Where: Fiber Arts on 4th, 6463 4th Street, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107
When: 10 am to 7 pm — Opening Reception from 5 pm to 7 pm
At 1 p.m., I am talking about Craft and Culture in Mexico, with a special emphasis on why we travel to remote villages, artisan life and values, keeping artisan traditions alive and relevant, and cultural appropriation.
I’m participating for one day only, today, at this three-day event to promote WARP (Weave a Real Peace) and introduce people to my friend Cael Chappell, who started Baskets of Africa years ago, is a basket weaver, and opened Fiber Arts on 4th seven months ago. The shop is a source for all things fiber: weaving, knitting, crotchet, felting, and more. There are looms, classes, and a drop-by Friday for makers to gather and share what they do.
What am I selling today? On my return, my two pieces of luggage and a giant box were stuffed with huipiles from Oaxaca and Guatemala. One bag was tagged overweight. It was close to sixty pounds. There are indigo-dyed shawls, scarves handwoven with native brown Guatemalan cotton, blusas, bags, palm baskets from the Mixteca Alta, jewelry, and more.
Please stop by to visit!
Whatever I don’t sell today, I’ll be taking to Taos and posting the pieces on the Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Shop.
Come with us to Mexico, 9-nights, 10-days, February 11-20, 2026
Back by popular demand! I never knew that visiting the Monarch butterflies in Mexico should have been on my bucket list until I got there. Tucked into the mountainous forests of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico is the terminus of the butterfly migration from North America where the noble Monarchs winter and reproduce. The experience is mystical, magical, life-affirming, and memorable. I’ve always felt that being here is one of those moments that inspire and validate our existence on the planet and gives us pause to appreciate the constant cycle of nature at its most magnificent. As the Monarch butterfly population decreases and there is worry about protection, don’t delay if this is something you always wanted to do!
But this is not all! After visiting the butterflies, we travel to the magical craft and folk-art towns of Michoacan: Patzcuaro and the indigenous Purepecha towns surrounding Lake Patzcuaro, plus Ahuiran, Santa Clara del Cobre, and Paracho. We meet with famous artisans and those off-the-beaten path whose work is recognized by Fundacion Banamex in their book, Grand Masters of Mexican Folk Art . We meet weavers, potters, embroiderers, mask-makers, coppersmiths. We explore in safety and security, led by a local guide whom we know very well. We NEVER take you into any locations that are dangerous or threatening.
This tour is limited to 14 travelers. We have five single rooms and four shared rooms available.
Our journey takes us to Estado de Mexico and Michoacán where we embark on an outdoor expedition to visit the sanctuaries of the majestic Monarch butterfly. We end this tour in Patzcuaro, a colonial city awarded with the recognition of Pueblo Magico. Here we spend some days to learn about the strategic location next to the lake and the different oficios (artisan wares) in some of the towns neighborhing such as, copper, wood, ceramics and textiles.
Preliminary Itinerary
Wednesday, February 11: Arrive in Mexico City. Gather for a NO-HOST dinner. Meals included: none. Overnight in Mexico City.
Thursday, February 12: Breakfast, welcome and orientation. After breakfast, depart to the butterfly sanctuary with stop at Zirahuato archeological site. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Overnight in Zitacuaro.
Saturday, Friday, February 13: Visit El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Overnight in Zitacuaro.
Sunday, February 14: Visit a second butterfly sanctuary. You may choose to ride a horse if you like. In the afternoon, we depart for Patzcuaro and check in to our cozy hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Overnight in Patzcuaro.
Monday, February 15: After breakfast, enjoy an orientation to Patzcuaro with a walking tour of local galleries and markets, led by a good friend of our who has lived in the town for years. Afternoopn on your own. Meals included: Breakfast. Overnight in Patzcuaro
Tuesday, February 16: After breakfast, we travel to Santa Clara del Cobre where artisans make hand-hammered copper pieces. Then on to Cuanajo where we will meet a family of weavers who work on back strap loom the technique of warp faced weaving. Then we make a stop in Tupataro where we learn more about the history of the Patzcuaro and visit some of the most amazing frescos on the ceiling of this small, historical church. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Overnight Patzcuaro.
Wednesday, February 17: This is a long day around Lake Patzcuaro to artisan villages. Our first stop is in Tucuaro we visit a master woodcarver who makes the carnival mask for the celebrations of Lent and Easter. In Santa Fe la Laguna, we will learn about the lake and its importance to the surrounding towns including Patzuaro. There we visit famed potter Nicolas Fabian Fermin. Further on, we meet the cooperative organized by Teofila Servin in Zintzuntzan, where we learn about the fine satin stitch embroidery depicting village traditions in scenes on multi-colored fabric. Then we learn about the chuspata fiber used to weave utilitarian pieces such as rugs, mats and even living rooms! In town, we visit a family of potters that specializes in high temperature ceramic pieces. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch. Overnight in Patzcuaro.
Thursday, February 18: Our first stop is in Ahuiran, where we meet a family of shawl weavers who use cotton and rayon threads to create cloth on backstrap looms. These shawls have amazing, knotted fringes and the weavers use feathers woven into the cloth to decorate them. Next, we travel to Paracho where we learn about the tradition of handmade guitars. This town inspired the guitar for Coco (Disney Pixar 2017 movie). Our last stop is in Aranza to visit with a family that we think may weave the finest clothes in Mexico. They work with one-ply very thin100% cotton to make blouses and shawls with a special technique on a back strap loom that we can only describe as being like lace. But the cloth is woven by hand picking and twisting the warp threads to create this effect. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.
Friday, February 19: This is a leisurely day on your own after breakfast to meander Patzcuaro streets, pack, and do any last-minute shopping. We then meet for a Grand Finale Dinner to celebrate our time together and memories made. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner. Overnight in Patzcuaro.
Saturday, February 20: Departure. We will help schedule shared van cost from Patzcuaro to Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. If you plan to visit other Mexican towns, the hotel can also help you make taxi arrangements.
Note: Schedule is preliminary and is subject to change throughout our tour, depending on artisan availability, etc.
What is included?
9 nights lodging at top-rated hotels 9 breakfasts 7 lunches Grand Finale Gala Dinner Museum and entry fees Luxury van transportation Complete guide and translation services
The tour does NOT include airfare, taxes, tips, travel insurance, liquor or alcoholic beverages, some meals, and local transportation as specified in the itinerary. We reserve the right to substitute instructors and alter the program as needed.
Cost • $3,795 double room with private bath (sleeps 2) • $4,595 single room with private bath (sleeps 1) Reservations and Cancellations. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to guarantee your spot. The balance is due in two equal payments. The second payment of 50% of the balance is due on or before August 1, 2025. The third 50% payment of the balance is due on or before November 1, 2025. We accept payment using Zelle (no fees) or credit card (+4% service fee). We will send you an invoice when you tell us you are ready to register. After November 1, 2025, there are no refunds. If you cancel on or before November 1, 2025, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date less the $500 non-refundable reservation deposit. After that, there are no refunds.
If we cancel for whatever reason, you receive a 100% refund of all amounts received to date, less the non-refundable deposit.
All documentation for plane reservations, required travel insurance, and personal health issues must be received 45 days before the program starts or we reserve the right to cancel your registration without reimbursement.
NOTE: All travelers are encouraged to be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations. We suggest you also wear KN-95 face masks on airplanes and in crowded areas, use hand-sanitizer, and bring COVID test kits.
How to Register: First, complete the Registration Form and send it to us. We will then send you an invoice to make your reservation deposit. Please tell us which payment method you prefer and how your account is registered (email or phone number).
Terrain, Walking and Group Courtesy: The butterfly sanctuary is at 10,000 feet altitude. To get there, one must ascend a steep pathway or ride a horse to the destination. Generally, the altitude is 5,000 to 7,000 feet in the various locations we will visit. Streets and sidewalks in colonial towns are cobblestones, and narrow. We will do a lot of walking. We will walk a lot — up to 10,000 steps per day at a moderate pace. We recommend you bring a walking stick and wear sturdy shoes.
NOTE: If you have mobility issues or health/breathing impediments, please consider that this may not be the program for you.
Traveling with a small group has its advantages, and also means that independent travelers will need to make accommodations to group needs and schedule. We include plenty of free time to go off on your own if you wish.
Textiles from Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guatemala, plus jewelry from this part of the world and far-flung places. The event is produced by Cael Chappell and Fiber Arts of 4th and will also benefit WARP (Weave a Real Peace). If you are in New Mexico or nearby, please come and visit us. Credit cards accepted.
Arrive on Tuesday, December 2, and depart on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 — 8 nights, 9 days in textile heaven! Home in time for winter holiday preparations. Please send us an email to tell us you are ready to join!
December is a perfect time to visit the Oaxaca coast. The weather is at its best, and the Pacific Ocean promises stunning views and abundant seafood. Here, we go deep and also cover a lot of territory. We give you an intimate, connecting experience. We spend time to know the culture. You will meet artisans in their homes and workshops, enjoy local cuisine, dip your hands in an indigo dye bath, and travel to remote villages where you may never get to independently.
This study tour focuses on the revival of ancient textile techniques and Oaxaca’s vast weaving culture that encompasses the use of natural dyes, back-strap loom weaving, drop spindle hand spinning using the malacate, and glorious, pre-Hispanic native cotton in warm brown called coyuchi, verde (green), and creamy white. We cover vast distances on secondary roads, traveling to secluded mountain villages. This tour is for the most adventurous textile travelers! At Oaxaca Cultural Navigator, we aim to give you an unparalleled and in-depth travel experience to participate and delve deeply into indigenous culture, folk art, and celebrations.
The cost is $3,595 per person for a shared room or $4,395 per person for a private room. See details and itinerary below. To register, please send an email to Norma Schafer at norma.schafer@icloud.com Thank you.
This entire study tour is focused on exploring the textiles of Oaxaca’s Costa Chica. You arrive to and leave from Puerto Escondido (PXM), connecting through Mexico City or Oaxaca. You might like to read about why on the Oaxaca coast, it’s about the cloth, not the cut.
Villages along the coast and neighboring mountains were able to preserve their traditional weaving culture because of their isolation. The Spanish could not get into those villages until the late 18th century. Much is now the same as it was then. Stunning cotton is spun and woven into lengths of cloth connected with intricate needlework to form amazing garments. Beauty and poverty are twin sisters here.
What we do: Visit weaving villages in Oaxaca and Guerrero Meet back-strap loom weavers, natural dyers, spinner
See, touch, and smell native Oaxaca cotton — brown, green, natural Participate in a Ridley sea turtle release with a sunset dinner on the beach Swim in a rare bioluminescent lagoon
Visit local markets to experience daily life Travel to remote regions to discover amazing cloth Learn about Afro-Mexican identity on the Pacific Coast Support indigenous artisans directly Enjoy a beach vacation
Take this study tour to learn about: Culture, history, and identity of cloth Beating and spinning cotton and weaving with natural dyes Native seed preservation and cultivation Clothing design and construction, fashion adaptations Symbols and meaning of regional textile designs Choice of colors, designs, and fibers showcase each woman weaver’s aesthetic and identity The work of women in pre-Hispanic Mexico and today
PRELIMINARY ITINERARY Tuesday, December 2: Fly to Puerto Escondido—overnight in Puerto Escondido, Group Welcome Dinner at 6:30 p.m. Please schedule flights to arrive accordingly. Meals included: Dinner
Wednesday, December 3: After breakfast, spend the day lingering by the pool or exploring the strand. We depart in late afternoon to participate in the Ridley turtle release and explore the Manialtepec bioluminescence lagoon with a beach dinner. Overnight in Puerto Escondido. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Thursday, December 4: After breakfast, we depart for Ometepec, Guerrero where we will spend the night. We will stop in Pinotepa Nacional for lunch and meander through the town market. Overnight in Ometepec. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.
Friday, December 5: After breakfast, we go to Zacoalpan, a bygone Amusgo village where Jesus Ignacio and his family weave native coyuchi, green and natural white cotton to make traditional huipiles. They are rescuing designs from fragments of ancient cloth. Then, we have lunch in nearby Xochistlahuaca with an outstanding weaving cooperative that creates glorious, diaphanous textiles embellished with a palette of colorful designs reflecting the flora of the region. Overnight in Ometepec. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.
Saturday, December 6: After breakfast, we head south along the coast highway, stopping at the Afro-Mexican Museum to learn about the rich cultural history and traditions of Mexicans whose roots are from Africa and the slave trade. We continue to Pinotepa Nacional for a late lunch and check into our hotel. Here we will enjoy an expoventa and demonstration with embroiderers from a town several hours away. Overnight in Pinotepa Nacional. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch.
Sunday, December 7: After breakfast, we head up the road to the weaving village of San Juan Colorado for a home-cooked lunch and visit two women’s cooperatives working in natural dyes, hand-spinning, and back-strap loom weaving. Overnight in Pinotepa Nacional. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Monday, December 8: After breakfast, we go back up the mountain to the village of Pinotepa de Don Luis to meet noted weavers who work with naturally dyed cotton. Here, we will see jicara gourd carvers who make jewelry and serving containers. We have lunch with Tixinda Cooperative members who are licensed to harvest the purple snail dye. In this village, the almost extinct caracol purpura snail is the traditional color accent for many textiles. Overnight in Pinotepa Nacional. Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Tuesday, December 9: After breakfast, we return to Puerto Escondido, a two-and-a-half-hour van ride. The rest of the day is on your own to explore, relax, and pack. We meet in the early evening for our Grand Finale Dinner. Overnight in Puerto Escondido. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
Wednesday, December 10: Depart for home and arrive in plenty of time to prepare for the winter holidays. Meals included: None.
Note: We suggest you arrive a day early (your own hotel expense) to avoid any unforeseen winter flight delays, and stay later if you wish to enjoy the beach.
Your Oaxaca Cultural Navigator: Eric Chavez Santiago Eric Chavez Santiago is a Oaxaca Cultural Navigator partner with Norma Schafer. He joined us in 2022. Eric is an expert in Oaxaca and Mexican textiles and folk art with a special interest in artisan development and promotion. He is a weaver and natural dyer by training and a fourth-generation member of a distinguished weaving family, the Fe y Lola textile group. He and his wife Elsa Sanchez Diaz started Taller Teñido a Mano dye studio where they produce naturally dyed yarn skeins and textiles for worldwide distribution. He is trilingual, speaking Zapotec, Spanish and English and is a native of Teotitlan del Valle. He is a graduate of Anahuac University, founder of the Museo Textil de Oaxaca education department, and former managing director of the Harp Helu Foundation folk-art gallery Andares del Arte Popular. He has intimate knowledge of local traditions, culture, and community and personally knows all the artisans we visit on this tour.
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Founder Norma Schafer may participate in all or part of this tour. We have invited a noted cultural anthropologist to travel with us. She did her thesis in a nearby textile village and has worked in the region for the past 15 years. She knows the textile culture and people intimately, too. Together, we learn about and discuss motifs, lifestyle, endangered species, quality, and value of direct support.
Who Should Attend Explorers of indigenous cloth, native fibers Collectors, curators, and cultural appreciators Textile and fashion designers Retailers, wholesalers, buyers Weavers, embroiderers, dyers, and sewists Photographers and artists who want inspiration Anyone who loves cloth, culture, and collaboration
Policies — Reservations and Cancellations. A $500 non-refundable deposit will guarantee your place. The balance is due in two equal payments. The second payment of 50% of the balance is due on or before July 1, 2025. The third payment, 50% balance, is due on or before October 1, 2025. We accept payment using Zelle or a credit card. For a Zelle transfer, there is no service fee. We add a 4% service fee to use a credit card. We will send you a request for funds to make your deposit when you tell us you are ready to register. Registration Form.
After October 1, 2025, there are no refunds. If you cancel on or before October 1, 2025, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date (less the $500 non-refundable deposit). After that, there are no refunds UNLESS we cancel for any reason. If we cancel, you will receive a full 100% refund. Required–Travel Health/Accident Insurance: We require that you carry international accident/health insurance that includes $50,000+ of emergency medical evacuation insurance. Check out Forbes Magazine for best travel insurance options. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-travel-insurance/ Proof of insurance must be sent at least 45 days before departure. . Be certain your passport has at least six months on it before it expires from the date you enter Mexico! It’s a Mexico requirement.
Cost to Participate $3,395 shared double room with private bath (sleeps 2) $4,195 for a single supplement (private room and bath, sleeps 1)
Your Oaxaca Cultural Navigator: Eric Chavez Santiago Eric Chavez Santiago is a Oaxaca Cultural Navigator partner with Norma Schafer. He joined us in 2022. Eric is an expert in Oaxaca and Mexican textiles and folk art with a special interest in artisan development and promotion. He is a weaver and natural dyer by training and a fourth-generation member of a distinguished weaving family, the Fe y Lola textile group. He and his wife Elsa Sanchez Diaz started Taller Teñido a Mano dye studio where they produce naturally dyed yarn skeins and textiles for worldwide distribution. He is trilingual, speaking Zapotec, Spanish and English and is a native of Teotitlan del Valle. He is a graduate of Anahuac University, founder of the Museo Textil de Oaxaca education department, and former managing director of the Harp Helu Foundation folk-art gallery Andares del Arte Popular. He has intimate knowledge of local traditions, culture, and community and personally knows all the artisans we visit on this tour.
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator Founder Norma Schafer may participate in all or part of this tour. We have invited a noted cultural anthropologist to travel with us. She did her thesis in a nearby textile village and has worked in the region for the past 15 years. She knows the textile culture and people intimately, too. Together, we learn about and discuss motifs, lifestyle, endangered species, quality, and value of direct support.
Who Should Attend Explorers of indigenous cloth, native fibers; collectors, curators, and cultural appreciators; textile and fashion designers; retailers, wholesalers, buyers; weavers, embroiderers, dyers, and sewists; photographers and artists who want inspiration; anyone who loves cloth, culture, and collaboration
Full Registration Policies, Procedures and Cancellations– Please READ Reservations and Cancellations. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to guarantee your place. The balance is due in two equal payments. The second payment of 50% of the balance is due on or before June 1, 2025. The third payment, 50% balance, is due on or before September 1, 2025. We accept payment using a Zelle transfer or credit card. For a Zelle transfer, there is no service fee. We add a 4% service fee to use a credit card. We will send you a request for funds to make your deposit when you tell us you are ready to register.
After September 1, 2025, there are no refunds. If you cancel on or before September 1, 2024, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date (less the $500 non-refundable deposit). After that, there are no refunds UNLESS we cancel for any reason. If we cancel, you will receive a full 100% refund.
Required–Travel Health/Accident Insurance: We require that you carry international accident/health insurance that includes $50,000+ of emergency medical evacuation insurance. Check out Forbes Magazine for best travel insurance options. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-travel-insurance/ Please send proof of insurance at least 45 days before departure.
About COVID. Covid is still with us and new variants continue to arise. We recommend that you wear face masks on the plane and in crowded areas during your trip and after arrival. Please also bring COVID test kits with you just in case! We ask this to keep all travelers safe, and to protect indigenous populations who are at higher risk.
Be sure your passport has at least six months on it before it expires from the date you enter Mexico! It’s a Mexican requirement.
Registration is now open: January 22-February 2, 2026, 11 nights and 12 days. A $750 non-refundable deposit will reserve your space.
We begin first in Guatemala City, with an overnight stay at one of the best Zona 10 luxury hotels. The next morning, we will visit the Museo Ixchel, which features a comprehensive collection of traditional woven textiles representing all the country’s regions, from vintage to contemporary. Here, we understand the complexity of design and how the stories in the cloth can identify each village. We depart directly then to Coban, a five-plus hour van journey where we will meet up with famed pikbil weaver Amalia Gue and her family. During this stay, we will be in the rainforest, visit an orchid sanctuary, a coffee plantation, and meet other weaving groups. Then we set off for Antigua, the colonial capitol founded by the Spanish.
Antigua, founded in 1524, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will spend several days in Antigua to dig deeper into this 16th-century colonial city filled with galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, museums, and archeological sites. A special highlight is lunch at an organic farm-to-table restaurant and visits to surrounding weaving villages under the volcano.
While in Antigua, we will participate in a natural indigo dye workshop with master dyer Olga Reiche in her studio. She participates in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, and has an outstanding textile gallery, Indigo, in the historic center of Antigua.
We also visit master weaver Lidia Lopez in nearby San Antonio Agua Calientes, Sacatepequez, whom Norma met at the Santa Fe Folk Art Market. Lidia also attended and exhibited at the 2023 WARP annual conference. Her rendition of flower gardens in her weaving is nothing short of extraordinary.
Of course, we travel to Panajachel, take a boat launch across Lake Atitlan, and visit weaving cooperatives there with whom Olga has relationships. We also meet the weavers and embroiderers of Multicolores, a cooperative that supports women and families. Panajachel is a paradise of handcrafted and homemade, selling everything from yardage to fashion, jewelry, and leather goods.
While in Panajachel we make a day trip to nearby Chichicastenango to experience market day. This is a blow-your-mind immersion into the depths of all things Guatemalan, from new to vintage, from textiles to pottery to paintings to jewelry. When I was there in the mid-2000s, I was amazed by the indigenous Maya culture, the mysticism practiced in the church — a testimony to syncretism that blends ancient beliefs with Catholicism. As we meander, we will have expert guidance on textile iconography, region, quality, and rarity.
From Chichi, we travel back to Panajachel and check into our luxury hotel. The next day, we leave for Antigua, where we will enjoy a day and a half at your leisure before meeting up for our Grand Finale Dinner.
Preliminary Itinerary
Day 1, Thursday, February 22: Arrive to Guatemala City, overnight in GC. Travel to the Hyatt Centric Hotel where we meet for a welcome dinner. Please arrive before 4 p.m. by airport shuttle (at your own expense) to avoid traffic. Dinner included.
Day 2, Friday, February 23: After breakfast, visit the Museo Ixchel for a comprehensive look at Guatemala’s diverse Maya textile traditions. Then we travel some distance by luxury van to Coban, Alta Verapaz, where we settle into our hotel. Overnight in Coban. Breakfast is included. Lunch and dinner are on your own. Park Hotel
Day 3, Saturday, February 24: After breakfast, we meet with famed weaver Amalia Gue, and her family cooperative of pikbil weavers on the patio of her home that overlooks the rainforest and coffee plantations. We meet and see both women and men weaving, an innovation in the culture. After a box lunch, we tour an organic coffee plantation and then return to our hotel. Overnight in Coban. Breakfast and lunch are included. Dinner on your own. Park Hotel
Day 4, Sunday, February 25: After breakfast, we meet several weaving cooperatives that Olga works with for an expoventa, enjoy a home-cooked local meal at X’Kape, then visit Oruigonia, a family project that researches and grows local orchids on their private reserve. Overnight in Coban. Breakfast and lunch are included. Park Hotel
Day 5, Monday, February 26: After an early breakfast, we make another long drive to Antigua, where we have the late afternoon free and then meet for a group dinner. Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast and dinner are included. Lunch is on your own. Hotel Don Rodrigo
Day 6, Tuesday, February 27: Today, we participate in a natural dyeing indigo workshop with Olga, who is a dye master and owner of the amazing textile shop Indigo. We will also visit master weaver Lidia Lopez de Lopez, who creates tapestry of flowers and wildlife on huipiles — a visual feast in her nearby village of San Antonio Aguascalientes. Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast and lunch are included. Dinner is on your own.
Day 7, Wednesday, January 28: Today, we will go to Panajachel and Lake Atitlan, where we visit Multicolores cooperative. They have participated in the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for years! Their story is incredible. There is time afterward to explore Santander Street, replete with artisan shops and market stalls. Breakfast included. Lunch and dinner on your own.
Day 8, Thursday, January 29: After breakfast, we make a day trip to the famed Chichicastenango Market where the vast maze of alleyways is filled with artisans and food stalls showcasing everything from vintage to new: textiles, pottery, woven baskets and bags in a riot of color, jewelry, and more. Return to and overnight in Panajachel. Breakfast and lunch included. Dinner on your own.
Day 9, Friday, January 30: We spend the morning on the other side of Lake Atitlan, taking a boat launch to visit weaving cooperatives in San Juan de Laguna. Afternoon in Panajachel on your own. We return to Antigua in late afternoon and arrive in time to check in and have dinner. Overnight in Antigua. Breakfast is included. Lunch and dinner are on your own.
Day 10: Saturday, January 31: After breakfast, we will spend the morning exploring weaving villages under the volcano within a short drive of Antigua. Lunch is at the organic farm-to-table restaurant, Caoba Farms. Afternoon on your own. Breakfast and lunch are included. Dinner is on your own.
Day 11: Sunday, February 1: This is our last day together in Antigua. After breakfast you are free to continue exploring the city. We will have a self-guided list of not-to-be-missed places to see and suggestions for neighborhoods to explore on your own. It’s a good time to gather up last-minute gifts and do your final packing. Gather for our Grand Finale Dinner and goodbyes. Breakfast and dinner are included. Lunch is on your own.
Day 12: Monday, February 2: Departure to Guatemala City airport. Please schedule flights to depart after 1 p.m. It will take 1-1/2 to 2 hours to get there, and you need to be there two hours ahead of time to check in for international flights.
Olga Reiche is a Guatemala textile artisan, dye master, and social justice advocate who has worked with local artisans and indigenous groups for over 30 years to train them to use natural dyes. Her concern for environmental and artisan sustainability is a driving force in her work around Lake Atitlan and in the northern Coban region of Guatemala.
She has been an invited participant at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market for many years, teaches natural dyeing and weaving, has written numerous articles about natural dyes and sustainability, indigenous culture, and continuity.
She mentors weavers, developing new designs and products, teaching them how to manage a business, and how to competitively market products in the international arena.
Olga heads the sustainable eco-fashion brand Indigo that works with craftspeople from different regions to create clothing from recycled and reused materials. The name of her brand is inspired by the rich blue pigment which comes from the native Guatemalan indigo plant.
Olga is the lead designer and produces naturally-dyed threads that are used by a team of weavers with whom she collaborates—mostly women working out of their homes. They make pieces according to Olga’s instructions, weaving almost exclusively on backstrap looms, incorporating patterns and symbols inspired by their shared Mayan heritage. Once the pieces are fabricated, they are returned to Olga for assembly into comfortable and luxurious handmade garments that have been featured in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue Mexico.
Eric Chavez Santiago is a fourth-generation weaver and natural dyer from Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca. He is fluent in Spanish and English, and is managing partner of Oaxaca Cultural Navigator. He joined OCN in 2021. Eric was founding director of education at the Museo Textil de Oaxaca, where he organized artisan-led programs for eight years. After that, he was asked by the Alfred Harp Helu Foundation to open and direct the Oaxaca folk art gallery Andares del Arte Popular, which he did for six years. Eric is knowledgeable about all aspects of weaving and naturally dyeing, having developed over 100 different shades of cochineal before the age of 21, and is deeply embedded in the folk art and craft culture of Mexico.
Norma Schafer founded Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC in 2007, and has been offering educational programs, workshops and tours since then. She served for thirty years in university leadership roles, and has a keen personal interest in artisan economic development, all things textiles and folk art.
Reservations and Cancellations. A $750 non-refundable deposit (first payment) is required to guarantee your place. The balance is due in two equal payments. The second payment of 50% of the balance is due on or before August 1, 2025. The third payment, 50% balance, is due on or before November 1, 2025. We accept payment using Zelle cash transfer or a credit card with Square. For a Zelle transfer, there is no service fee. We add a 4% service fee to use Square. We will send you a request for funds to make your reservation deposit when you tell us you are ready to register. Please tell us how your account is registered (email or phone number).
After November 1, 2025, there are no refunds. If you cancel on or before November 1, 2025, we will refund 50% of your deposit received to date (less the $750 non-refundable deposit). After that, there are no refunds UNLESS we cancel for any reason. If we cancel, you will receive a full 100% refund.
Required–Travel Health/Accident Insurance: We require that you carry international accident/health insurance that includes $50,000+ of emergency medical evacuation insurance. Check out Forbes Magazine for best travel insurance options. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/travel-insurance/best-travel-insurance/
Proof of insurance must be received at least 45 days before the tour start date.
About COVID. Covid is still with us and new variants continue to arise. As of this writing (December 2023), we request proof of latest COVID-19 vaccination and all boosters to be sent to us 30 days before departure. We suggest that you test two days before traveling to the tour. Please bring Covid test kits with you in the event you feel sick during the tour. Face masks are strongly suggested for airport and air travel, van travel, densely populated market visits, and artisan visits that are held indoors. We ask this to keep all travelers safe, and to protect indigenous populations who are at higher risk.
We know the culture! This is our land! We are locally owned and operated.
Eric Chavez Santiago is tri-lingual --Spanish, English, Zapotec.
Eric was founding director of education, Museo Textil de Oaxaca + folk art expert
Norma Schafer has lived in Oaxaca since 2005.
Norma is a seasoned university educator.
We have deep connections with artists and artisans.
63% of our travelers repeat -- high ratings, high satisfaction.
Wide ranging expertise: textiles, folk art, pottery, cultural wisdom.
We give you a deep immersion to best know Oaxaca and Mexico.
We organize private travel + tours for museums, arts, organizations, collectors + appreciators.
Creating Connectionand Meaning between travelers and with indigenous artisans. Meet makers where they live and work. Join small groups of like-minded explorers. Go deep into remote villages. Gain insights. Support cultural heritage and sustainable traditions. Create value and memories. Enjoy hands-on experiences. Make a difference.
What is a Study Tour: Our programs are learning experiences, and as such we talk with makers about how and why they create, what is meaningful to them, the ancient history of patterning and design, use of color, tradition and innovation, values and cultural continuity, and the social context within which they work. First and foremost, we are educators. Norma worked in top US universities for over 35 years and Eric founded the education department at Oaxaca’s textile museum. We create connection.
OCN Creates Student Scholarship at Oaxaca Learning Center Giving back is a core value. Read about it here
Meet Makers. Make a Difference
Oaxaca Cultural Navigator LLC has offered programs in Mexico since 2006. We have over 30 years of university, textile and artisan development experience. See About Us.
Programs can be scheduled to meet your independent travel plans. Send us your available dates.
Arts organizations, museums, designers, retailers, wholesalers, curators, universities and others come to us to develop artisan relationships, customized itineraries, meetings and conferences. It's our pleasure to make arrangements.
Select Clients *Abeja Boutique, Houston *North Carolina Museum of Art *Selvedge Magazine-London, UK *Esprit Travel and Tours *Penland School of Crafts *North Carolina State University *WARP Weave a Real Peace *Methodist University *MINNA-Goods *Smockingbird Kids *University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Our Shop is UNABLE TO ACCEPT ONLINE PAYMENTS until we migrate to a NEW WEBSITE. Stay tuned! If there is something you want to purchase, send us an email.
December 2-10, 2025: Oaxaca Coast Textile Study Tour: Explore the extraordinary weaving + natural dye culture on the Costa Chica, from Puerto Escondido to Zacoalpan, Guerrero. Take a break between Thanksgiving + Christmas. Enjoy the warmth of Oaxaca.
2026 TOURS + TRAVEL
January 8-15, 2026: Oaxaca Textiles, Craft + Culture Tour Plus Workshops with Taos Wools. Participate in weaving, natural dyeing workshops, and hand-spinning experience. Explore the Tlacolula Market, meet artisans, immerse yourself in Zapotec culture and history. In collaboration with Taos Wools. 5 SPACES OPEN.
January 22-February 2, 2026:Guatemala, Here We Come. A cultural immersion tour into the textiles and folk art of Mayan people. Off-the-Beaten-Path. Adventure travel. Into the rainforest. Indigo dye workshop and MORE! ALMOST SOLD OUT! DON'T WAIT TO REGISTER.
March 3-11, 2026: Chiapas Textile Study Tour: Deep Into the Maya World. Based in San Cristobal de las Casas, we introduce you to some of the best weavers in the region, into off-the-beaten-path remote villages where culture and tradition remain strong. 5 SPACES OPEN.
Oaxaca has the largest and most diverse textile culture in Mexico! Learn about it.
When you visit Oaxaca immerse yourself in our textile culture: How is indigenous clothing made, what is the best value, most economical, finest available. Suitable for adults only. Set your own dates.
One-Day Tours: Schedule When YOU Want to Go!
Ruta del Mezcal One-Day Tour.We start the day with a pottery master and then have lunch with a traditional Oaxaca Cook, who is the mole-making expert. In Mitla, we meet with our favorite flying shuttle loom weaver, and then finish off with a mezcal tasting at a palenque you may NEVER find on your own! Schedule at your convenience!
Teotitlan del Valle Map with select rug weavers, restaurants, village attractions
Tlacolula Market Map -- where to find food, shopping, ATMs, and more
Our Favorite Things to Do in Oaxaca -- eating, shopping, gallery hopping + more
We require 48-hour advance notice for orders to be processed. We send a printable map via email PDF after your order is received. Please be sure to send your email address. You can click here to Buy Map. After you click, you can check PayPal to double-check you included your email address. We fulfill each order personally. It is not automatic.
