We will be going to Oaxaca in a few weeks and would like a private guide/driver to take us to some of the ruins and outlying villages. Has anybody used a good guide/driver that they would recommend? Thanks.

Anybody?

Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced the card of the person we used, but it is easy to arrange a guide/driver through your hotel.

Two years ago we used an excellent guide/driver named Juan Montes-Lara. Here is a link to his Web site, which includes his e-mail addresses:
http://www.mexonline.com/abyatours.htm

We arranged for tour dates ahead of time via e-mail by telling him of our interests. He then suggested an itinerary. He has a thorough knowledge of the archaelogy of the area which greatly enhanced the tours of the ruins. He is also familiar with the folk artists (pottery, weavers, carvers, etc. in the area and took us to their homes/workshops.

My husband and I will be spending 3 weeks in Oaxaca this summer (June/July). We will be taking language classes during the week and touring on weekends, or in the afternoon.

I've thought about a guide, and this guy looks just about right. However, I have no, NO idea how much to expect to pay for such a service. It would be nice to know before we get there so we can either budget it into our plans, or not.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

$10-15 per hour. If you are going to a language school they will be able to help you. Any reputable taxi driver will work just fine and be happy to provide you this service.

Oaxacan tour guide responding, questions about services, cost, places to visit, I can give, just contact me, I can help you search for the best option according to your requirements.

Juan Manuel

Juan has posted his contact information, has anyone here used him ?

MMMmmm, I just sent an email to Juan which was bounced back ???

You can try also e mailing [email protected] but [email protected] should be working.

Saludos

I highly recommend Florencio Moreno. [email protected] or [email protected]
He is the guide of choice for someone I know who operates tours in Oaxaca. I have been on a tour he guided, and also independently. He is fully bilingual (actually I believe he also speaks Zapotec as well). Suggest you contact him directly regarding rates. He has a small page online: http://www.mexonline.com/academictoursinoaxaca.htm
Hope you love Oaxaca as much as I do!

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We (husband, 13-year old daughter, and me) just returned from Oaxaca and we had a great guide: Suzanne Barbezat, who is in business with her husband, Benito Hernandez, who is also a guide. Suzanne is Canadian but very fluent and knowledgeable about Oaxaca. It was like traveling with a friend who had an air-conditioned car and knew all about the culture, archaeology, and crafts of the area. You can reach her at [email protected].