Lake Atitlan: The Caldera – RY Marketplace

Marketplace

DESCRIPTION
Take a weekend break, three days and two nights to the majestic Lake Atitlan, upon arrival you will have an orientation walk around Panajachel, having the option for dinner and bar hop.

Next day we will head out to San Marcos la laguna and enjoy a Swim at a nature reserve, we enjoy a small hike, so be prepared to sweat before a refreshing swim and  optional walk through the tiny pathways of the town famous for its alternative retreat style vibe. Afterwards you will be visiting San Juan la laguna. We will head out to a women’s cooperative in which they have rescued the ancient Maya dyes to color their textiles, this is rescuing the ancient Maya culture before your eyes. We also visit a local chocolate factory owned by locals who get the cacao from the coast, then enjoy a local lunch at a Cooperative in which they help the community giving people with disabilities an option to work and be part of society. This is a unique lunch experience as we give back a small token of appreciation to this town.

The next day we visit Chichicastenango to have a traditional lunch with a local healer and his Family. The aim here is not the market, but visiting local family and going back in time with their knowledge and stories, first of all we will walk up to the ritual mountain of Pascual Abaj, sacred to the Maya past and present and have a Maya Ceremony. This ceremony is a blessing for our journey here in Guatemala and its a great way to seal this experience.  We will also have a traditional lunch served by Miguel and his family members after the ceremony.  After this, we continue on route to Antigua, back to the Colonial city and being dropped off at our Apartments.

This experience is perfect for nature lovers, people who love culture and traditions, a laid back time and people who like textiles and shopping. We see some of the different towns around the lake with their unique traditions.

ITINERARY
DAY 1
Morning
Depart Antigua. 2.5 hours afterwards we arrive to Panajachel. Upon Arrival we check in to our hotel and then have the option of visiting the town.
Afternoon
After visiting the main Calle Santander, we can head out to the zona viva of town and have a drink at one of the local venues, Pana as the locals call it is a very laid back vibe to it. 
Evening
Evening is free to explore the town, and get a bite to eat at a local restaurant.

DAY 2

Morning
We depart by boat to the southern part of the lake, where we visit 2 towns. San Marcos la Laguna and San Juan. Upon arrival to San Marcos, we have a small hike included before our swim, as the Cerro Tzankujil, is a ritual mountain with great view points. After our small hike, we enjoy a relaxing swim in this volcanic Caldera with 3 volcanoes on it! The lake is quite chilly for locals its about 10 to 15 degrees celcious so perfect temperature to refresh yourself and continue on this journey.
Afternoon
We head to San Juan la Laguna, we walk to our lunch stop which is included as well, this is where we give back a token of appreciation to the lake and the community as the restaurant where we have lunch helps out children with disabilities in the town, giving them work opportunities. A very unique experience. Afterwards we visit the town, as its famous for womens painters, Chocolate factories that are amazing to the senses as they do everything from chocolate from soaps to creams to varieties of traditional chocolate all for you to enjoy. And last but not least Textiles and coffee!!! After we head back on our private boat back to Panajachel.
Evening
We are in back in Pana with a free evening to enjoy the sunset and views and head out to the town for a meal and a drink.

DAY 3

Morning
We depart to Chichicastenango, we have a Maya Ceremony and have lunch with a traditional healer and his family then head back to Antigua.
Afternoon
Is having lunch with the family enjoying the traditional house and ambience, then heading back to Antigua, which is 2 hours away from Chichicastenango.
Evening
Free evening upon arrival

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Food – Breakfast on day 2 and 3
Food –  local Lunch on day 2 and traditional lunch on day 3
Local Guide at the lake for the 2 towns with private boat
Entrance fee to Reserve at San Marcos
Transportation – Round Trip including boats to visit the towns
Walking Tour walking around the towns
Accommodation in shared same-sex rooms

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

Food – Day 1 does not include meals. Day 2 does not include dinner, Day 3 does not include dinner
Tips for vendors
Extra Food
Extra Drinks
Drinks

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Difficulty Level – Easy
Special clothing required – Athletic
Special clothing required – Warm weather could rain in the afternoons as well. Dress for cold hot and sunny weather
Special clothing required – Will get dirty 

HOST INTRO 

We have a team of guides, for this tour we will use a local guide from Atitlan, to visit the 2 towns on day 2 and the lunch at Chichicastenango. They have the inside knowledge and are from the lake. which makes the experience unique as they have a lot of Expats and Americans who do tours around the lake, we stick to the locals

MINIMUM TO OPERATE

5 people

MAXIMUM CAPACITY 
30 people

DEADLINE TO BOOK
15 days prior to the start of the experience

What is the refund policy?

For questions concerning refunds, please email [email protected]. Please note most bookings made within 24 hours are fully refundable. Bookings made outside the 24 hour policy are not eligible for a refund. Please keep in mind, we will automatically refund bookings that are disrupted by extreme weather conditions, last minute cancellations from our suppliers or the minimum number is not met by the booking deadline.

What happens if my booking is changed/cancelled due to weather?

We’ll control the weather. Just kidding! Remote Year can’t control the weather or many other factors that go into planning events. In the event of a change due to weather, the City Manager will do their best to provide a make-up option. Due to last minute changes and busy monthly schedules, we cannot guarantee it works for everyone but we’ll do our best! If you are not able to attend the make-up date(s), we will fully refund your booking.

I have a discount or gift code, can I use it to complete my purchase?

Yes, once you add your item to your cart and check out, you will be able to input the code before completing the purchase. If you need help finding your code, please double check your inbox. You received an email from Marketplace with the code.

Can I book for a friend / family member?

Yes! We welcome your friends and family coming to visit you while you travel the world. Please refer to our Friends and Family policy: Friends & Family (visitors of active Remotes and active Citizens) may be granted access to private Remote Year events, Local Experiences, Side Trips, Community Events, Local Amenity and Services at an extra cost determined by the Marketplace or City Team. Remote Year reserves the right to deny access to Friends / Family who are over using Remote Year services. To avoid abuse of services, non-active Citizens, op-out Remotes, or Remotes who have left a Program can not use services as Friends & Family of Active Remotes or Active Citizens.

I haven’t received a booking confirmation email, can you help? If I cannot attend, can I transfer my ticket to someone else?

Yes, you may transfer your ticket to another Remote, Citizen or Family/Friend. Please notify the City Manager as soon as possible to confirm the change. Please note, in the case of special dietary requirements, we might not be able to accommodate special requests on last minute changes. Any bookings that require advanced ticketing linked to an individual’s ID might not be approved.

I’m not currently an active Remote Year participant, can I still book?

As a non-active Remote or Citizen, you forego access to any private Remote Year events including Core Experiences, Local Experiences, Community Events, Local Amenity and Services through the Marketplace. Exemptions will be made on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the City Manager.