Join us for seven nights and six full days as we explore the culturally rich beauty of San Miguel de Allende as the region prepares for and celebrates Dia de los Muertos, which takes place throughout Mexico from October 30th – November 2nd.

San Miguel de Allende, a beautiful city located in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, was founded as a mission in 1542 by the Franciscan monk Juan de San Miguel and originally named San Miguel el Grande. It became a significant cultural and economic center during the colonial era, notably due to its proximity to silver mines, and later became a focal point in the fight for Mexican independence. It was renamed for San Miguel and Ignacio Allende, a hero of the Mexican War of Independence, in 1826.

In the 20th century, the city experienced renewal as artists and expatriates moved in, transforming the economy and cultural landscape. It grew into a lively cultural center, blending its rich history with modern amenities and a cosmopolitan atmosphere. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 for its historical importance and well-preserved colonial architecture.

Day of the Dead in San Miguel de Allende blends indigenous Aztec traditions with colonial-era customs, honoring deceased loved ones through public altars, marigold-lined streets, and the Catrinas parade, reflecting its cultural heritage and communal celebration of life and memory. The city transforms, and the atmosphere is filled with music, food, and colorful decorations. The blend of local traditions makes this an impressive place to experience this cultural celebration.

We will immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the city, visiting artist studios, workshops, complexes and galleries, artisan markets and notable architectural attractions. We will also participate in the Day of the Dead activities throughout the week, including creating our own ofrenda and having our faces painted to either join or watch the parade.

San Miguel de Allende has a rich and varied food scene, offering a delicious combination of traditional Mexican dishes and innovative international cuisine. Throughout the trip we will have the opportunity to dine at a wide variety of extraordinary restaurants (from casual street food to fine dining).

Limited to 10 travelers

While the tour offers many unique scheduled experiences, its casual structure also provides daily opportunities for travelers to adjust the plans to match their interests and desired speed and intensity.

IDENTIFICATION ~ A passport valid for 6 months beyond the tour start date and that has at least 4 blank pages for entry/exit stamps is required.

ALTITUDE ~ San Miguel de Allende: 6,234 ft 

WEATHER ~ Because of its higher altitude, weather and temperatures are moderate year round. Typical daytime temperatures are in the upper 70s and nighttime temperatures around 50°f. October and November are traditionally very dry.

ACCOMMODATIONS ~ We stay at Casa Carly, a wonderfully located charming boutique hotel with an authentic San Miguel feel. Each suite is unique and opens up to an extensive courtyard that makes for a great meeting point and wonderful evening happy hours.

PHYSICAL EXERTION ~ Moderate Exertion (2 of 5) – This tour consists of mostly in- town, moderately paced walking on hilly cobblestone streets. Travelers with step-tracking devices often find they walk more than 10,000 steps on most days.

Thursday 10/28 – Travel/Arrival day – the only scheduled event this day is our welcome dinner.

Friday 10/29 – Wednesday 11/3 are full days including the following:

• Art-focused stops including the art complex Fabrica La Aurora, the showroom of world renowned folk art collectors Mayer Shacter & Susan Page, and many other art galleries and local artist studios.

• Cultural stops, including visits to the Jardin, the Paroquia de San Miguel, local markets, and Casa de Cultura

• Exploration of local Day of the Dead traditions, including a participatory visit to a local cemetery and viewings of ofrendas throughout town.

• Choice to participate in or watch the Dia de los Muertos parade.

• A trip to the UNESCO world heritage site of Atotonilco where we will visit the charming church.

• Day trip to the town of Dolores Hidalgo, known for it ceramics, including a visit to the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.

• A vineyard visit and wine tasting/pairing

Thursday 11/4 – Travel/Departure day – no official tour events are scheduled for this day.

Nov 2025 •

Wonderful trip and the guides and very interesting itinerary! The restaurants chosen were authentic and well thought out! Couldn’t have had better guides!

~ Christina L

Nov 2025 •

Troy and Rene are excellent tour leaders. We had so much fun. Day of the Dead was an amazing experience. I highly recommend this trip.

~ Laura V

Oct 2024 •

Fabulous fabulous trip to San Miguel de Allende for Day of the Dead! Beautiful colors, people and overall experience. Great leaders who are experienced and knowledgeable, who took care of everything and provided a fantastic experience.

~Joan M.

Oct 2024 •

Troy and Rene are true professionals. Their planning, knowledge, communication, and extra 'niceties' all make traveling with them a wonderful and fun adventure. Our small group got along well, scheduled activities were interesting, and there was a good balance of free time and planned sightseeing. We will absolutely look forward to another opportunity to travel with Camiba!

~ Mike & Wendy A.

Oct 2023 •

Immersive tour of an area and culture. Art focused. Small group is nice and make new like minded friends. See places you wouldn’t find on own.

~ Cheryl M.

Oct 2023 • 

I went on the San Miguel de Allende, Mexico tour on Dia de los Muerto. The tour was so well arranged with a variety of activities. We had a great group and enjoyed our time. And the food was delicious! I highly recommend Camiba tours!

~ Elizabeth S.

Nov 2022 •

Troy and Rene thought of every detail and made sure we enjoyed ourselves as we met local artists, experienced the culinary scene and participated in the day of the dead activities. We made new friends that we will definitely see again.

~ Andrew M.

Oct 2021 •

We enjoyed every minute of the tour including seeing the city as it is every day to the build up of the celebration. The tours were informative as well advise on shopping, eating, etc. The visit to the cemetery was moving and special. I would not have known to visit on my own and really appreciated the insight.

~ Danae S.

Mar 2017 • 

Troy Campa and Rene Ibarra put together a great six-day exploration of the art, food, music, and brilliant colors of San Miguel. Our small-group tour was fun, educational, reasonably priced, and professionally done. We ate at superb restaurants, met emerging and accomplished artists in private studio tours, saw an exceptional collection of folk art at Galeria Atotonilco, visited shops and markets, made new friends... and much, much more. The tour gave me a feel for life in San Miguel, and spending a week with Troy and Rene was like being with family.  

~ Carmen