Mexico, North America

Oaxaca in July

The Guelaguetza takes over the city for the last two weeks of the month. Spectacular, but hotels and tickets must be booked early.

TradeoffsMild, highs near 80F (27C), afternoon rain

The ruins of Monte Alban above Oaxaca — OaxacaPhoto: DavidConFran, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

July is a month of real tradeoffs in Oaxaca. The Guelaguetza takes over the city for the last two weeks of the month. Spectacular, but hotels and tickets must be booked early.

Weather: Mild, highs near 80F (27C), afternoon rain
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 4 of 5

What July is like in Oaxaca

July is mild and green, with highs near 80F (27C) and afternoon rain most days. The Guelaguetza takes over the city for the last two weeks, and hotels, flights, and tickets get expensive and scarce. The first half of the month is calmer.

It is perfect for travelers who want to see Oaxaca's greatest celebration of regional dance, costume, and music. Book months ahead. If you prefer quiet and low prices, come in early July or wait until August, when the city settles down again.

Make the most of July

What is especially good about Oaxaca this month.

The Guelaguetza

Dance groups from all eight regions of Oaxaca perform in an open-air auditorium above the city, on the last two Mondays of July in most years.

Free parades and street celebrations

Even without auditorium tickets, you can watch parades and community performances around the city in the weeks around it.

Green countryside

Mid-rainy season is when the valleys are at their greenest for day trips.

What to pack for July

A rain shell or poncho
A sun hat for open-air performances
A light layer for evenings
Comfortable shoes for crowded streets

Our timing tip

If Guelaguetza tickets are gone, stay anyway for the free parades, and book your hotel four to six months out.

Book Oaxaca for July.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Oaxaca
Opens a hotel search for Oaxaca in July, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for July
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Oaxaca
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Oaxaca
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Oaxaca for July. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in July

Guelaguetza

The last two Mondays of July in most years, with events across the surrounding weeks

Dance delegations from all eight regions of Oaxaca perform in an open-air auditorium above the city. Tickets and hotels go early.

Things to do in Oaxaca

Full guide

Monte Alban

The Zapotec capital on a leveled mountaintop above the city. Go when it opens to beat the heat and the tour buses; bring a hat, there is little shade.

Tickets and tours →

Templo de Santo Domingo and the Museo de las Culturas

The gilded church interior is one of Mexico's baroque masterpieces; the former convent next door holds the treasures of Tomb 7 from Monte Alban.

Tickets and tours →

Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Benito Juarez market

The smoke-filled grill aisle for tasajo and chorizo, then chocolate, mole pastes, and chapulines next door. Go at lunch.

Tickets and tours →

Museo Textil de Oaxaca

A small, excellent museum of regional and international textiles in the Centro. Free and often overlooked.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Hierve el Agua

Mineral springs and petrified waterfalls about 90 minutes away. Access has occasionally been closed by local disputes, so confirm before you go.

Tickets and tours →

Mitla and the Tule tree

Combine the stone fretwork of Mitla with the massive ahuehuete tree in Santa Maria del Tule, one of the widest trees in the world.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

For Dia de Muertos, book hotels four to six months ahead, and consider arriving a week early to see altar building and markets before the peak crowds arrive.
January and February are the empty, sunny months. You get the same food and markets at half the Dia de Muertos price.
Go to Monte Alban at opening time and save the markets for the afternoon, when the ruins are hot and busy.
For the Guelaguetza, free community versions and parades happen around the city even if the main auditorium tickets are gone.

Know before you go

Many museums close on Mondays, which catches visitors out. Check hours for any museum you plan around.
Christmas through January 6 and Semana Santa are Mexican holiday periods: sights are open but crowded, and some small businesses shut for a few days.
Access to Hierve el Agua and some villages is occasionally closed by local community disputes or blockades. Ask your hotel before heading out.
Teacher and labor protests sometimes block streets in the Centro or roads to the airport, especially in late spring. Leave extra time and follow local news.

Oaxaca in July, quick answers

Is July a good time to visit Oaxaca?

July is a month of real tradeoffs in Oaxaca. The Guelaguetza takes over the city for the last two weeks of the month. Spectacular, but hotels and tickets must be booked early.

What is the weather like in Oaxaca in July?

Mild, highs near 80F (27C), afternoon rain.

Is Oaxaca crowded in July?

Oaxaca is busy in July, though mornings and late afternoons stay workable.

What is happening in Oaxaca in July?

Guelaguetza (the last two mondays of july in most years, with events across the surrounding weeks).