| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Meeting Point | Shared after confirmation, in Oaxaca City |
| End Point | San Felipe del Agua Pantheon |
| Duration | Up to 5 hours |
| Physical Level | Low – this experience involves minimal walking, approximately 30 minutes |
| Cultural Rating | Deep – a strong mix of cultural context, personal reflection, and engaging respectfully with sacred local practices |
| Ages | 18+ (younger guests must be accompanied by a parent or guardian) |
| Group Size | Public – Min 10, Max 19 |
Why We Created This Day of the Dead Experience
We believe a cemetery visit during Día de Muertos becomes far more meaningful when you understand why families are there and what the traditions around you represent.
The flowers, candles, photographs, food, music, and decorated graves may be what first catch a visitor’s attention, but they are connected to something much more personal: remembering people who have died and maintaining a relationship with them through family and community practices that differ throughout Oaxaca.
That is why this evening begins with learning, conversation, food, mezcal, and the creation of a shared altar before we enter the pantheon. Our goal is for you to arrive in San Felipe del Agua with enough context to understand more of what is happening around you and to experience the cemetery as more than something simply beautiful to photograph.
What Makes the San Felipe del Agua Experience Different
San Felipe del Agua offers a different setting from Oaxaca’s larger cemetery gatherings. The pantheon is smaller and more contained, placing greater focus on the families, graves, flowers, candles, and acts of remembrance taking place inside the cemetery itself.
This experience also takes place on November 2, one of the central dates of Día de Muertos in Oaxaca. Families continue visiting and tending graves throughout the evening, and the cemetery gradually becomes busier as daylight fades and more visitors arrive.
We plan our visit around dusk so the group can experience that transition as families are still preparing graves and candles begin to be lit. San Felipe can still become crowded later in the evening, so arriving before the largest visitor numbers helps us move through the space more carefully and remain together as a small group.
What to Expect During the Evening
Your experience begins at a gathering space in Oaxaca, with the details for your specific departure shared after your reservation is confirmed. Before entering the cemetery, we spend the first part of the evening building the historical and personal context needed to better understand Día de Muertos in Oaxaca.
As everyone gathers, you will share traditional seasonal foods and a welcome drink, with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available. Mezcal also forms part of the evening, connecting food and drink to the wider traditions of gathering, offering, memory, and hospitality during Día de Muertos.
We then come together for an in-depth presentation exploring the history and evolution of Day of the Dead. The discussion considers its pre-Columbian roots, the different ways death and remembrance have been approached across Mesoamerica and Mexico, the effects of colonization, and how these histories developed into the many local practices encountered in Oaxaca today.
Guest speakers and local perspectives help connect that history to lived experience. Foods, mezcal, altar symbolism, cemetery practices, and personal stories become part of the conversation so that the evening is not simply about explaining what Día de Muertos looks like, but understanding more about why it continues to matter.
After the discussion, we build an altar together. Guests are welcome to bring a small passport-sized photograph of someone they would like to remember. This is completely optional, but if you choose to add a photograph to the ofrenda, it should be one you are comfortable leaving behind until the Día de Muertos period has ended.
The altar gives the group an opportunity to move from learning about remembrance to participating in it personally. There is time for conversation, shared memories, and reflection before we continue toward the cemetery.
As dusk approaches, we make our way to the San Felipe del Agua pantheon. Because the cemetery is smaller than some of Oaxaca’s better-known Día de Muertos destinations, the setting feels more contained and the relationship between individual families and the graves they are visiting is often easier to observe.
Families continue arranging flowers and offerings, visiting loved ones, talking together, and lighting candles as the light changes. The cemetery is also visited by people from outside the community, and visitor numbers increase as the evening continues.
Before entering, we speak clearly about how to move respectfully through the pantheon and how to approach photography and interaction with families. Although Día de Muertos is shared publicly in many parts of Oaxaca, the individual graves and gatherings you encounter remain deeply personal to the people remembering someone there.
Our timing is deliberate. Arriving around dusk allows us to experience the cemetery while families are still preparing and candles begin changing the appearance of the pantheon, but before the largest crowds make it increasingly difficult for a group to move together.
By the end of the evening, the intention is not simply that you have visited a cemetery on November 2. It is that you leave with a clearer understanding of the remembrance taking place around you, the different ways Día de Muertos is practiced across Oaxaca, and why entering these spaces with context and respect matters.
Why San Felipe del Agua Matters
Every Oaxacan pantheon develops its own practices and atmosphere during Día de Muertos. San Felipe del Agua gives this experience a smaller and more contained setting than some of the region’s larger cemetery events.
That matters because the scale changes what you notice. Rather than large stages and extensive public activity surrounding the cemetery, more of your attention remains on the pantheon itself: decorated graves, candlelight, families gathering, and the ways people spend time with those they are remembering.
November 2 also places the visit directly within one of the central dates of Día de Muertos. The cemetery still attracts visitors and can become crowded, but its smaller scale gives the evening a different character from Xoxocotlán’s larger October 31 opening-night gathering.
Is This Experience Right for Me?
This experience works well for travelers who want more context than they would receive by visiting a cemetery independently and who want to understand Día de Muertos through history, local perspectives, food, altar-building, and respectful participation.
San Felipe is particularly well suited to guests who prefer a smaller cemetery environment while still experiencing an active Día de Muertos night where local families and outside visitors are sharing the same space.
The physical demands are low, but you should be comfortable standing and moving through a cemetery that becomes progressively busier as the evening continues. Our timing is intended to avoid the heaviest crowds, but November 2 remains one of Oaxaca’s busiest nights of the season.
If you are also considering our October 31 Xoxocotlán cemetery experience, you generally do not need to book both. The core learning, meal, altar-building, and cemetery experience are intentionally similar. San Felipe is the better fit if you prefer a smaller, more intimate pantheon setting on November 2, while Xoxocotlán offers a larger opening-night gathering with more public activity surrounding the cemeteries.
What to Bring
Oaxaca usually has warm days and cooler evenings during Día de Muertos, and rain can still be possible at this time of year. A few simple items will help you stay comfortable during the gathering and cemetery visit.
- Comfortable clothing
Jeans, long pants, dresses, skirts, or local textiles can all work well. Comfort matters more than dressing up. - Comfortable shoes
You will walk and stand inside the cemetery, so practical footwear is recommended. - A light layer
Evenings can cool down noticeably after sunset. - Cash
Useful for extra food, drinks, gratuities, or transportation after the experience. - A passport-sized photo of a loved one
Optional, but encouraged if you would like to add someone personally meaningful to the shared altar. Please bring a photo you are comfortable leaving behind.
Please note: There is no formal dress code. Dressing respectfully is appreciated because you will be entering a cemetery where families are remembering loved ones. Traditional Día de Muertos face paint can be acceptable when approached respectfully, but novelty costumes are not appropriate. More detailed preparation information will be shared after reservation.
What’s Included
Your booking includes the gathering, learning, food, altar-building materials, and guided cultural context needed to approach the cemetery visit with a better understanding of what you are experiencing.
- Pre-experience preparation information
Helpful details are shared in advance so you know what to expect and how to prepare. - Local English-speaking WSE host
A specially trained local host facilitates the experience and provides context throughout the evening. - In-depth Día de Muertos presentation
Explore the history, evolution, meanings, and different local practices connected to Day of the Dead. - Special guest speakers
Hear additional local perspectives and personal experiences connected to the season. - Traditional Día de Muertos foods
Share seasonal foods together during the gathering portion of the experience. - A welcome drink
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are available. - A sample of mezcal
Included as part of the wider discussion around food, drink, offerings, and gathering in Oaxaca. - Altar-building materials
Supplies are provided so the group can contribute to a shared ofrenda. - Guided San Felipe del Agua cemetery visit
Enter the pantheon with local context and guidance around respectful participation.
What’s Not Included
A few items remain separate from your booking so you can arrange them according to your own travel plans and preferences.
- Travel insurance (or a signed Liability Form)
Compulsory for all guests. We recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance. - International flights
Flights to and from Oaxaca are not included. - Additional transportation
Transportation to the meeting point and from the end point is not included. - Accommodation in Oaxaca
Lodging before or after the experience is not included. - Alcoholic drinks outside of the included samples
The welcome drink and mezcal sample are included, but additional alcoholic beverages are not. - A photograph for the altar
This is optional and should be brought by you if you would like to leave a photo of someone you wish to remember. - Day of the Dead face painting
This may be arranged separately but is not included in the experience. - Gratuities
Tips for your host or guest speakers are not included. - Personal spending money
Bring extra cash if you would like additional food, drinks, or personal items during the evening.
Ready to Reserve November 2?
This San Felipe del Agua experience takes place once each year on November 2, with each public departure limited to a maximum of 19 guests.
If your Oaxaca dates are already confirmed and this is the cemetery setting you want to experience, you can reserve your place using the booking section at the top of the page.
Considering October 31 as well? You do not need to book both cemetery nights to understand the fundamentals of the experience. Choose San Felipe for the smaller November 2 pantheon setting, or Xoxocotlán for the larger opening-night atmosphere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book both San Felipe and Xoxocotlán?
No. Both experiences follow the same core format: historical and local context, food and drink, shared altar-building, and a respectful cemetery visit. For most travelers, one evening provides the full experience. The main reason to choose between them is the setting: San Felipe on November 2 is smaller and more intimate, while Xoxocotlán on October 31 has a larger opening-night atmosphere with more public activity surrounding the pantheons.
Why does this experience take place on November 2?
November 2 is one of the central dates of Día de Muertos in Oaxaca, when families continue gathering in cemeteries to remember and spend time with loved ones who have died. Visiting San Felipe on this date allows the cemetery portion of the experience to take place while those traditions are actively being practiced.
Is San Felipe del Agua less crowded than Xoxocotlán?
The pantheon itself is smaller and the overall setting is more contained, but November 2 still attracts many visitors and the cemetery becomes increasingly crowded later in the evening. Our visit is timed around dusk so the group can experience the cemetery before the heaviest visitor numbers arrive.
What makes San Felipe different from Xoxocotlán?
The core WSE experience is similar, but the cemetery settings are different. Xoxocotlán’s October 31 opening night has two pantheons and a much larger public event atmosphere, including stages and vendors. San Felipe’s smaller November 2 setting keeps more of the evening’s focus on the cemetery, families, graves, flowers, and candles themselves.
Can I bring a photograph for the altar?
Yes. You are welcome to bring a small passport-sized photograph of someone you would like to remember. This is completely optional. If you add a photograph to the ofrenda, please bring one you are comfortable leaving behind until the Día de Muertos period has ended.
How much walking is involved?
The physical level is low, with approximately 30 minutes of walking during the experience. The more important consideration is the active cemetery environment, where you may spend time standing and moving among increasing numbers of visitors as the evening progresses.
Can I wear Día de Muertos face paint?
Traditional Día de Muertos face paint can be appropriate when approached respectfully, but novelty costumes are not suitable for this experience. Remember that you will be entering a cemetery where local families are gathered to honor people they have lost.
Our Other Day of the Dead Experiences
Need a Place to Stay for Day of the Dead in Oaxaca?
To make planning easier, we’ve included an interactive accommodation map below where you can compare hotels and short-term stays in and around Oaxaca City during Día de Muertos.
Enter your travel dates and number of guests to explore availability, location, reviews, and prices. We’ve also marked a central point in Oaxaca City to help you choose accommodation with convenient access to Centro and many of our seasonal experiences.
Accommodation fills particularly early during Día de Muertos, and availability generally becomes more limited as the dates approach. If your travel dates are already confirmed, arranging your accommodation well in advance will usually give you considerably more choice.
Please double-check the currency displayed, as it may vary depending on your device settings or the platform you’re viewing.
Supporting Local Projects Through Our TRiP Foundation
For every TRiP taken with WSE Travel, we donate 2% of the total sales price to an environmental or community-based project in the country you are visiting.
It is one of the ways we aim to ensure that travel has a more positive impact on the places and people that make these experiences possible. Your booking supports the local professionals involved in this experience, as well as wider projects working within the destination.
This is part of our wider commitment to Travel Responsibly & Impact Positively (TRiP), which sits at the heart of how we design our experiences and partnerships.
To learn more about the projects supported through this experience, please visit our Mexico TRIP projects.
Cancellation & Rebooking Policy
All tours, services, and experiences booked through Where Sidewalks End are subject to our Terms and Conditions, which are modeled after the policies used by many travel services such as flights, hotels, and tour operators.
At Where Sidewalks End, a reservation is more than a transaction. It is a direct commitment involving local professionals who rely on this work as a primary source of income. This includes guides, guest speakers, venue staff, and other local partners who reserve their time specifically for your experience.
In many of the destinations where we operate, labor protections and fair wage commitments are upheld by local laws, and we are both ethically and contractually required to honor those commitments. Once a booking is confirmed, the service providers connected to your experience are financially compensated for reserving their time, even in the event of cancellation. This helps ensure fair and dignified treatment for everyone involved in delivering your experience.
If You Need to Cancel or Reschedule
All bookings are subject to the following terms:
More than 14 days’ notice
Your payment will be placed into a Lifetime Deposit (Safety Deposit Box). This can be:
- used for a future date
- transferred to a friend or family member
Because this experience takes place on a fixed annual date, rescheduling options are limited to future Día de Muertos editions or other eligible experiences.
Refunds are not available unless Where Sidewalks End cancels your booking due to reasons beyond your control.
7-14 days’ notice
A 50% rebooking fee will apply. This helps offset compensation obligations to the local professionals who have reserved their time for this fixed-date event and may not be able to secure alternate work on short notice.
Less than 7 days’ notice
The full cost of the experience is retained to pay the local team contracted for the event. A new team will be hired or contracted for any future rebooking.
These policies are a compassionate extension of our official Terms & Conditions, designed to support both our guests and the ethical standards of responsible tourism.
Travel Insurance or Liability Waiver Required
Because life can be unpredictable, and because we are required to uphold our commitments to local partners, all guests must either:
- provide proof of comprehensive travel insurance, or
- sign a Liability Waiver Form at the start of their experience
We highly recommend SafetyWing Nomad Insurance, trusted by many global travelers for its flexible and affordable coverage.
Travel insurance can help protect you from financial losses related to illness, missed flights, emergency cancellations, and non-refundable bookings.
If you choose to travel without travel insurance, you will be required to fill out a Liability Waiver Form at the beginning of your experience.
Thank You for Traveling Responsibly
We deeply appreciate your understanding and support of responsible tourism. Your booking directly supports local professionals and helps us continue developing experiences that connect visitors with Oaxaca through respectful local participation.
If you have any questions or need help rescheduling, please contact us. We’re always happy to assist.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.