Venture with Thread Caravan to the majestic shores of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Nestled amongst volcanoes and renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, Lake Atitlan is the perfect place to ground yourself in nature and the tradition of weaving.

We'll take you through the full textile process - from dyeing with natural dyes, to spinning the fibers, to actually weaving a textile of your very own. Students will work one-on-one with a local artisan to create a design and bring it to life. When we're not deep in textiles, we'll enjoy our surroundings: venturing to local markets, relaxing and hiking lakeside.

Trip Dates: 

• December 8-14, 2019

• March 21-29, 2020

• Choose your own dates. Already have a group of travelers you'd like to venture with? If you have 4 or more travelers, you can contact us to select your own dates. This option is great for work groups, craft groups, university students, bachelorette parties + more.

• Email us to inquire about or suggest future dates.

Location:

Guatemala [Lake Atitlan, Chuacruz, Antigua]

Pricing + Payment: 

The cost for our 7 day December workshop is $2,400.

The cost for our 9 day March workshop is $3,400.

Both workshops can be paid in full, or in three separate installments (*the first payments automatically includes a non-refundable $500 deposit).

A limited quantity of private rooms are available at an additional cost. The pricing is $500 for the December workshop and $700 for the March workshop.

Thread Caravan offers discounts to POC, students, teachers and guests from the countries in which workshops are being hosted. You can find more information and apply on our Inclusivity page.

Cost Includes:

• In-Country Transportation: We will employ a skilled local driver who knows the roads and can safely take us to and from the airport and other destinations.

• Accommodation: Boutique hotel accommodation on Lake Atitlán and in Antigua, Guatemala.

• Food: Wholesome meals cooked daily by a talented local chef using fresh, local produce and traditional recipes combined with dining out in some of the country's best restaurants

• Art Education: A day of dyeing, a day of spinning, and two days of backstrap weaving, all providing a fair wage to our local artisan instructors

• Weaving Supplies: You will be provided with the necessary raw materials and tools to create a woven textile of your very own. At the end of the workshop, you will be able to take your weaving tools (sticks and backstrap belt) home with you if you'd like.

• Antigua Experience: Final day and night exploring the charming colonial town of Antigua, visiting markets and enjoying dinner on a rooftop patio.

• Support: A local and foreign guide will accompany the group during the trip, offering participants their combined knowledge of the country, while making sure everything runs smoothly. In addition, Thread Caravan staff is available to answer questions and assist with trip preparations beforehand.

• Gift: Special arrival gift with handmade Guatemalan goodies.

• Carbon Emissions Offset: We’ve partnered with Trees for the Future to plant 50 tress on your behalf in order to offset the carbon emissions of your travel to Guatemala. In addition, there is an option to add a $50 donation to Trees for the Future at check out.

Not Included:

• Airfare: We've found that flights from the U.S. range from approximately $300-$700 depending on the airline and how far in advance you book. We are happy to help you arrange flights or put you in touch with a travel agent.

• Personal Travel Insurance: We strongly encourage all participants to have personal travel insurance. This will cover things like illness, flight cancellations, theft, etc. We can suggest providers if you’d like.

• Expenses During Free Time: We will have a little bit of free time at the end of each day. Some guests choose to use this time to relax; however, if you’d like to arrange any activities, we are happy to help you coordinate things like transportation to a nearby town, a guided hike, private massage, etc. All activities doing free time are at the expense of guests.

Getting There and Away:

The Thread Caravan Guatemala weaving workshop starts and ends at the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. You get there and we'll handle the rest. If you need help booking a flight, please contact us.

Other Info:

• Vaccinations: No vaccinations are required; however routine vaccinations, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid are suggested by the Center for Disease Control and U.S. Department of State.

• Physical Abilities: During this trip we will be walking on uneven cobblestone roads, climbing into and out of boats from the dock and walking on steep hills (sometimes with many steps, sometimes with a paved incline). If you think any of these tasks will be difficult for your physical abilities, please contact us to see if we can accommodate you.

• VISA: Eighty-six countries' citizens including citizens of the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia do not need to obtain a VISA if they are staying in Guatemala for 90 days or less. Citizens from countries outside of the eighty-six exempt must obtain a tourist VISA. You can find a comprehensive list and map of countries exempt from a tourist VISA here.

• Passport Validity: In order to enter Guatemala, your passport must be valid for at least 90 days following your departure date. You must also have at least one blank page in your passport.

Words from Past Travelers:

More trip reviews from past travelers here.