Yoga & Wellness Retreat:
Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
I’m partnering with Nova Retreats to bring you this special Adventure into the magic of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding areas for a week of dynamic movement, heart-expanding community, and cultural immersion. Lake Atitlan is surrounded by a vortex of volcanos. It is known for its healing and mystical properties that seekers and believers feel upon arrival. The lake lies in the heart of an ancient volcano’s caldera, which filled with water after its final eruption 85,000 years ago. “Atitlan” in Nahuatl means “the place where the rainbow gets its colors.” Lake Atitlan and its surroundings make it the perfect backdrop for healing and transformation.
Jan. 29, 2022 – Feb. 5, 2022
As we kick off the 2022 New Year, in this retreat we will set the stage for getting real — intentionally quieting the noise from the outside world to hear clearly, our own inner voice. Expect to leave behind the accumulated pressures of life back home, and make space for the things that truly tug your heart and ignite your soul’s flame.
Want to learn more about Villa Sumaya? Visit their website here
Explore. Dream. Connect. Grow.
The hills and volcanoes around the lake offer dense forests, where hiking can be practiced without problems, allowing for the observation of a wide variety of birds, from timid little woodpeckers, to the Quetzal, the National bird. Leisurely pass from daily yoga, meditation, and wellness classes, hiking, kayaking, and reading in lakeside hammocks for hours on end.
Your experienced retreat leaders Diala and Hawah have traveled the globe to practice, learn and teach yoga. You can count on them to share their vast knowledge of yoga while supporting you with laughter and attentiveness on this fun adventure.
This is a trip that will expand your world view, and even the view of your self. An experience that introduces you to new people, new beginnings, and contagious joy, bringing hope in a sometimes dim-seeming world.
A deposit of $300 will save your space on this retreat! During booking, you will have the option to “add-on” a private room for $400 extra.
Room Options
- Maya Rose – $2160
This cozy lakefront double room is close to the main courtyard. This gives easy access to the pool, restaurant, and yoga shala. You will have one roommate, or you can upgrade to a private. Each room has a small outdoor space. - Junior Ginger Suite – $2230
Nestled in the trees, these boutique bungalows feature splendid panoramic views of the lake. These offer more privacy, and each has its own outdoor patio. You will have a roommate, or you can upgrade to a private. They are about 50 steps from the courtyard. -
Ginger Suites – $2330
These are our most luxurious accommodations with majestic lake view balconies and elegant antique furnishings. The suites require a climb upstairs. 60-80 steps. You will have one roommate, or you can also upgrade to a private.
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
- 7 nights accommodation in the beautiful lake front Villa Sumaya Retreat Center (see video below)
- 3 abundant vegetarian meals per day. Buffet Style
- Daily yoga – Two yoga classes per day, (one active, one gentle) taught by your Instructors
- Group tour through the local town Santa Cruz
- Mayan Fire Ceremony
- Guided journaling and meditation
- Group Hike to Pico De Cielo, with vista view of Lake Atitlan
- Cacao Ceremony
- Transport to and from Guatemala City Airport. The airport you want is (GUA) Aurora Airport in Guatemala City.
A group shuttle is included in your retreat to make it on the shuttle your flight must land before 2pm on January 29th, and for the shuttle back you must depart no earlier than 1pm on February 5th.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:
- Flights (to and from GUA) Guatemala City
- Optional Add on excursions – Kayaking, Cliff-jumping, and other tours and hikes can be paid for onsite, and run on average $60-90
- Onsite Spa charges separately for services
Your Guides
Hawah Kasat
Retreat Teacher
Hawah Kasat has dedicated his life to teaching about solutions to violence and ways to peace and has traveled to over 42 countries to facilitate interactive workshops, dialogues, perform poetry, and teach yoga. In the year 2000, he co-founded “One Common Unity,” a non-profit that inspires a culture of non-violence through arts, music, and education. Hawah has authored 4 books, produced 3 documentary films, 2 musical CDs, and is the creator/ editor of “The Poetry of Yoga” book anthology that features Grammy award-winning musicians and master yoga teachers. Hawah has been teaching yoga for nearly 20 years and has led yoga, wellness, and culture retreats around the world to places like Bali, Nepal, Iceland, and Peru. In his spare time, Hawah enjoys: finding new foods to mix with chocolate, climbing trees and buildings, doing handstands on furniture, hiking through mountains with flip flops, body surfing ocean waves, making animal sounds and bird calls, enjoying a glass of wine at high altitude, lighting candles in dark rooms and traveling.
Diala Hamed
Retreat Teacher
(E-RYT 500) Raleigh native Diala was introduced to yoga in 2011 while earning her B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics. After a few classes, she noticed a shift in her mind and body. This shift sparked her curiosity about the philosophy of yoga, and lead her to complete her 200-hour YTT in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. In an immersion program, she studied the practices which ultimately help us become our most humble and content selves. In November 2018 she earned her 300 hr certification at Akhanda Yoga School in Rishikesh, India. She has since taught and participated in yoga across the globe in over 10 countries, across Europe, Asia, and Australia. She spent ten days in silent meditation (Vipassana) in New Zealand to better understand her mind. Yoga has taught Diala to ride the waves of life instead of trying to fight them. She believes wherever you are in your practice is always enough, but when you’re ready she’ll give you the extra push you need to pass your expectations.
