DIA DE MUERTOS
A CULTURAL ODYSSEY
"Jennifer provides the kind of tour that feels once in a lifetime — getting to the essence of the Day of the Dead. She arranges multiple experiences, not just the usual, but finds places other tours don’t go to. We watched as offrendas were being installed. And went to out of the way Pueblos. where customs are unique — and very beautiful. we contributed to the decorations and broke tamales with the townspeople."
- Susan (Dia de Muertos 2023)
A CULTURAL
ODYSSEY
DIA DE MUERTOS IN LAKE PATZCUARO
STARTS: Mexico City, Mexico State, Mexico
ENDS: Mexico City, Mexico State, Mexico
DATES: October 22-November 3, 2026
DURATION: 11 Nights / 12 Days
PRICE FOR 14 - 16 GUESTS: $34,000 MXN (Approximately $2000 USD / $2700 CAD / $1700 EU)
INCLUSIONS: Hotels x 3 Nights (CDMX ), 10 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 3 Dinners (meals do not include drinks), all entrance fees & activities (unless otherwise noted), private transportation, bilingual services with Licensed National Guide and small contribution for our hosts. Our overnight Noche de Muertos tour includes public & private boat transportation so we can avoid the crowds. Tips are discretionary and appreciated.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Your accommodations in Patzcuaro are not included, as this gives guests the chance to choose from basic to luxury hotels for your 8 night stay. If you are interested in sharing a house rental, please contact Jennifer for more information.
CURRENCY CONVERTER
TRIP OVERVIEW
Dia de Muertos is an indigenous observation to honour the ancestors...
Many cultures around the world practice some form of ancestor worship between autumn and winter. Perhaps it is nature that instructs us of such considerations when the leaves begin to fall and the last harvest concludes, closing the time-gap between the living and the dormant. This convergence is often explained as a veil so thin, the living and the dead intersect and interact, as though through a porthole between different dimensions...
and it arrives each year with many responsibilities & preparations...
Though the Vigil de los Angelitos and La Noche de Ánimas takes place between the evening of October 31 and November 2 of each year, the preparations that precede this elaborate observation are many, from the planting of marigold seeds to the kneading of Pan de Muerto and tamale preparations. Symbolic pre-Hispanic altars and arches are bound with flowers and erected around the lake region, as well as the gateways opening into churchyards and cemeteries adorned with flowers. No expense is spared by family members to honour their loved ones, right down to the hiring of musicians during the procession of altars and the sharing of pozole, tequila and other traditional foods to countless visitors during these sacred vigils...
You are invited to observe intimate & private vigils with the locals....
We are fortunate to work with Jaime Hernandez Balderas of Animecha Tours, who has been a well respected guide in this region for more than 25 years. With P'urepecha ancestry in his own family, Jaime speaks P'urepecha and has harnessed respectful relationships through countless tours for art collection and cultural observation. We are honoured to work with Jaime for many of our tours, but especially during the Dia de Muertos observations here as he has introduced us to community members and artists, allowing us to also establish meaningful and trusting connections. Our guests have a special invitation to visit select communities, homes and cemeteries during these vigils, and also beforehand during preparations. Our intention is to introduce you to this region and her people before the main events take place, so you feel familiar with this area by the time you cross this cultural threshold for an observation that may forever change your philosophy about life and death...
which means you must arrive with an appropriate offering...
We request that all guests bring $600 MXN each to collect items which we will assemble before the night vigils, as offerings for our hosts. We will create two different offrendas - one that is a communal project shared between everyone, and another that will be your own personal basket to offer to one of our host families. We have already included a small sum in the price of this tour, which will be divided between the families who host us. This donation is to help the families offset the costs of the marigolds and food expected of them, when they host vigils in their homes.
and be ready to accept food offerings from our hosts...
When we enter private homes during the vigils, we will be offered food. This can include pozole, tamales, atole and tequila. Please accept the food, as it is considered rude to refuse it. If you cannot eat it, we will take it from you and handle the conversation with the family. Please do not ever feed your meal to the street dogs, regardless of their begging. This would be viewed as extremely offensive. Please let us know ahead of time, if you have any allergies.
We will build a traditional altar and invite you to bring a photograph....
Families build personal altars during Dia de Muertos, which consist of specific elements and symbolic items. We will be constructing an altar together, complete with the various elements required, so you can build your own altar at home each year. Elements include salt, water, fire, marigolds, copal and photos of your own loved ones. Please bring a 4x6 photo (or smaller) of a loved one who has passed away, so you can honour them during this observation. We ask that you bring a copy, as it's possible that you will not be able to collect your photo prior to leaving....
but your salt dish is meant for your own altar, next year...
When we visit Santa Clara del Cobre, we will work in the home studio of award winning artist Sergio Velasquez, who will be teaching you to make a small copper salt dish. Salt is one of the elements required for a traditional Dia de Muertos altar, and this keepsake is something for you to keep for your future altars. We hope you will cherish the memory of making your own salt pot, while also recollecting the experiences you have during this eclectic and interesting journey.
Our marigold altars will become a part of this years contribution...
Board a traditional wooden boat for a trip across the legendary Lake Patzcuaro to an island where we will work with the locals to construct pre-Hispanic marigold altars. We will collect our flowers in the market, visit a traditional family of bread makers and basket weavers, and spend the day soaking up the tranquility of a peaceful island life that feels like stepping back in time...
Along with Pan de Muerto, which we will have the chance to watch being made...
Pan de Muerto is a traditional "skull and bones" bread that is made annually, during Dia de Muertos. Slightly sweet and typically fluffy, this bread is an important part of the Dia de Muertos celebrations, along with bread that resembles little people. We will be visiting a family of bread makers in an indigenous village to witness their traditional bread-making...
"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do."
— Mark Twain
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
TOUR DIFFICULTY
This tour requires good mobility and balance. During our cemetery tour, we will have to walk up stairs and hills, though we will always have an assistant to help with those who are slower than others. A walking stick can really help if you struggle with hills or balance.
OUR FINAL TOUR IS EXHAUSTING
Dia de Muertos vigils begin at midnight and continue into the next day, and there are festivities happening around the lake for several days. We are changing our tour format this year for a profound route that involves a private boat ride to a number of special communities. We will start our tour at 11:30 AM, returning to Patzcuaro at approximately 2:30 AM. While this may sound extreme, our old tour format involved a morning tour, a mid-afternoon break, and a night tour that extended until 4:30 AM. We feel the mid-afternoon break only created more chaos and stress for our guests, due to the intense traffic being an obstacle for getting from place to place. Please pack a comfort bag with snacks, a warm coat, umbrella, gloves and a toque for the boat ride. You can always catch some nap-time in the van between villages, but for the most part, we have found that adrenaline works magic once guests are in the thick of these enchanting and soul-changing festivities.
CATRINA MAKE-UP IS PROHIBITED
We will have two opportunities for you to dress-up for events and parties that are not intrusive or offensive, but during the cemetery tour, we will not permit you to join our tour if you arrive in costume and/or Catrina make-up. The children are now permitted to dress-up, though this is a very recent influence from Pixar's Coco and Mexico City's Catrina Parade (which was inspired by James Bond Spectre). You will never see P'urepecha elders in costume during our cemetery tours, which is why we follow their lead and refrain from "dressing-up" for the cemetery tour. Thank you for cooperating with us and working to keep our influential footprint as small as possible.
HALLOWEEN IS A THING NOW
The foreign community brought Halloween to Mexico, so you will see many children with plastic pumpkins for candy collection. As their parents permit them to participate in Halloween celebrations, we will leave that up to your discretion. Many of the children prefer small coins over candies, as they can then purchase the candies they like. That said, this can get very expensive in an area where there are thousands of children! You will notice that in Mexico, due to the way celebrations here last for several days or weeks, children will start trick-or-treating for about a week preceding Halloween.
GROUP COOPERATION
Not everyone is made to travel in groups. We ask you to consider how flexible and adaptable you are, before committing to this tour. We work hard to stick to our itineraries as much as we can, due to the expectation and investment from our guests. Sometimes, we must change plans due to spontaneous closures or other unseen obstacles, such as an accident that closes the road or a sick guest who needs to stop at a clinic. We appreciate travellers who can roll with the punches and stay open-minded despite alterations that are necessary.
OUR LODGINGS
We will stay in Mexico City, Patzcuaro and Morelia...
Mexico City airport is connected to the world, making it the perfect international hub for gathering our guests in one place. We will stay downtown so guests can enjoy night-life at your fingertips. After Dia de Muertos is complete, we will move to Morelia for our final night. The hotels in Mexico City and Morelia are included in the price of the tour, but your accommodations in Patzcuaro are separate, so guests can choose between budget or luxury lodgings during the bulk of your stay...
but we will help you find appropriate and central accommodations...
We work with a local real estate company called Patzcuaro Houses, as they have some beautiful rental properties that come available during Dia de Muertos. The homes feature 3 rooms, each with their own private bathroom. These accommodations are central and offer you some living space while here, rather than being confined to a small hotel room without a fridge or other amenities. Please contact us if you are interested in renting one of the rooms so we can start gathering a reservations list. These homes are perfect for 3 couples or 3 solo travellers, or for a family or group of friends. If you prefer a traditional hotel experience, please contact us for more information as we do have several hotels to recommend and we are more than happy to assist you with your reservation.
PHOTO GALLERY
It's impossible to take a bad photograph here...
We are permitted to take photos during the festivities of Dia de Muertos, but please show respect for the locals by asking permission before you take close-up photos, including photos of families who are gathered. Most families will pose and smile for you, as they are used to being photographed and are happy to greet visitors. We will teach everyone how to ask for permission in Spanish at the start of our tour, so you will have lots of practice by the time the main event arrives on the night of November 1....
HOW TO BOOK YOUR TOUR
A 50% non-refundable deposit confirms your seat...
Due to the expenses we incur during the planning stages for this tour, we require a 50% deposit to confirm your seat. In the event that you have to cancel, we will try to fill your seat or you can also transfer it to a family member or friend.
WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A STRICT RESERVATION POLICY COMPARED TO CORPORATE TRAVEL COMPANIES?
As sole proprietor of a small business, I cannot afford the fall-out of guests who are noncommittal. Recently, we had 3 guests who verbally committed to our Chiapas tour only to change their minds within a few days for non-emergency reasons, leaving me with unfair and substantial financial loss. I was obligated to the 3 guests who had not only paid deposits, but who had also booked their flights. Unfortunately, this has happened far too many times for me to keep working on trust, which is why I now require a deposit in order to confirm your seat.
What is expected after the tour and flights are confirmed...
The balance is due in full upon arrival. If you prefer to pay the balance with a credit card, I need to invoice you two weeks in advance, as it takes 10 business days for the deposit to enter my account. If you are paying with cash, we only accept Mexican Pesos, as exchanging foreign cash costs us nearly 20%.
PAYMENT METHODS
Our preferred payment method is WISE, formerly Transferwise...
If you do not have a WISE account, please click here to start an account. We recommend using your smart phone, as it's easier to upload ID and verify the account. You will need your standard banking information to connect your bank account to the transfer app. Once your account is open, you need to transfer money from your bank into the WISE account in order to make payments.
When you are ready to pay, simply email me for a payment link. The beauty of WISE is that I can request the payment in Pesos, so the exchange isn't messy.
Please Note: If you use my referral to sign up for your account, your first transaction is discounted.
Just click on this link to get started: https://wise.com/invite/ihpc/jenniferb907
We can also accept Interac Transfers to our Canadian or Mexican accounts...
If you do not have a WISE account, we can also accept traditional wire transfers to our Canadian or Mexican bank accounts. Please email us for deposit information.
Canadians can e-transfer us through a simple email transfer...
If you have a Canadian bank account, we can accept an e-transfer to coppermoontravels@protonmail.com
Or you can pay 5% to use Stripe if you are paying with a credit card...
As all other payment methods do not cost us any processing fees, we do not add them into our prices. If you are using a credit card, we must charge 5% to cover their processing fees. If you are paying with a credit card, please click on the link below to make your payment!
The amount is in Mexican Pesos
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS TOUR
2 Public Boat Rides
1 Private Boat Ride
Ancient Toltec Capital of Tollan-Xicocotitlan
Ancient P'urepecha Capital of Tzintzuntzan
Pueblo Magico Patzcuaro
Pueblo Magico Tzintzuntzan
Pueblo Magico Santa Clara del Cobre
UNESCO Downtown Morelia
Vigil del Angelitos
Noche de Animas
Special Surprise
Visit the Copper Town to make a Salt Dish
Explore the Capula Art Market
Enjoy special cultural activities on Isla de Pacanda
Visit Artisan Studios
Enjoy 2 Mezcal Tastings
Learn about Pueblo Hospital & La Ruta Don Vasco
Offrenda Project for our Hosts
Please bring $500 Pesos to collect basket and contents
$100 Pesos is added to our pool for our donation
Art Presentation by Suzanna Ortiz in Mexico City
Dia de Muertos lecture by cultural expert & guide Jaime Hernandez
This trip is accessible from anywhere in the world...
Most of our guests fly into the Morelia International Airport. We can also receive guests by bus from nearby cities, including Ajijic, Chapala, Guanajuato, Leon, Mexico City, Morelia, Queretaro, San Miguel de Allende and Zihuatanejo. Please contact us for assistance with your flights!
We also recommend arriving early and leaving late if it's your first time....
Mexico City, Patzcuaro and Morelia are incredible places to explore on your own. If you are looking to extend your travels, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information!
QUESTIONS?
Please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer if you have any questions or would like to schedule this tour at a different time for a private group.
Email: coppermoontravels@protonmail.com
WhatsApp: +52 443 639 2782 (Please text first)
