HANDMADE
OAXACA

A curated journey of creativity in vibrant Oaxaca, Mexico

October 13-18, 2026

Enliven your senses as you step into the vibrancy of Oaxaca for a beautifully curated 6-day women’s creativity retreat.

Join us in this magical city to create with our hands alongside gifted Oaxacan artisans, linger over delicious local meals, laugh and explore the soul of the city as we sink into a culture so vivid and alive it will leave you forever changed. A few highlights of this creative immersion include trying our hands at traditional Oaxaca pottery making, exploring the richness of Oaxacan street art, visiting a nearby artisan village to learn timeless practices in art making, sharing a celebratory meal at a Michelin star restaurant, wandering through a vibrant local organic market, connecting with each other through hands on art making and mindfulness practices, and much more! Through these curated creative experiences, we weave a vibrant, nourishing, heart-felt journey.

Oaxaca is a place where art, culture, and tradition are not curated for visitors — they are simply part of how life is lived. Color spills from every corner, from hand-painted tiles and woven textiles to markets overflowing with flowers, chiles, and handmade crafts. Colonial streets give way to ancient Zapotec and Mixtec roots, creating a city that feels both deeply historic and wonderfully, vibrantly alive. Music finds you in the plazas, artisans work with open doors, and centuries of tradition move quietly and beautifully through the rhythms of every day.

For the creatively curious, Oaxaca is nothing short of a gift. You might find yourself wandering a market, completely lost in color and pattern. Sitting beside a master artisan in a nearby village, learning something your hands will never forget. Falling in love with the textures of clay, wood, and natural dyes. And then gathering around a long table over rich mole, fresh tortillas, and mezcal — because food here is its own art form too. Oaxaca has a way of slowing you down, opening your senses, and drawing you into a way of living where creativity is not something apart from life. It simply is life. [I ADDED THIS]

Our small group retreat is intentional by nature to spark a creative fire and feed the adventurous spirit in all of us through hands on creative experiences, cultural engagement and relationships -- which is why we keep our groups small and intimate. This enables us to travel like a local, engage deeply with our local guest artists and travel like a local to enjoy everything this magical city has to offer. We invite you to join us on this very special Oaxacan retreat! Spots are limited.

Cost: Starting at $3,295

Join us!

Early Bird Discount | $200 off in June 2026 // Use code OAXACA200

Bring-a-Friend Discount | $100 off for both you + your friend // Use code AKUMALFRIEND100

journey elements

Creativity | We are ALL creative beings (no need to be an artist), we will guide you in simple, reflective, joy-filled projects inspired by our environment, local artists and cultural excursions. Ground yourself working in clay, cooking a meal with a local chef, painting your own spirit creature, and creating your own one-of-a-kind journal. Only curiosity needed!

Culture | Oaxaca is a rich and vibrant culture filled with heart. We take time to honor the local culture and artistic expressions. We will learn beside local artists, explore a market, learn about history through street art including murals and block carving, cook a meal with a local chef and work in clay with a local artists collective and more.

Mindfulness | A moment to slow, to pause, to reflect, to connect to your heart. Take a breath and let that space rejuvenate you. Mindfulness opportunities will be sprinkled throughout our time together. Imagine gentle yoga at on the patio, quiet meditations to start the day and creative journaling throughout our time together. These nourishing moments are simple and accessible to everyone.

Connection | We weave space to just relax and drop in throughout our journey. Connection to self and others is one of the most important aspects of our retreats. Join others for a delicious meal, enjoy evening tea as we connect over the day, and enjoy the company of each other, or a sweet moment alone.

daily flow sample

Mornings will begin with a gentle mindfulness activity such as gentle yoga or a meditation - followed by breakfast prepared by the house chef. Gather, create and center through a creative experience such as clay, journal creation, writing, etc.

Afternoons will include a local adventure or cultural experience. This could be a tour of local art, a visit to Oaxacan markets, visiting cultural treasures. Exploring the vibrant city filled with endless options in this absolutely stunning location and rich environment. We will take this inspiration into our own home space to do hands on creating.

Evenings will include delicious dinners with our group in at local restaurants. After dinner there will be space to create, just hang out, or gather as a group to integrate our experiences through stories and reflections, and/or a mindfulness session to wind down the evening together.

Book now

what's included

6-days and 5-nights in a beautiful location in the center of Oaxaca
Curated excursions into the local culture (i.e. artisan market, museums, creating and exploring with local artists, etc.)
Creative experiences such as hands on art making in ceramics, painting, block printing, and journal creation
Mindfulness practices including gentle yoga/stretching, meditation, reflection and journaling
Nutritious local meals
Downtime for connection, exploration, as well as rest and rejuvenation