There’s a side of Oaxaca that most travelers never get to see. Far beyond the city and the well-known destinations, the Mixteca unfolds across rugged mountains, remote villages, centuries-old towns, and landscapes that still feel completely untouched. This two-day private roadtrip takes you into that side of Oaxaca, from the waterfalls of Santiago Apoala and the historic convent of Coixtlahuaca to a sunrise hike above Tepelmeme and the crystal-clear waters of Ojo de Agua. Along the way, you’ll stay in a small local community, eat traditional food, and experience the Mixteca at a pace that allows you to actually take it in.

Santiago Apoala Waterfalls

We start the roadtrip in Santiago Apoala, one of those mountain villages that feels a world away from Oaxaca City. After breakfast, we head out on foot toward its waterfalls, following the trails through the surrounding mountains and valleys. The landscape changes constantly as we walk, with towering rock formations, green hills, and the sound of water leading us deeper into the area. It’s the kind of place that makes you wonder how somewhere this beautiful can still be so little known.

DAY 1

Coixtlahuaca

From Apoala, the road continues through the Mixteca toward Coixtlahuaca, a historic town with a story that goes back long before the arrival of the Spanish. Here we visit its remarkable 16th-century Dominican convent, one of the region’s most striking colonial landmarks. Walking through the town and seeing the convent in its surroundings gives you a glimpse into a part of Oaxaca’s history that is easy to miss when staying around the capital and the more popular routes.

Tepelmeme

By the afternoon, we arrive in Tepelmeme Villa de Morelos, where we’ll spend the night. This small Chocholteca community gives us a chance to slow down and experience a very different side of Oaxaca. In the evening, we share a traditional dinner with regional bread, foamy hot chocolate, and a local dish prepared with the distinctive wheat tortilla found in the area.

Accommodation in Tepelmeme is included

Sunrise at Cerro de Tepelmeme

The alarm goes off early because the best view of the Mixteca comes before the day begins. We hike up Cerro de Tepelmeme in the dark and reach the mountain as the first light starts to appear over the surrounding peaks. Watching the landscape come alive from above is one of those moments that makes the early start completely worth it.

Back in town, we sit down for breakfast in the Chocholteca plaza before getting back on the road. After the hike, this is a chance to slow down, eat, and see a little more of everyday life in the community before continuing our journey.

DAY 2

Ojo de Agua, Tamazulapan

Our final stop is Ojo de Agua in Tamazulapan, a beautiful natural spring with remarkably clear water hidden among the Mixteca mountains. After two days on the trails and roads, it’s the perfect place to cool off, take in the landscape, and enjoy one last unexpected corner of the region before heading back to Oaxaca City.