Day of the Dead

Join us and bear witness to one of the oldest traditional celebrations in Mexico, Día de Muertos  (Day of the Dead). During this celebration, families decorate the graves of their lost loved ones with offerings, such as food, drink, photographs and flowers. The belief is that their souls return to the earth to listen to the prayers and conversations of their families during this one special night. These celebrations are at their most traditional in the small indigenous villages that surround Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacan, and those around the city of Oaxaca.

MICHOACAN TOUR:
During the first day of this tour we visit the beautiful city of Morelia, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. On our second day we travel to the towns of Tzintzuntzan and Pátzcuaro where we have the opportunity to see the celebrations in their most extravagant form. We learn about this interesting tradition and the special importance that it has in this region, while we admire the beautiful flowers, catrinas (skeleton figures) and other decorations. During the night the cemeteries are illuminated with thousands of candles and the life of all the people that join together to celebrate the lives of their lost loved ones.

After the excitement of the celebrations we have a relaxing morning in Morelia before heading to Guadalajara to enjoy this colonial city centre and the beautiful Tlaquepaque. This trip includes local artisan markets with Michoacan’s famous handicrafts!

OAXACA TOUR:
Our Oaxaca Day fo the Dead tour includes the indigenous towns and neighbourhoods of Teotitlán del Valle, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, and Xochimilco, amongst others. See the annual Day of the Dead market, where local families can buy what they need to complete the ritual, including flowers, incense, sugar cane, clay cooking pots, and ‘pan de muertos’ (bread of the dead), and visit a local family home to learn what this tradition means to them. You get to see the preparations and the day and night time celebrations in this beautiful area.

This tour also includes visits to local workshops to learn about Oaxaca’s black pottery and fantastical wooden animals (alebrijes), as well as spending time in Oaxaca city’s historic centre, which is decorated with altars, offerings, and flowers to represent the importance of these special dates in this area.

DATES & PRICES

DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY LEVEL:

Medium* – generally low difficulty, but long day/late return to hotel on day 2 (Michoacan tour) or day 3 & 4 (Oaxaca Tour) makes this trip a little more demanding.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Sun screen, hat, sweater/jacket and long pants for evenings, comfortable walking shoes and day bag for change of clothing on day 2. It is also a good idea to take a small flash light for the cemeteries on day 2.

CLIMATE:

Warm during day time, much cooler  in the evenings, especially where evening tours are included (late return to hotel).

*Please note that each of our tours is tailored to the needs of the over 50s and our difficulty levels are simply comparative to our other tours. If you are in doubt as to whether or not this tour is suitable for you, please contact us for more information.