The best on and off the beaten path hiking in Oaxaca
Table of Contents
Visiting Oaxaca for the first time in 2010 I was blown away by the diversity of landscapes, culture and food offered. The beautiful colonial town of Oaxaca City is the buzzing heart of the region and offers a wide range of cultural activities – colourful markets selling local culinary delicacies, stunning architecture and an eclectic art scene. Oaxaca City captivated me with its colourful streets and houses, spectacular plazas and stunning cathedrals. Oaxaca is also one of the best places in Mexico to travel solo!
Yet there is so much to see around Oaxaca City. The surrounding mountain ranges and pine forests of the Sierra Norte and Sierra Madre invite for stunning off the beaten path adventures on foot, horseback or mountain bike. Trekking and hiking in Oaxaca is also the best way to learn about the Zapotec culture and peoples of Oaxaca who own land throughout the state.
Hiking in Oaxaca - Oaxaca day trips and multi-day trekking
Hiking in Oaxaca should be on every nature lover’s list – the region’s outdoors is incredibly diverse. From the pine forests of the Sierra Norte to the rolling hills of the Sierra Madre, trekking enthusiasts find a large number of day hikes as well as multi-day adventures such as the Camino de Copalita, a true hidden gem not known by many.
Pueblos Mancomunicados - Indigenous villages in the Sierra Norte
The entry to the forested highlands of the Sierra Norte de Oaxaca is just under 2 hours away from Oaxaca City to the north. The region is dominated by a series of microclimates. You’ll find deep pine forests in the east, the majestic mountain range of the Sierra Madre to the west and desert liked conditions in between.
The Sierra Norte is home to the Pueblos Mancomunicados, a community of eight self-governing indigenous Zapotec villages working together to provide outstanding eco tourism experiences and thereby protecting their land, culture and heritage. Trekking from village to village with a local guide you will be immersed into the ancient Zapotec culture and customs. Each village has a number of basic but comfortable cabins for exclusive use for their visitors with three full meals of tasty local dishes.
Day and overnight hikes to the Sierra Norte from Oaxaca are possible but if you want to really immerse yourself in the local way of living, the complete village-to-village trek in the Sierra Norte takes about seven days to complete.
Besides daily hikes, visitors can signed up for a whole series of other activities from chocolate making, medicinal plant walks and education, traditional healing ceremonies, horseback riding as well as cooking workshops. Or simply enjoy the silence only disrupted by the sounds of nature from the comfy space of your hammock in front of your cabin.
How to book a tour to the Sierra Norte - Hiking in Oaxaca
Expeditiones Sierra Norte is a good starting point for any Sierra Norte adventure. The organisation has their office in Oaxaca City and is run by the communities ensuring the villages benefit from the tourism in the region. While they’re happy to give you valuable advice when you want to organize transportation and explore the region by yourself if you’re on a very tight budget, I recommend letting them organise everything for you including the daily transfer of your luggage if you book a multi-day hiking experience. They are also more than willing to create customized itineraries of hikes and activities for however many days you’d like.
Must-Do in Oaxaca and the Sierra Norte – Temazcal Ceremony
Temazcal is a sacred, medicinal and spiritual ceremony in a traditional “sweat lodge”, a type of sauna made of stone. You can find these sweat lodges in pretty much every Smudged with sage and other herbs, the hot steam is not only great for body and mind – this shaman led ancient spiritual ceremony is also meant to align your energies, releasing old and supressed fears, worries, addictions and other demons of the past. The ceremony also gives you the chance to learn about the natural medicinal plants these communities have been successfully using for centuries.
Highlight
Camino Copalita – From the mountains to the sea
The remote 5-day Camino Copalita trail stretches from the highlands of the Sierra Madre del Sur all the way to the pristine beaches of the Pacific Coast around Huatulco. Hiking in Oaxaca doesn’t get much better, more immersive and transformational than on the Camino Copalita. The trek crosses the lands of different indigenous communities, most of which are involved in sustainable farming and eco tourism in the region. Set up and run by Manuel Rosemberg, the founder of this incredible adventure has consistently developed sustainable relationships with the indigenous communities in the Sierra Madre mountain range.
If there was a definition of “off the beaten track”, then Camino Copalita would be it. Once on the trek, there is no easy access in or out – no major roads and no cities nearby. There is no signal along the route either, although all guides carry satellite phones in case of emergencies.
Hiking From village to village
The trail head for the Camino Copalita lies close to the village of San Juan Ozolotepec located in the Sierra Madre mountain range, an agrarian community, whose economic activities include organic honey, coffee, tomatoes, and avocado production. The village offers breathtaking views of the mountains, and is a great example of a well-organised community.
A mix of crossing pine forests, rivers, mango and coffee plantations, you’ll be experiencing a range of changing climates and vegetation each day. From the alpine climate of the Sierra Madre to the coastal vegetation close to the Pacific arriving at La Bocana Beach on a raft – each day and overnight location is different. All villages you’ll be hosted in along the way are mostly self-sustaining and engaged in sustainable farming and agriculture.
Accommodation and activities during the Camino Copalita
On the trek you’ll be exploring the region with different local guides who are based in the villages the trek leads you to each day. The overnight accommodation consists of spacious semi permanent camps and wooden cabins close to each village. Delicious locally sourced dinners will be served around the campfire prepared by the friendly villagers, ancestors of the Zapotec people. Don’t expect showers after a long day of hiking, but you’ll find lots of rivers and natural springs along the way to cool off in – part of the fun of connecting to nature and going back to the basics. What’s better than falling asleep only to the sounds of the forest and the crackling sound of a campfire?
Besides the hiking you’ll have lots of time immersing yourself into the Zapotec culture. You’ll learn about how life in the region has changed and how eco tourism helps keeping their land protected and traditions alive. Learn about the communities’ medicinal plant projects and sustainable farming or exchanging stories while the village’s women cook up sumptuous dinners with locally sourced ingredients – I always felt that nothing broadens my horizon more than experiencing and engaging in a very different way of life.
The last day of the trek is spent rafting down Copalita River which ends in the Pacific Ocean. An incredible transformational travel journey comes to and end with some time to rest and relax on Oaxaca’s stunning beaches around Huatulco or Puerto Escondido one of the safest places in Mexico.
A note about the safety on the trek: The region is considered very safe. The communities own most of the land the trail passes and are well organised and connected. The region is not used for any drug trafficking or migrant routes.
Whatever the length or route of your hiking in Oaxaca adventure, from the pine forests and mountains in the north of Oaxaca to the tropical beaches by the Pacific – the scenery is exceptionally beautiful and simply made for off the beaten path trekking expeditions.
For more information, cost and trekking dates for the Camino Copalita, check the official website of the currently only Camino Copalita operator.
Looking for a the perfect backpack for this trip? Check out these 10 backpacks, large enough for a multi-day hike and small enough as carry-on bags.
