Join us at the magical Lake Atitlan, Guatemala for
our REVIVE Wellness & Healing Retreat
8 -13 January 2019
Immerse yourself into 5 days of wellness and healing on Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Our REVIVE retreat invites you to explore and experience different practices, techniques and ceremonies to realign and rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. An opportunity for you to release and recharge and help you to reconnect with your full potential.
We have lovingly created this retreat with a diverse programme of various yoga practices, breathwork, massage, guided meditations, chanting, ecstatic dance, chakra rebalancing and sound healing . Complemented by different ceremonies – a heart opening cacao ceremony, a deep cleansing Mayan sauna ceremony and traditional fire spirit ceremony. Plus we will nourish you daily with a fresh organic vegetarian/vegan meals and give you time to explore the local area and experience the rich Guatemalan culture.
You will be staying at the Eagle’s Retreats, an unforgettable hideway located in the hilltops of San Marcos, with breathtaking panoramic views over Lake Atitilan. Its comes with an epic outdoor workshop space, an indoor yoga shala and lounge, large terrace and kitchen area and a beautiful Mayan sauna. Accommodation is based on simple living, using natural building and permaculture principles, ranging from shared cabins, a dormitory or individual tents. There is easy access to the town centre and surrounding areas on foot or by tuk tuk.
We can’t express how excited we are to bring you this retreat and help you restore, rebalance and feel fully revived. This is a happy collaboration between Mahara Holistic & Malakai Wellness, together we are an experienced international team who are passionate about wellness, healing and travel.
Book now to reserve your place.
Inquires & Bookings
hello@malakaiwellness.com
What’s the price?
5-night package price starting between 499 EUR (flights & airport transfers excluded)
What’s included?
• Stay at the panoramic Eagle’s Retreats with a choice of simple living accommodation, ranging from shared cabins, a dormitory or individual tents. With Wi-Fi (if you really need it) available across the property.
• Use of large outdoor workshop space, an indoor yoga shala and lounge, large terrace and kitchen area and a beautiful Mayan sauna.
• A diverse wellness & healing programme with:
– Daily Yoga (Hatha, Vinyasa or Restorative Yin)
– Pranayama and breath work
– Guided mediations & chanting
– Massage therapies & workshop
– Chakra healing
– Sound alchemy
– Ecstatic dance
• Complementary ceremonies & extra activities
– Heart opening Cacao ceremony
– Deep purifying Mayan sauna ceremony
– Traditional fire spirit ceremony
– Guided hike and swim in Lake Atitlan
– Local cultural tour
• 3 x daily vegetarian meals with either a light snack mid-morning or afternoon. A fusion of traditional Guatemalan traditional food and/or international cuisine. Special vegan and gluten free on request.
San Marcos, Lake Atitlan – The Local AreaSan Marcos La Laguna is a traditional Guatemalan village inhabited by the Cakchiquel Maya people (3000 inhabitants). It is located on the shores of the incredibly picturesque Lake Atitlan, and is surrounded by three monolithic volcanoes named San Pedro, Santiago and Toliman. In the distance (50km approx.), Volcán de Fuego (Fire Volcano) reminds us every 30 minutes or so that mother earth is alive and powerful by releasing a plume of smoke (and occasionally erupting spectacularly).
“Downtown”, is filled with cafes, restaurants, shops and healing centers, and is about a 10/15 minute walk from Eagle’s Retreat. If you want to catch the boat or “lancha” to another lake town, you would need to walk on to the public dock at the end of the main pedestrian path to the lake.Over the years San Marcos has become famous as one of the Meccas for spirituality in Latin America.
Accommodation & Facilities
All accommodation is on-site and custom built with mostly natural building techniques:
• Simple living
• Inviting light and views into the spaces
• Enabling of our digital lives, plugs located in abundance
• Wi-Fi available throughout most of the property (90% reliable and 5Mbps)
Choice of accommodation
• Rustic Cabins – double or single beds, shared occupancy, 3, 4 or 8 people cabins
• Dormitory – bunk beds, shared occupancy, max of 12 people
All dwellings share:
• Outdoor compost toilets. 6 toilet units in two locations.
• Outdoor showers (cold ). 6 shower units in three locations.
• Safety deposit boxes (most secured by padlock – bring your own!).
• Dorms and tents have access to 18 safety boxes located in an area common
Main facilities
A community and shared space and facilities for all dwellers, this includes:
• Open deck workshop area
• Indoor lounge and yoga shala
• kitchen and terrace
• the Mayan Sauna
Prices
Depending on your budget:
Option A – 599 EUR
Rustic Cabins – double or single beds, shared occupancy
Option B – 499 EUR
Dormitory – bunk beds, shared occupancy,
Payments & Conditions
• Early bird discount of 100EUR if you book before 30 June 2018.
• 50% deposit at booking and remaining 50% by end October 2018.
• Refunds will be considered unless urgency matters. Every request will be studied and treated personally.
Additional Activities & Services*:
• Extra guided tours and excursions
• Additional wellness treatments
• Laundry and ironing service
*All of the above mentioned additional activities services are of extra charge and can be consulted before or on arrival at the retreat.
Not included: Airfare to Guatemala and airport transfers. We can help you arrange your travel transfer from Guatemala city or Antigua to San Marcos.
GENERAL INFORMATION (Q&As)
Arriving at Eagle’s Retreats
There are two main public (or private) ways of arriving:
1. By boat (called “lancha” in Spanish) from Panajachel (the main arrival hub for Lake Atitlan to which you would get a tourist shuttle from Antigua – multiple daily).
2. By direct shuttle to San Marcos (Shared tourist shuttles available from Antigua twice daily 9am and 2pm departures).
We can arrange for shared pickups directly from Guatemala City Airport (Aeropuerto “La Aurora” – Guatemala City – GUA) – USD30 per person, minimum 5 passengers/USD150 – travel time 4hrs.
PLEASE REQUEST IN ADVANCE. If you are flying into Guatemala, we recommend you allow a few days to visit Antigua Guatemala (Eagle’s Retreats can offer very beautiful homely accommodation options there also), an awesome colonial city and UNESCO world heritage site – the operational headquarters for the Spanish Conquistadores during the times of the conquests. Making Antigua your first stop will mean your travel time from the airport to Antigua ought to only be 1 hour (if the traffic is light). You can then plan to travel on to San Marcos La Laguna from there with a direct shuttle operated by the travel agencies (USD10 one way, 2 departures per day 9am&2pm – travel time 3.5hrs), or by organising a private shuttle with us (USD25 per person, minimum 5 passengers).
Climate & Weather around Lake Atitlan
The climate consists of two main seasons: dry (November to May) and rainy (May to November). In September/October the rain begins to lighten. Rain generally falls in the afternoon for a couple of hours. It is usually sunny most days of the year (including during rainy season, in the mornings). Temperature ranges between 20-28 celsius during the day and 10-20 celsius at night. During the months of December, January, February and March you will need warm clothing for the chilly evenings. It never freezes. Lake Atitlan is located at 1500m/5000ft above sea level. Guatemala is considered to be in the tropics at a latitude of 14° North.
Visa requirements
You will need a CURRENT PASSPORT for your trip to Guatemala 6 months valid after your travel to the country. No vaccinations are required to enter the country. Flight to Guatemala: La Aurora (airport code: GUA).Many nationalities do not require tourist visas and will be given a 90-day stay upon entry (although proof of travel OUT of the country may be necessary), though citizens of some countries do need visas. For stays up to 180 days, individuals can apply for an extension as they approach their initial 90 days of stay at the immigration office in Guatemala City.
Drinking Water
In Guatemala in general, the water from the faucets is safe for showering and other necessities but is not safe to drink. In our case, the water comes from a spring, and is, in principle safe. Nonetheless, we recommend you drink only water that has passed through one of our water filters. There is clean, fresh, purified water provided in the dining room – where a water filter is at your disposal to fill up your glass/bottles. Ice (when used) is also made from clean, fresh, purified water.
Safety in Guatemala
Though in recent years people have been advised to travel to Guatemala with caution, the Lake Atitlan area hasn’t been affected by heavy crime. Petty thieving happens occasionally, as happens in many places in the world. Violence is located in other regions of Guatemala, mainly in Guatemala City.
Money / Cash / Credit Cards
There is ONE cash machine in San Marcos, although unreliable. Best you get cash from a bank in Antigua, Panajachel or San Pedro (nearby lake town). The most reliable way we recommend to get cash is by going inside the bank and asking for a cash advance on your credit or debit card. ATM/Cash Machines are plentiful, but sometimes unreliable (there have been a number of cases when it does not disburse the cash, yet charges the account – leading to having to create a claim with your bank). US dollars, Guatemalan Quetzales (GTQ) and credit cards are accepted at Eagle’s Retreats, for paying for any services or extras you may purchase there. San Marcos businesses generally only accept cash, although some do take credit cards. Best you come with enough cash for your stay here (or take a trip to San Pedro, 10 minutes boat ride, for bank withdrawal).
WiFi
There is Wi-Fi access throughout the property. Should repeater signal fail, come close to the main house, where the main signal gets broadcast.Cellphone Service Depending on your carrier, you will most likely have cell service. It may be cheaper for you to buy a local SIM, depending on your intended use. There are a number of networks to choose from. TIGO provides the best coverage. If not, you can use Skype.
Tips & Gratuities
The staff at Eagle’s Retreats are heart centered! You should find them friendly and helpful! They are either international (the managers are paid) or volunteers (on a work exchange) or locals that come from San Marcos La Laguna. They do very much appreciate gratuities to supplement their income.
Power Adaptor
Guatemala uses standard American outlets. Toiletries & Hair Dryer Please bring the toiletries you feel are necessary for your stay. A number of locals and resident foreigners make organic body products that are delightful. Some of these products will be available for purchase at Eagle’s Retreats, alternatively you can find them for sale in town. Hair dryers are not allowed at Eagle’s Retreats, as we operate on solar energy and they take too much power.
Immunisation
Hepatitis A and Typhoid are present in Guatemala, although fairly unlikely – especially if you drink purified water and consume produce that has been properly disinfected. These are the two potential recommendations (consult your doctor if concerned). Malaria, Dengue and Zika are considered present in Guatemala, although highly unlikely at these altitudes of above 1500m/5000ft. The recommendation is avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes (cover yourself especially during sunrise/sunset period, use mosquito repellant).
MALAKAI 