Easy Hike at Lake Atitlan – Lower Mayan Trail
This easy hike takes you along Lake Atitlan’s northern shore. Travel by boat to the villages of El Jaibalito and Tzununa with time to explore in each village. Includes nature walks through two ecosystems and a look at two different non-profit organizations in the area.
The day begins in Santa Cruz where you depart for the rugged north shore and the remote village of Tzununa. The north shore of Lake Atitlan has no true road access, so you will be hiking along ancient paths that have been used by the Kachekel Maya for centuries. You will view villagers going about their daily life, encounter farmers tending their maize and coffee fields, and see some of the most magnificent scenery in the world. This rugged and remote section of Lake Atitlan has barely been touched by the outside world. Our hike takes us several hundred feet above the ever changing waters of Atitlan for breathtaking views of the famous volcanoes. Then descend into the Pumpatin Canyon for a nature walk along the banks of the river. You will experience two different ecosystems as we walk from the upper lakeshore into the narrow canyon.
In Santa Cruz, you will some time to visit various projects in works. There are two non-profits working here: Amigos de Santa Cruz and Mayan Medical Aid. The first NGO, Amigos de Santa Cruz, helps with the primary school and in nutritional programs. We will tour the school, the school kitchen, a typical family home, and a vocational training center. A third medical clinic can be visited in Tzununa, funded by the Castillo Foundation. We can see all of these and then walk down to the lakeshore to meet the boat for the return trip. Meals & refreshments not included.
$60 per person (2 person minimum). Half day trip available for $45 (2 person minimum).
