The Vanishing Way of Life Tour

The Vanishing Way of Life Tour takes our guests deep into the Mayan Culture of Lake Atitlan and Chichicastenango.

Guatemala tourism has become commercialized, Tours offered by large tour companies do not offer guests the opportunity to experience the way of life of the Mayan Culture. Chichi market days have become an event on Thursday and Sunday where hundreds and on someday thousands of tourists flock to the market.

Lake Atitlan is Mayan Culture in the purest form. Traditional Mayan Clothing and the colors representing each village and the history of that village, a way of the women to be recognized by the clothing unique in color and patterns representing each village.

“Maya” is a modern collective term for the peoples of the region, however, the term was not historically used by the indigenous populations themselves. There was no common sense of identity or political unity among the distinct populations, societies, and ethnic groups because they each had their own particular traditions, cultures, and historical identity.

The Maya people are known for their brightly colored, yarn-based, textiles that are woven into capes, shirts, blouses, huipiles, and dresses. Each village has its own distinctive pattern, making it possible to distinguish a person’s home town. Women’s clothing consists of a shirt and a long skirt.

Ceremonial cacao is a very popular drink, which refers to a cacao grade that is evaluated by the quality and source of the bean, the process of making cacao, and the intentions that go into making it. … It is 100% pure cacao made from roasted and ground whole shelled cacao beans.

Chichicastenango hosts market days on Thursdays and Sundays where vendors sell handicrafts, food, flowers, pottery, wooden boxes, condiments, medicinal plants, candles, pom and copal (traditional incense), cal (lime stones for preparing tortillas), grindstones, pigs, and chickens, machetes, and other tools.

Among the items sold are textiles, particularly women’s blouses. Masks used by dancers in traditional dances, such as the Dance of the Conquest, are also manufactured in Chichicastenango.

The Vanishing Way of Life Tour

Why I decided to name a tour, The Vanishing Way of Life, the Mayan Way Of Life in a way is Vanishing. In part tours offered seldom take quests into the heart of the Mayan Culture. Canned tours, visit the same villages in Guatemala. Offer travelers not knowing the difference between what is perceived as the Mayan Culture and history.

Over the years we have offered different tours for our Guests, small groups, taken into the homes of Textile Weavers, Cooking with Teresa in her home, Henry her son leading sunrise morning hikes to the Mayan Nose for stunning views. Hike where you will never see another group of tourists.

In the chichi market we never take quests on Market Days, the market exists every day, however, Chichicastenango is an important part of the Mayan Culture. Few guests have the opportunity of observing Mayan Priests performing ceremonies at the cemetery.

Guatemala is known for coffee production, the farms tucked away around Lake Atitlan offer those with the desire to taste a true cup of amazing coffee, right from the farm, not from a shop in a village.

If you are the type of traveler who avoids the large tour companies and would enjoy the opportunity of spending time with us and exploring the vanishing way of life of the Mayan Culture we offer such an experience.

We started Grow Your Own Cure ten years ago with the idea of providing Mayan Healing Workshops and Courses, since that early beginning the Mayan healers and priests have educated us on the real Mayan Culture.

If you are interested in learning more send us an email to whereisguatemala@gmail.com or WhatsApp 502 4467 9981. Tours are offered to smaller groups, this allows those to have a hands-on one-of-a-kind experience.

Our tours are all-inclusive, shuttle services from Guatemala City Airport, your choice of accommodations, and meals. Our guides and those you will meet have lived on Lake Atitlan all their lives.