Field Trips, Tours, and Experiences
Field Trips & Experiences Organized by the ATBC Community
We are pleased to offer a selection of field trips organized by members of the ATBC community.
These field trips are designed to provide participants with in-depth, on-the-ground experiences led by researchers, practitioners, and local collaborators working directly in the field.
Please note: Payment for these activities will be handled on-site, but spaces are limited, so we kindly ask you to reserve your spot in advance.
To register for any of these field trips/experiences, please complete the registration form by clicking on "Reserve your spot".
Join us to explore ecosystems, research sites, and conservation initiatives across Mexico, guided by members of our very own ATBC network.
The Guilá Naquitz Cave and its surrounding landscapes, is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mexico called "Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla". The site was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2010. Guilá Naquitz's significance is multifaceted, including that this is the site of the earliest domestication of several food crops, including teosintle (the ancestor of maize), squash from the genus Cucurbita, and beans, amongst several other plants, and a sacred site to the Indigenous Peoples of the region.
The area of the cave is easily accessible from the City of Oaxaca, and it is about 5 km northwest of the Mitla archaeological site. The access to the cave itself requires a very pleasant hike through beautiful landscapes traversing a semiarid valley floor and some escarpments of slightly higher elevation that lead to the cave. The visit to the cave needs to be conducted with the company of local Zapotec guides. Rodolfo Dirzo has worked with this community and his participation in this excursion ensures that the visit is based in acquired trust, respect and appreciation of the community's efforts to maintain the site while welcoming respectful visitors.
Departing from Oaxaca City, the visit to the cave under moderate pace and sufficient time to botanize during the hike and a few minutes for a ceremony and reflection time at the entrance of the cave can be done in about 5 hours.
Maximum number of attendees: 20
Organized by: Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo, Stanford University
Date: July 4, 2025.
Weather conditions: Mostly cloudy, temperature 23o Celsius (73.4o Fahrenheit), probability of rain 25%
9 am to 14:00-15:00
Departing point: El Llano Park (location)
Includes:
✅ Transportation
✅ Box Lunch
✅ Local Guides
Trip requirements: Hat, field boots, raincoat, and enough water to drink.
💰 Rate per person:
$45 USD (Taxes included)
Trip to Mixteca Alta UNESCO Global Geopark: Conect to earth colors
Visit the heart of the Mixteca Alta UNESCO Global Geopark, a community-based geoconservation, geoeducation and geotourism initiative. The Geopark is located 1.5 hours from the city of Oaxaca, in Yanhuitlán, Oaxaca. Activities include: traditional breakfast, 3.5 km geotrail hike in a 60 million year old landscape, visit to the Geopark center and the Exconvent Museum of Yanhuitlán, and a colorful soil activity.
You will learn about the natural and cultural history of the region. Local guides will give you an experience full of details about geology, history, gastronomy, archeology, Mixtec landscapes and more. This project is a community conservation initiative the Mixteca Alta Region.
Min: 14 participants
Max: 20 participants
Organized by: Dr. Quetzalcoatl Ramírez, National Autonomous University of Mexico
Date: July 4th, 2025
Includes:
✅ Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
✅ Breakfast
✅ Local Guides
✅ Museum fees
✅ Workshop
Tentative schedule and itinerary:
7:00 Oaxaca City
8:30 Arrival to Geopark, traditional breakfast
9:30 Las Conchas geotrail (3.5 km hike)
12:00 Geapark center, Colorful soils workshop
12:40 Visit to the Ex-convent of Santo Domingo Yanhuitlán Museum
13:30 Trip to Oaxaca
15:00 Arrival to Oaxaca
Materials and recommended items for participants:
Comfortable clothing and footwear
Hat or cap
walking cane
water
sun protection
💰 Rate per person:
$60 USD (Taxes included)
Exploring Bat Diversity in Oaxaca’s Urban Parks with Echo Meter Touch
This free field trip offers a unique opportunity to explore the bat diversity of Oaxaca City’s urban parks. Led by Dr. Rafael Rueda Hernandez on behalf of Wildlife Acoustics, participants will embark on a guided “bat walk” using Echo Meter Touch 2 and Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro bat detectors to listen to and identify local bat species in real-time. This free field trip introduces attendees to acoustic monitoring techniques while fostering an appreciation for urban bat populations.
Objectives
Demonstrate the use of Echo Meter Touch 2 and Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro bat detectors for acoustic monitoring.
Provide hands-on experience in bat call identification and interpretation.
Encourage networking and knowledge exchange among participants.
Introduce participants to bat diversity in urban ecosystems.
Format & Activities
The field trip will take place in the Zócalo de la Ciudad. Dr. Rueda Hernandez will briefly introduce basic sound theory, echolocation principles, and an overview of the Echo Meter Touch 2 and Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro devices. Participants will then be divided into small groups of three, each equipped with a bat detector provided by the organizer.
The group will explore different park areas at dusk, using the Echo Meter Touch app to detect and identify bat species in real-time through the built-in identification models and sonograms. Throughout the walk, discussions will focus on how acoustic monitoring can aid research and environmental management.
The session will conclude with participants sharing and comparing their findings and discussing the potential applications of bat acoustic monitoring in conservation and research.
Target Audience
This activity is open to ATBC2025 attendees interested in bat ecology, acoustic monitoring, urban biodiversity, and conservation. No prior experience with bat detectors is required. Participants must register in advance, provide ID upon registration, and download the Echo Meter Touch Bat Detector app before the event.
Min: 4 participants
Max: 18 participants
Organized by: Dr. Rafael Rueda-Hernández, Wildlife Acoustics
Dates:
Monday, June 30th
Tuesday,
Itinerary:
Total Duration 2.5 hours. Meet after sessions at Wildlife Acoustics Booth to retrieve IDs, Check that participants have the latest version of the software, walk to the Zocalo for a 45-minute exploration, and meet at the kiosk to exchange experiences and discuss results.
Materials and recommended items for participants:
We will provide Echo Meter Touch 2 and 2 Pro devices.
Assistants must use their smartphones to pair with the detectors.
💰 Rate per person:
Free
Biocultural mezcal experience
“Mezcaleada”
The “mezcaleada” exercise led by Rodrigo Medellín and Yesenia Hernandez allows one to experience the high biocultural value that this Agave spirit holds. Through a professional presentation, participants will go deeper into the knowledge of the relevant natural and socio-cultural features linked to the traditional mezcal production process: the environment, agave diversity, rituals, process, or environmental protection measures such as “bat conservation”. We will discuss the challenges, risks, and potential of agave derived distillates and discuss among others, the Bat Friendly© program. As a part of this tasting, you will explore the broad array of smells and tastes that mezcal types brings to us. After the mezcaleada experience, your vision of mezcal and how to enjoy it will change, making you a culturally responsible “Mezcal drinker.”
Max. 30 participants each day
Organized by: Dr. Rodrigo Medellín (UNAM) & Biol. Yesenia Hernandez (Centro de Estudios sobre el Maguey y el Mezcal A.C.)
Dates:
June 30th- July 2nd, 2025
Location:
Chocolatería y Café "Petra Cacao"
Contact: pinopia17@gmail.com
💰 Rate per person:
USD 35
Tlayuda's Night Experience
For Oaxacan people, Tlayuda is the typical dish that always works, no matters the time, place, or the occasion. As a full meal, you can eat it as a breakfast, lunch or dinner, and of course, is the favorite after a party night. Tlayuda is always the one. As if this wasn’t enough, The Tlayuda was the winner at the Netflix contest for the best Street food at 2020.
Learn how to cook Tlayuda with you on hands from scratch, roasted it on charcoal and drink a mezcal cocktail. It is “the perfect plan”.
Noche de Tlayudiza
Para los Oaxaqueños, la Tlayuda es la comida clasica que siempre te salva. No importa el tiempo, lugar o la ocasión. Como una comida completa puedes desayunar, comer o cenar tlayuda, y es la favorita despues de una noche de parranda. La Tlayuda es la elegida. Si esto no fuera suficiente, ganó en concurso de Netflix a la mejor comida callejera en el 2020. Aprende a prepararla desde cero con tus propias manos al carbón mientras te tomas un coctel de mezcal. Es el plan perfecto.
Organized by: Biol. Yesenia Hernandez (Centro de Estudios sobre el Maguey y el Mezcal A.C.)
Dates:
June 30th- July 2nd, 2025
Includes:
Experience: Making a Tlayuda from scratch
Tlayuda with beef steak
Mezcal cocktail
Location:
Chocolatería y Café "Petra Cacao"
Contact: pinopia17@gmail.com
💰 Rate per person:
Tlayuda´s nigth experience: 30 USD
Tlayuda´s night experience + mezcaleada (see above): 58 USD
Ecotouristic Tours & Experiences
We also invite you to explore and book our tours and experiences specially curated for ATBC 2025, scheduled for July 4th. Our trusted travel partner, Chimalli, will be offering unique cultural and ecoturistic experiences to enhance your visit to Oaxaca.
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During the conference, we will have an information and booking stand where you can learn more about our tours and secure your reservations.
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Chimalli Contact Details:
📞 Phone/WhatsApp: +52 951 588 44 24
📧 Email: meetings@chimalli.travel
🌐 Website: chimalli.travel
Telares, Grecas y Mezcal
We begin our tour at the Ecological Museum of Cochineal and Nopal, a space dedicated to research and the dissemination of scientific, cultural, and artistic knowledge about cochineal dye and other traditional natural dyes from the state of Oaxaca.
Next, we continue to the community of Teotitlán del Valle, renowned for its famous handwoven wool rugs—beautiful multicolored works of art dyed naturally using various fruits and plants.
We conclude our journey at a Palenque (mezcal distillery), where participants will take a guided tour of the mezcal production process. At the end of the tour, participants will enjoy a tasting of four mezcals, guided by an expert.
Duration: 8 hours
Start time: 9:00 AM
End time: 5:00 PM
Includes:
✅ Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
✅ Travel insurance onboard the unit
✅ Certified guide
✅ Basic painting workshop using cochineal dye
✅ Onboard amenities (1 bottle of water per person, soft drinks, and beer)
✅ Tasting of 4 mezcals
Pueblos y Mezcales
We begin our tour with a visit to San Martín Tilcajete, where we will experience the creativity of local artisans and learn about the technique, dedication, and passion they put into crafting the vibrant wooden figures known as Alebrijes. (Optional: "Paint Your Alebrije" workshop – approx. 45 min.)
Next, we continue to the community of Santo Tomás Jalieza, where we will witness the traditional backstrap loom weaving technique, a craft that has been passed down through generations.
Our journey concludes in Santa Catarina Minas, at the Palenque Real Minero, where we will take a guided tour to learn about the different agave species and the mezcal production process. At the end of the tour, participants will enjoy a tasting of four mezcals.
Duration: 8 hours
Start time: 9:00 AM
End time: 5:00 PM
Includes:
✅ Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
✅ Travel insurance onboard the unit
✅ Certified guide
✅ Onboard amenities (1 bottle of water per person, soft drinks, and beer)
✅ Tasting of 4 mezcals
Not included:
❌ "Paint Your Alebrije" workshop ($580 MXN; aprox $30 USD)
❌ Meals and beverages not mentioned
Clase de Cocina
This is a culinary experience offered by traditional cooks from the community of La Raya, Zimatlán. Using ingredients sourced directly from our organic garden, cultivated with environmentally friendly practices, you will have the opportunity to harvest fresh produce and bring it straight to your table.
Duration: 5 hours
Start time: TBA
End time: TBA
Includes:
✅ Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
✅ Travel insurance onboard the unit
✅ Breakfast and/or lunch
✅ Hot beverages
✅ Onboard amenities (1 bottle of water per person, soft drinks, and beer)
Ecoturismo en Cuajimoloyas
Taking time to discover new paths is always a rewarding experience. The Pueblos Mancomunados communities eagerly await to share their natural and cultural richness with you.
On this tour, we visit San Antonio Cuajimoloyas, a community nestled at an altitude of 2,300 to 3,200 meters above sea level.
Be captivated by breathtaking natural landscapes, perfect for hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding, while enjoying a diverse array of flora and fauna. Let your spirit embrace a journey through the enchanting cloud forests.
Duration: 6 hours
Start time: 8:00 AM
End time: 2:00 PM
Includes:
✅ Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles
✅ Travel insurance onboard the unit
✅ Certified guide
✅ Onboard amenities (1 bottle of water per person, soft drinks, and beer)
✅ Guided hike
✅ Lunch
Atardecer en Zona Arqueológica de Monte Albán
On this tour, we recharge our energy at Monte Albán, once the largest city of the Zapotec civilization. Strategically located on a mountaintop in the heart of the Central Valleys, this awe-inspiring site features a grand plaza, ball court, the Danzantes (Dancers), Tomb 7, and much more.
This exclusive experience allows you to explore this majestic archaeological site after regular hours, with the following activities:
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Departure from the Host Hotel at 4:30 PM
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Copal smoke ceremony to cleanse the energy of each participant
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Guided tour of the archaeological site
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Brief pause to admire the sunset over Monte Albán
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Return to the Host Hotel at 7:00 PM
Duration: 2 hours
Start time: 5:00 PM
End time: 7:00 PM
Cata de Cacao y Preparación de Chocolate
Participants will enjoy a cacao tasting experience, sampling different varieties and processing methods to distinguish their unique flavors and characteristics. You will learn about the history, transformation, and cultural significance of Oaxacan cacao.
During the session, we will take a short break with a cacao-based snack, followed by a signature house drink. To conclude, we will explain the chocolate-making process and guide you on how to prepare a traditional chocolate beverage at home. Our expert team will walk you through the experience step by step.