Etnica
- Email address verified
29 reviews
Duration: 8 days
Group size: 1 - 4
About this trip
Highlights of Spanish Immersion
Accommodation
Transportation
Meals
Packing List
Booking & Cancellation Policy
What’s included
- AccommodationSingle / double room depending on package booked.
- Airport transfersShuttles and taxis arranged to get you to/from the airport.
- Ground transportationPrivate/shared shuttles will take you between destinations.
- Spanish learning program5 days of 4 hour Spanish lessons in a community school in the town of San Pedro la Laguna, Lake Atitlan with certified, native, Spanish-speaking teachers.
- Specified MealsIncluded meals are noted in the itinerary: B= Breakfast, BB=Box Breakfast, L= Lunch, BL= Boxed Lunch, D= Dinner
- Interactive itineraryReal time itinerary available on an app. Includes recommendations for every destination, maps and direct chat with our team.
- 24/7 AssistanceIn country assistance in English during the whole trip.
What’s not included
- International flightsBook your flights to/from La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City.
- Travel InsurancePrepare in case of any medical emergency, international flight issues or situation where you may require coverage and assistance.
- Tours and activitiesUnique experiences available daily. Ask us for recommended tours and additional options available.
- DrinksDrinks are not included during meals on day trips and tours.
- Boat transfersWe'll give you the pointers for moving like a local in the Lake Atitlan public boats. If you want a private boat let us know in advance.
- Tips and gratuitiesAsk about our tipping guidelines so you can consider this in your travel budget.
- Not specified meals
- Personal expenses
Itinerary
Day 1
Bienvenidos! Welcome to the land of eternal spring (-/-/-)
Your Organizer
Etnica
29 reviews
At Etnica we invite you to discover culture by experiencing it and encourage you to interact with local communities and learn about the traditions and cultural heritage that make them unique while you discover Guatemala and southern Mexico. We design tailor-made experiences, tours and workshops with local operators and families in their beautiful surroundings. If you are a hands-on travel enthusiast; we welcome you to learn from the best and participate in real and authentic cultural encounters.
Reviews
TC
I recently completed a trip to Guatemala with Etnica Travel. My guide and trip organizer was Pablo and we traveled together through Antigua, Lake Atitlán, and Río Dulce. As a single guided traveler, I was looking for an itinerary that was specifically curated for my interests in Maya Cosmovision, community-based tourism and development initiatives, and experiences in nature. Etnica delivered an amazing experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life. At no point did I feel uncomfortable in Guatemala, even during my free times and free days throughout the trip without Pablo. I knew from a previous trip taken with Etnica to the Yucatán in 2024 that there would be not only a structure to each day, but that there would also be room for improvisation and spontaneity during my time in the country. This balance was greatly appreciated because it allowed for more organic connections with community members that moved beyond the typical touristy and sanitized experience, into the cultivation of a space that was inspiring, invigorating, and warm. I am deeply looking forward to my next trip with Pablo and to Guatemala. Thank you Etnica and Pablo for sharing your country with me!
By Tanner C for Maya Cosmovision & Spirituality - Tanner on Jul 27, 2025
Etnica was easy to deal with and responsive: The three tours they arranged for me were very good: Antigua food tour: Antigua coffee tour; and Guatemala City walking tour.
By Howard S for Adventures around Guatemala (Howard Stoller) on Apr 04, 2025
So the journey through the jungle was incredible. When you walk through an area and cover 90 km in five days you are able to understand the following.
First of all, the structure of the trees is very specific and all the trees communicate with each other.
Second, you understand what were the maximum distances that people could travel in those years between the cities they had built.
Third and very important, you understand why our society today is in a state of decline. We are in a state of decline because we are not in harmony with the natural environment. The Maya, possibly due to the destruction of the forest, changed the climate of the area, causing drought. The drought in turn brought a lack of water and this led to the extinction of the civilization they had built.
This information that we possess experientially, few people in society know, and those who are in positions of power within society and govern it, are in a position to hold the keys to our needs.
By Georgios F for 5 Day / 4 Nights El Mirador Trek on Mar 30, 2025
Amazing tour! Truly a one of a kind experience. Angel and Luis were amazing. In this tour you learn not only about coffee, the ideal conditions for coffee to grow etc but you get to see and experience what life is like for the coffee farmers. Angel and his family are so warm and kind. Our translator Luis did an amazing job. Best tour we have ever taken. They go as far as telling us how the cost of the tour breaks down. THIS TOUR IS A MUST IF YOU ARE IN GUATEMALA!
By Jeff M for Coffee experience from bean to cup on Jan 10, 2025
This was a wonderful cooking class! The guide was very knowledgeable and cooking instructor was excellent. I learned several new cooking techniques and the food was delicious.
By Beth P for Local Cooking Class - Beth Payne on Nov 15, 2024
References
I had a truly incredible experience in Guatemala - and I have Pablo and the Etnica team to thank for it! Pablo worked closely with me to design a custom trip for my friend and me, taking into consideration our logistical preferences, interests, time window, and budget. As the primary planner for my friend's and my trip, I was in frequent communication with Pablo, and I was impressed by his expertise, professionalism, warmth, and dedication. It is clear that he is passionate about what he does, and wants his travelers to experience the best of what Guatemala has to offer! During our trip itself, everything was smooth, efficient, and executed perfectly, from airport transfers / transportation, food and cultural recommendations, and comfortable, conveniently-located accommodations. All of our guides were incredibly friendly, treating us like friends rather than "tourists"; in fact, I felt that my interactions with the locals were perhaps the best part of this whole experience. At the end of the trip, I remained in Guatemala solo, while my friend returned to the states. During this time, I continued to take tours and explore Guatemala per Pablo's recommendations, and I felt safe, met incredible people, and gained a huge appreciation for the culture and people. I will recommend Etnica to my friends and family with great enthusiasm, and I can't wait to return! Thank you for everything, Pablo! -Kim from NYC
By Kim T on 21 Apr, 2023
I traveled as a teacher with students and can say with full sincerity that our tour guide, Pablo, exceeded every expectation I had for the trip! Not only did my students see beautiful tourist attractions and learn about the history of those places, but the best was them having multiple opportunities to meet and spend time getting to know people and their different ways of life all across the country. Having chaperoned educational tours with various companies, I can easily say that this one facilitated the best cultural learning and human connections for myself and my students. Many thanks, Etnica, for the experience and the memories!
By Emily H on 31 Aug, 2022