Day of the Dead festival holiday, Mexico








Description of Day of the Dead festival holiday, Mexico
This Day of the Dead festival holiday takes you to experience one of the most colourful rituals on the planet - the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). Actually a three day event that kicks off on Halloween and continues into All Saints Day and All Souls Day, the Day of the Dead is all about celebrating the departed.
Through traditional rituals, both lively and sombre, Mexicans remember and pray for their friends and relatives and help them on their spiritual journey. You’ll see lively parades where local people don brightly coloured skull masks or macabre costumes, as well as low-key celebrations where people tell fond and amusing tales about their loved ones. Both are an excellent way of getting to know local families and their culture.
Departure information
Travel guides
Responsible Travel
Planet
We understand that travel and tourism can both benefit as well as harm the environment, the economy, the social structure, culture and communities in any country. As a company we love Latin America and strive to protect the rural and urban landscapes which we take you to visit. We work with local operators which have a proven record in training guides to set a good example in their respect for their surroundings and pass on advice and encouragement to visitors on how to preserve the fragile environment in simple ways, such as by refilling a water bottle, disposing of rubbish responsibly, and not disturbing local communities or wildlife.We work with local foundations, including the LATA Foundation, which is a UK-based charity with social and environmental projects throughout the continent. We’ve also partnered with Water to Go UK in hope to reduce waste by offering clients a 50% discount on filtered water bottles.
We encourage exploring Mexico City, Oaxaca and the local villages on foot, to reduce the carbon footprint as much as possible. Furthermore, our guides are on hand to advice you on what products to buy and not to buy, paying specific attention to avoiding purchasing products made of endangered wildlife and plants.
People
We pride ourselves on delivering our clients truly authentic and memorable experiences in Latin America by helping them to immerse in the culture of the destinations we visit. During this tour, you will have the opportunity to enjoy local families celebrating the festivities and local traditions of Day of the Dead: in Teotitlán del Valle, you will visit a Zapotec family to watch the delicate weaving and spinning techniques and enjoy a traditional lunch in a family home, you will observe a traditional wake in the village of Xoxocotlán, before being invited by a local family into their home to savour hot chocolate and Day of the Dead decorated bread, and join the same local family as they decorate their family grave - to give only a few examples.Moreover, our expert guides work hard to create good relationships between our clients and the local community by providing any necessary advice when and where needed. They will for example explain the importance of giving gifts responsibly and the best ways to do this, as well as acting in a respectful way while taking photographs.
We also encourage purchasing local artisans, crafts and food from the markets we visit, as well as during the Comparsa Parade where you’ll pass rows of vendors where you can stop to buy food, flowers, coffee and hand-made crafts. Not only will this give you a unique insight into the Day of the Dead celebrations and events, you also support the local economy and help in promoting the culture.
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