October 29 - November 3, 2026 (Starts on the evening of October 29, ends on the morning of November 3)
$1975 single room / $3800 double occupancy; includes 5 nights hotel, airport-hotel transfers, ground transportation to destinations, museum admissions, guided visits, most meals, and other amenities. Airfare is not included. Please note: Refunds (minus 10% processing and administrative fees) are available until August 15. After this date, only 50% of the ticket price (minus 10% processing and administrative fees) will be refunded. No refunds available after September 1. Itinerary subject to change.
“Mexico is the most surrealist country in the world.”—Andre Breton
This fall, join Morbid Anatomy and Mexican scholar Salvador Olguín on an immersive trip to San Luis Potosi, where you will experience the festival of Xantolo, a surreal Dia de Muertos celebration best known for its wooden-masked dancers. Once a major silver-producing state, San Luis Potosi is located in the mystical Huasteca region of northeastern Mexico. There, the local Teenek (aka Huastec) people have long coexisted with the Nahua and Otomí, forging a distinct cultural identity that stands apart from other celebrated Día de Muertos centers, such as Oaxaca, Mexico City, or Merida. Xantolo celebrations are marked by parades of dancers from local troupes called Comparsas. Comparsa dancers wear amazing handcrafted wooden masks, and dress up as elders, locally known as "huehues," representing the spirits of the departed. Calaveras, Catrinas and devils are common costumes in the comparsas, alongside priests, politicians and different members of contemporary society, including characters from pop culture.
In the 20th century, Mexico emerged as a sanctuary for the Surrealist movement, attracting artists who were seeking to escape the horrors of the war and found inspiring landscapes and a thriving culture, eventually making the country their permanent home. During this period, the lush beauty of the Huasteca region captivated two outstanding figures: Leonora Carrington, one of the most prominent members of the movement, and her friend Edward James, an eccentric British patron. Seeking to realize a personal dream, James settled near the town of Xilitla to build Las Pozas, a sprawling, surrealist "Garden of Eden" made of concrete structures rising directly from the jungle floor. On this trip, we will visit two Leonora Carrington museums as well as Las Pozas to experience the work of these two surreal artists first hand, while learning more about the imprint this subversive movement left on contemporary Mexican culture.
For this year’s Xantolo experience, we will divide our journey between the city of San Luis Potosi and the small jungle town of Xilitla, aiming to combine the festiveness of Xantolo, its Dia de Muertos parades, comparsas and visits to cemeteries, with the surreal allure of the Huasteca region, by visiting unique collections at places including two Leonora Carrington Museums and Las Pozas, Edward James’ surreal garden in the jungle. Scroll down for a day-by-day breakdown of this magical journey.
List of Activities Per Day
October 29
Arrival and Transfer to the Hotel: Activities start at 6:00 pm at the hotel lobby, where we will gather for a night time city walk around San Luis Potosi’s Historic Center to enjoy the beautiful historic buildings, as well as a complimentary snack and drink.
October 30
City Tour of San Luis Potosi: Day time city tour, with guided visits to landmarks around the Plaza de Armas (town square) including the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the breathtaking Museo Regional Potosino, housed inside a building that used to be the San Francisco Convent, built in 1591.
Guided Visit to the SLP Leonora Carrington Museum: Located inside San Luis Potosi’s Centro de las Artes, a historic building that once served as a women’s penitentiary, the Leonora Carrington Museum houses the largest collection of works by the artist, with over 60 bronze sculptures on display on open spaces, as well as many of her painting and drawings.
October 31
On the Road to Xilitla: Departing early in the morning, we will head to the town of Xilitla, making a few stops along the way in cities like Ciudad Valles and Aquismon, visiting local markets, driving by local cemeteries, and becoming fully immersed in Huasteca culture.
Free night in Xilitla to enjoy its magical Xantolo celebrations, filled with colorful altars and ofrendas, public decorations, and shows by dance troupes all across town, including at the local cemetery. Our staff will provide assistance and suggestions. Experience the magic of Xantolo, Huasteco style!
November 1
Guided Tour of the Surreal Garden at Las Pozas: On this day, we will enjoy a guided visit to Las Pozas and marvel at the amazing surreal sculptures rising up from the Huasteca jungle. Included is a visit to the Museo Leonora Carrington Xilitla, where the inhouse Akus (guides named after guardian spirits) will help you explore the artist’s work. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
Evening of comparsas: You will get a chance to enjoy the dances, masks and colorful attires of the local dance troupes, called comparsas, and join the rest of the town in celebrating the souls of the departed on another magical Xantolo evening.
November 2
Last Free Morning in Xilitla: You are encouraged to explore the town further at your own pace, coming back to the spots and corners you enjoyed the most during the celebrations. After checking out of your room, our ground transport will pick us up and bring us back to San Luis Potosi.
Return to San Luis Potosi stopping for lunch along the way. Back in San Luis, you will get some free time to enjoy the day’s public activities, visit El Saucito cemetery, and do some shopping. Optional group activities will be offered by our staff on this last day of our tour.
November 3
Departure and Transfer to the Airport: The tour ends with an informal breakfast giving us a chance to share experiences, offer you a small memento to remember our experience, and bid our farewells. After breakfast, a car will transfer you to the airport for your departure.
Salvador Olguín is a writer and scholar who has focused much of his work on the visual culture of death in Mexico. His work has been published in print and online media in Mexico, Spain, Brazil, the UK, and the United States. He holds a master’s degree in Humanities and Social Thought from NYU. His first poetry book, La carabela portuguesa (The Portuguese Man O’War), received the Carmen Alardin National Poetry Award in Mexico. He currently lives in the Mayan Riviera.
October 29 - November 3, 2026 (Starts on the evening of October 29, ends on the morning of November 3)
$1975 single room / $3800 double occupancy; includes 5 nights hotel, airport-hotel transfers, ground transportation to destinations, museum admissions, guided visits, most meals, and other amenities. Airfare is not included. Please note: Refunds (minus 10% processing and administrative fees) are available until August 15. After this date, only 50% of the ticket price (minus 10% processing and administrative fees) will be refunded. No refunds available after September 1. Itinerary subject to change.
“Mexico is the most surrealist country in the world.”—Andre Breton
This fall, join Morbid Anatomy and Mexican scholar Salvador Olguín on an immersive trip to San Luis Potosi, where you will experience the festival of Xantolo, a surreal Dia de Muertos celebration best known for its wooden-masked dancers. Once a major silver-producing state, San Luis Potosi is located in the mystical Huasteca region of northeastern Mexico. There, the local Teenek (aka Huastec) people have long coexisted with the Nahua and Otomí, forging a distinct cultural identity that stands apart from other celebrated Día de Muertos centers, such as Oaxaca, Mexico City, or Merida. Xantolo celebrations are marked by parades of dancers from local troupes called Comparsas. Comparsa dancers wear amazing handcrafted wooden masks, and dress up as elders, locally known as "huehues," representing the spirits of the departed. Calaveras, Catrinas and devils are common costumes in the comparsas, alongside priests, politicians and different members of contemporary society, including characters from pop culture.
In the 20th century, Mexico emerged as a sanctuary for the Surrealist movement, attracting artists who were seeking to escape the horrors of the war and found inspiring landscapes and a thriving culture, eventually making the country their permanent home. During this period, the lush beauty of the Huasteca region captivated two outstanding figures: Leonora Carrington, one of the most prominent members of the movement, and her friend Edward James, an eccentric British patron. Seeking to realize a personal dream, James settled near the town of Xilitla to build Las Pozas, a sprawling, surrealist "Garden of Eden" made of concrete structures rising directly from the jungle floor. On this trip, we will visit two Leonora Carrington museums as well as Las Pozas to experience the work of these two surreal artists first hand, while learning more about the imprint this subversive movement left on contemporary Mexican culture.
For this year’s Xantolo experience, we will divide our journey between the city of San Luis Potosi and the small jungle town of Xilitla, aiming to combine the festiveness of Xantolo, its Dia de Muertos parades, comparsas and visits to cemeteries, with the surreal allure of the Huasteca region, by visiting unique collections at places including two Leonora Carrington Museums and Las Pozas, Edward James’ surreal garden in the jungle. Scroll down for a day-by-day breakdown of this magical journey.
List of Activities Per Day
October 29
Arrival and Transfer to the Hotel: Activities start at 6:00 pm at the hotel lobby, where we will gather for a night time city walk around San Luis Potosi’s Historic Center to enjoy the beautiful historic buildings, as well as a complimentary snack and drink.
October 30
City Tour of San Luis Potosi: Day time city tour, with guided visits to landmarks around the Plaza de Armas (town square) including the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the breathtaking Museo Regional Potosino, housed inside a building that used to be the San Francisco Convent, built in 1591.
Guided Visit to the SLP Leonora Carrington Museum: Located inside San Luis Potosi’s Centro de las Artes, a historic building that once served as a women’s penitentiary, the Leonora Carrington Museum houses the largest collection of works by the artist, with over 60 bronze sculptures on display on open spaces, as well as many of her painting and drawings.
October 31
On the Road to Xilitla: Departing early in the morning, we will head to the town of Xilitla, making a few stops along the way in cities like Ciudad Valles and Aquismon, visiting local markets, driving by local cemeteries, and becoming fully immersed in Huasteca culture.
Free night in Xilitla to enjoy its magical Xantolo celebrations, filled with colorful altars and ofrendas, public decorations, and shows by dance troupes all across town, including at the local cemetery. Our staff will provide assistance and suggestions. Experience the magic of Xantolo, Huasteco style!
November 1
Guided Tour of the Surreal Garden at Las Pozas: On this day, we will enjoy a guided visit to Las Pozas and marvel at the amazing surreal sculptures rising up from the Huasteca jungle. Included is a visit to the Museo Leonora Carrington Xilitla, where the inhouse Akus (guides named after guardian spirits) will help you explore the artist’s work. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
Evening of comparsas: You will get a chance to enjoy the dances, masks and colorful attires of the local dance troupes, called comparsas, and join the rest of the town in celebrating the souls of the departed on another magical Xantolo evening.
November 2
Last Free Morning in Xilitla: You are encouraged to explore the town further at your own pace, coming back to the spots and corners you enjoyed the most during the celebrations. After checking out of your room, our ground transport will pick us up and bring us back to San Luis Potosi.
Return to San Luis Potosi stopping for lunch along the way. Back in San Luis, you will get some free time to enjoy the day’s public activities, visit El Saucito cemetery, and do some shopping. Optional group activities will be offered by our staff on this last day of our tour.
November 3
Departure and Transfer to the Airport: The tour ends with an informal breakfast giving us a chance to share experiences, offer you a small memento to remember our experience, and bid our farewells. After breakfast, a car will transfer you to the airport for your departure.
Salvador Olguín is a writer and scholar who has focused much of his work on the visual culture of death in Mexico. His work has been published in print and online media in Mexico, Spain, Brazil, the UK, and the United States. He holds a master’s degree in Humanities and Social Thought from NYU. His first poetry book, La carabela portuguesa (The Portuguese Man O’War), received the Carmen Alardin National Poetry Award in Mexico. He currently lives in the Mayan Riviera.
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