Paint your Alebrije with the Jimenez family.
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Oaxaca City, Mexico
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Learn about Mexican culture and arts while having fun and expressing your creativing with this activity. You'll visit the village of Arrazola and meet a family of artisans who have been making alebrije folk art sculptures for decades. Learn about the carving and painting process, then get the chance to paint your own animal figurine. Keep your creation as a souvenir to remember your time in Mexico.
- This is a private, customizable activity just for you and your party
- All necessary art supplies are provided
- Travel to the village in comfortable private transport
- Snacks and bottled water will keep you refreshed
What's Included
- Paint and brushes
- Snacks
- Bottled water
- Small animal figure to paint yourself
- Private transportation
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Usana Distribuidor Laura JuárezC. de Manuel García Vigil 504, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico
We pick you up in front of the restaurant Gozobi (Garcia Vigil 504, Oaxaca, MX 68000) in downtown Oaxaca. It's really close to the Santo Domingo Church :)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.10:00 am
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 68 reviews
Alexandria_F, Mar 2026
We had an amazing time making alebrijes - everyone in our family enjoyed the tour and getting a chance to make our own. We bought some beautiful pieces from their gallery and enjoyed sitting on the patio painting alongside the artists. I was worried my 4 and 6 year old would be too young to paint and enjoy it but they made some beautiful art and when they were done, the tour guide gave them homemade popsicles which they loved! Great family friendly activity and the best part if you get to take a piece of Oaxaca home with you. Cannot recommend enough!
Jodi_S, Jan 2026
This was a fantastic experience with Cesar and the Jiménez family. My kids’ favorite experience in Oaxaca! We loved learning the history of the alebrijes, the painting and carving techniques and got to leave with such a unique souvenir. Thank you!
Whitney_F, Dec 2025
My mom and I had such an amazing time getting to learn about the legacy of the Jimenez family and alebrije making at their workshop! If you’re visiting Oaxaca, don’t skip this alebrije making workshop! We were debating between this one in Arrazola or going to San Martin but so glad we went with this instead. It was a ton of fun too. We definitely want to come back the next time we visit Oaxaca.
Phil_D, Nov 2025
We had an amazing time on our tour and can't say enough great things about our tour guide, Cesar! He was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about sharing the rich history and traditions of Mexican culture with us. We learned so much about the significance of alebrijes and had a blast painting our own wooden figurines. The experience was truly unforgettable and allowed us to take a piece of Oaxacana's vibrant culture back home with us.
Cesar's expertise and enthusiasm made the experience even more enjoyable, and we appreciated the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local art and traditions. Thank you, Cesar, for an incredible experience!
Nancy_D, Nov 2025
César was a blast. Good sense of humor. Lots of cultural history to share.
Puntual.
Very comfortable to be with the Jimenez family
Tiffany_M, Jul 2025
The entire experience was more than I had imagined. I loved ceramics as a kid and painting the wooden alebrije was a kind reminder of my old hobby. I was lucky to have Antonia and the studio to myself. I got to meet her daughter and daughter in-law. Cesar was prompt and communicated well from booking to the end. He was knowledgeable, respectful and generous with his time and knowledge. We chatted but I also got to have my solitude while painting. A memorable time for sure.
Nick_I, Apr 2025
We had a lot of fun painting! It was a small shop. Very relaxing. We usually enjoy larger groups so we can get to know people from
Other parts of the world. This time it was just us and a young couple from Australia. Would’ve liked to have some extra time to walk around the town a bit. But the painting activity was fun all on its own.
Deborah_U, Apr 2025
We really enjoyed our trip to Armando‘s workshop with Cesar and painting our own Alebrijes. It was cool to learn that Armando was the grandson of the artist who founded the art form. We also really enjoyed the exhibition about his grandfather at the museum near the Santa Domingo Church in Oaxaca. Armando‘s art is beautiful and the opportunity to paint your own was really a lot of fun.
Regan_R, Apr 2025
Wonderful experience! From learning the history of alebrijes and the Jimenez family in Arrazola, to getting to paint our own alebrije, and then getting to see the family's wonderous gallery, this was a wonderful trip that I recommend to just about anyone.
Cesar, our guide and translator, is unmatched! We loved him and had so much fun with him! We got his business card (he does lots of tours throughout Oaxaca - a real man to know!), and plan on hitting him up for tours when we come back. It's always great to have guides who work with local artisans throughout multiple industries because then they can show you all the wonders a local culture has to offer. Cesar was definitely a guide like that.
You get plenty of time for painting, and the Jimenez family provides you with a Look Book of a bunch of other alebrijes they've painted to give you inspiration. If you have a kid who's into art and loves to really focus on painting, this is a wonderful activity to get their creativity out. I'd say this is good for just about all ages (small kids are probably no, and the accessibility here is limited, so mobility should be taken into consideration). We were given snacks and beers, and had an absolute blast! Definitely recommend!
forbobbialaska, Mar 2025
Beautiful excursion and lots of fun. Our guide, Cesar, was an exceptional translator. We learned the history and crafting of alebrejes from THE BEST artist in the region, Armando. This was our favorite tour in Oaxaca, and is highly recommended. Will definitely book again when in Oaxaca ❤️
Azzeneth_M, Nov 2024
Amazing experience.The family was very knowledgeable and endearing. This was one of the best excursions.
Liana_R, Nov 2024
Such a fun experience! Everyone should do this when they visit. Incredible people, great activity for all. We loved painting the alebrijes and learning about their history! Can’t get over how great of an experience it was from start to finish!
Gina_B, Oct 2024
Armando’s work is amazing! His wife is also incredibly talented. The history of the Abrija from his grandfather and the current process are so beautiful. The class was incredibly fun and so creative. You don’t have to be an artist to thoroughly create this amazing memory! Cesar was wonderful and the translation was easy to understand. If you’re thinking of purchasing an Abrija after class, do it there! After walking f though the Zocolo for a week; their creativity and pricing is incredibly affordable. Support this local artist. I did and purchased two of his amazing pieces. You will not regret taking this class!
Wendy_G, Sep 2024
My friends and I loved everything about this experience! Because there were five of us, Cesar brought a friend and we traveled to Arrazola in two vehicles. Cesar shared his knowledge of Oaxaca and the various sites we passed by during the drive. Part of the trip was on dirt roads, and he is a good and safe driver.
After we arrived, we listened to Armando Jimenez explain the process of making alebrijes and his family's history with the craft. He spoke Spanish and Cesar interpreted in English. Then we picked a wooden figure and began painting our own alebrije. Let me tell you ... It's harder than it looks! Pro tips: Use a lighter color as your base color. Be sure to let every layer dry before starting a new one. The skinny end of the sticks used to paint dots can be used to paint small details.
We loved painting our alebrijes, even if Armando's were so much better! (Of course!) One of my friends said it made her feel child-like, in a good way, and I agree. There is no pressure at all to shop, but we all did, and we all purchased one or more alebrijes. There is a wide range of items available at a variety of price points, including small alebrijes that make great little gifts for 100 pesos ($5 American currently).
Arrazola is very small, and we saw no restaurants there. Eat a good breakfast before you go! Cesar will provide you with beverages (water, soda, even Mezcal) and some chips and crackers for a snack. Although it was a warm day, the covered patio where we painted felt fine. Aprons were provided while painting.
After our experience, Cesar was kind enough to drop us off in Jalatlaco, where we had a walking tour of the murals scheduled.
Four hours was the right amount of time. The drive is about 30 minutes each way, leaving 3 hours for Armando's talk and demonstration + painting + shopping. The time flew by, and we didn't feel rushed.
I highly recommend this educational and entertaining activity. Even if you don't know anything about alebrijes and you're not an artist, if you want to enjoy a few hours of playful creativity, you'll love it. Cesar is a great host!
Shannon_M, Jun 2024
it was lovely to hear the family history with alebrijes and our guide was excellent. I enjoyed the painting very much but would have liked more tips and guidance from the artist.
LESLEY_O, Jun 2024
Our guide/driver spoke excellent English and was happy to answer any questions we had about Oaxaca . We loved the history lesson on the origin of this beautiful craft . The Jimenez family was welcoming and the animals we painted were delightful ! Don’t miss this experience .
Oscar_S, Jan 2024
We loved learning about the history and then painting our own Alebrijes. Probably our favorite part of the whole trip!
Kristin_P, Nov 2023
What an incredible experience this was! From the drive out to Armando's home/gallery, our guide Cesar, Armando and his family inviting us into their space and hearing the history of Armando's grandfather, Armando, and now his wife and kids, continuing this intricate art form.
They are truly such a talented family! The afternoon was great, choosing our own alebrije to paint, painting in a cool space, and hearing stories from Cesar about the family and the community of artisans. Do not buy any alebrijes in town before you shop in the family gallery. Armando's prices are much less, and the craftsmanship is superb. I can't say enough about this experience!! IT IS A MUST DO/SEE!!!!
Ramon_B, Sep 2023
The whole experience was great. From the pick up point to the nice conversation on the way there with Cesar. Meeting Don Armando Jimenez and his lovely wife was awesome. He talked through the process of making the Alebrije and ultimately finishing off with painting our own Alebrije! I would totally recommend this experience!
Julia_G, Aug 2023
We loved this experience: the explanations given by Armando (and instant translation by Cesar, the very nice host of this tour) were very interesting and the painting process and creativity really what we were looking to experience. Very fun even for just adults !! Highly recommended as an alternative to more classic excursions.
Rachel_H, Jul 2023
Overall, this was our favorite excursion of our trip! Meeting this family was so lovely, our host Caesar was amazing, and our time spent there was so peaceful and a perfect break from our busy trip. The carvings we were given were stunning and we had plenty of time to finish the painting process. Overall, solid 10/10!
Savannah_V, Jun 2023
This was such a magical experience! Everything felt so genuine. Was really cool to go to the actual workshop and to create our alebrijes with the family. Also Caesar was awesome and so knowledgable. Thanks for everything!
sjori, Apr 2023
Guide didn’t show up and never canceled. I confirmed our tour 4 days before and guide said we were all set. The morning of our tour we met at the location on Viator and were 15 minutes early. By 10 I tried contacting our guide and got no response. By 10:15 I got the guide’s number and called. He sounded like he didn’t even know he had a tour that day and then made up and excuse that his van broke down the day before. He never tried to cancel or let us know and we waited 40 minutes and missed out on an activity we were looking forward too.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
A completely biased review
The night before there was a big flood with hail, which caused great damage not only in the city but also in big part of the state.
During the single call that we got from this person, she didn't allow to communicate, only screaming and acting with very entitled.
I had a really difficult situation at home during the entire night, this was one in a kind moment and does not reflect the spirit of our experience.
Thanks a lot for your empathy, I hope you feel better now.
Amanda_F, Apr 2023
My daughter (13) and I throughly enjoyed this. Armando is the real deal! I was so impressed by his story and craft. I highly recommend this experience.
Gabriela_V, Apr 2023
Shared history and answered endless questions from the kids. Wonderful people. Beautiful studio. Well worth the trip!
Morelia_A, Mar 2023
It was a quick trip there and back, so you get a lot of time to work on your alebrije. The process of making your own was fantastic you are able to let your creative freedom flow out and watch it come alive. They gallery is filled with beautiful pieces that are made in their studio, which you are able to purchase. They take card and cash which was fantastic! Highly recommend this activity.
Emma_R, Mar 2023
Caesar was a fabulous host, both fun and informative. I would do this your again, recommend it to others, and explore other tours Caesar offers.
Alan_B, Feb 2023
Such an amazing experience! César is a wonderful knowledgeable guide and Armando and his family are generous hosts and teachers. Painting the alembrije was fun, satisfying, and allowed us to learn about and create authentic Oaxacan art. Muchas gracias!
Beth_f, Nov 2022
Absolutely fantastic experience. One of a kind. Cesar is knowledgeable about Oaxacan history and the area. You will meet a master wood carving family and learn all about the process. Then you will get to chose your animal and paint your own. Kids will love it. Don’t miss out on this fun and educational experience.
Cheree_D, Oct 2022
Had no idea. I could be so artistic;) Fabulous chat about the history and they helped me with the smallest of details. Great fun!!
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