Lake Atitlán, Guatemala · 6 Nights/7 days

This retreat is an invitation to slow down and return to yourself in a place that naturally holds that energy.

Lake Atitlán is unlike anywhere else. Surrounded by volcanoes and small villages that each carry their own rhythm and traditions, there’s a quiet depth here that you feel almost immediately. The pace softens. The noise fades. And something within you begins to settle.

We’ll be staying in the village of Tzununa, a quieter corner of the lake where nature and daily life move more slowly. Our space is immersed in greenery, with views of the water and mountains, creating an environment that supports rest, reflection, and presence.

Throughout the week, the experience unfolds gently.

Mornings begin slowly — perhaps with movement, perhaps with stillness — followed by time to nourish, to journal, to sit with yourself. There is no pressure to be anywhere or do anything. You’re invited to move through the days in a way that feels natural to you.

We’ll spend time both within the space and out on the lake, exploring nearby villages and connecting with the culture that lives here. From the colors and textures of traditional weaving, to time spent by the water in San Marcos, to the quieter, more unseen moments — this experience is as much about feeling the place as it is about seeing it.

There is a strong presence of tradition here — Mayan culture, ritual, and a deep relationship to the land. These elements are woven into the experience in a way that feels respectful, grounded, and real.

This retreat is about creating space to listen, to feel, and to come back into a simpler, more honest connection with yourself.

You’ll leave feeling more grounded, more clear, and more connected — not because anything was added, but because something unnecessary was able to fall away.

Our home for the week is The Seed Habitat, located in the quiet village of Tzununa on the shores of Lake Atitlán.

Set across 2.5 acres of land, The Seed has been slowly and intentionally developed over several years — shaped by the land itself, with a focus on sustainability, simplicity, and connection to nature.

The space blends traditional Mayan building techniques with natural materials like adobe, bamboo, and wood, creating an environment that feels both grounding and thoughtfully designed.

Everything here is made to support a slower rhythm.

You’ll have access to:

• A rooftop yoga shala overlooking the lake

• A traditional Mayan temazcal (sauna)

• A natural plunge pool

• Spring water sourced from the mountain

• Edible and medicinal gardens throughout the property

Tzununa itself is one of the quieter villages around the lake — known for its balance of local life and a growing community centered around wellness, sustainability, and conscious living.

Staying here allows you to fully step away from distraction and settle into the experience — held by both the space and the natural beauty surrounding it.

Lake Atitlán sits high in the Guatemalan highlands, formed long ago by a massive volcanic eruption that created a deep caldera now filled with water.

Today, it’s surrounded by three volcanoes — San Pedro, Tolimán, and Atitlán — and a ring of small villages, each with its own rhythm, traditions, and way of life. The lake itself is one of the deepest in Central America, and its waters shift constantly in color — deep blue in the morning, softer and reflective by evening.

There’s something about this place that people always try to describe and usually can’t fully explain. Maybe it’s the way the light moves across the water. Or how still it becomes in the early morning, before the boats begin to pass. Or the way the air feels — clear, grounding, almost quiet in a way that’s hard to find elsewhere. Life here moves differently.

Days are shaped by the sun, the lake, and the land — not by urgency. You notice things more. You slow down without trying.

For centuries, this region has been home to Indigenous Maya communities who have lived in close relationship with the land, the lake, and the surrounding mountains — seeing nature not as something separate, but as something to live alongside and learn from. That presence is still felt here.

Being here isn’t just about seeing something beautiful — it’s about feeling it.

I’m a retreat host, yoga teacher, and creative, and over the past few years I’ve been building a life centered around slow travel, wellness, and creating meaningful experiences in places that feel deeply connected to nature.

Hosting retreats is something I’ve felt called to for a long time. I remember first hearing about retreats while traveling and feeling like it was something I wanted to be a part of — but not fully knowing how or when that would happen.

Over time, that curiosity turned into something more real.

Through my own experiences — traveling, learning, cooking for retreats, studying yoga and Ayurveda — I began to understand the kind of spaces I wanted to create.

Spaces that feel warm, grounded, and intentional.
Where people can arrive as they are, without pressure to be anything else.

My approach isn’t about rigid structure or perfectly curated schedules. I create a thoughtful flow for the week, but I also leave space for things to unfold naturally — for the group to connect, for conversations to happen, and for each person to have their own experience within it.

I care a lot about how things feel — the energy of a space, the pacing of a day, the small details that make people feel comfortable and held.

During the retreat, I’ll be there to guide practices, support the overall flow, and hold space but also to experience it alongside you.

Chiko is a lifelong student and fellow explorer on an over a decade-long road of self-inquiry and world travel.

A creative, and practitioner across genre and modalities; he listens, and guides through  grounding, music, and mindfulness practices that aid in presence, balancing the mind and body, and finding flow in a demanding world.

He joins this special edition of Anila to support this group, exchange in knowledge and understanding, and learn together while being present in all there is to see, hear, and feel, among the beauty of Lake Atitlan and its people.

Arrival + check-in

• Dinner

• Welcome Ceremony & Sound Bath

• Morning yoga + breakfast

• Morning Ritual Workshop

• Juicing Workshop

• Free time

• Evening: Traditional Mayan Cacao Ceremony (2 hrs)

• Early departure

• Sunrise paddleboarding

• Explore San Marcos + Nature Reserve

• Lunch out

• Return + free time

• Dinner

• Light morning meditation + fruit

• Optional Mushroom Experience (daytime)

• Afternoon integration + rest

• Evening: Yoga Nidra / integration circle

• Morning yoga + meditation

• Breakfast

• Free morning (rest, journaling, nature)

• Lunch

• Afternoon: Optional wellness treatments (massage, bodywork)

• Free time (temazcal + cold plunge)

• Optional evening practice

• Dinner

• Morning yoga + breakfast

• Trip to San Juan

• Textile workshop

• Explore town + lunch

• Return

• Closing Fire Ceremony

• Morning yoga / meditation

• Breakfast

• Closing circle

• Departures