oaxaca
guardianes del caracol
December 13-18, 2025
Huatulco, Oaxacan coast
Sliding scale pricing
$800 usd / 16,000 Mxn Mexican nationals
$1,400 usd Non-Mexican Nationals
Tixinda: the Purple Heart of the Pacific. Join us on a journey to witness one of the last living traditions of natural dye extraction in the world — the milking of the Plicopurpura pansa, or “purple snail,” a sacred act carried out by the Mixtec men of Pinotepa de Don Luis on the rocky shores of Oaxaca.
This is not just a trip. It’s a rare opportunity to be present for a ritual that is both fragile and powerful — a dance between ocean, moonlight, ancestral knowledge, and survival.
For generations, these tintoreros have harvested the precious purple dye without killing the mollusk — a practice almost unheard of in the history of dye-making. But the caracol púrpura is in danger. Overharvested, misunderstood, and threatened by environmental changes and illegal extraction, its population has never recovered from the damage caused in the 1980s.
The Mixtec people continue to protect this practice with deep respect for the sea and the life it holds — but they cannot do it alone.
This journey is a fundraiser. Your participation directly supports the guardians of this living knowledge and contributes to the protection of a species, a culture, and a color that once dressed royalty — and today, calls for solidarity.
Come witness the tide turn. Walk the coast. Meet the snail. Feel the pulse of the Pacific. Join us for this very first journey — a collective experiment in crafting meaningful travel that supports conservation and ancestral knowledge. Your presence helps us imagine future paths where adventure becomes a true act of solidarity.
Co-hosted with TEXERE, Donde Clara and Marta Turok.
Wild Dye Harvesting + Talk with Biologists
Spend the afternoon with certified Caracol Purpura natural dyers. We will accompany them and observe as they harvest the dye from the protected sea snails. Afterwards we will have an engaging talk with acclaimed biologists and anthropologists to learn more about the renowned Caracol Purpura.
backstrap weaving workshop
Spend two days accompanied by local artisan instructors to learn how to weave on a backstrap loom. Each guest will work one-on-one with an instructor to weave a textile of their own.
ITINERARY
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Arrive to Huatulco via airport or road from Oaxaca City (optional transportation in shuttle from Oaxaca City included).
Settle into our ocean home.Welcome dinner and orientation.
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Homemade breakfast at home.
Morning to enjoy a peaceful visit to the beach, or relax at home.
Group lunch.
Afternoon with the Caracol Purpura biologists, certified natural dyers and anthropologist Marta Turok.
Group dinner with the Caracol Purpura team.
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Breakfast at the house.
Relaxed morning to practice hands-inning cotton threads with traditional malacate tool.
Group lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise whale watching experience.
Group dinner.
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Breakfast at the house.
Weaving instructors from coastal communities will spend the day at the house teaching guests to weave. Spending the morning preparing the warp and afternoon setting up the loom.
Group lunch and dinner at the house.
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Group breakfast at the house.
The weaving instructors will join us at the house again. Spend the day weaving your textiles.
Group lunch and dinner at the house.
Enjoy our final night together.
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Homemade breakfast at the house.
Farewells and departures. Transportation to the Huatulco airport or back to Oaxaca City via shuttle.
TRIP
DETAILS
Dates:
December 13-18, 2025
Pricing + Payment:
$800usd / 16,000mxn for Mexican nationals
$1,200usd for foreign nationals
A $500usd / 10,000mxn non-refundable deposit is required in order to reserve your space on this trip. The remaining balance can be made at your convenience at least 15 days prior to the trip.
When making a reservation, there is the option to Pay it Forward. These contributions are directed exclusively towards our Artisan Exchange Program, in which we invite our indigenous craft collaborators to participate in retreats in other regions, thus weaving a larger web of this global artisan community.
Cost Includes:
Donation to Caracol Purpura research project: This is a non-for-profit experience. All profits made during this trip will be donated to the certified biologists who are working to research and protect the Caracol Purpura sea snails.
In-Country Transportation: Transfer from the Huatulco airport to our beach home, or from Oaxaca City to our beach home in Huatulco.
Transportation is only included if guests are arriving and departing on the trip start and end dates.Meals: From welcome dinner to farewell breakfast, all meals are included in the itinerary. Most meals will be homemade at our beach house, with a couple of meals out in the town.
Payment to Artisan Partners: Artisan instructors receive fair compensation for their time offering demonstrations and teaching workshops. This payment also covers costs for all craft materials in the case of hands-on workshops.
Single + Double Occupancy Accommodation: Our group will be staying in a beautiful beach home on the coast in Huatulco. The house has both single and double occupancy rooms. Single occupancy rooms will be assigned on first-come, first-serve basis, with preference going to solo travelers. People reserving with a friend will be assigned a shared room with separate beds.
Support: This trip will be hosted by the Thread Caravan, TEXERE and Donde Clara teams. Our hosts will accompany the group throughout the trip, offering participants their combined knowledge of Oaxaca, while making sure everything runs smoothly. In addition, Thread Caravan staff is available to answer questions and assist with trip preparations prior to the experience.
Additional Expenses:
Alcoholic Drinks: Thread Caravan does not cover the cost of alcoholic beverages.
Airfare: To and from Oaxaca City or Huatulco.
Personal Spending Money: For personal shopping and any activities in free time. Consider budgeting for textile purchases from the weavers and optional massage at the house and snacks at the beach.
Personal Travel Insurance: We require all participants to have personal travel insurance. This should cover illness, trip and/or flight cancellations, theft, etc. If this is your first time purchasing travel insurance, we recommend World Nomads or Allianz.
Getting There and Away:
Guests should plan to fly into the Oaxaca City’s Xoxocotlan International Airport or Huatulco’s Bahia’s de Huatulco Airport (HUX), or arrive to either city via bus.
If coming via Oaxaca City, we ask that all guests to arrive the day before our trip starts, so that we can leave for Huatulco at 8am on December 13. Similarly, guests departing via Oaxaca City should plan to depart the following day on December 19, as we will be arriving back in the city on the evening of the 18th.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about arrival and departure logistics.
Other Info:
VISA: A visa is not required for citizens of the United States if traveling to Mexico for under 180 days. If you are a citizen of another country you can check VISA requirements here.
Passport Validity: In order to enter Mexico, your passport must be valid for at least 90 days following your departure date. You must also have at least one blank page in your passport.
Questions? Contact us.
