Welcome Packet: Harmonic Heart Retreat
LOCATION: CASA FLORESTA, GUATEMALA
Welcome! We are excited you are here.
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 the map here.
For arrival, please take the public boat service from San Marcos or Tzununa, 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 its about 3 minutes), or from Panajachel it should be Q25/USD$3.50 and will take around 35-45 minutes, dependent on weather and number of stops along the way. Private boat service is also available for Q250/ USD$35 (see the contacts below).
See more information below for Travel Arrangements.
ARRIVAL: (Accommodation Allocations will be shared 7 days prior the the retreat)
For those with Accommodation options, please arrive directly to Casa Colibri between 2.30-3.30 pm so you can be settled in before arriving next door to Casa Floresta at 4pm for us to begin our retreat together. Genevieve, the manager of the property wil be present and she will show you know where you are staying. Her number is +50248260471 if you need support or would like to extend your stay you can check directly with her. Once settled in, walk out of Casa Colibri and left to the stair entrance of Casa Floresta, come up the stairs and wait outside the Temple.
For those with Accommodation options at Casa Floresta, please arrive directly to Casa Floresta dock between 2.30-3.30 pm. Leave your luggage on the dock (its safe don’t worry), walk to the left along the beachfront, then up the grand stair entrance and come and find us by the Temple at Casa Floresta. Ask for our manager Maria and she will show you to your cabin with your luggage.
For all Offsite participants (finding your own accommodations in San Marcos la Laguna) please arrive between 3.30-4pm to Casa Floresta for us to begin our Opening Ceremony at 4pm sharp. Arriving to Casa Floresta dock, walk to the left along the beachfront then up the grand stair entrance (do not go straight up or you will be at Casitas Aurora). There will be a private boat arranged for offsite participants to take you back to San Marcos la Laguna after our evening activities. If you are not staying in San Marcos you will need to pay the boat driver directly any additional costs to go to Tzununá (Q125) or any other direction as the driver charges.
ALL STUDENTS: Please arrive to Casa Floresta between 3.30-4pm.We will begin our opening circle at 4pm together.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
For 5 nights:
Shared Accommodation - $1495 USD
Private Accommodation - $1795 USD
Casa Colibri (shared accommodations) or Casitas Aurora (private accommodations), all 1-5min walk from Casa Floresta along the lakefront.
Tuition & Food Package Only (Off-site) - $995 USD
All inclusive of course and 2 daily vegetarian meals, and snacks at Casa Floresta.
OFFSITE STUDENTS; Please arrange your accommodations as soon as possible. We highly recommend our new Boutique Hotel and Spa Kula Maya as a luxurious option, located on the lakefront in San Marcos, 1 minute walk from the public dock. Or see our Neighbouring Accomodations in Pasajcap for rent from our neighbours for more economical options.
See cancellation/transfer policies here.
FURTHER PAYMENTS DUE
Balances are due to be settled 60 days prior to the retreat, you wil be invoiced at this time and asked to settle the balance via credit card or bank transfer. For payments sent via bank transfer please be sure to send confirmation to info@forestpath.co.
WHAT TO BRING:
- Comfortable clothing
- Bathing suit for swimming & sauna
- Sarong/towel for lake/outdoor showering
- Toothbrush, toothpaste & soap (natural)
- Natural insect repellent & itch soothing cream (if you are prone to bites)
- Sunhat & sunscreen (natural)
- Blankets/shawl to keep warm - it's nice to have layers so you can be comfortable when temperatures shift
- Reusable water bottle
- Journal and pen
- Instruments if you wish to share music
- Sacred objects for your own altar if you wish
- Healthy, natural snacks if you feel you may need something between meals
WEATHER:
Weather in San Marcos La Laguna is usually very mild. Most days the temperature is around 17-24 degrees Celsius, however due to the altitude here at Lake Atitlån (1500m), nights can be as low as 8 degrees.
Guatemala has a dry season (November to April) and a wet season (May- October) each year. July and August are often also dry with a break in the rains. Please pack accordingly for stays during the wet season.
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 training program begins. If you arrive the day before, you have a few options:
Option 1 PRIVATE TRANSPORT: You can arrange private transport from the airport to Panajachel with Martha Herrera via WhatsApp +50230730413. She will connect you with a driver, send you their ID and car registration for your safety and be monitoring your travel. She is highly recommended. She can also arrange a private boat for you from Panajachel to Casa Floresta directly. From Pana, the option for you is to either take the public lancha (boat) to Casa Floresta (Q25, 45mins) or a private boat (Q250, 15 mins). You will pay the car and boat drivers directly.
Option 2 SHARED TRANSPORT: 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 2 minute boat ride from San Marcos, and a 45 public minute boat ride from Panajachel.
Arrival Day: Please aim to be on a boat to Casa Floresta/Casa Colibri, Pasajcap between 2-3pm. If you have booked shared accommodation, please go directly to Casa Colibri and settle in to your room (the manager will be there to show you). Please arrive or come next door to Casa Floresta between 3.30-4pm. We aim to begin our orientation and commencement of the retreat at 4pm.
TRANSPORT CONTACTS:
Private Cars to/from Airport/ City/ Antigua)
Martha; WhatsApp +50230730413
Private boats to/from Pana)
Esteban: WhatsApp +50245982482
Daily Schedule:
8:00 - 9:00 am Morning Practice
9:00 - 9.30 am Smoothie & Tea Break
9.30 - 11:00 am Morning Workshop
11:00 - 1:00 pm Brunch
1:00 - 3:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 1
3:00 - 3:30 pm Snack
3:30 - 5:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 2
5:30 - 6:30 pm Dinner
6:30 - 8:00 pm Evening Activity
DEPARTURE:
Departure will be after breakfast on the 10th, around 10.30am. Accommodations must be vacated by 11am.
HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS NEAR AIRPORT:
Hyatt Centric, Westin, Hotel Dos Lunas, Hostel Villa Toscana, Mariana's Petit Hotel
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.
WHATSAPP GROUP
If you are already in San Marcos or plan to be in the area prior to ceremony 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
If you have any other questions or concerns about preparing for your Harmonic Heart Retreat, you can email us at info@forestpath.co. We are excited to be in song with you very soon!