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Together Women Rise: Journey to Guatemala

April 5 – 12, 2024

Join Together Women Rise in Guatemala. On this immersive journey, dive deep into the heart of the Guatemala culture with our incredible grantee, Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI).

The mission of LHI is to create opportunities for the Indigenous youth, women, and families of Chajul, Guatemala, to develop the academic and professional skills needed to affect change in their lives and community. Together Women Rise awarded LHI with a Featured Grant in 2017 which enabled LHI to provide education and academic support, career training, life skills workshops, mentorship, and income-generating opportunities, including an artisan program, to Indigenous girls and women. Since then, LHI has accomplished a great deal! In 2021, it received the UNESCO Literary Prize in honor of its innovative approach to literacy programming during the pandemic. And in 2022, LHI celebrated the grand opening of its newly constructed Colegio Horizontes facilities and became the first in the region to have a full-day, girl-focused holistic school!

Your experience will be as vibrant as this colorful country as you get to know the Maya Ixil people, a distinct language group continuing their traditional lifestyle in a remote region that was particularly hard hit by the 30-year civil conflict in Guatemala.

Please note: The details of this itinerary are subject to change and will be updated throughout the trip-planning process.

Itinerary

Day 1: Friday, April 5
Arrivals

Hola! Arrive at Guatemala City Airport (GUA), where you will be met by your driver for a private transfer to Antigua. The drive is approximately 45 minutes but can take longer with traffic.

Established in 1543, the historic city of Antigua combines old world charm with modern luxury. Once the capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala, Antigua has a colonial feel with prominent Spanish influences evident in the architecture and culture. It also boasts stunning views from every direction of the dual-peaked Acatenango Volcano, whose soil grows much of the country’s coffee plants.

Once you arrive, settle in to your hotel. You may choose to explore the town, if time allows, before coming together this evening for a Welcome Dinner.

Overnight: Hotel Posada Los Bucaros

Day 2: Saturday, April 6
Sightseeing in Antigua

Enjoy a Guatemalan breakfast before heading out as a group for a 4-hour guided walking tour. Antigua is full of beautiful historic sites such as the Arco de Santa Catalina, an iconic 17th-century archway, and the stunning Iglesia de La Merced, an 18th-century Spanish church famous for its intricate stonework and yellow exterior.

Your knowledgeable city guide will lead you through the winding streets, Spanish courtyards, historical ruins, and vibrant market before bringing you to lunch.

After lunch and more exploring, the evening will be free to relax. Re-join the group for dinner at a farm to table restaurant this evening.

Overnight: Hotel Posada Los Bucaros

 

Day 3: Sunday, April 7
Travel to Nebaj

After breakfast, take a beautiful drive in private vehicles to Nebaj, a town in the Cuchumatanes Mountains, the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. This region is also known as the Ixil Triangle, a trio of counties made up of Nebaj, Chajul, and Cotzal that are home to the Maya Ixil people who were the target of genocide during Guatemala’s 36-year civil war. The war officially ended with the 1996 Peace Accords, but the struggle to recover continues today.

The journey takes approximately 7 hours, including a stop for lunch. Arrive in Nebaj in the late afternoon and enjoy a leisurely dinner.

Overnight: Hotel Real La Villa

Days 4 – 6: Monday, April 8 – Wednesday, April 10
Engaging with the Limitless Horizons Ixil community

Spend three days engaging with Limitless Horizons Ixil (LHI) in Chajul. On each of these days, you will drive approximately 45 minutes from your hotel in Nebaj to Chajul, another county in the Ixil Triangle and home to LHI.

As you become acquainted with the town, you will visit the local schools, community library, and open-air food market. During your three days, participate in the following activities:

  • Enjoy a lesson in backstrap weaving, a traditional Guatemalan technique. Learn from the local women weavers and have the opportunity to purchase their textiles directly.
  • Cook with local families, where you will learn to make tortillas and boxbol, a local dish made from corn meal wrapped inside squash leaves and steamed.
  • Learn about Chajul’s civil war history from an ex-guerilla fighter.
  • Choose to either hike to a sacred peak with the best view of Chajul or join a coffee making lesson with a local family.

On Tuesday, participate in a library card “fiesta” to celebrate reading and library membership in a fun, healthy, and educational event. You will spend the day with the 60-100 children who attend and may bring your own ideas or supplies for educational activities!

At the end of each day, you’ll enjoy dinner in either Chajul or back in Nebaj, where you will return to your hotel each evening.

Overnight: Hotel Real La Villa

Day 7: Thursday, April 11
Return to Antigua

After breakfast, travel back to Antigua via private transfer. Have lunch along the way at a restaurant with a beautiful outdoor garden space.

Explore Antigua at your leisure before tonight’s farewell dinner.

Overnight: Hotel Posada Los Bucaros

Day 8: Friday, April 12
Departures

Savor one last Guatemalan coffee with breakfast before your private airport transfer to Guatemala City Airport (GUA) and your flight home.

For more information about this incredible journey to Guatemala with Together Women Rise, be sure to visit the following pages:

Pricing & Registration
Pre-Departure Information
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