A bag of green coffee beans with a metal scoop resting on top, placed on a textured surface.

Coffee, Cacao, & Craft — Sept. 12-20, 2026

Journey to the origins of coffee, cacao, and mezcal in this small-group trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.

Display of colorful woven rugs with various geometric and traditional patterns, some rolled and others laid flat on the floor, with a background of shelves filled with stacks of fabric.
A man wearing a straw hat and light-colored clothing stands in a field of agave plants with mountains in the background and a blue sky with clouds overhead.
A wooden table with a basket of roasted cacao seeds, a saucer with a piece of chocolate on top, a cacao pod opened in half, and a glass of water with a coaster.
Tropical plants with red berries and lush green foliage under a clear blue sky.

How did the coffee end up in your cup this morning?

Coffee is ubiquitous, but the plant requires a specific climate to thrive. In Oaxaca, indigenous communities have produced heirloom varieties for generations, reflecting a deep connection to the land.

But this trip is about more than coffee. Oaxaca is also home to rich artisan crafts and vibrant culinary traditions.

Throughout the trip, we'll travel beyond the city to meet coffee producers, cacao experts, and artisans carrying forward generations of knowledge. The communities we visit are partners in these experiences.

In the final days, we'll go to the mountains to meet coffee producers, offered as an optional extension.

Join Elizabeth, a bilingual origin host and journalist, for access, translation, and connection in Oaxaca.

  • Taste coffee, chocolate, and mezcal where it’s produced

  • Meet potters and weavers in their workshops

  • Celebrate Mexican Independence Day

  • Limited to 12 travelers

Overhead view of a wooden table with baskets of cocoa beans, bowls of crushed cocoa nibs, a glass of water, a tasting sheet, and people sampling chocolate.
A lush garden with various green plants and trees, including a tall palm tree, under a partly cloudy sky with the moon visible.

Lodging

We’ll be staying at Casa Colonial Bed and Breakfast, an oasis in the historic city center with an extensive folk art collection, a library, and 18 unique rooms surrounding lush tropical gardens.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, reserve your spot by contacting Elizabeth.

RESERVE

  • Each morning starts with a cooked-to-order breakfast at Casa Colonial.

    From there, we’ll do a mix of culinary and craft activities, including coffee cuppings, chocolate tastings, a mezcal farm and distillery tour, and pottery and weaving demonstrations in nearby villages.

    Free time is built in. We’ll eat most meals as a group, but you’ll be on your own for some of them.

    A sample itinerary is available upon request.

  • There will be plenty of other delightful things to drink and eat!

    On this trip, we’ll appreciate coffee for much more than its flavor. We’ll learn about its environmental, economic, and cultural value from people who dedicate themselves to its production.

  • On September 18, we’ll visit a coffee farm in the mountains, with an overnight stay before returning to the city on September 19.

    Our visit falls just before harvest begins. The cherries likely won’t be ripe yet, but we’ll spend time in the community to learn about how Oaxacan coffee is grown and produced.

    This is available as an optional extension of the trip. It includes all expenses for the excursion, plus another night of accommodations back in the city on September 19.

  • Walk in the purple door, and the hustle and bustle of the city falls away.

    Named for its colonial architecture style, the Casa features a central garden surrounded by guest rooms and verandas.

    The Casa is not a hotel. It’s a family home that’s been hosting friends for three generations.

  • September falls in Oaxaca’s rainy season. Afternoons may bring brief showers, but the landscape is green and crowds are thinner.

    It’s also an exciting time to visit: On the night of September 15, we’ll celebrate Mexican Independence Day with the Grito de Independencia in the main plaza.

  • The following pricing tiers are available:

    • Double occupancy room — $2,275 USD per person

    • Single occupancy room — $2,475 USD per person

    • Farm visit add-on — additional $265 USD per person

    Rates Include:

    • 6 nights lodging at Casa Colonial, plus an optional 2 nights extension

    • All breakfasts, most lunches and dinners

    • All group programming, workshops, tours, and transportation

    • Welcome materials, bilingual support, and curated daily itinerary

    Airfare, alcohol, tips, and trip insurance (required) not included.

  • Spots are limited. To reserve yours:

    → Contact Elizabeth for instructions on how to place your $525 non-refundable deposit
    → Make your final payment by August 12, 2026

    Payment plans available upon request.

Colorful decorative banners in purple and white hang in the sky above a pink building with arched windows and a red roof on a sunny day.
Colorful decorative banners in purple and white hang in the sky above a pink building with arched windows and a red roof on a sunny day.

PAST TRIPS

Two men are processing coffee cherries using a manual depulping machine in an outdoor setting.
A lucha libre wrestling match taking place outdoors with a large crowd watching. Two masked wrestlers are engaged in a move; one in a white and blue costume flying towards the other in a black and gold costume. The ring is surrounded by ropes and sit
Person pouring coffee from a clay pitcher into a patterned mug, wearing a colorful dress with a floral and Frida Kahlo design.
Colorful street scene with a pink building, blue building, and a tall tree with yellow flowers casting shadows. Two people are walking on the sidewalk.
Colorful blue building with arched and rectangular windows, small balconies with decorative railings, and white pillars at the entrance. A woman walks below the building, and a small green and white vehicle is parked in front.
A group of people sitting on chairs in an indoor space, watching a woman presenting and demonstrating how to make decorative pottery figures, with shelves full of similar pottery art in the background.
Hands holding red coffee cherries over a woven basket filled with more cherries, outdoors with green foliage in the background.
Pouring hot water into a coffee filter with coffee grounds on a kitchen scale, preparing pour-over coffee on a wooden table.
Various cacao beans, cacao shells, chopped cacao, and chocolate bars on a wooden table, along with a glass of water, notes, and a notebook with handwritten notes.
A group of people sitting around a wooden table with water bottles and baskets of samples, listening to two women and a man speaking inside a rustic cafe or tasting room.
A person with tanned, weathered hands holds two coffee cherries, one yellow and one red, outdoors with blurred natural background.
Close-up of a coffee roasting machine with roasted coffee beans inside, metal components, and a perforated surface.
Person hanging yellow and blue yarn to dry over a metal tub filled with natural dye, in an outdoor workshop with shelves and colorful yarns in the background.
An elderly woman in a checkered skirt and gray blouse smiling as she receives a white water lily flower from a person outside the frame, in a rustic outdoor setting with bowls and buckets of colored dye and handmade paper flowers.
Ancient stepped pyramids and stone structures in a dry landscape with sparse trees, set against a backdrop of distant mountains under a clear blue sky.
A young woman with glasses on her head holding a small, iridescent glass pitcher while sitting at a wooden table in a restaurant. She has a tattoo on her shoulder and is wearing a black off-shoulder top. An older woman in a pink shirt is visible in t