ceramic immersion in
oaxaca
march 23-30, 2026 (with Re Jin Lee)
july 4-11, 2026
august 1-8, 2026
november 7-14, 2026 (with Re Jin Lee)
registration opens aug. 10
$3,600 USD per person
Join us in Oaxaca for an intimate weeklong ceramics-focused workshop where guests will learn from and work alongside skilled Oaxacan potters.
This trip begins with harvesting local clay and learning traditional processing techniques, offering a hands-on introduction to the foundations of the region’s rich ceramic traditions. Throughout the week, guests will shape their own pieces and participate in a communal firing, deepening their understanding of both form and function through lived experience.
Accommodation for this trip is at a boutique hotel in the heart of Oaxaca City, placing guests within easy reach of markets, galleries, and cultural landmarks. This urban setting offers a dynamic complement to the tactile, grounded nature of the workshop. Space is limited to 10 guests.
CLAY HARVESTING
Guests will travel to the village of San Marcos Tlapazola, renowned for its deep red clay and generations of women potters who have shaped its legacy. There, alongside local artisans, guests will participate in harvesting clay directly from a nearby mine—gaining a tactile understanding of the raw material at the heart of the region’s ceramic traditions.
Guests will take part in a clay preparation workshop. Here, local artisans will guide guests through the essential steps of preparing the clay—cleaning, drying, grinding, and kneading—transforming raw earth into workable material ready for building.
CLAY PROCESSING
BUILDING + FIRING
Alongside master artisans, guests will learn to build their own ceramic pieces using a traditional pre-Hispanic handbuilding method unique to the region. This ancestral technique relies on shaping the clay entirely by hand, without the use of a potter’s wheel, often using tools such as gourds, stones, or corncobs to refine form and texture. Through this process, participants will experience a slower, more intuitive way of making.
ARTISAN VISITS
Throughout the week, guests will meet a diverse group of artisans who embody both the rich heritage and contemporary evolution of Oaxaca’s crafts. From traditional artisans in the surrounding villages to innovative modern designers based in Oaxaca City, these encounters reveal how ancestral techniques continue to inspire fresh creativity today. Through visits to workshops and studios, participants will gain insight into the vibrant dialogue between tradition and innovation that defines the region’s thriving craft community.
ITINERARY
*Some details subject to change.
Guests will be notified if any changes occur.
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Arrive to the city of Oaxaca and settle in to our boutique hotel, Grana, in the heart of the city.
Trip orientation and welcome drinks on the rooftop of our hotel.
Group welcome dinner at one of our favorite nearby restaurants.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Venture to town San Marcos Tlapazola to visit with the Mujeres del Barro Rojo, to learn about traditional clay extraction in the region.
Homemade lunch with the artisans.
Spend the afternoon learning how to transform raw harvested earth into a workable ceramic material.Group dinner at Cocina del Humo.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Optional guided visit at the Ethnobotanical gardens.
Independent lunch in the city (we’ll share suggestions of some of our favorite places).
Venture to Santa Maria Atzompa to begin building pieces with Beatriz in her family’s ceramic studio.
Optional sunset visit at Zapotec archaeological site Monte Alban, to learn about traditional Zapotec pottery.
Dinner at Levadura de Olla.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit with Jose Garcia Antonio and his family’s pottery studio, Manos Que Ven. Spend the day with the family building pieces of our own.
Farm to table traditional lunch in the garden of a reforestation project, Palo Que Habla.
Afternoon visit to Mogote Ceramic studio.
Return to the city. Free time to rest or explore at your leisure. Independent dinner.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Guided visits with a few of our favorite contemporary ceramics studios in and near Oaxaca City.
Dinner at Criollo.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Free day to explore the city and surrounding towns at your leisure. Our team will happily share recommendations of our favorite places.
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Breakfast at the hotel.
Venture to Santo Domingo Tonaltepec in the Sierra Mixteca to participate in a traditional pottery firing. This region is known for their unique splatter-style glaze made from nopal cactus juice and oak bark.
Homemade lunch with the artisans.
Big reveal of the pieces we created this week.
Return back to Oaxaca. Final group dinner on the rooftop of Labo Fermento.
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Farewell group breakfast and departures.
Private transportation to the airport or onward to your next hotel.
TRIP
DETAILS
Dates:
March 23-30, 2026 (with co-host Re Jin Lee)
July 4-11, 2026
August 1-8, 2026
November 7-14, 2026 (with co-host Re Jin Lee)
Pricing + Payment:
$3,600 (8 days and 7 nights)
Pricing is based on single-occupancy accommodation. If you are booking with someone you know and would like to share a king size bed, and receive a shared-room discount, please email us to request a discount code.
A 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 60 days prior to the trip.
Custom payment plans are available upon request. Please contact us if this is something you'd like to set up.
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:
In-Country Transportation: Thread Caravan covers all in-country transportation within our scheduled workshop dates.
*Airport transfers are only included if you are arriving within the workshop dates. If you choose to spend extra days in Oaxaca, you will be responsible for transportation to and from the airport.Most Meals: This experience incorporates meals at some of Oaxaca City’s most renowned restaurants, and home-cooked meals with artisan families using local and seasonal ingredients. We’ve intentionally left a few meals open, for you to discover the wondrous food of Oaxaca on your own.
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 Occupancy Accommodation: Our group will be staying at centrally-located boutique hotel, Grana. All rooms each have one bed, and are therefore single occupancy. If you're traveling with someone you know and would like to share a bed, we can offer you a $500 per person shared room discount. Please email us to inquire about the discount code.
Support: Two Thread Caravan guides will accompany the group, 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.
Carbon Emissions Offset: We’ve plant 50 tress on your behalf in order to offset the carbon emissions of your travel to Mexico.
Additional Expenses:
Alcoholic Drinks: Thread Caravan does not cover the cost of alcoholic beverages.
Airfare: To and from Oaxaca
Meals: A few select meals, for guests to have more freedom to explore the city independently.
Personal Spending Money: For personal shopping and any activities in free time.
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. Upon arrival at the airport, our team of drivers will pick you up to bring you to our hotel in the city.
We ask that all travelers arrive before 4pm on the first day of our trip to ensure attendance at our group orientation and welcome dinner.
Other Info:
Vaccinations: Routine vaccinations, Hepatitis A and Typhoid are suggested by the Center for Disease Control. If you are traveling from a country with Yellow Fever, it is required that you have a Yellow Fever vaccination.
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.
