Retreat guest welcome packet

LOCATION INFORMATION:

Lake Atitlán is one of the natural wonders of the world. Casa Floresta is located lakeside in Pasajcap, between San Marcos La Laguna and Tzununa, directly next to the well known Casa Colibri. You can see the location on google maps here.

ARRIVAL:

We recommend a private boat arrival for your group, with two dock drop offs depending on where you are staying. For those assigned to rooms at Casa Floresta & Aurora, Casa El Amate or Pasajcap Rentals, please use the Casa Floresta dock, for those staying at Casa Colibri, Colina & Colinita, please arrive directly to Casa Colibri dock. If we are coordinating your private boat arrival, we will have staff available to help bring luggage to rooms.

Maria +502 3266 8065 is the manager of Casa Floresta, she is available to help at any time during your stay.

Cristian + 502 4262 2712, and Genevieve +502 4826 0471 are the managers of Casa Colibri, and one of them is living onsite at all times. If you need support during your stay or would like to extend your stay you can contact directly with them via WhatsApp.

For individual arrivals, please take the public boat service from San Marcos or Tzununa (runs every 15 minutes in both directions), simply ask the boat driver for Casa Floresta, Pasajcap, the cost is Q5-10 from either town (best to have small change, and sit at the front of the boat as you will likely be the first drop off). If you are coming from Pana, it should cost Q25.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

For those staying at Casa Colibri, Casitas Aurora & Casa El Amate, please understand we are not responsible for the quality of these accommodations, but have done our best to make sure you will be as comfortable as possible for your time in retreat at Casa Floresta. We have arranged alternate day housekeeping service for your comfort in your rooms and bathrooms at our neighbouring properties.

Please do not drink the tap water, or brush your teeth with tap water, there is drinking water provided in all of the houses.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

Make your flight arrangement: Plan to arrive into Guatemala City Aurora (code GUA) International airport. From there, please keep in mind that it is still a half day journey to Lake Atitlán, so be sure to arrange a flight to arrive one day prior to the day the retreat begins or a flight that arrives before midday. If you arrive the day before, you have a few options:

Option 1: You can arrange transport from the airport to Panajachel or San Marcos la Laguna with Martha Herrera, WhatsApp +502 3073 0413, she offers a great service.

Option 2: From the airport take a shuttle straight to Antigua Guatemala (they leave every hour) and stay in a hostel/ hotel in Antigua for the night (see recommendations below). Antigua has great restaurants, markets, nightlife and is a safe tourist town. From there, take a collective shuttle for the earliest departure the next morning at 8am sharp (arrange at any travel agency the night prior - they are everywhere) and begin your journey to either Panajachel or San Marcos la Laguna on the lake in order to arrive by 1pm. We are a 2min boat ride from San Marcos, and a 45min boat ride from Panajachel.

Arrival Day: Arrival day; please aim to be at Panajachel or San Marcos by 2pm or earlier. We recommend having lunch in either town before taking a boat around 2-3pm to arrive to Casa Floresta. Earliest group check in time is 2pm.

Lunch Recommendations: We recommend Amo at Kula Maya in San Marcos or Deli6 Indian Food or Deli Jasmin in Pana.

Departure Day: We will serve a continental breakfast at 9 or 9.30am on the final morning. Check out is 10am from accommodations and 11am from the Casa Floresta Temple. Departure is 11am from the property, we will help arrange a private boat for your group.

Schedule your flight out of Guatemala either in the late afternoon/evening (after 6 pm) of the last day of the program (Private shuttle would be necessary to arrive in time), or stay a day or two extra around the lake or explore Antigua.

There are collective shuttles leaving San Marcos each day at 2.30pm for Antigua, arriving around 6pm, spend a nice night or two exploring Antigua and then take a collective shuttle back to the airport for your flight. Alternatively, there are collective shuttles leaving Panajachel at 12pm and 4pm each day. We recommend

TRANSPORT CONTACTS

Martha (private cars to/from Airport/ City/ Antigua) WhatsApp +50230730413

Esteban (private boats to/from Pana) WhatsApp +50245982482

Xocomil Tours (collective & private shuttles to/from Panajachel/City/Antigua- WhatsApp +502 3127 4935

TRAVEL PREPARATION (VISA & VACCINES):

Your Guatemalan Tourist Visa (valid for 90 days) will be given to you at immigration once you've arrived in Guatemala. Depending on your nationality you may need a return flight out of the country to be presented at check in for your flight.

No inoculations are required to enter Guatemala, but it is always best to talk to your doctor and check out the Center for Disease Control website for information about recommended vaccinations.

FOOD

9am Breakfast snack

11am Brunch

2.30pm Afternoon Snack

5.30pm Dinner

See our Menu here to know what you will be eating!

We serve clean healthy vegetarian food that is prepared with love. All of our produce, cutlery and cookware is washed in filtered water, however there is always a chance of getting sick in Guatemala for a variety of reasons. Please consider bringing with you a good dose of probiotics, grapefruit seed extract, wild oregano oil, activated charcoal or other travellers sickness medicine.

We serve primarily vegetarian field to the plate cuisine and can accommodate allergies, gluten free and vegan restrictions. If you need a lot of protein or snacks outside of meals times, we suggest that you bring them with you.

Please let us know about any food allergies, dietary requirements etc. on arrival.

LAUNDRY SERVICES

Casa Colibri offers a washer/ dryer laundry service for Q50/US$8 per load, you can give your washing to the housekeeper Blanca.

Laundry service is offered for US$10/Q75 per load at Casa Floresta.

For any delicates please hand wash yourselves and only hand over items that can be machine washed and dried.

Please bring natural and organic toiletries as much as possible, being lakefront means that we must be more responsible than ever for the health of our precious Lake Atitlán.

INTERNET

Casa Colibri WIFI password is Colibri888.

Casa Floresta WIFI is Casa Floresta, password Floresta.

LOCAL CURRENCY / ATM

It may be useful to have some cash on you for trips around the lake or into town, we would suggest at Q1000 (US$130) budget for eating out, boat rides, pikcing up some small souvenirs or gist like cacao and coffee for loved ones. There is an ATM in San Marcos, but it is often out of cash, we suggest getting money out at an ATM at the airport or in Pana. The market exchange rate is Q7.5- US$1, but it will varying slightly depending on your bank.

PACKING LIST

Guatemala is referred to as the Land of Eternal Spring, the weather is comfortable year round, and more rains happen in May/June and September/ October. It feels hot in the day and cool at night by the lake.

Swimsuit and sarong for lake swimming
Sunscreen and hat
Journal and/or Notebook (Pens/Pencils)
Yoga or movement clothes
Comfortable hang out and warm clothes for nights
Sandals/Flip Flops & Walking Shoes
Toiletries (Organic & Biodegradable - including hand & body soap, shampoo, toothpaste)
A Moon cup for your moon cycle if needed
Probiotics, Activated Charcoal and or any other appropriate preventative medicine
Eco Water bottle
An eye mask
Ear plugs if you are a light sleeper in shared accommodations

Please leave behind; Plastic bags or water bottles and anything that will become trash.

CAsa Floresta Massages & Body Work

We have a range of therapists and healers on call for remedial, deep tissue, integrative and intuitive massage, thai massage, reiki, sound healing, and various modalities. You can find out more about our healers and therapists via our wellness menu.

CASA floresta events GROUP

If you are already in San Marcos or plan to be in the area prior to the retreat please join the Casa Floresta Events WhatsApp group to be able to visit our Temple for many beautiful offerings rotating all the time such as Sound Ceremony, Yoga, Breathwork, Sacred Sweats etc; https://chat.whatsapp.com/L1dq0fPXrZy6tWXRldHaV3

Welcome to casa floresta