Monte Albán was the Zapotec capital of the Oaxaca valley for well over a thousand years, and it sits on a mountain top about 8 kilometres west of the city. This guide helps you decide when to go, what to look for once you are up there, whether to try it by bus, and what to expect in Arrazola, the carving village at the foot of the hill.
What the hilltop is
The city on the hill was founded around 500 BC and flourished until about AD 800 to 850, when it collapsed, possibly after a drought. UNESCO describes its terraces, pyramids and platforms as carved out of the mountain itself. From the top you see across the whole valley, which is why it was built there: whoever held it could watch the land below and defend it.
Four things to look for on the Great Plaza:
- The Danzantes. Building L, the Gallery of the Danzantes, is lined with large carved stones. Two of the stelae from that wall carry some of the oldest Zapotec writing known.
- The ball court. It is shaped like a capital I, with sloping walls along the sides and niches in opposite corners.
- The North Platform. The most important building on the site, at times the seat of the rulers, with a sunken patio at its heart.
- The South Platform. At the opposite end of the plaza. Stela 1, which shows a seated ruler, was found at its corner; the original is in the site museum.
Two and a half hours on site leaves time for all four, plus the site museum, which is covered by the same entrance ticket.
Morning or afternoon
Monte Albán is open every day from 08:00 to 17:00, and the last entry is at 16:00. You can start at 07:00 or at 13:00. On the 07:00 start you reach the gate as it opens, when the site is quiet and the air is cooler. The 13:00 start also fits inside the hours, with the walk ending before closing time, but the plaza has little shade, and you will feel the early afternoon sun.
Entrance is paid at the gate and is not part of the tour. It is free on Sundays for Mexican citizens and for foreign residents with proof of residence, and free for some groups on any day, such as children under 13, students and teachers with valid cards. If you want a guide on site, licensed guides wait at the entrance and you pay them there.
If you bring a professional camera or a tripod, you need a permit arranged in advance. Video cameras carry a fee. A phone or an ordinary camera needs nothing.
By bus or with a driver
You can reach Monte Albán without a car. Tourist buses leave from near the historic centre, from offices on Calle Francisco Javier Mina and near the Hotel Rivera del Ángel, roughly every hour in the morning and early afternoon. They take 20 to 30 minutes and drop you at the entrance. Check the times with the operator on the day.
The city buses on routes R37 and R54 head that way but do not go up to the gate. From where they stop you face about 3 kilometres uphill on foot, which is hard going in the sun and not one for older travellers.
Arrazola is the harder part to do alone. It lies about 10 kilometres from the city on the road towards Zaachila, in the municipality of Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, and the tourist buses described above go to the gate of the ruins, not to the village. A private half day joins the two, collects you at your door and brings you back to your hotel or a restaurant in the centre, about five hours later. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
Arrazola and the alebrijes
Alebrijes did not start in Oaxaca. They were invented in Mexico City in the 1930s by Pedro Linares, a cardboard craftsman, who made them in papier-mâché. Manuel Jiménez, a carver from Arrazola, took the idea and made it his own in wood. He drew many of his neighbours into the work and taught it abroad, and the village has carved them ever since.
The wood is copal, carved while it is fresh, because it does not crack as it dries. The paint and the fine patterns come after. In a workshop you can see both stages and ask the carvers about each.
Nobody expects you to buy. If you do, bring cash, in case a family workshop does not take cards, and ask how to pack a piece with thin legs or a long tail for the flight home.
What to bring
- A hat, sun cream and water. The plaza is high and exposed.
- Shoes with grip for the steps of the platforms.
- Cash for the entrance, a guide if you want one, and anything you buy in Arrazola.
- A light layer on the 07:00 start, for the first hour on the hill.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits anyone who wants Monte Albán without giving it a whole day, and anyone curious about how the carved animals sold all over Oaxaca are made. It works well before or after the historic centre and Tree of Tule half day, on a different day.
Think twice in two cases. If you want the ruins and the city together, with lunch in between, the full day in Oaxaca covers both at a slower pace. And if anyone in your group finds walking difficult, tell us when you book: Monte Albán is a large open site, and two and a half hours there is mostly on foot. Groups of more than 16 travel in two vehicles on one booking; message us and we will price it.
Questions people ask
Is the gold from Tomb 7 on show at Monte Albán?
No. It was found here in 1932, but it is shown in the city, at the Museum of the Cultures of Oaxaca in Santo Domingo.
Is Sunday a good day?
The site is open, but entrance is free that day for Mexicans and residents, so plan on sharing it with local families.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you get a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the half day
Take the early start if you can, pack for sun, and keep some cash for the gate and the workshops. The pick-up, stops and what is included are on the Monte Albán and Arrazola private tour page, where you choose your group size and book. Our guide to day trips from Oaxaca sets it beside the other four.
