Mayan Permaculture

Mayan Permaculture Workshop and Volunteer Project

A Lodge-Based Service Learning Adventure

Through seminars and hands-on practice you will understand Mayan Permaculture Basics. This course takes place near and around Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. As part of the program you will get to participate in small projects that aid in infrastructure and sustainability improvements.

BASIC PROGRAM PROFILE

Dates: November and June
Duration: 7 Days (with 14 and 17 Day Options)
Location: San Lucas Tolíman, Guatemala
Price Includes: all program-related travel (except airfare), lodging and all but one dinner on your own. 7, 14 & 17 Day costs based on group size and dates. Contact Us for details.
Program Type: Permaculture Workshop and Service Learning; Local Exploration; Active and Occasionally Strenuous
Meals: Organic and Abundant. We can accommodate most dietary issues. All but 1 dinner included.

ALSO

• 70/30 English and Spanish; English Translation Services Provided; Having Spanish Language Basics is Helpful.
• Lodging type: Typically cabins and hosterias. Family stays possible. Group options, too.
• Passport Required
• See recommended clothing and gear list for comfort & preparedness.

ITINERARY
The Basic 7-Day Itinerary in Guatemala

(Contact us for a detailed Itinerary and for 14 and 17 -Day options)

Day 0 – Departure from Your Country; Meet Facilitator at Guatemala City Airport; Transfer to San Lucas Toliman

Day 1 - Mayan World View and Permaculture
+ Mayan calendars and Mayan worldview
+ Ancestral Knowledge
+ Traditional Mayan Ceremony
+ History of Guatemala, socio-political context

Day 2–Introduction to Permaculture
+ What in the World is Permaculture?
+ Why is it Important?
+ History, ethics, characteristics, and principles of Permaculture.

Day 3 – Natural Ecology and the Ecosystem of Lake Atitlán
+ Hiking through the only first-­-growth forest of Lake Atitlan (Mount Iquitieu)
+ Learn about natural and cultivated ecosystems, ecology, microclimates, soils, flora, fauna, and nature’s patterns.
+ Visit local community projects that practice sustainable agriculture
+ Tour of Ijatz ecological center; soil and water management practices

Day 4 – Permaculture and Aquaculture Applied
+ A visit to the community of Quixaya to learn about cultivated ecosystems, climate change, and its consequences on the people and the land.
+ Swimming in the Quixaya River
+ Learn about aquaculture, food production, land conservation, and forest gardens.

Day 5 – Water Day!!
+ Water conservation and water sanitation
+ Boat Tour to study lake ecosystems and how they affect the surrounding communities
+ Visit to local organic farm (Atitlán Organics)
+ Hike to Waterfalls of Tzununa

Day 6 – Practical Applications
+ All-day hands-on application of what has been learned so far through a practical project of choice
+ Building a banana circle / making instant gardens / composting / setting up a vermiculture station).

Day 7 – Return to Guatemala City and visit to Iximche Archaeological Site
+ Iximche Archaeological Site
+ Wrap-up and goodbyes

As Featured in Moon Guide To Latin American Service Learning