Teresa DĂaz will be co-leading our 9-day, 8-night journey through the best of Oaxaca, a UNESCO gem and Mexico’s most biodiverse state. She has some lovely words to share with us ahead of our trip:
Explorations of time, history and conquest in Oaxaca
By Teresa Diaz
Between 1500 – 1400 BCE, the regional Zapotec kingdom, one of the most ancient civilizations of the Americas, had been split into numerous territories throughout the Sierra Norte and Sierra Sur mountain range, all the way to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. The central city of what we call now Monte Alban was abandoned, and so were the other spiritual towns of Dainzu and Yagul; however, the reign of Zaachila, near the now city of Oaxaca, remained a central Zapotec kingship until Cortés’ demand of its siege in 1521 by Cortes’ subcommander Francisco de Orozco. Around 700 ACE, the Mixtecos
had migrated from present Puebla and Morelos down to this precious area and
occupied the abandoned edifices. Evidence tells that Mixtecos utilized the structures as their spiritual centers, and carved and painted their own images and iconography on the facades and interiors and might have brought the practice of the ball game with them.
When Hernán Cortés’ brother arrived in Oaxaca in 1535, the present area of the City of Oaxaca had been drained, and several Spanish haciendas were erected on large tracts of land, a slave and servant system was established, and Dominican and Augustinian order monasteries and churches were erected to serve its evangelization purposes. He decided to assist with building the large church and monastery in Cuilapam, south of the City and near Zaachila, and build a retirement resort for his brother, Hernan Cortes.
In our trip to Oaxaca, we will explore the centers of Monte Alban, the ceremonial center Mitla (Mictlan, the entrance to the underworld for many peoples of the region), Dainzu, and Yagul and “The roofless church” of Cuilapam de Guerrero. An expert English-speaking guide will take us through the archeological sites, giving us as much detail as our interest hungers for, and I will be guiding you on our travels to the sites.
We'll be visiting Oaxaca, Mexico June 5-13, 2026 with Teresa DĂaz. Would you like to join us on our trip? Click here to learn more about the amazing hiking, food, culture, and history that we'll be exploring while in Mexico's most biodiverse state. Ready to book? Contact us now!
