Adventure World, a leading provider of customisable and purpose-driven travel journeys announces a brand-new itinerary: Oaxaca’s Day of the Dead. This six-day small-group journey with departure on 29 October 2026, showcasing a festival where vibrant rituals, ancestral traditions, and electrifying celebrations unite to honour life and memory.
Rooted in ancient indigenous Zapotec and Mixtec traditions, Day of the Dead is a festive Mexican holiday honouring deceased loved ones by celebrating life and memory through altars, grave decorations and lively community events. The streets burst with colour, markets fill with sweet pan de muerto and chocolate, and altars glow with candles guiding loved ones home. Adventure World’s itinerary celebrates a deeply moving and sensory spectacle, perfectly timed to inspire travellers planning their 2026 adventures as the 2025 festival approaches.
An Immersive Cultural Feast
The small-group tour provides an intimate look into this UNESCO-recognised celebration, connecting travellers with local artisans and families. Highlights include:
- Village Craftsmanship: Exploring villages like San Martín Tilcajete to witness the creation of fantastical alebrijes (vividly painted wooden spirit animals), and Teotitlán del Valle, the heart of the Zapotec craft region, for a traditional candle-making workshop.
- Heartfelt Remembrance: A deeply personal experience visiting a local family home to learn the symbolism behind a traditional Day of the Dead altar (ofrenda), followed by joining the moving night vigil at the ancient Xoxocotlán cemetery, where tombs glow with candlelight and families celebrate with music and flowers.
- Ancient Heritage: Discovering the rich history of the region with visits to iconic archaeological sites, including the spectacular mountaintop city of Monte Albán and Mitla, the ‘Place of the Dead.’
“Oaxaca’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a one-of-a-kind festival where indigenous roots and colonial influences merge into a vibrant cultural melting pot,” says Ana Salazar, Product Manager for Latin America at Adventure World. Salazar adds, “For me, the best part is seeing families share stories with their loved ones. Our new small-group itinerary to Mexico offers travellers an authentic immersion into this incredible feast for the senses.”
Adventure World’s Oaxaca’s Day of the Dead itinerary is 6 days, 5 nights. Pricing from AU$3,485pp/NZ$3,765 pp (twin share). Key inclusions: Archaeological site entrances (Monte Albán, Mitla, Zaachila), Xoxocotlán cemetery night tour, visits to artisan workshops, and a personal Day of the Dead altar experience at a local family home.
