Día de Los Muertos in Oaxaca

This could have been an amazing trip. It just did not make it because many of the basics that pull a trip together were not there. The educational value was amazing. What we were able to see was fantastic but, and a big but- The hotel was just extremely low quality. It was old in decor The rooms were very poor lighting- I mean seriously dark and dismal= as note in the hotel reviews and the hand towels were stained. The shower water was luke warm. If you dont like steps- steps-steps pass on this one The breakfast great first day then slowly went down hill. After continuous advise about take it slow first day in high altitude, the first day was the MOST demanding. We covered about five miles with great speed I would have skipped the first market. We did it just to try the special bread and string cheese. It was hot crowded and most stuff was made in China. The day was long. With most Day of Dead events in eve and night more rest time would have helped. The day do go on and on and into the night so you really need to be ready for long days starting at 830/9 ending at 10PM hotel walking distance from parade There was alot of misinformation. I felt the group leader was not well informed. The tour guide was good and the helper was good. Mount alban ruins needed much longer time- a full day to really see it. The group leader ran ahead of the group pace most of the time. I feel this could have been so much better . It had so much potential but very poor planning. The final cemetery. we were told would be quiet with families with loved ones. It was a rock concert with vendors. It was a confusing maize and we were left to find our way thru. Not as presented. The meals were quite good. This was my first road scholar and I was not left impressed. Hotels should be looked at much more carefully. My impression is quite a budget trip. It was cost effective but, for not so much more it could have been so much better. Hopefully this is an isolated experience. Three stars

I've been eying this trip for many years; from when it was originally 14 days, then 11 and now 8. I'm glad I finally got to go! Arturo, Francisco (Paco) and Roberto (Beto) are an excellent team, with complimentary strengths, passion for their work, genuine caring attitudes and great senses of humor. Paco is the man with the mind! He knows so much about Oaxaca and its historic treasures. You will learn a lot. Local expert Suzanne provides 4 lectures, throughout the trip, that are interesting and fun. Hotel Mision de Los Angeles is, overall, a nice place to stay. It has a sprawling campus with swimming pool and tennis courts. The rooms are comfortable. Hot shower water is iffy and there's no pressure. But it's manageable. No bedside outlets (FYI). Breakfast buffet is ample and tasty. The rest of the menu (for lunch or dinner) is hit or miss. A big bonus with this hotel is that a Dia de Muertos parade happens right in front of it. Don't miss the parade! The meals/restaurants that are part of the trip are mostly very enjoyable, with very few misses. I particularly enjoyed having 'chiles en nogada' at Terranova. And I sampled moles at every opportunity and pretty much loved them all; particularly mole negro and mole almendrado. A note to those worried about spice: the dishes were not spicy. But you can always add spice to your liking. If you enjoy Mexican art, there's lots of opportunity to get up close to the artisans who create amazing weavings, pottery and carved alebrijes. Bring credit card(s) and pesos. Be aware that locals speak little English here, including in the airports. Spanish is dominant here. Also note that you will encounter so much kindness in Mexico, it will capture your heart. You'll love it!

This was a well-organized, competent and very interesting experience. This was our first Road Scholar trip and we were impressed. I will share that with the three groups I am in charge of.

Truly enjoyed the trip. All went well with a few exceptions. I did not like the location of the hotel. It required crossing a very busy street and it was dangerous at times to walk to town. I would have preferred a hotel near town center to avoid the street crossings--especially during free time. Greatly enjoyed the lectures led by Susan. She was incredible in her presentations. One of our guides, Roberto, went out of his way to be there for all of our needs. He was always available, friendly, and truly a hard worker. I give him much of the credit for everything going well. Dance presentation was a bit disorganized and much too long. The kids were great, but the person putting on the program needed to get more organized. Example, program (only in Spanish) did not match what was presented. Thus, it was hard to follow the origin or area that the dance represented. Also, long wait time between dances. Food was excellent at times, and very poor other times. With the exception of the last going away diner, most plated meals were awful. The food was dry, from chicken to fish to tamales, it was not very good. Breakfast was fine and buffets gave people options. Overall, trip was a major success. Loved the weaving and pottery demonstrations. Archaeological sites were amazing. Visit to cemeteries were interesting but only needed one night visit and one day visit. Two night visits was too much. I would highly recommend the trip to others.

I have travelled extensively all over the world, but really love Mexico. This Day of the Dead trip is one of those 'once-in-a-lifetime' kind of trips, definitely a bucket list adventure. It's impossible to explain the beauty, pageantry, and wonder of this very Mexican tradition of honoring departed loved ones. It's an extraordinary custom, partly Spanish but mostly indigenous, that can teach us all a better way to deal with loss. The trip visits archaeological sites, churches, pottery and textile villages, and a Puppet Museum (and many other sites, most of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This trip is a fabulous learning experience and a feast for the eyes, the spirit and the soul! Go!!!!

I'm really glad I went on this trip despite some problems. There were two overlapping departures of this trip in 2019, and my wife and I were on the same trip as Linda (below). We agree with her overall assessment. I hesitate to provide a star rating because our trip was definitely below 5 stars, but we crossed paths with and talked with folks and leaders on the other trip, who were clearly having a better experience with different leaders and different hotels. For 2020 the trip has been shortened (no Tlaxcala) ending with a high point in Oaxaca during the Dia de los Muertos celebrations. That should actually be an improvement. The festivities, parades, decorations in Oaxaca during the festival are amazing. That alone is worth the trip. Two notes: exercise normal caution in food choices, no matter how you are reassured that the food and drink are safe: most of our group took ill for a week or so. Also, the "chocolate factory" is not what you may think. It's a hot chocolate mix preparation shop where locals get their custom recipes ground (cacao beans, cinnamon, etc.). You can watch them grinding and bagging the resulting paste, but no tour, no samples. Bottom line: don't miss Dia de los Muertos.

The Day of the Dead and Oaxaca combine the best of Mexico - culture, cuisine, archeology, art and excitement. The cities are small and the beautiful countryside is lush and vibrant. And the climate is perfect!