We are a family of four with a 9 and 7 year old and spent 2 very full days with Jim on the Village Boat Tour and the Upper... read more Rim Hike. The two trips covered different parts of the lake and provided good contrast to each other. It would be hard to recommend one tour over the other, you can't go wrong with either and doing both is worth 2 days of your time. Our kids did well on both days; there is so much variety in activities during the trips that the kids never got in a rut. We appreciated Jim's willingness to answer all of our questions, his patience with the kids and his flexibility to adjust the itinerary (E.g. ice crème stops, bathroom breaks, and extra kid playtime). For an active family, these trips more than met our expectations and resulted in a unique and memorable adventure. We have so much respect for the Mayan people after this intimate experience.

  James and his crew made me feel very comfortable and safe as a female solo traveler. Before my trip to Lake Atitlan he had provided me with an itinerary of... read more our Village tour day and made several suggestions to enhance my experience. He also arranged transportation for me from Antigua. I'm not a fan of "touristy" tours and James did not disappoint as he showed me traditional Mayan ways and we stayed away from "touristy" places on the tour. I was very impressed with his knowledge of the Mayan culture; but even more so respected his heartwarming relationships with the locals. It was fun to see locals smiling when they saw him, as that is not always the case being on international tours. I loved being introduced to the Mayan women weavers, their talents shining brightly as they wove beautiful products with their back strap looms. I also enjoyed sipping the coffee from locally grown coffee beans and sampling delicious chocolate from locally grown cacao. Another highlight was meeting a beautiful Mayan family as they welcomed us into their home. The next morning I enjoyed an amazing sunrise from the top of the "Mayan Nose". This was a guided hike that James had suggested and arranged for me. Henry, our Mayan guide, told us Mayan folklore as the sun majestically appeared in the background of the Fuego volcano’s red glow at the summit. It was an amazing experience and one I highly recommend for the adventurous traveler.

  James and his crew made me feel very comfortable and safe as a female solo traveler. Before my trip to Lake Atitlan he had provided me with an itinerary of... read more our Village tour day and made several suggestions to enhance my experience. He also arranged transportation for me from Antigua. I'm not a fan of "touristy" tours and James did not disappoint as he showed me traditional Mayan ways and we stayed away from "touristy" places on the tour. I was very impressed with his knowledge of the Mayan culture; but even more so respected his heartwarming relationships with the locals. It was fun to see locals smiling when they saw him, as that is not always the case being on international tours. I loved being introduced to the Mayan women weavers, their talents shining brightly as they wove beautiful products with their back strap looms. I also enjoyed sipping the coffee from locally grown coffee beans and sampling delicious chocolate from locally grown cacao. Another highlight was meeting a beautiful Mayan family as they welcomed us into their home. The next morning I enjoyed an amazing sunrise from the top of the "Mayan Nose". This was a guided hike that James had suggested and arranged for me. Henry, our Mayan guide, told us Mayan folklore as the sun majestically appeared in the background of the Fuego volcano’s red glow at the summit. It was an amazing experience and one I highly recommend for the adventurous traveler. …

  We found growyourowncure.com on Trip Advisor. James was quick to respond to all my emails and offered a personalized tour for my husband and I. Upper Rim hike is great.... read more Downhill but still a work out. About 4 miles long. You'll take a van up to the top and walk down. Great views. You'll wind through a pine forest, terraced farms and finally the home on the hill of lower Santa Catarina. Private tour well worth it. We also did the boat villages tour another day with James visiting San Juan and San Pedro. Felt like we were off the tourist track. Entered homes of the Mayans - as James has a good relationship with them. …