A FORAY INTO THE NATURE, CUISINE & CULTURE OF OAXACA
Take in Oaxaca’s rich and ancient culture, traditional food & diverse landscapes over 7 full days & 8 nights as we forage, cook, & craft with local Zapotecs in the rugged Sierra Norte mountains & explore the ancient history, traditional foods and indigenous artisanship of the region.
Alissa Allen, veteran mushroom dyer and founder of Mycopigments, will be joining us from Seattle, Washington for her third year as part of our expert lineup to lead both our forays and our mushroom dyeing workshop.
Taking our tour deeper into the Sierra Norte than ever before, we will be exploring forests never before explored for dye mushrooms with a community of artisans known for their silk production & natural dyeing in San Pedro Cajonos.
With our partner and nature guide Celestino Mendez, we will have unfettered access to wild woodlands that aren’t just open to anyone, with the blessings of the communities, who will join throughout our forays, meals and activities, furthering our mission of immersion and deep exchange with our local Zapotec hosts.
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Enjoy the incredible nature of the Sierra Nortes while leisurely foraging with local Zapotec guides and mushroom experts.
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Spend a day at the silk sanctuary in San Pedro Cajonos learning the silk process and dyeing with what we found with the community on earlier forays.
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Play with our onsite mushroom dye studio with provided fibers or any animal-based fiber that you want to throw in the dye pot.
Like all of our trips, this adventure will be book-ended in the cultural and culinary mecca of Oaxaca City, with dinners at some of the most celebrated restaurants and chefs, known for the foraged fungal feasts, with opportunities to get lost in the magic of the city for a night.
Daily Highlights
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Day 1: Check in, meet fellow foragers, and enjoy a group dinner at a top Oaxacan restaurant.
Day 2: Explore the 2,500-year-old Zapotec site of Monte Alban. Lunch in Tule, home of the world’s widest tree. Head to Cuajimoloyas for the night, with an evening presentation on dye mushrooms by Alissa.
Day 3: Forage for dye mushrooms with local guides and the community in Cuajimoloyas. Afternoon dye demonstration.
Day 4: Depart for a foray in the Sierra Nortes, on the way to El Carrizal, a baking village, for our mountain stay. Set up our ID table and pop-up dye studio for a week of creative exploration.
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Day 5: Morning mushroom foray with local honguera, Reina. Lunch in nature, followed by a relaxing afternoon of dyeing with our foraged mushrooms.
Day 6: Foray with the artisan community of San Pedro Cajonos to find dye mushrooms—a first for this community.
Day 7: Spend the day at Silk Sanctuary in San Pedro Cajonos. Learn about the silk production process, from raising worms to spinning, weaving, and naturally dyeing fiber. Transform our foraged treasures into a silk rainbow of color.
Day 8: Explore the Zapotec weaving and dyeing village of Teotitlan del Valle. Afternoon in Oaxaca City, concluding with a final group dinner to celebrate our time together. -
Day 9: Check out with a rainbow of mushroom colors and lasting memories. **Option for a day-long weaving workshop with Dr. Sam in Teotitlan.
*All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are included starting with dinner on the night of August 28 through our last night together on September 4 with accommodations provided through September 5th.
** You can put your newly dyed yarn to use and add a 6 hour hands-on weaving workshop with Dr. Sam, Leonora, and his incredible family in Teotitlan del Valle on 15th century style looms to bring home a small rug to remember your time here.
Staying with Dr. Sam and his Zapotec artisan family, we’ll spend three days turning our foraged treasures into a rainbow of colored wool yarn to accent the rugs we’ll make on foot treadle looms to take home with you and remember our adventure together.
How to join, the cost, and payment schedule:
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Price & Payment Schedule
The price of this 8 night trip per person* : $3199.00 most expenses included**.
Payments for the trip shall be made in full, and includes the NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT of $500 which helps us secure accommodations, reserve transportation, book restaurants, and secure the tour.
With this payment commitment, your deposit will be returned to you only on one of two conditions: the trip is completely canceled (all monies will be returned), or you help arrange for someone else to take your place.
Refunds for cancellations will be returned on the following schedule:- 120+ days before the start of the trip, total minus deposit;
- 90-120 days before, 60% refund;
- 60-90 days before, 40% refund;
- 30-60 days before, 20% refund;
- 30 days before, no refund available
- 120+ days before the start of the trip, total minus deposit;
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How to Join + DIscounts
Apply today to join us in August!
We are partnered with The Fungivore for our mushroom focused experiences and have a joint application. We review each application to make sure our mycoadventure is a good fit for all participants and give us insight to create the best experience for each group. Upon review, we're reach out ASAP to offer an info call, deposit information and next steps.
We will fill the trip in the order of applications received and deposits secured. Our group size is capped at 12 participants and we have very high interest this year. If you are interested, get your spot on the list for 2024!.
Payment plans are available on a case-by-case basis. Please send info@thefungivore.com an email to explore this option. -
What is Covered on Trip
*Double occupancy is assumed for our available accommodations. If you are traveling with someone, be sure to let us know if you need 1 bed or two.
**All meals, lodging, tours, activities, and workshops are included. Alcohol during meals, souvenirs, and some optional activities are not included. Ground transportation to & from Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca City is not included ($5-20 each way).
The deposit is non-refundable IN MOST CASES. We use it immediately to secure transportation, lodging and reservations. However in 2020, the full cost of the trip, deposits included, was fully refunded due to the pandemic. If the trip is canceled for any reason, you will get ALL of your money back, guaranteed.)
THE FLIGHT TO OAXACA is not included. Please make travel arrangements to be able to join us in Oaxaca for dinner on August 28th.
Our Local Partners & Experts
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Kim & Zack, Tour Leaders
Over several trips to Oaxaca, we have cultivated a rich relationship with the people, culture, & cuisine that has culminated in this invitation for a hands-on, immersive window into this cradle of civilization. Avid travelers with curiosity & a deep appreciation for culture & engaging people around the world, we believe that through travel & connecting with different cultures, we gain a greater understanding of the world, our place in it, and the better future that we can build together. It's in this spirit that we share the Oaxaca that we know & love with you.
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Alissa Allen, Mushroom Dye Master
Alissa is the founder of Mycopigments. She specializes in teaching about regional mushroom and lichen dye palettes to fiber artists and mushroom enthusiasts all over the world. Alissa got her start in the Pacific Northwest and has been sharing her passion for mushrooms for over 15 years.
Alissa uses brilliant colors found in fungal dyes to entice people to take a closer look at mushrooms and lichens and the role they play in our lives. This will be her second season joining us for mycoadventures in Oaxaca. -
Celestino Mendez, Zapotec Nature Guide
Celestino is a local Zapotec member of the Mancomunados of the Sierra Norte, farming and living in his native village of Latuvi. He leads treks, mountain bike tours, mountain summit tours and more through Walk With Celestino.
We met Celestino in 2019 at the Cuajimoloays Mushroom Festival, and have partnered with him on all of our tours in 2021 and 2022. He is passionate about orchids, and has a deep knowledge of the forests & ecological diversity in the Sierra Norte.
Celestino will be present for all of our tours in the Sierra Nortes in 2024.
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It is not often that a partnership of such immense proportions lands in one's lap, but that is exactly what happened with Alissa Allen of Mycopigments! After beginning our work with our weaving friends in Teotitlan del Valle in 2021, it was clear that mushroom dyes and the natural artisans of Oaxaca were a perfect match.
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Now in 2024, we are so excited to welcome Alissa Allen back for her third year in a row of collecting and teaching about our ecological world through the beautiful rainbow lens of mushroom dyes. In 2023, we helped facilitate three dyeing workshops with Alissa for the community members, as well as learn about the many artisans traditions within the communities.
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In 2024, we are very much looking forward to hunting and dyeing with a silk-producing village deep in the Sierra Nortes with whom we’ve been excited to work with for over a year now. In addition, this year, we are focusing more heavily on our time in nature and the processes for natural dyeing, so our times foraging and enjoying the mountains will double!