Welcome To Oaxaca
______________________________________________________________________________


Tue, Feb 04
|Behind the Grand Fiesta Americana Hotel
Tour - Environmental Travels and Glassworks in the Etla Valley
This full-day sustainability tour in San Pablo Etla explores La Mesita, an ecological education center showcasing permaculture practices and community-led restoration. You'll see art installations, learn about native plants, and hike trails. The tour also includes a visit to Xaquixe glassworks.
Time & Location
Feb 04, 2025, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Behind the Grand Fiesta Americana Hotel, C. de Los Libres, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax.
Guests
About the event
Tour Description: This tour will be a full and varied day centered on sustainability. San Pablo Etla is a community committed to nature conservation. Following the Permaculture methods designed in El Pedregal they created the Ecological Education Center “La Mesita.” Located just outside the city of Oaxaca, La Mesita is a beautiful nature reserve nestled among the mountains behind San Pablo Etla. Seeing a need to restore the once barren landscape, the local community elected a council of six members to collectively organize the introduction of diverse vegetation and to curb
erosion. The reserve is sustained by community participation under their policy of “tequio,” or mandatory service. Volunteers carefully nurture a variety of plants and engineer methods to capture water for irrigation. One of the main goals of La Mesita is to educate locals and visitors about the principles of conservation through a personal connection with nature. Also woven into the site are nature-inspired creations by various artists, thus furthering La Mesita’s philosophy of collaboration. This site contains hiking trails to observe alternative technologies used to rescue degraded lands. The
community’s nursery produces diverse native tree species used in reforestation and they also cultivate Oaxacan medicinal plants for different uses. The tour will begin with a visit to La Mesita and will include the many wonderful art features included within the site.
The tour will continue with a visit to Xaquixe glassworks in Etla, where Christian Thornton and Salime Harp’s team will demonstrate glass blowing and talk about his sustainable, people-focused production, centered on local resources. The pieces they produce are both beautiful and functional. They will also discuss other projects in development. Xaquixe offers professional training and employment opportunities to local residents. There will be an opportunity to purchase glassware at a discount.
We will then visit a cheese maker for a demonstration and then a wonderful lunch with dishes not often served in Oaxaca.
Additional Costs: 100 pesos entry fee at La Mesita, 350 pesos for the cheese-making demonstration and the lunch, paid in cash at the venue.
Lunch Stop: At the cheesemaker.

This tour will depart on time at 8:30 am from Calle Los Libres behind the Grand Fiesta Americana Hotel. Plan to arrive 15 minutes before departure time. Unclaimed seats may be re-sold at boarding time.
If this tour is sold out, you can take a chance that seats may be available and come to the boarding spot 15 minutes before departure. These seats must be paid for in cash.
No Refunds will be available. If you are not able to attend the event, you are welcome to sell your reservation to others. Please notify the library of change of name for reservation.
Tickets
Event Ticket
To see Member ticket, click "View more price options"
From MX$630.00 to MX$750.00Sold Out- MX$750.00+MX$18.75 service fee
- MX$630.00+MX$15.75 service fee
This event is sold out