Lake Atitlán and its volcanoes seen from Villas del Carmen

Oct. 31 – Nov. 7, 2026 · Lake Atitlán

The Magic of the Maya

Name: The Magic of the Maya
Start: 2026-10-31
End: 2026-11-07
Location: Villas del Carmen

There are places in the world where ancient wisdom is not history—it is still alive.

Magic of the Maya Retreat

Fundamentals of the Life of the Ancestral Maya

Join us for seven unforgettable nights on the shores of Lake Atitlán as we step into the living traditions of the Maya through ceremony, cosmology, food, storytelling, nature, and community.

Hosted by a Maya Tz'utujil spiritual guide and a Guatemalan wellness practitioner, this intimate retreat offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from the people, practices, and landscapes that continue to carry this wisdom forward today.

Dates: Oct. 31 – Nov. 7, 2026
Duration: 7 nights · 8 days
Location: Villas del Carmen · Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
Guides: Thomas Mendoza Cholotio & Sofia Mileti

Like so many beautiful things, this retreat began as a dream—a wink from the Universe and a thread that needed to be followed— with curious minds and open hearts.

The first seeds were planted in the afterglow of a sacred fire ceremony—everything radiated with the mystery and fullness of the experience, still covered in the smoke that spoke of ancestors and folklore. Through the reflection of the beauty of these traditions and the power of sharing them, the vision began to emerge…

Later, the offering grew clearer and the dates were selected using the wisdom of the Maya sacred calendar, and the journey had began.

Meet the facilitators

Your Facilitators

Your guides are two Guatemalans, from very different backgrounds, but with the same intention and dream for the future. Together, they invite you into a rare opportunity to learn directly from the living spiritual traditions of the people of Lake Atitlán and rest in the beauty of nature.

Thomas and Sofia work in natural rhythm. There is an ease and joy to it, as though they have been weaving beauty side by side for lifetimes. Creating this retreat is a sacred, heartfelt offering that they are honored to share with you.

Thomas Mendoza Cholotio

Maya Tz'utujil spiritual guide (Ajq'ij)

From an early age, Thomas was immersed in the teachings of his ancestors, witnessing ceremonies, healings, prophecies, and sacred practices that shaped his understanding of life and spirituality. As he grew older, these experiences deepened into a calling to continue learning, practicing, and sharing the traditions of his ancestors.

Today, Thomas is dedicated to sharing the wisdom, ceremonies, and sacred traditions of the Maya with integrity. His work bridges ancient knowledge with contemporary life, helping others cultivate greater harmony, understanding, and connection with themselves, nature, and the spiritual world.

Thomas integrates traditional Maya wisdom with alternative healing modalities and medicinal plants.

He considers it a profound honor to accompany others on their life journey and is committed to serving with compassion, respect, and heartfelt dedication. Thomas will guide retreat participants through Maya cosmology, the sacred calendar, nahuales, traditional ceremony, and the living spiritual traditions of the Maya people of Lake Atitlán.

Sofia Bianca Mileti

Guatemalan wellness practitioner

Sofia is a holistic wellness practitioner dedicated to helping others achieve vibrant health through a myriad of physical and devotional practices. With decades of yoga practice and training—including Anusara and Yandara certifications—she brings ancient wisdom to modern healing.

A certified Foundation Training instructor and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Sofia also studied raw food science at the Living Light Culinary Institute. For the past three years, she's led hundreds of sound healings and served as director of Mountain Town Music's Healing Sounds initiative in Park City, Utah.

Sofia founded the iconic Club Ven Aca on Lake Atitlan in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades living and working on Lake Atitlán, cultivating deep relationships with local artisans, guides, healers, boatmen, farmers, and community members. Through her work as a wellness educator, chef, retreat leader, and owner of Villas del Carmen, she has become passionate about creating meaningful experiences that connect visitors with the beauty, culture, and living traditions of Guatemala.

Sofia serves as the retreat host, chef, movement instructor, sound healer, and cultural bridge, helping participants feel welcomed, supported, and deeply cared for throughout the journey. You are in good hands!

What holds you

The Container

An intimate, beautiful, and lovingly held space

so you don't have to do anything but arrive, release, and receive from the very first moment.

A healing, magnetic location right on Lake Atitlán

so you can truly rest, breathe in beauty, and feel held by your environment too.

Every detail of the retreat curated with love and excellence by locals

from the meals to the accommodation and human care - for a transformative and nourishing

The journey

The Offering

Maya Cosmology & the Sacred Calendar

Discovering Your Personal Nahual

The 13 Foundational Energies & 20 Daily Energies

Traditional Sacred Fire Ceremony

Maya Textile Demonstration

Traditional Maya Food Demonstration

Organic, Mindfully Crafted Cuisine

Daily Movement & Meditation

Sound Healing Journeys

Profound Immersion in Nature

Gathered around the sacred fire at Lake Atitlán

I want to go

Is this for you?

This is for you if...

You've always wanted to visit Guatemala but weren't sure who to put your trust in.

You've read the Popul Vu or other Mayan texts and feel inspired to learn more.

You've explored the Mayan calendar and feel inspired to learn more.

You need to unplug from the default world and explore something magical.

You've been called to Lake Atitlan, it's mystery, beauty, depth and portal energy.

You want to rest deeply, eat beautifully, move gently and be held by two people who deeply care about your experience.

What's Included

Round trip airport transfers
Goodie bags with curated gifts for each participant
7 nights lodging
Boat transfers
All meals, coffee, tea
All programming - daily workshops, movement practices, sound healings, fire ceremonies
One on one personal Nahual reading with Thomas
Guided trip to San Juan- lunch, textile demonstration at Cooperativa la Botanica, mural tour
Mayan cooking class

What's Not Included

Additional food and drinks beyond programmed meals
Massage and energy work sessions
Airfare
Gratuities for Villas del Carmen staff, shuttle drivers, and boatmen

Moments from ceremonies and gatherings at Lake Atitlán

Investment

Pricing

Early Bird Pricing available through August 11th

Double occupancy starting at $1,985

$600 deposit secures your spot

Detailed pricing and room options coming soon…

We can't wait to welcome you and share these treasures with you.

Villa	Early bird · Sharedper person	Early bird · Privateper person	After 8/11/26 · Sharedper person	After 8/11/26 · Privateper person
Casa Azul2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths -2 twin beds (or one King) and 1 queen, max occupancy 4, 2nd story lake view	$1,985	$2,222	$2,185	$2,722
Casa Rosada2 bedrooms 2 baths- 2 queen beds, 1 daybed, max occupancy 5, 1st and 2nd story lake views	$2,185	$2,444	$2,444	$3,144
Casa Amarilla2 bedrooms 2 baths- 1 full bed, 2 twin beds (or one King) , 1 sofa sleeper, max occupancy 4, 1st and 2nd story lake views	$2,185	$2,444	$2,444	$3,144

We require a non-refundable deposit of $600 to hold your spot and to ensure early bird pricing. Payment plans available.

Sign me up!

Where it all unfolds

The Venue

Villas del Carmen is committed to crafting a space for healing, celebrating, honoring, growing, and creating through the lens of community and change. This is a place where guests are presented with the opportunity to experience Guatemala and the richness of her people, history, and natural treasures with unparalleled amenities and comforts.

The space is named in honor of the property's original owner whose vision for the land is being exalted and refined in the spirit of the world's Arabic origin, meaning "garden or orchard". A place where all scenes are alert at all times: sights and scents of flowers and trees, the taste of fruits, the soft feeling of the petals and the water that laps at the shore, the sound of the birds that flutter up in the branches and the soft murmur of the wind through leaves.

The garden here has been mindfully crafted and cultivated over 15 years by Arturo Perez, a talented and devoted Ka'qchikel man who has made the property his Earthen canvas where he has colored the landscape with native flowers and plants that he sprouted and planted from a few original "mother" plants over a decade ago.