Join She Dares to Wander in Guatemala This January!
This January, Marjon Tondravi is bringing a small group of women to Guatemala for eight days of exploring, learning, and giving back. The journey will take them from Antigua’s historic streets to the villages of Lake Atitlán, with time to meet coffee growers, cook with a local host, and visit women whose weaving carries generations of knowledge. There will also be a village fiesta and an opportunity to help build a stove for a family.
Her company, (and our partner), She Dares to Wander, is hosting this women’s journey January 13–20, 2027, with a group limited to 12 guests. Marjon is LOTUS Humanitarian’s treasurer and a driving force behind our fundraising. Through her travels, she brings people into contact with local communities and creates opportunities to offer practical support alongside the adventure. I would love for you to consider joining her!
Antigua, Beyond the Walking
The trip begins in Antigua, where our local guide, Roberto, will lead the group through the historic downtown. There will be cobblestone streets, courtyards, plazas, and time to hear the stories behind what you are seeing. Having someone who knows the place share it with you makes room for questions and conversations that a guidebook can't offer!
The adventure continues with an ATV tour to nearby villages, including stops at farms and artisan workshops. Another day brings a women-led coffee experience in San Miguel Escobar, where local growers will share the process from growing the beans to roasting and tasting the coffee. These visits are a chance to enjoy Guatemala while learning from the people whose work is part of its daily life.
School Supplies and a Village Fiesta
One of the visits I am especially glad to share is the gathering in Roberto’s village. LOTUS Humanitarian funds have already paid for a backpack filled with school supplies, a new lunch box, and a water bottle for every child in the village. We are also planning to give each child new socks, underwear, shoes, and toys.
The children begin school on January 19. For families who cannot afford these basics, preparing for class comes with expenses they struggle to meet. This is a practical way we can help, through a relationship with someone who knows his community and its needs.
Roberto and his wife will welcome the group into their home for a small fiesta with local mothers and children. There will be drinks, sweets, and time together as the gifts are shared.
Helping Build a Safer Place to Cook
In San Juan La Laguna, LOTUS will donate the funds for a vented stove through our local partner, Sueños y Esperanzas, and travelers will have the opportunity to help build it for a family. It is another contribution tied to something people use every day.
Cooking smoke can make a home an unhealthy place to spend time. A vented stove is designed to carry smoke outside, with the aim of reducing smoke exposure and making cooking safer, including reducing fire risk. Working alongside the local team gives travelers a way to participate in that improvement. The stove will remain part of the family’s daily life after the group returns home.
Around Lake Atitlán, With Time to Learn
The second part of the trip brings four nights in San Juan La Laguna, surrounded by the lake’s volcanoes and villages. Each village has its own character, and the group will explore by private boat. San Juan is known for its arts, with colorful murals, painting, weaving cooperatives, and coffee to discover during free time.
In nearby San Pedro La Laguna, the group will cook with Anita at Mayan Kitchen. The experience begins at the local market, choosing ingredients before preparing Guatemalan dishes together. Anita has built a cooking school that shares her culture with travelers and helps support local women, including single mothers.
The group will also visit the women’s weaving cooperative connected with Mayan Kitchen. Learning how cotton becomes thread, color, and cloth brings the work behind each textile into view. The cooperative creates income opportunities for local women, so a visit offers both a cultural experience and a chance to learn about work that supports families.
Small Places to Stay and Settle In
For the first three nights, guests will stay in an old mansion converted into a ten-room boutique hotel, in a gated neighborhood just outside Antigua’s city center. It offers a place to rest between outings without losing the character of the setting.
The next four nights will be at a small, ten-room hotel in San Juan La Laguna. This property works directly with Sueños y Esperanzas to host volunteers, connecting the stay with the community partner the group will work alongside. There will be time to explore the village, browse local art, or rest after a full day.
An Invitation to Join Marjon
If you would like to begin the year exploring Guatemala with a small group of women, this is an invitation to look at what Marjon has planned. We are hoping to fill the remaining spaces with women who would enjoy being part of that experience.
There is another reason to take a look now. To celebrate She Dares to Wander’s first anniversary, Marjon is offering $500 off the Guatemala trip to the next two people who book! Use HAPPYANNIVERSARY and book by December 1, 2026. The offer is limited to those next two people, so it may be claimed before the deadline.Click here to view the full Guatemala itinerary and booking details.
She Dares to Wander recommends a quick consultation before making your deposit so you can ask questions and decide whether the journey is a good fit. International airfare and required travel insurance are not included; the brochure explains the other inclusions and booking terms.
To make a donation to support this trip, please visit www.lotushumanitarian.com.
