—The DÍa de los muertos
(day of the dead) Retreat—
A special yoga+cultural experience
w/ Willis Johnston
in the heart of México
Oaxaca city, Mexico
Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2026
3 ROOMS LEFT!
The vibrant city center, culture, food, art, ruins, incredibly moving artisan routes, and marvelous nature come together to create an experience of Mexico that forever changes one’s heart.
There is a reason why Oaxaca is known as the Heart of Mexico, and in this Day of the Dead Edition of the Oaxaca Retreat, you have the chance to experience Mexico’s culture and traditions like never before!
Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a uniquely Mexican celebration that honors and remembers those that have left this realm, and it is said that during this holiday our loved ones come back to visit us. During this celebration, Oaxaca City comes alive with parades, ofrendas (the altars the call loved ones back with vibrant flowers, photos, and their favorite foods), celebrations, gatherings, art, and more.
This retreat will give you the opportunity to really immerse yourself in/understand this special celebration, while joyfully remembering those you love that have moved on.
This is a super inclusive retreat and a deep dive into the culture, art, food, and sights that have put Oaxaca on the map as one of the MUST SEES of Mexico and the world.
Our home base will be a beautiful and traditional Mexican home, with en-suite rooms, gorgeous common areas, and a lovely terrace for our yoga practices. The house is situated in the heart of the city center, just 5 blocks from the main square, so in your free time you will have the easiest access to all the shopping, sightseeing, and world class dining your adventurous spirit desires.
We will have a food tour on the first full day of the retreat with our Netflix-famous guide, where we will eat like a local and get familiar with your surroundings! Taste more than 24 typical Oaxaca foods at the 3 main markets and street food stalls, while we talk about culture, history, gastronomy, traditions and walk through the city.
To celebrate Day of the Dead, our local hostess with the absolute mostest, Lorena, will help us make a group Altar at the house, so that our loved ones might find their way to us! We will use photos, foods, flowers, incense, and other items to create a moving representation of vibrant life that keeps on living, even beyond our physical plane.
Expect a face painting party with Mezcalitas (Mezcal cocktails), or mocktails, while we transform into Calaveras/Catrinas—the iconic symbol of day of the dead.
We will respectfully visit the public cemetery celebrations the night of October 31 with a local guide, where people gather with food, music, stories, and offerings. Contrary to most people’s connections to these spaces, Day of the Dead turns the local “panteones” into a welcoming place of joy and celebration for the gift of life.
When not strolling the streets and soaking up the magic of Oaxaca City and the Día de Muertos Celebrations in town, we will be on one full day tour to the Zapotec village of Teotitlan del Valle, where you will meet local artisans that work both in textiles and beeswax candles, as well as make lunch with a local family and experience their way of celebrating Día de Muertos, seeing their altars, etc.
At the end of our final meal at the house, we will have a private, intimate, in-house candlelit serenade by local singer that sings both in Spanish and Zapotec languages.
While this retreat is full of exciting and interesting activities and tours, you will still have plenty of free time to shop, check out restaurants+cafes on your list, partake in other tours that call you, or just simply wander the city with an openness to whatever magic comes your way!
This is a retreat with culture and exploration at its center. Even if you, a partner, or a friend do not want to practice yoga, all will have an UNFORGETTABLE time.
The magic you will experience…
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
—6 nights stay in a traditional property in the heart of Oaxaca City, close to it ALL.
—Coffee, tea, pre-practice fruit and post-practice breakfast daily,
except for the included food tour day—we will start early and eat often!
—Welcome dinner at the casa.
—Closing dinner at the casa, followed by an evening, candle-lit private concert by a local singer,
who sings both in Spanish and Zapotec.
The other meals are on your own so that you can get your grub on in this amazing food-lover’s destination.
—Daily Yoga practices.
—Group Activity of building a traditional Ofrenda in our house to invite our loved ones back with fragrant and vibrant flowers, food, photos, and more.
—Calavera/Catrina facepainting cocktail/mocktail party.
—Guided journey to attend the public Día de los Muertos cemetery celebrations.
—Group walking food tour through Oaxaca City’s best street stands and markets.
—Day trip to the village of Teotitlán del Valle to meet textile artisans and beeswax candle makers..
—Lunch with a family in Teotitlán to hear more about their Día de los Muertos celebrations, altars, etc.
—Mezcal tasting
—Good people. Good Vibes. Human connection.
Not included:
—Airfare to/from Oaxaca City airport (airport code OAX).
There are some great, nonstop flights to OAX available from the US from Dallas, Houston, LA.
—Meals outside of the included breakfast, two dinners, and food experiences.
—Transportation to/from our house airport. There are easy and affordable airport taxis
and it is just a 20min ride.
—Tips and Gratuities for house staff
Expected group size: 14.
PACKAGE PRICES
(all in USD)
—Shared Double in Principal Suite (spacious, king bed, sunken sitting area)
—$2400 per person.
—Shared Double in Jr. Suite (spacious, king bed)
—$2350 per person.
—Shared double occupancy—$2,200 per person
(Couples share queen bed, or two friends share separate queen beds)
—Private single*—$2900
(Queen bed. Only 2 private rooms available)
—Shared triple occupancy—$1900 per person
(two people must share a queen bed, one person in another queen)
—Shared quad occupancy—$1,500 per person
(two queen beds with two people in each bed)
*private rooms are limited in availability
all rooms have their own private bathroom
If you want a shared option, you must provide your roommate(s).
PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
To secure your spot, a non-refundable deposit of $800usd per guest is required.
important: your deposit is confirmation that you have read our terms and conditions.
Please specify room category at time of deposit.
Remaining balance due no later than Sept. 15, 2026.
The final balance is non-refundable.
Payments can be made through any of these methods (ordered by preference):
—Wise App is by far the most preferred method. Deposit here.
—Bank Transfer (inquire for info.)
—Zelle willisjohnston@gmail.com
—Venmo @Willis-Johnston (last digits 9295)
(friends + family to avoid fees—all fees will be at the expense of guest)
Any fees taken out by Venmo or other methods will be at the guest’s expense and applied to final balance.
Please choose friends and family options if asked.
**Due to the financial responsibility of the retreat host for booking and holding the property, all payments are non-refundable once paid. For this retreat, both the deposit and final payment are 100% non-refundable/non-transferable.
It is recommended that the traveler has a travel insurance policy in the rare event that cancellation on the traveler’s end is unavoidable (Squaremouth is a great way to find a good travel policy).
for any questions, inquiries, or to reserve your spot, please email
willisjohnston@gmail.com
