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Tour Overview
Embark on an authentic Maya adventure with a unique homestay in Guatemala. Immerse yourself in vibrant Mayan culture, learn traditional crafts, and savor homemade Guatemalan cuisine. This enriching experience includes a guided tour of historical sites and local markets, offering a deep dive into the heart of Mayan traditions. Ideal for cultural enthusiasts, this immersive journey provides a memorable connection to Guatemala's indigenous heritage, ensuring an unforgettable and genuine cultural experience. ...more ...less
Highlights
Stay in the authentic home of a local family
Get to know their customs and way of life
Enjoy a delicious homecooked dinner and breakfast
Itinerary
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Begin your Maya Homestay (D) It's time to begin your homestay experience! Tonight will also include a delicious home-cooked traditional dinner. You'll get a genuine insight into the everyday lives of a local family during your trip by staying with a family from the Kakchiquel Indigenous group in San Jorge La Laguna. Our partners started this home stay program in the village to give something back to the communities around Lake Atitlan, and also to give you a very genuine experience of living with a Maya local family to experience their culture and customs. This experience is very new to the village and families who welcome foreigners into their homes. As a responsible traveler, we as guests must be aware of and sensitive to the culture by behaving respectfully during our time with the family and in the village. Although shy at first, the villagers are very friendly and welcoming people. Make sure you ask permission to take photos of the people in the village since the Mayan community commonly believes a photograph will steal their soul. You will most likely find the housing situation in San Jorge La Laguna rather basic but the reason for participating in this home stay is to enjoy a real insight into Guatemala, so you can experience the culture firsthand and interact with the local community on a personal basis. We hope that you enjoy this very unique experience.
Day 2: San Jorge La Laguna, Guatemala
Location: Iglesia de San Jorge La Laguna
Meals Included: Breakfast
Breakfast and End of Homestay (B)
Enjoy a delicious home-cooked traditional breakfast from your host. Safe travels onwards!
What's Included
Accommodation
1N Shared basic accommodation and bathroom at local family home
Transport
Please make your own way here
Meals
1B/1D
Activities
Maya homestay experience
Guides
The tour does not have a guide
What's Not Included
Bottled Water
Small gift for local family
Transportation ($3 USD)
Mode of Transport
Please make your own way to the starting location. Transportation is not included in the tour package.
Accommodation
Enjoy a 1-night stay in a shared basic accommodation and bathroom at a local family home, providing an authentic and immersive experience.
Check out our Q&As
What should I bring as a gift for the local family?
It is recommended to bring a small gift for the local family as a token of appreciation.
What is the housing situation like in San Jorge La Laguna?
The housing situation in San Jorge La Laguna is rather basic, but it offers a real insight into Guatemala, allowing you to experience the culture firsthand and interact with the local community on a personal basis.
Is transportation included in the Maya Homestay Experience?
No, transportation is not included in the tour package. You will need to make your own way to the starting location.
Are meals included in the Maya Homestay Experience?
Yes, the tour includes one breakfast and one dinner, both of which are home-cooked traditional meals provided by your host family.
What should I be aware of when interacting with the local family and villagers?
As a responsible traveler, you should behave respectfully during your time with the family and in the village. The villagers are friendly but may be shy at first. Always ask for permission before taking photos, as the Mayan community commonly believes a photograph will steal their soul.
...more ...less
Will there be a guide during the Maya Homestay Experience?
No, the tour does not include a guide.
What is the purpose of the Maya Homestay Experience?
The homestay program aims to give back to the communities around Lake Atitlan and provide you with a genuine experience of living with a Maya local family to understand their culture and customs.
What type of accommodation is provided during the Maya Homestay Experience?
You will stay in a shared basic accommodation and bathroom at a local family home, providing an authentic and immersive experience.
Is there an age limit?
No! Most of our bamba travellers fall between the ages of 18 - 35, but everyone is young at heart and welcome to come experience the world with us!
If you are between the ages of 18 and 118, we invite you to travel with bamba and have the time of your life!
Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
Most of our trips cater to the adventurous independent traveller.
In fact, many of our travellers arrive on their own and quickly find that they easily meet like-minded people along the way at their hostels, on transportation, or during activities.
Do I need travel insurance?
We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your trip, especially when travelling in developing countries.
Bamba does not include travel insurance of any type.Your current medical insurance may cover part of your trip, so it is important for you to become familiar with your current coverage. We recommend purchasing additional travel insurance that provides coverage for medical emergencies, emergency evacuation and repatriation, lost or stolen items and unforeseen cancellations. If you plan to participate in activities such as white-water rafting, trekking, sand-buggy rides, etc please make sure they are included in your policy.
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Reviews of this operator
Jonas Nesset(Norway)
The company is exceptional. When...
Dec 10 2019
The company is exceptional. When I had questions, I always got prompt and professional answers. The excursions that Bamba organized were fantastic! Thank you once again for everything!
Shane Alce(United Kingdom)
For true explorers....
Aug 12 2019
For true explorers.
Marian Reder(Germany)
To this day, this is...
Oct 2 2019
To this day, this is the best tour we've ever done together as a couple! The fun activities, great hotels and nice guides worth the money! We were always taken care of and they made sure that we had a good time. This tour is definitely worth taking.
Tanja Ottosen(Denmark)
The Bamba Team really made...
Jan 9 2020
The Bamba Team really made my journey one of the most memorable experiences of my life! Still so nice and supportive! They handled everything and responded to each question within a few minutes. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. Especially if you want to do a lot of activities and travel to a lot of different places without feeling rushed. They've also helped me with specific issues that weren't covered by the tour, as well as answering general questions. Thank you so much for making my journey so enjoyable!
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Braiden Rowe(United States)
The tour was fantastic; I...
Feb 12 2020
The tour was fantastic; I was able to visit some of Japan's most beautiful locations, and the accommodations were excellent, with convenient access to the city's best attractions. Also, our tour guide was fantastic. I will pick bamba again and recommend the tour to anyone who wants to see Japan while having a good time!!
...more ...less
Aaron Davies(Australia)
I only have good words...
Oct 23 2019
I only have good words about our trip to Kenya. The entire experience was totally magical and I struggle to say how fantastic it was. We were fortunate enough to have a brilliant vehicle for ourselves, but we had great luck with David for our guide too. He was very knowledgeable, courteous and nice. Thank you for helping to create this fantastic safari experience. I Highly recommend this company.
...more ...less
Matteo Hoffmeister(Germany)
Bamba Experience has been the...
Jun 5 2019
Bamba Experience has been the best tour guide I've ever had. Every tour has been a thrilling experience. There are so many things to choose from. Bamba has been extremely helpful in providing us with all of the necessary information for our departures and activities! Bamba has made this a simple and enjoyable experience. I'll certainly tell my friends and family about it! Thank you very much, Bamba!!
...more ...less
Melanie Liu Chang(Australia)
We organized a trip through...
Feb 20 2020
We organized a trip through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia on the hop-on, hop-off bus. It made the trip so much simpler for us as first-time travelers because we just had to send an email to arrange the bus, which avoided the hassle of looking for the best price and so on! We also had a number of tours included, they were all amazing and saved us the trouble of trying to find the best offers on our own; it also meant we got to see a lot of stuff we wouldn't have seen otherwise.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience that I will strongly suggest and use again!
...more ...less
Marius Halvorson(Norway)
Our Bamba tour of Vietnam...
Jun 25 2019
Our Bamba tour of Vietnam was fantastic. We had a lot of new experiences and all of the help we needed to make this a stress-free vacation. The well-organized accomodation and transportation were excellent. We will certainly use Bamba in the future.
Alexis Helman(Australia)
I had booked our Uyuni...
Jun 25 2019
I had booked our Uyuni Salt Flats & Desert Adventure 3D/2N (Uyuni to Atacama) tour via an Australian travel agency, but they had made an error and refused to assist us or take responsibility. This was very difficult for us because we wanted to have a stress-free honeymoon. I contacted Bamba and I asked if we could talk on the phone so they made the improvements to our tour reservation that our travel agent declined to make. The quality of service was exceptional and they generously offered to us a complimentary gift because it was our honeymoon. I can't say enough good things about Bamba.
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Bamba Travel allows you to make 2 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 60 days before the start of the tour.
Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Bamba Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform bamba travel, 60 days before departure.
Low Deposit
Bamba Travel requires a minimum deposit of
20%
or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of bamba travel charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 15 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
Maya Homestay Experience 2D/1N
2 Days Starting in Panajachel, Guatemala and ending in Iglesia de San Jorge La Laguna, Guatemala
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