Exploring the Pine Mountains of Northern Oaxaca, Mixtec culture, and tradition
Oaxaca is many things, and if one descriptor were to stand out, complicated might be it. Monte Alban, the famed Zapotec City founded in 500BC in Central Valleys of Oaxaca is considered the oldest city in Mesoamerica. There is evidence that a matriarchal line of elders may have had a 1000 year plan for this city, and in fact, it was abandoned by the Zapotec people around 800AD, 1300 years after its initial construction. But this amazing story misses several details: 1) Monte Negro, a settlement built by the expansive Mixteco civilization has been dated to 1500BC, a full 1000 years before the beginning of Monte Alban; and it seems after the Zapotec people left their iconic ruins of Monte Alban, Mitla, Dainzu and others, the Mixtecos from over the mountains came in and continued to build and work on these sites into the Spanish invasion in the early 1500s, with a particular continuity of the sacred underworld at Mitla, a site now confirmed to be much larger than previously thought.
The Mixteco civilization spanned a hug land area, encompassing the modern stated of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla, and constructing a city-state type of expansive civilizationt hat could have had more than 250,000 people throughout at its peak. Today, the Mixteca language is spoken by nearly half a million people, making it one of the most widely spoken indigenous languages in Mexico, but even within this there are several language groups who cannot speak with one another, despite shared Mixteco origins.
It is these communities dispersed through Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca with whom we will hunt, cook, and learn from during this awesome exploration! We are honored to work with Ruta Hongos Mixteco, founder Itahi Belen Bautista, and for the first time with The Fungivore in Mexico, our friend and fellow enthusiast Dr. Fun Guy himself, Gordon Walker from the Sonoma County Mycological Association and fellow NAMA Culinary Committee member!
Dr. Walker has just published his new book "Passport to Kingdom Fungi," and we are so excited to have him and his mushroom thumping enthusiasm with us for this exciting trip! For his part, he is looking forward to cooking up lots of the mushrooms we find and experimenting with the local ingredients and techniques... and bopping some field mushrooms on the head, we assume!
The Mixteco civilization spanned a hug land area, encompassing the modern stated of Oaxaca, Guerrero and Puebla, and constructing a city-state type of expansive civilizationt hat could have had more than 250,000 people throughout at its peak. Today, the Mixteca language is spoken by nearly half a million people, making it one of the most widely spoken indigenous languages in Mexico, but even within this there are several language groups who cannot speak with one another, despite shared Mixteco origins.
It is these communities dispersed through Mixteca Alta region of Oaxaca with whom we will hunt, cook, and learn from during this awesome exploration! We are honored to work with Ruta Hongos Mixteco, founder Itahi Belen Bautista, and for the first time with The Fungivore in Mexico, our friend and fellow enthusiast Dr. Fun Guy himself, Gordon Walker from the Sonoma County Mycological Association and fellow NAMA Culinary Committee member!
Dr. Walker has just published his new book "Passport to Kingdom Fungi," and we are so excited to have him and his mushroom thumping enthusiasm with us for this exciting trip! For his part, he is looking forward to cooking up lots of the mushrooms we find and experimenting with the local ingredients and techniques... and bopping some field mushrooms on the head, we assume!
See our summarized day-by-day itinerary below, under the Key Trip Details section.
We had an amazing experience. We felt immersed in the culture and geography of Oaxaca, and learned a lot about foraging mushrooms and cooking Oaxacan food. Foraging for mushrooms with experts Zack and Kim is really fun, like a treasure hunt, and some of the meals were in our top ten ever." |
Chef Reyna Mendoza demonstrating the proper use of a metate.
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Key Trip DetailsLength: 7 days / 8 nights
Average Foray Distance: 3 miles / day Altitude: 7,000-9,000 feet Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Accommodations: - 2 nights in Oaxaca City hotel - 6 nights in mountain cabins All meals included (8 Dinners, 7 Lunches, 7 Breakfasts) Cost: $2900 |
Cortinarius caperatus, a delicious edible Cort in the field and a curious attendee.
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Day-by-Day Itinerary
Sept 4th - Day 1: Opening Dinner in Oaxaca City! Please join us at 6:00pm for a welcome beverage, and/or at 7:00pm for dinner.
Location TBD.
Location TBD.
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Sept 5th - Day 2: After breakfast in the city, we will hop in our transport and head toward Tlaxiaco; stopping at the ruins of Huamelulpan to learn more about the importance of the Mixteca culture for Oaxaca and Mexico as a whole! Dinner at a special location!
Sept 6th - Day 3: We will begin our day early visiting the iconic weekend market in Tlaxiaco, where we will forage in the incredible mushroom tent! From there, We will head to a community for a cooking class and prepare our mushrooms into traditional Mixtecan dishes. We will return in the evening for dinner and rest. Sept 7th - Day 4: Our first foray: We will start very early today, to head out several hours to our first remote foray with the community nestled in the woods La Paz Chalcatango. We will collect mushrooms and have lunch with our hosts. We will return for dinner in town. Sept 8th - Day 5: Breakfast in town before visiting the artisans and maker museum of Santa Maria Coquila with bakcstrap loom and pottery showcases. We will eat with the community, and then head into Tlaxiaco for a walk through town, tasting coffee, and eating dinner in town. |
Just one of the many mushroom vendors at the Tlaxiaco Mushroom Tent, weekend market. Craterellus tubaeformis and C. lutescens on offer; with a smattering of Ramaria sp., Hydnum sp., and Tricholoma sp. as well.
This itinerary is not fixed and may change, based on weather and the timing of the various communities involved. |
Sept 9th - Day 6: Foray to Atatlahuca! We will forage on top of the world, on Eagle mountain, and spend time in the town of Atatlahuca, We will be joined by ethnomycology researcher Dr. Joshua, who will present on the ancient medicinal mushroom knowledge of the community here.
Sept 10th - Day 7: Our third foray: We will head to San Miguel el Grande to collect mushrooms for a cooking class and lunch, with some demonstrations of dye mushrooms spend time with the community there and return for dinner at the cabins. Sept 11th - Day 8: After a leisurely breakfast, we will return to Oaxaca City with some stops along the way for sightseeing and more ruins; after checking into our hotel, we will gather for our closing dinner and final night together to reflect on our experience over the week; Sept 12th - Day 9: You have your hotel room until checkout time (usually 11:00am or Noon); but you don't have to leave Oaxaca! We recommend at least a few nights on either end to explore the city on your own and get to know this incredible city at your own speed. |
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The vast mountainous area of mycophilic Mixteco communities is rich with the wisdom researchers call "Traditional Mushroom Knowledge (TMK)." Distinct from many mushroom-centric communities around Oaxaca and Southern Mexico, within Mixteco, there is documented use of more than 50 medicinal mushrooms, scores of endless edible finds, and even the "ludic" practice of enrolling children in nature-fascination using fungi for play.
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WATCH our February 5th INFO CALL with Itahi Bautista
& Dr. Gordon Walker
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Our Mycomida: Mixteca Team
Zachary & Kim Hunter
The Mushroom Hunters: The Chef and your Director of Fun
Zachary and Kimberly shared their first hosted Mexico tour together less than two months after meeting. That love-(and-tourism)-at-first-sight in Fall of 2018 has blossomed into a project far beyond their original dreams.
In 2024, they celebrated their 6th season of hosting mushroom adventures in Mexico, a journey that saw them move to Oaxaca in early 2022, and to dedicate their attention to this cradle of civilization hiding in plain sight; to tap into the both ancient and future wisdom of the people of the clouds and the people of the rain. Through geekery and passion, the emerging story of connecting with people worldwide is beginning to write itself! We hope you will be a part of this evolving narrative with us! Zachary and Kim will be your hosts for each and every tour in 2025! |
Itahi Belen Bautista
Mycologist and Global Mycelium Activist
Belén Itahí Bautista--Ñaa Ñuu Sauu--from Ndoyocoyo, Atatlahuca in Oaxaca, descends from a family with a long tradition of gathering wild edible mushrooms. She founded Ruta de Hongos Mixteca and Ethnomycological Group of the Mixteca (GEM), a volunteer organization that has become a cornerstone in educating local producers and artisans through courses, workshops, and training sessions. She has been instrumental in organizing mushroom fairs in San Esteban Atatlahuca since 2016.
Along with the International Forum of Indigenous Women (FIMI) she was part in the Guardians of Ancestral Knowledge meeting in Panama; she has facilitated biocultural exchanges in Chile with the Mapuche and Mixteca Alta communities; and contributed to discussions on business, human rights, and environmental justice in Geneva, Switzerland. Itahi will be with us for both NAMA_MX25 and MycoMixteca! |
Dr. Gordon Walker
MycoInfluencer & Author of "Passport to Kingdom Fungi"
Originally from Cambridge, MA, Dr. Gordon Walker moved to California to attend UC Santa Cruz where he developed a passion for scuba diving and home brewing. His interest in yeast and fermentation inspired him to attend UC Davis for graduate school where his doctoral research focused on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in wine production.
After his doctoraate, Gordon spent time in New Zealand where he rekindled a childhood interest in mushrooms and began posting pictures of his finds to social media as @fascinatedbyfungi. Gordon now shares his passion for fungi and fermentation with over 3 million followers worldwide. He is dedicated to educating people about the biology, chemistry, and ecology of mushrooms as well as the culinary and cultural practices surrounding them.” Dr. Walker joins us for our MycoChiapas Adventure in 2025! |
WHAT PAST FUNGIVORE ADVENTURES SAID:
"The trip was a perfect way to visit Oaxaca with great adventures and experiences... Every meal was delicious."
- Donna; Santa Cruz, CA 
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"Unlike most programs that focus on just one thing- I loved the collective cultural experiences we shared as a group and with the communities we stayed in."
- Tay, Los Angeles, CA 
"It was a really magical experience! It somehow met and exceeded my expectations."
- Peter; San Francisco, CA |
How to join, the cost and what's covered:
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Payment Policy, Non-Refundable Deposit and Refund Schedule
Cost: $2900.00 Payments for the trip shall be made in full, and includes the NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT of 20% which helps us secure accommodations, reserve transportation, book restaurants, pay early fees and secure the tour. With this payment commitment, your deposit will be returned to you only on one of two conditions: the trip is completely canceled (all monies will be returned), or you arrange for someone else to take your place. The deposit of 20% is non-refundable. We use it immediately to secure transportation, lodging and reservations. If the trip is canceled by us for any reason, you will get ALL of your money back.) Payment plans are available on a case-by-case basis. Please send info@thefungivore.com an email to explore this option. |
How to Join & Discounts
We review each application to make sure our adventure is a good fit for all participants and give us insight to create the best experience for each group. Upon review, we're reach out ASAP to offer an info call, deposit information and next steps. We will fill the trip in the order of applications received and deposits secured. Our group size is capped at 12 participants and we have very high interest this year. If you are interested, get your spot on the list for 2025! Refunds for cancellations will be returned on the following schedule, minus Stripe processing fees (~3%):
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What is Covered on Trip
*Double occupancy is assumed for our available accommodations. If you are traveling with someone, be sure to let us know who and if you need one bed or two. **All meals, lodging, tours, activities, and workshops are included. Alcohol during meals, souvenirs, and some optional activities are not included. Ground transportation to & from Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) to Oaxaca City is not included ($5-20 each way). THE FLIGHT TO OAXACA is not included. Please make travel arrangements to be able to join us in Oaxaca for dinner on September 4th, 2025. |
