Local tour guide/driver in Oaxaca?

Great- incredibly helpful!!
Thinking I may wait until I get to Oaxaca and head to Alameda like you've suggested mclarjh on my first day there to try and arrange for following day (Sun) to Milta, Tlacolula Markets, Yagul, Teotitlan Del Valle and then anything in between that they suggest. 400 pesos per hour seems steep if I am to go solo with private driver for 7/8 hours

Then on Tues maybe I catch a direct bus like "mexico" suggested from Calle Mina from Hotel Riviera Angel to Mt Alban, then grab a taxi over to Atzompa -market day Tues 26th, catch another taxi to Cuilapan/Zachilla, Coyotepec then back to Oaxaca.... do you think I can easily do all this independently of each other/ catch as I go? Or do you think its better to arrange one guy from the Alameda and stick with them the whole day/ includes waiting time etc?

Does that sound OK as a plan? I speak very little spanish so could this be challenging for me to arrange in the Alameda by myself?

Many of the touts in the Alameda and along the Alcala speak English, so it shouldn´t be a problem. But my sense is that they think they speak English better than they really do, so confirm important details in writing (plus they all carry brochures with photos of the places you´ll be visiting). Fewer taxi drivers speak English, so list your destinations with wait times beside each.

There may or may not be private taxis at Monte Alban and Atzompa. One possibility is to walk between the two sites (I´ve done it), but it´s several km, so check a map, or consider asking a taxi driver to wait, or just wait until another tourist shows up in a taxi and hire them. The other places are all towns, so there´ll be lots of taxis around.

Out of curiosity this morning I asked an ADO-sitio taxi driver how much it would cost for an 8-hour trip to Monte Alban; Atzompa; Zaachila; Cuilapam; San Bartolo Coyotepec; and he replied 150 MXN/hour (or 1200 MXN/8-hour day). Of course you don´t get a guide for that price; but you can either hire one locally, or go without. If you do hire a guide at each stop, then you´ll nearly be spending as much as our original plan. I like doing these kinds of trips on my own and reading about them either before or later, but that´s me. You may be better off with a tour that includes most of the places you want to visit: cheap and easy.

Great- thanks so much for all your help mclarjh!! I prefer to do stuff on my own also. Not really a tour-type of gal and like to research a place before I go to it so not to rely on a tour guide so much.
Great- keep the amazing info coming!!! :)

You might consider reading ¨Sun Above, Sun Below¨ by Marcus Winter and Damon E. Peeler, published by INAH, Mexico City (2010). It´s a small book about astronomy, architecture and calendars at Teotihuacan and Monte Alban. I´m sure I read it at the Oaxaca Lending Library just south of Llano Park.

And I`m reminded that last week I attended a lecture about the grecas at Mitla; here you can read all about it (use Google Translate if needed): http://municipiodeoaxaca.gob.mx/municipio-de-oaxaca/prensa/robert-markens-expone-el-significado-de-la-greca-escalonada-de-mitla

Amazing again- thank you. Will read for sure.
You've mentioned that it's walkable from Mt Alban to Atzompa... is that correct? Am interested to checking out their market day on the Monday along with Mt Alban.

I just checked the distance from the Monte Alban to the Atzompa archaeological site on Google Maps; 8 km; or two hrs by foot. I´ve done it, but I´m familiar with the hazards, so you ought to be more wary. From the Atzompa archeological site you´d continue walking another km north to the community museum, and then another km to the centro, where I guess the market is. Most people would hire a taxi for the first leg, at least.

Hi again mclarijh.... am about to leave on my Mexican Adventure tomorrow and just wanted to thank you for all your great advice and knowledge- I've really appreciated it. Have a wonderful Xmas.

Maybe I´ll bump into you here. Feliz Navidad!