Field-tested in 2025. Built for the 2026 traveler with a short window to plan — and a real hunger to experience Día de los Muertos properly. I drove this route myself: Mexico City, Puebla, Tehuacán, and finally Oaxaca, chasing parades, cemetery vigils, and a small-town celebration that ran until sunrise. This guide is what I wish I'd had — not a polished highlight reel, but the whole trip: the wrong turns, the unexpected costs, the roadside surprises, and the moments that left me genuinely moved.

Inside this 36-page mobile guide:

— A full 10-day, hour-by-hour itinerary across two cities and several small towns

— The Mega Procesión de Catrinas in Mexico City, the Magna Comparsa and La Muerteada in Oaxaca, and the quieter cemetery vigils in between

— Regional maps built for walking and driving, not just sightseeing

— Honest safety notes, including a roadside incident I didn't expect and what I'd do differently

— A cheat sheet for the things that could actually derail your trip: money exchange, GPS pitfalls, rental car pricing traps, and more

— Clear notes on what I'd skip, what deserves an extra night, and what I planned for but never got to — labeled honestly, not dressed up as tested advice

This is the first release in Wander Well, a growing collection of guides for travelers drawn to culture, tradition, festivals, nature, and the stories behind a place — not the nightlife or the theme parks.