Mexico

Día de Los Muertos in Oaxaca

Program No. 8695RJ
Participate in an ancient ritual as you celebrate the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca.

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At a Glance

Experience one of the world’s most unique holidays, as you enjoy the celebratory rituals of Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in beautiful Oaxaca. Embrace the mystery that lies beneath the region’s surface in museums and archaeological sites. Roam the halls of imposing palaces and awe-inspiring cathedrals. Absorb the varying differences in two of Mexico’s most fascinating cities — Cuernavaca, and Oaxaca — to discover the significance that defines this intriguing culture.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles daily on varied terrain. Elevations of 5,000 feet above sea level.

What You'll Learn

  • Participate in the elaborate “Day of the Dead” ritual.
  • Learn about ancient cities and holy places as you join an expert on field trips to archaeological sites, including the Zapotec city of Mitla and the ceremonial centers of Monte Alban
  • Examine the artistry of handmade textiles during a field trip to the village of Teotitlan del Valle, and enjoy a weaving demonstration by a local expert.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Arturo Vertiz
Arturo Vertiz knew from an early age that he wanted to work in the travel industry, focusing on learning English and French in school. Graduating with a degree in tourism and business administration, he worked in the hotel industry before founding his own travel agency. Arturo’s greatest honor was being chosen to manage the housing complex for athletes participating in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. As a Group Leader and a Mexican national, Arturo loves interacting with visitors in search of learning experiences.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Arturo Vertiz
Arturo Vertiz View biography
Arturo Vertiz knew from an early age that he wanted to work in the travel industry, focusing on learning English and French in school. Graduating with a degree in tourism and business administration, he worked in the hotel industry before founding his own travel agency. Arturo’s greatest honor was being chosen to manage the housing complex for athletes participating in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. As a Group Leader and a Mexican national, Arturo loves interacting with visitors in search of learning experiences.
Profile Image of Haydee de Hoyos
Haydee de Hoyos View biography
Originally from the northern state of Sonora, Haydee de Hoyos learned English through her interest in American television, especially “Sesame Street.” Her affinity for American culture led her to pursue a career in the travel industry with a degree in tourism and business form the University of Guadalajara. Haydee has worked for Geronimo for more than 20 years and served as a Group Leader on programs focusing on art, culture, history, the environment and Mexican cuisine, developing an encyclopedia of knowledge of all things Mexico.
Profile Image of Suzanne Barbezat
Suzanne Barbezat View biography
Suzanne Barbezat grew up in Montréal, Canada, but holds a deep love and appreciation for Oaxaca. After graduating with a degree in anthropology, she lost her heart to Oaxaca on a solo trip through Latin America. Moving to Mexico in 1998, she has worked as a teacher, group leader and writer Suzanne spends her free time discovering off-the-beaten-path locales around Oaxaca with her Mexican husband and children. There's nothing she enjoys more than getting to know Oaxaca better and sharing her love for it.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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8 days
7 nights
17 meals
7 B 5 L 5 D
DAY
1
Arrive, To Oaxaca, Welcome Dinner
Oaxaca
D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, checking in and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant, we’ll enjoy a plated 3-course meal, plus soft drinks, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner will be saved for those arriving late to the hotel

Evening: Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the days ahead.

DAY
2
Orientation, Día de los Muertos Lecture, Santo Domingo
Oaxaca
B,L,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walking up to 2-1/2 miles; one flight of stairs.

Breakfast: At the hotel restaurant, order a plated meal from the menu plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. An instructor conduct classroom sessions, a certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. We will provide suggestions for restaurants and on-site visits for personal independent exploration and some of the meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. Group Leader can offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Our first lecture will begin with a presentation at the hotel given by our Study Leader on Day of the Dead and how it has been celebrated through time. The holiday combines the beliefs of the indigenous people with the Catholic Spaniards that arrived in the 15th century. Indigenous peoples believed that each year, the souls of the dead return to eat and drink with the living as they would have before their deaths. This belief was combined with the Catholic holidays of All Saints Day and All Souls Day.. We will then walk with our local expert to the historic district and visit the Santo Domingo church and museum. Once the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, founded by the Dominican Order, the rooms that constituted the monastery now house the Cultural Center of Oaxaca. Began in 1570 and constructed over a period of 200 years, it underwent a complete restoration that was finished in 1999.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy a three course meal plus coffee, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We will then walk with our local expert to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices, the sounds of the vendors calling out “Tortillas! Tamales! Chocolate! Chapulines!” Right in the middle of it all, we’ll take in the hustle and bustle of the local chefs picking ingredients for their evening masterpieces of culinary delights, browse the high quality leather bags and sacred hearts of hammered tin or beaded jewelry, and watch artisans weave rugs, put finishing touches on pottery, and create amazing paintings. After these visits, we will return to the hotel for a social hour and a great opportunity to get to know your fellow Road Scholars.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We will continue celebrating Día de los Muertos as we walk downtown and attend presentations sponsored by different cultural organizations.

DAY
3
Lecture 3000 Years of History, Monte Alban Site, and Museum
Oaxaca
B,L
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walking up to 2 mile under direct sun; bring hats, sunscreen, water. Optional Stairs onto pyramids

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: Our field trip then takes us to Monte Albán, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Mexico with the most spectacular views. One of the greatest Mesoamerican cities, it served as a political and economic center for the Zapotec from roughly 500 BCE to around 500 CE. One of the most defining features of the city are the carved monuments or “Danzantes” lining the Main Plaza. After the site visit, we will walk into Monte Alban Site Museum with an opportunity to observe many of the artifacts excavated from the area; one of the highlights is the collection of the Danzantes.

Lunch: We will drive to restaurant outside of Monte Alban known for their delicious food, a buffet featuring Mexican food, with a variety of main dishes, salads, soups, water, coffee, soft drinks; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: After these visits we will return to the hotel and assemble at our private meeting room for a lecture, we will build on our knowledge of Oaxaca and its history stretching back 3,000 years.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca. Offering over 100 establishments to choose from, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Evening: At leisure

DAY
4
The Ocotlan Route, Coyotepec, Jalieza, & Ocotlan
Oaxaca
B,L,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Total ride time will be approximately 2 hours throughout the day. Walking up to 1 mile on flat surfaces.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Setting out from the hotel, we will start our day with a visit to the town of Coyotepec, meaning “many tigers” in the Zapotec language. The town is known for the black pottery that is produced there. For many centuries, black pottery has been produced with a dull finish, but when Doña Rosa Real Mateo started polishing and giving the pottery a shiny finish, they become more attractive and the industry grew. Our local expert will give us the explanation of the entire process on how they work the clay. Our field trip will continue to Ocotlan de Morelos. We will visit the Dominican church and convent founded in the 16th century, and observe how one side of the chapel opens to the main central nave. We will get to see some of the local artwork, including some from famous local artists.

Lunch: Along our route, we will stop at a restaurant for a three course meal plus coffee, soft drinks, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Visiting the last town along the Ocotlan Route, we will stop in Jalietza where we will receive a demonstration on belt weaving. The townsfolk are known for their handmade embroidered cloth and leather belts. Following the demonstration, we will return to Oaxaca.

Dinner: A short ride away, we will dine at a local restaurant featuring, a variety of small plates from the region of Ismuths, plus fruit juice, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We will continue celebrating Día de los Muertos as we walk downtown and attend presentations sponsored by different cultural organizations.

DAY
5
Xoxo Cemetery, Arrazola, Cuilapan, The Magic Hands of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
B,L
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile on flat surface

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Aboard our bus and led by a local expert we will ride Xoxo Cemetery in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán. It is just one of the many cemeteries that are filled with decorated graves with flowers of cempasuchitl – marigold flowers referred to as “flor de muerto” – dedicated to deceased family members. We will walk in the trail of the cemetery admiring all the altars and decorations that families dedicate to the diseased relatives. We will continue to Arrazola a quiet town outside of Oaxaca that is the birthplace of alebrijes, or brightly painted folk art sculptures of creatures limited only by the imagination. When woodcarving was introduced to the area in the 1950’s, this art form took on a life of its own and has become internationally renowned.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy a two course meal plus coffee, tea, fruit water, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our day continues with a visit to the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero, where we will visit the Cuilapan Monastery. Once a formidable city with a population of over 40,000, the Spanish built the Monastery to convert the Zapotec and Mixtex populations. After decades of population decline, the monastery slowly deteriorated to its current state. Today, it is a national monument under the care of the National Institute of Anthropology and History. After these visits we will return to the hotel and assemble at our private meeting room for a lecture, The Magic Hands of Oaxaca. This lecture will expose you to a visual appreciation of some of this unique representations of culture and labor which exist nowhere else in the world. Additional visual material will be used during the presentation to help you identify some of the ethnic, geographical and artistic factors that result in these works of art developed from as many as 35 different media, that are in effect a small fragment of the soul of Oaxaca

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like in Oaxaca

Evening: Continue celebrating Dia de los Muertos as we walk downtown and attend presentations sponsored by different cultural organizations.

DAY
6
Santa Maria del Tule, Mitla, Teotitlan del Valle.
Oaxaca
B,L,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Activity note: Ride approximately 1-1/2 hours throughout the day. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day; bring hats, sunscreen, water.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will depart to Santa Maria del Tule, home of the widest tree in the world with a diameter of almost 40 feet. Santa Maria del Tule used to be marshland filled with bulrushes, which the Aztecs called “tulle” and cypress trees. At the towns center is El Árbol del Tule, a 2,000 year old Montezuma cypress tree. Continuing along, we will visit Mitla Archaeological site, the most important site for the Zapotec culture. It is unique among other Mexican sites due to its intricate geometric and mosaic work that cover everything from friezes to entire walls. Well preserved thanks to the dry climate, Mitla was the residence of the high priest, whom the Spanish likened to the Pope, and served as the main religious center for the Zapote.

Lunch: At a local restaurant just outside Mitla Archaeological Site featuring a buffet specializing in different kinds of moles, enjoy a variety of salads, main dishes, and desserts, plus coffee, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our exploration continues at Teotitlán del Valle, where we will learn about this small village best known for its handmade textiles from local materials.

Dinner: Hotel plated meal.

Evening: We will continue celebrating Dia de los Muertos by visiting one of the many cemeteries and observe the rituals associated with this important celebration.

DAY
7
Legends and Traditions of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
B,D
Hotel Casa Conzatti

Breakfast: Hotel plated meal.

Morning: Enjoy a presentation on the legends and traditions of Oaxaca. Thanks to Oaxaca’s large indigenous populations, the state is incredibly heterogeneous because each group has their own language, culture, and traditions.

Lunch: on your own to taste the local fare.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: At a local restaurant featuring a three course meal plus coffee, tea, soft drinks, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We will walk from the restaurant to the performance site and we will experience La Guelaguetza, an event celebrating indigenous culture with dancing, costumes, and parades. More than half of Oaxaca’s populations are indigenous people and their culture remains as an important part of their identity.

DAY
8
Depart to Oaxaca Aiport, Program Concludes
Oaxaca
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out 1:00 p.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Immediately following breakfast, we’ll check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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