Host your own intimate gathering or retreat with us.

We are excited to share our space with people looking to reconnect with themselves, the Earth, and original cultures.

Let’s join forces.

We are happy to share our space with values-aligned groups and want to make it smooth for hosts to create meaningful experiences. The types of gathering that would be best suited for our space and most aligned with our values are:

  • Gardening, herbalism & permaculture

  • Natural building

  • Detox & rejuvenation

  • Cultural immersions

  • Leadership & business

  • Self-development

  • Food & cooking

  • Women’s-empowerment

  • Art, Music & Creativity

  • Community Living

  • Friends or family gathering

About The Space

Casa Awänímä is a 2.5 acre property located on a mountainside with unique sweeping views of the mountains, volcanoes, and Lake Atitlan. The space has been designed with permaculture principles in mind. The many stone terraces and natural water features support the growth of fruit trees, herbs, and vegetables, which your group is welcome to eat, along with the fresh eggs from our chickens. The space is not too big and not too small: it’s perfect for an intimate gathering, with unique spaces for different activities.

The Perfect Serene Spot

We promote a healthy, wholesome lifestyle, free of substances so you can connect most deeply with the elements around. You can expect starry night skies, sunrise and sunset birdsongs, and delicious clean air. Guests consistently say they feel so peaceful and relaxed here, and that they felt the energy that’s been cultivated when they first stepped through the door.

Built with community in mind

Designed for group connection & communal living

The accommodations are spread out between the Main House (3 rooms with their own private bathrooms, shared kitchen and showers), Tzukasa (the casita with its own kitchen, bathroom, and deck space) and the Back House (2 rooms with shared outdoor bathroom).

There are also several communal spaces available for your group to use:

yoga deck

Best used as a movement platform and outdoor classroom space. It can fit 25 people seated in a circle, and 15 people with yoga mats. We have foam pads available for seating, and 5 yoga mats available, and some weights for workouts.

communal kitchen

Our outdoor communal kitchen has a wide-open space for group cooking and a connected deck that can seat 20 (currently under construction and will be finished July 2024). Pizza oven coming soon!

Tüj (temezcal) and cold plunge

Our earthen sauna fits 8 at a time and can be lit upon request. The cold plunge is always available for people to take a cool dip. The area has many herbs that can be used for plant baths and Tüj steams.

grassy area & fire pit

We have a spacious grassy area in the gardens that can be used as an outdoor classroom or activity space. We have woven mats we can put down for seating. The fire pit can be used for fire ceremonies, bonfires, or cooking. It can seat up to 20.

Accommodations

During high season (Dec-April), our space can house up to 20 people, and during low season (May-Nov), the max is 13 people sleeping on-site (unless people share beds). For the most comfort and spaciousness, we recommend group sizes between 10-15 people.

On the property we have 13 beds between 5 rooms and 1 casita. From December-May, we can add 3 glamping tents available with a total of 6 beds, and one camping tent with 1 bed, to make a total of 20 beds during high season.

It’s also possible to rent out nearby Airbnb rooms for additional sleeping arrangements.

Everything you need in one place

Private chef & meal-planning

washer and dryer on-site

hot water showers, towels, and filtered water on tap

Whiteboards & Reliable Starlink wifi

Fully-equipped kitchen for large groups

transportation & operations logistics

Fresh, nutritious food is a top priority.

We can help to source all the ingredients you’ll need, with a focus on finding the best quality foods possible. All of the produce is grown here in Guatemala and delivered fresh from the market! You can find coffee, microgreens, dairy, honey, eggs, chicken, sauerkraut, kombucha, sourdough bread, and cacao made here in Tzununa, and you can also harvest food that’s abundant in our garden. Most consistently available in the garden is malanga (taro root), passionfruit, pigeon pea, lettuces, berries, herbs, and eggs from our chickens.

You are welcome to bring your own chef to cook in our kitchen, or we can coordinate a local chef to prepare group meals during your stay.

Available Activities

We love sharing the local culture with guests, and these activities help your group to connect with Place. Thank you for supporting local empowerment and economic growth in this region.

We are happy to help arrange these activities for you.

  • Waterfall and mountain hikes

  • Ceremonial Limpieza in the Tüj (Temezcal)

  • Traditional Mayan Cooking Class

  • History of Tzununa & Kaqchikel Basics Class

  • Mayan Fire Ceremony

  • Traditional Weaving Class

  • Deep tissue massages & Mayan abdominal massage

  • Marimba Band

  • Cacao Preparation Workshop

  • Trip to San Juan to visit artisans and buy locally handmade goods

  • Trip to the San Marcos Nature Reserve

  • Local Trash Pickup

  • Delivering corn and basic food items to elders and widows in need

retreat spotlight

OBF Permaculture Immersions

Rooted in permaculture philosophy and designed around its three core ethics, our friends from One Big Family hosted three-week long sessions at Casa Awänímä. Welcoming people from around the world to the land, participants learned alongside practitioners in gardening, herbalism, natural building, and food.

About Tzununá

  • Guatemala is known as the land of eternal spring. The temperature is always comfortable: you can wear short sleeves and linen pants during the days and a sweatshirt at night. Sunny season is from mid-November through mid-May, which means sunny days and cool nights. In rainy season (mid-May - mid-November), the weather is humid and warm, with afternoon rainstorms and lush foliage. Highest temp: 80°F (27 C). Lowest temp: 55°F (13 C). Typical: low to mid-70s (23 C).

  • Tzununá has a local produce market in the town center as well as an ex-pat run kirtan and ecstatic dance on Sundays. There are a few cafes to visit, an herbal apothecary, a yoga center, and plenty of mountains and waterfalls to explore. We can advise on which particular activities we’d recommend for your group and find special ways to experience the place and culture.

  • Tzununa is a small pueblo and easily accessible by walking. You can hike nearby mountains and walk downhill to the town center. Tuk tuks and boats are easily available to visit nearby towns, and we can help coordinate group transportation.

Mindfulness & Giving Back

It is our mission to make a positive impact for the local community here, which means educating our guests on the customs and culture of the Kaqchikel people, as well as giving back as a token of gratitude for using these ancestral lands. We can explain more about this on a a discovery call and brainstorm ways for your group to be involved in making an impact.

Answers to Your Questions

  • Yes. If you rent the space, it’ll be reserved just for your group for the duration of your event.

  • We are located 3-4 hours away from Guatemala City Aurora Airport (GUA). You can take a taxi directly from the airport to our location, or you can take a taxi or shuttle to Panajachel, then a boat to Tzununa, and then a tuk tuk or car up to the property. Some groups decide to stay overnight in Antigua before coming to the lake, which breaks up the travel day and gives guests some time to enjoy beautiful Antigua. We are happy to help you coordinate arrival and departure for your guests with our trusted travel contacts.

  • You may see red alerts online warning of Guatemala’s safety, but it is not the reality on the ground here. Especially in rural areas, like where we are located, it is generally very safe. Of course, it is still recommended to practice normal precaution like not walking alone at night and being aware of your surroundings, as there can be petty theft and alcoholics out late at night. The place with the most active crime is in Guatemala City, but we don’t recommend spending too much time there anyway.

  • To reserve the entire property at Casa Awänímä, we ask a 25% deposit up front when you sign a contract with us. An additional 25% is due 4 months before your retreat start date and again 8 weeks before your retreat start date. Your final payment of 25% is due 6 weeks before your retreat. For a cancellation made within 8 weeks of your retreat start date, we cannot offer any refunds. Cancellations before 8 weeks out may incur admin fees.

Interested?

Let’s chat to see if it’s a good fit.