Day of the Dead Arrazola: Paint Alebrije with Family

Walk through golden cempasúchil fields and share stories at a private altar in Arrazola

A Day of the Dead class in Arrazola where you participate in a copal purification ritual, cut cempasúchil flowers in a field, visit a family altar, and paint your own small alebrije to take home. Held in a local family's home with a guide in English or Spanish, and includes round-trip pickup from Xoxocotlán.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day of the Dead celebration in Arrazola

• Travel round trip to Xoxocotlán
• Participate in copal purification ritual
• Walk through cempasúchil flower field
• Visit family altar and share stories
• Paint a commemorative alebrije

The experience

Arrazola, a village outside Oaxaca City, is where this experience unfolds inside a family home rather than a tour bus or classroom. You'll start with a copal ritual, a traditional purification, then walk into a field of cempasúchil to cut the bright orange flowers that Oaxacans believe guide souls during Day of the Dead. The flowers are not decoration. They're part of the ceremony, and handling them yourself connects you to how families prepare for this time of year.

Inside the home, you'll stand in front of the family's altar (a real one, built for real people they've lost), and hear the stories behind it. You bring a photo of someone you want to honor, and it goes on the altar alongside theirs. This is not a museum display. It's an active, lived tradition, and the family shares what the altar means to them and why they build it the way they do.

The class ends with you painting a small alebrije, the hand-carved wooden animal figure that's iconic to Oaxaca. You'll use paints and brushes to decorate it while still in the home, and take the finished piece with you. The whole experience runs four to five hours, including the round-trip drive from Xoxocotlán. A guide fluent in English or Spanish is with you throughout, and the vehicle is air-conditioned.

What’s included

• Copal purification ritual.
• cempasúchil flower cutting in a field.
• family altar visit with your own photo placed on it.
• painted Day of the Dead alebrije to take home.
• air-conditioned round-trip vehicle pickup.
• live guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Thursday and SaturdayDeparts at 13:00

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Oaxacatours

Is this one for you?The experience involves moderate walking through a flower field and standing for periods during the ritual and altar time, so a baseline level of fitness helps you move comfortably. The pacing is unhurried (the family sets the rhythm, not a schedule), so you have time to absorb each part without rushing through the ceremony.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What exactly is a copal ritual and why do families do it for Day of the Dead?

Copal is a resin burned as incense in a purification ceremony that Oaxacan families perform to welcome and honor the spirits of the dead. You'll participate in this ritual at the start of the experience, burning the copal and experiencing the smoke as part of the traditional welcome.

Can I bring a photo of someone I want to honor to the family altar?

Yes. The family asks you to bring a family photo so it can be placed on their altar alongside the people they're commemorating. It becomes part of the altar for the time you're there, making your visit a shared act of remembrance.

Do I need painting experience to paint the alebrije?

No experience is needed. The alebrije you paint is a small figure, and the family will guide you through the process. It's designed so anyone can create something they'll want to keep, regardless of artistic skill.

How far is Arrazola from Oaxaca City, and how long is the drive?

Arrazola is in Xoxocotlán, about 40 minutes from the city by car. The return trip takes roughly 30 minutes, and both are included in the round-trip pickup service.

What should I wear for cutting flowers in the field?

Comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes are best for walking through the cempasúchil field. The experience is outdoors for that portion, though the ritual, altar visit and painting all happen inside the family home.