OAXACA, MÉXICO
Oaxaca is culture. This captivating city is a vibrant celebration of indigenous heritage that manifests through its street art, social movements, artisanry and exquisite food. Oaxaca City sits in a sacred valley where two vast mountain ranges crossing Mexico collide. It is in these mountain ranges where Coyote Aventuras plays. The outskirts of Oaxaca are home to astonishing natural beauty, where communities protect their natural resources preserving the biodiversity and health of their forests. To hike through the Sierra Norte, visit Hierve el Agua or rock climb up Oaxaca’s many peaks is to explore the rarely traveled paths of this unique destination. This cultural center of Mexico is also a historic site of world heritage. Here, major staple crops such as corn and squash were domesticated 10,000 years ago, providing a base diet of nutrients for the development of advanced Mesoamerican civilizations. Let the cobblestoned streets, hip eateries and mezcal bars of the historic downtown area captivate your senses, drawing you in as you explore all that Oaxca has to offer.
The state of Oaxaca is located in the southeastern region of Mexico, bordered to the north by the states of Puebla and Veracruz, to the south by the Pacific Ocean, to the east by Chiapas and to the west by Guerrero. It is a privileged entity due to its biological and socio-cultural richness, and Oaxaca boasts the greatest biodiversity and ethnolinguistic diversity in the country. The complexity of ecosystems (composed of at least 26 types of vegetation or plant associations) and of cultural groups with their respective schemes of social and political organization, makes Oaxaca a unique place in Mexico and the world.
It is also important to mention that Oaxaca has the largest number of speakers of indigenous languages, which represent 34.2% of its total population. The original languages are part of the intangible heritage of Mexico, in addition, they represent one of the most important connections that we have with the original cultures that inhabited the Mexican territory in pre-Columbian times.
Due to its geographical, political-economic and social characteristics, Oaxaca’s territory is subdivided into eight regions: Cañada, Costa, Istmo, Mixteca, Papaloapam, Sierra Norte, Sierra Sur, and Valles Centrales. These regions are made up of various communities that house cultures and traditions closely related to native cultures and our roots.
Oaxaca City (also the state’s capital) is located in the Valles Centrales region, which is composed of a set of three river valleys: to the northwest the Etla Valley, to the east the Tlacolula Valley and to the south the Zimatlán-Ocotlán Valley or Valle Grande. These valleys are mostly made up of Zapotec communities, which in addition to conserving an integral part of their original culture, traditions and customs, they have preserved and honored their relationship with their territory and nature.
At Coyote we are fortunate to be able to learn, belong and flow with the abundance and energy of this land and we believe that a responsible and sustainable tourism is possible. Most of our experiences seek to enhance the natural surroundings and essence of each place we visit, in addition, they generate employment opportunities for women and young people. Our journeys also help to reinforce cultural heritage and add value to the communities and people with whom we collaborate.
