How Your Trip Makes a Difference
This journey is about more than exploring Guatemala—it's about making a real impact. During our adventure, we'll roll up our sleeves and work alongside the local community in San Juan La Laguna to help build a vented stove for a family in need. Through our partnership with the Dreams and Hopes Foundation, this hands-on experience will provide a safer, healthier cooking environment while giving us the opportunity to connect with local families in a meaningful and unforgettable way. It's the kind of experience that stays with you long after you return home.
We will also be welcomed into our local guide’s home in his village outside Antigua Guatemala, where we will host a special fiesta for families in his community. Our group will distribute school supply kits, clothing, and toys to the local children. These moments of connection and giving are at the heart of this journey—reminding us that travel is not only about where we go, but how we show up and the impact we leave behind.
I loved sharing this experience with my nephews!
Get Lost in the Culture and Spirit of Guatemala
Our guide Roberto has a heart for helping his community. His wife has invited the mothers and children in their village into their home for our GIVE Back party. We will each bring donations from home to pass out to the kids. She Dares to Wander will be sponsoring school supplies for each child. The sad truth is these parents cannot afford these simple things we take for granted. Not having school supplies means not being able to attend school. It feels so good to be able to bring some joy to these kids. We will have a piñata and snacks for the kids to enjoy.
Explore the enchanting city of Antigua with our own private local guide Roberto leading the way. As we wander the colorful cobblestone streets, we'll uncover hidden courtyards, vibrant plazas, fascinating history, and local stories you won't find in a guidebook. Surrounded by three dramatic volcanoes, this UNESCO World Heritage city is full of charm, culture, and photo-worthy moments around every corner. Having our own guide means we can move at our own pace, ask questions, and experience Antigua like an insider.
Cooking with Anita begins with a guided tour of the local market, where you’ll shop for fresh, organic ingredients while supporting small local producers. Then, back at the kitchen patio—with sweeping views of Lake Atitlán—you’ll roll up your sleeves and learn to prepare three authentic Guatemalan dishes from scratch.
Expect hands-on fun, meaningful stories, and plenty of laughter. By the end of this experience, you won’t just have new recipes—you’ll have a deeper understanding of the culture, community, and spirit behind the food.
Our private lancha will escort us to the nature reserve of San Marcos where the clearest waters await us. You will have an opportunity to climb the mirador viewpoint and splash in the lake.
Then it's off to the tiny village of Santa Catarina Palopo famous for its colorful streets and hand painted pottery. This is the perfect spot to buy those treasures to bring back home.
Lunch awaits us in Santiago. The views will blow you away and so will the food. Afterwards we will head back to San Juan Laguana for some free time to explore.
Umbrella Street in San Juan La Laguna is just one example of the town’s charm. You’ll find vibrant street murals, artisan cooperatives with handwoven textiles made using natural dyes, and small workshops showcasing painting, embroidery, and cacao production.
One of the more unique experiences here is learning about local beekeeping. San Juan is home to community-led melipona bee projects, where stingless bees are raised for their medicinal honey. Spend your free time exploring something new each day.
You'll experience a unique ATV adventure exploring cobblestone streets, country roads, and small communities with rich stories to tell. Our route includes visits to a farm and artisan workshops where you'll learn the process involved in making chocolate, jade, and macadamia nuts. Enjoy tastings of the local delicacies like loquat wine and artisanal chocolate.
Step into the heart of Guatemala’s coffee culture with this immersive, women-led coffee tour in the hills of San Miguel Escobar, just outside of Antigua. Guided by small-scale coffee growers, you’ll trace the journey from bean to brew, learning each step of the process—planting, harvesting, roasting, and grinding—right from the people who live it every day.
It's time for you to see how your tour is making a positive impact on this Mayan community. Together we can give hope to and empower families affected by poverty and lack of opportunity.
For those of you that are interested, we will have the opportunity to help build vented cement stoves for local families. Each stove takes 3-5 volunteers to participate and a few hours to build.
Old World Charm in Antigua
We'll stay in a beautiful colonial-era mansion just outside Antigua's city center, giving us easy access to all the sights while providing a peaceful retreat to gather, relax, and share stories from the day.
Unwind in spacious, well-appointed rooms, each offering a private ensuite bathroom and air conditioning for a comfortable and restful stay.
There's nothing better than starting the day with a homemade breakfast prepared just for us by the house staff before setting off on our daily adventures.
Sleeping Among Locals – San Juan La Laguna
This boutique stay offers a warm, authentic feel with comfortable rooms, fresh local breakfasts, and space to relax after our daily adventures.
They partner with our Sueños y Esperanzas charity to host volunteers, and that’s exactly why we choose to stay here—so our visit has a direct and meaningful connection to the community we’re supporting.
With only ten rooms, the property will feel like it’s ours alone.