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Tour Monte Albán "clasico"
Recommended by 93% of travelersOaxaca City, Mexico
- 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore Monte Albán, a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Oaxaca, on this all-day guided tour. The ruins offer a glimpse into Zapotec and Mixtec culture. Also, visit an alebrije workshop to watch artisans carve and paint Mexican folk art sculptures and stop to see black clay ceramic pottery being produced. Plus, enjoy a buffet of traditional Oaxaca food (not included in the price).
- Discover the archaeological site of Monte Albán while in Oaxaca
- Travel comfortably in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Pickup and drop-off from select hotels is provided
- See demonstrations by local artisans
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch
- Tips
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Start time .09:00 am
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- La zona arqueologica de monte alban no esta condicionada para personas con alguna discapacidad fisica.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Questions?
Visit the Viator Help Centre for any further questions.
Product code: 158563P3
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Safiya
This was such a great tour! Thank you Luis and Benjamin! There was the perfect balance between interesting facts and history and freedom and time to explore. Luis is very personable, helpful and thoughtful. All the locations were chosen well and the van was comfortable. We got lucky with a good group too!
Reviews
4.7
125 reviews
LAURA_R, Dec 2024
Great experience with Luis, our guide, in Mt. Albán. It is a very interesting archeological site to visit due to the size and importance and Luis explained everyting clearly. Do not miss a visit to the Oaxaca Cultural museum where you find the treasures archelogist found in Mt Alban. Visits to the mezcal and the ceramic factory were also great. Bring a lot of water and sunscreen and be prepared to climb a lot of stairs
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you for your good comments and recommendations, we hope you travel with us again.
Willian_L, Nov 2024
The variety of cultural stops we made on tour and Angel, our guide is bi-lingual. He never seemed agitated, was very caring of the many elderly customers.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for your good feedback, we always try to give our best on every tour.
Safiya, Nov 2024
This was such a great tour! Thank you Luis and Benjamin! There was the perfect balance between interesting facts and history and freedom and time to explore. Luis is very personable, helpful and thoughtful. All the locations were chosen well and the van was comfortable. We got lucky with a good group too!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great time.
It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the balance of history, exploration, and free time—it’s something we strive to provide.
We’re also glad you appreciated the comfortable van and the thoughtfully chosen stops. And having a great group always makes the experience even better! 😊 We hope to see you again for more adventures!
Andy_D, Jul 2024
Our tour guide, Angel was very friendly and knowledgeable about Monte Albán. We had a good time on this trip. Overall, we give it a 5 out of 5.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you so much for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that you had a great time exploring Monte Albán with Ángel. It's wonderful to know that his friendliness and knowledge enhanced your experience. We're thrilled to receive your 5 out of 5 rating and hope to have the pleasure of guiding you on more adventures in Oaxaca in the future. Safe travels!
Laura_B, May 2024
The tour was great and compiled everything we were hoping to see and experience in one day. One-stop-tour if you will. We really wanted to see Monte Alban but also wanted to see how they made the Alebrijes and the black clay crafs. Our guide was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
Monte Alban was absolutely knowledgeable and we got incredible amounts of information we wouldn't have been able to get on our own otherwise. The ruins can be climbed (this was a nice treat).
The Alebrijes stop was nice to see and pretty impressive to see the process, the artisans carving and painting the little mythical characters are amazing artists. However the entire town works as a form of cooperative in an arrangement that prevents individual artisans to sell their crafts outside of the arrangements with the cooperative and for this reason we (along with most everyone else in the tour) found the prices of the alebrijes to be somewhat overpriced and unreasonable. I am not saying they are not worth whatever price the artist wishes to tag, is art after all. However, if you are leaving a $2000 USD piece of art out collecting dust and with legs and limbs missing piled along with other supposedly $300 USD or $1000 USD pieces (vs being protected if they are actually that expensive), it is evident they are not that well taken care of and the price tag is there only for the tourist who is willing to pay.
The black clay stop was great, it was amazing to be in the place where one pioneer lady many years ago figured out this technique to give a black colour effect to an otherwise normal clay. The tradition has continued in her family and the crafts are beautiful and a nice stop for an array of souvenirs.
A few things to keep in mind: (1) it was very hot and there is no shade (specially in the Monte Alban leg of the tour), an UV umbrella, a light long sleeve UV sweater, a shawl to cover your shoulders and or a big hat would be useful to have handy. (2) lunch with the tour is not until 2:30pm, so make sure to either have a good breakfast prior to the start of the tour and/or pack some snacks. Be mindful that no food is allowed inside the Monte Alban grounds, so time your nibbling accordingly. Also of course pack your water bottle (3) the tour is not "all-inclusive" (i.e. the entry fee to Monte Alban is an extra $100 pesos per person, lunch is also extra and there are no other places around the area to eat, so either pack a light lunch with your snacks or have cash ready for your lunch as this will be your only option otherwise. The buffet lunch is (if I recall correctly) $280 pesos per person not including drinks or beer and tips, if you opt for the lunch though, there is plenty of food to be had and everything was tasty.
All an all a good tour, the main star of the show is monte alban and the knowledgeable tour guide.
Angela_P, Apr 2024
Our guide did an absolute wonderful job explaining everything to us! It really made the tour come to life!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
It’s wonderful to know that their efforts made such a positive impact on your experience. We appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for tours in the future!
Antonio_P, Apr 2024
ELOY of Oaxaca Dreams travel agency (c/o Viator) was our tour guide. He was the best guide one could ever ask for: knowledgeable, professional, charming, had positive vibes. The tour itself was very interesting. Monte Alban tour gave us a little history lesson about the rich culture of the Zapotec people. The visit to the local art/ceramics/chocolate shops was icing on the cake. The Oaxacan lunch buffet was sooo good. So many dishes to choose from. At 200 pesos each person, it was a bargain. Loved the tour. (Wish the temperature was cooler.) Gotta give props to Oscar, our very good (and handsome) driver. Overall, I recommend this tour. Thank you again, Eloy & Oscar!!!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
It’s great to know you enjoyed the rich history of Monte Albán, the local art and shops, and the delicious Oaxacan lunch buffet. . We appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again!
Lisa_D, Apr 2024
We saw so much in one day! The tour guides were so accommodating and friendly and seamlessly transitioned from Spanish to English. Monte Albán is huge and a bit strenuous; wear good walking shoes and sun protection. It was great to see local artisans and their work - bring extra money for purchases. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Thank you for the tips on walking shoes and sun protection—very helpful for future guests. We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for more amazing experiences!
jane_d, Jan 2024
Great tour, informative, Eloy was a amazing and lovely guide, several stops, defo worth while..................
Response from Host, Sep 2024
We’re thrilled to hear that you had a great tour. We’re glad you enjoyed the informative stops and felt the experience was worthwhile.
Edward_T, Dec 2023
Quality of Guide was outstanding, as he was a native Oaxacan who gave us a sample of his spoken language, the meaning of his civilization, its history and
people's accomplishments over the 2,000 year-old history of its culture.
Response from Host, Sep 2024
It’s wonderful to know that the guide’s background and expertise provided such a valuable and enriching perspective on the region’s history and achievements. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for more enlightening tours in the future!
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