Mexico City: Day of the Dead Comfort

Trip Code: QVKC

Why we love it

Join a family in Tlahuac to create an altar (or ofrenda as it's sometimes called in Spanish) to remember your ancestors and join in their colourful cemetery ceremonies., Take a walking tour of Mexico City with your local leader, taking in the city’s most iconic sites – the Zocalo, Metropolitan Cathedral and Palacio de Bellas Artes., Get the low-down on all the traditions and rituals watching the incredible Day of the Dead parade then fiesta the night away in Mexico City and get into the true spirit of this haunting ceremonial festival., Visit the Frida Kahlo Museum in the historic Coyoacan neighbourhood - you'll check out the works in her former home and discover her art often focused on the notion of death.

Is this trip right for me?

This itinerary is designed to provide the best possible experience of the annual Day of the Dead festivities around Mexico City. As such, there is very limited free time to explore many of the area’s most popular tourist attractions, including the Museum of Anthropology, Teotihuacan and Chapultepec Park. We recommend you stay a few extra days before or after the tour to make the most of this vibrant metropolis. If you would like to spend more time in Mexico City, we’ll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).

We will be operating multiple departures of this tour so it possible that more than one group will be at some locations or activities at the same time. However, each group will have a maximum of 12 passengers with its own dedicated tour leader.

Important information

1. Your adventure begins with at 6pm on Day 1 in Mexico City. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
4. We will be operating multiple departures of this tour so it is possible that more than one group will be at some locations or activities at the same time. However, each group will have a maximum of 12 passengers with its own dedicated tour leader. Please advise us of any travel companions that are not booked on the same file.

What to bring/pack

Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. Generally speaking, we recommend you pack as lightly as possible. You'll also need a day pack/bag for activities and day trips. In terms of weight, airlines generally allow a maximum of 15-20kg for check in luggage and a maximum of 5kg for carry on.

Other than the items and clothing you always need on a trip, below we have listed packing suggestions specific for this trip:

ESSENTIAL:
- Warm as well as light clothing. Central America is often assumed to have hot weather, but it can get cold in the countryside, mountains and at night in the winter so we suggest you check the expected temperatures en route and bring clothing that you can layer
- Closed-in shoes will help to protect your feet from cuts and scratches when walking through cities as well as bush/grass-lands, and will also act as a barrier protection in rare cases against bites or stings
- Sun protection - hat, sunglasses, sunscreen (reef-safe sunscreen for swimming)

RECOMMENDED:
- Soft and/or hard copies of all important documents e.g. air tickets, passport, vaccination certificate, travel insurance etc. and keep the hard copies separate from the originals. While not valid, a copy makes it very much easier to obtain replacements if necessary
- Water bottle. We recommend at least a 1.5 litre capacity. The sale of bottled water contributes to an enormous environmental problem around the world. In addition to the water in bottles, the production of a 1 litre plastic bottle takes 2 litres of water and 200ml of oil. A large proportion end up in limited landfill or discarded in waterways and natural environments
- Electrical adapter plug (view www.kropla.com)
- Personal medical kit. Your guide will carry a large kit but we recommend you carry items such as mild pain killers, electrolytes and Band-Aids.
- Watch/Alarm clock or phone that can be used for both
- Swimwear
- Travel beach towel
- Tissues &/or toilet paper &/or wet wipes
- Insect repellent
- Camera with a spare memory card, charger &/or batteries

OPTIONAL:
- Earplugs to guard against a potential snoring room-mate
- Phrasebook

VALUABLES:
Please try to avoid bringing unnecessary valuables, and use your safe if available. It’s also a good idea to purchase a money belt or pouch that is easily hidden.

LAUNDRY:
Laundry is available at many hotels and towns during this trip, although you might need to wait for a two-night stop in order to make sure you get it back in time. While laundry at hotels is usually charged by the item, laundromats usually charge by the kilo, which is generally inexpensive (about USD 2 per kilo).

Physical rating

 
2

None of the activities featured in this trip require special training or skills, just a reasonable level of fitness and a willingness to participate. Cobblestones and uneven roads are common and you may be required to walk in hot and humid conditions. If you are in any doubt, please share these concerns or issues with your sales consultant so that your leader is aware prior and can pre-empt your needs.

Joining your group

Hotel Ritz Mexico, Francisco I. Madero # 30 Delegacion Cuauhtemoc, Centro Historico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City, D.F. 06000, MEXICO, Phone: +52 5551300160

Alternate Joining Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410302)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410303)
Hotel Casa González
C. Río Sena 69
Cuauhtémoc
Ciudad de México
CDMX
Mexico
Mexico City
06500
MEXICO
For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410306)
Hotel Century Reforma (Formerly Known as Hotel Century Zona Rosa)
#152 Calle Liverpool
Juarez
Zona Rosa
Mexico City
06600
MEXICO
Phone: 52 (55)57269911
For trips departing on the following dates
use this joining point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC241030)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410304)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410305)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410307)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410308)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410309)
Hotel Geneve
#130 Calle Londres
Juarez
Zona Rosa
Mexico City
06600
MEXICO
Phone: +52 (55)50800600

Joining instructions

Finishing your trip

Hotel Ritz Mexico, Francisco I. Madero # 30 Delegacion Cuauhtemoc, Centro Historico, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico City, D.F. 06000, MEXICO, Phone: +52 5551300160

Alternate Finish Point

For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410302)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410303)
Hotel Casa González
C. Río Sena 69
Cuauhtémoc
Ciudad de México
CDMX
Mexico
Mexico City
06500
MEXICO
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410306)
Hotel Century Reforma (Formerly Known as Hotel Century Zona Rosa)
#152 Calle Liverpool
Juarez
Zona Rosa
Mexico City
06600
MEXICO
Phone: 52 (55)57269911
For trips departing on the following dates
use this finish point.
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC241030)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410304)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410305)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410307)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410308)
30 Oct 2024 (QVKC2410309)
Hotel Geneve
#130 Calle Londres
Juarez
Zona Rosa
Mexico City
06600
MEXICO
Phone: +52 (55)50800600

Meals & dietary information

Breakfasts included: 4

Lunches included: 

Dinners included: 1

While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.

More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.

For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home. 

Climate & seasonal information

In case of emergency

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

Intrepid local operator : Available for phone call on +506 4113 9300

Accommodations

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.

Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

Transportation