manuel Jimenez Alebrije workshop was also fascinating as we learned how this tradition began and got to meet the founding artist’s son and see his beautiful work. The stop at the monastery was brief as it was closed, but we admired the building from the fence and learned of its history from Ede. The black pottery demonstration was very interesting and we learned all about the special black pottery which is unique to Oaxaca. Lunch was at a big buffet restaurant with plenty of options to choose from. The advantage of a private tour is that you can make special requests, such as pulling over to a roadside stand to buy something or taking a pit stop. I would definitely recommend a private tour when traveling with children.

Our guides were absolutely incredible and so friendly would 100%take a tour from them again they were extremely knowledgeable

This is NOT an English tour! I can’t believe it’s advertised on Viator as such. The guide showed up late. Didn’t speak English, and was unapologetic about it. My friends speak Spanish so they were ok but I don’t so I was bored all day. The line to get in to Monte Albán was long and our guide kept telling us we might not get in and we should just turn around. We waited in line and finally got in over an hour later. At the end of the tour the guide didn’t even drop us off at our hotel because he said he was late for another tour. The booking said we would get an English tour with hotel pick up and drop off. I didn’t get what I paid for. I don’t recommend this tour and I hope Viator takes them off the site!