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Experience everything that
Mayan & Guatemalan culture
has to offer- make your trip
one to really remember!
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Activities in Panajachel & the Atitlan
Region When you're not
in the school studying there's loads to do and see. We organise a wide range of
activities and, of course, you can explore Lake Atitlan by local bus and boat.
If you do not have much time but you
are very interested in knowing the culture and wonderful places in the area, we offer a
special package where you have the opportunity to learn Spanish while interacting with,
and learning from, the Mayan culture around the lake. One of our teachers will accompany
on your visit as a guide and teacher of Spanish. Check out the wide range options below
and click each for more details.
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 Cinema studio -
Guatemalan films & documentaries |
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We
have our own cinema studio at the school and it is available to all students who wish to
watch documentary films about the history of Guatemala and the life of indigenous people.
You may also watch your favourite soccer games, and baseball, basketball and rugby
matches, or watch movies to improve your Spanish language skills.
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Mayan Cave |
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Experience
local traditions by visiting a Mayan cave in San Jorge La Laguna, and it is been in
continual use for at least the past 1000 years. The cave is still a place of ritual and is
often adorned with flowers and candles. Animal sacrifices are also made on special
religious occasions. Near to Panajachel, you can go by bus, or climb there if you prefer
the exercise. During this activity, you will have the chance to see the view of all
Panajachel, Lake Atitlan and Volcanoes, it is like a view of 360 degree of the lake
Atitlan. TOP |
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Nature reserve and Zipline
adventure rides |
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This
local nature reserve has marvellous "open" enclosures for monkeys, coatimundi,
racoons and other wildlife. There is also an observation deck for watching birds and
animals in their natural settings. Walking along the trail you will see a long hanging
bridge and a beautiful waterfall.
The Zipline - each zipline offers a totally different experience. Some generate adrenaline
at 60 meters (196 ft.) above ground as you experience the moving landscape; others offer
striking beauty in the vistas of the volcanoes and the lake. All equipment (harnesses,
carabinners, slings, trolleys, etc) has US and European certification, the design and
construction of the ziptrek follows international standards for safety and it has been
tested with loads that provide wide margins of safety.
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Medicinal plants and
the Maya Traditional Health Program |
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The
Fundación Tradiciones Mayas (FTM) Community Health Program promotes preventative health
and treatment of common illnesses through the use of medicinal plants and education with
Maya families. The aim is to simultaneously rescue and preserve invaluable ancestral
knowledge. The program also empowers, educates, and trains traditional healers, as well as
Maya youth in the use of medicinal plants. Through these co-operative and participatory
efforts the program will help restore and preserve the knowledge of traditional Mayan
medicine that is in danger of becoming a lost cultural practice. With this activity, you
will have the option to see hundreds of plants with their descriptions and how to use
them. TOP |
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Plant a Fruit Tree and
Support an Indigenous Family |
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Make
your stay in Panajachel even more memorable and friendly with nature by donating one or
more fruit trees to an indigenous family in the Rural Area of Lake Atitlan. You can plant
the tree yourself on the property of the selected local family. In this way you are not
only contributing to the protection of our ecological environment, you are also helping to
provide food through the fruit from the trees. The maximum cost of a fruit tree is UDS 5.
“You can live for two months without food and two weeks without water, but you can
live only a few minutes without air. The earth is not an inheritance from our parents, but
a loan from our children. Love is the most powerful force in the universe. If there is
environmental chaos on the planet it is due to a lack of love for it.” Mahatma Gandhi TOP
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San Antonio Palopo |
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There
are many reasons to visit San Antonio Palopo. One is to see the pretty church perched high
above the village. The view from the church it is great - luckily the pick-up truck will
take us to the top. This church is dedicated to St Anthony of Padua – the San Antonio
of the village’s name. A local man once dreamed that he performed a miracle there,
installing nets that saved the village from falling boulders during an earthquake. So the
church was built in his honour and to ensure his continuing protection of the village.
Other things to see are the onion fields covering the steep mountain sides - as soon as
you arrive you can smell the onions; you can visit the ceramics factory where you can see
how they are made, painted and fired. You can buy one if you want to. Also you can see
local Mayan weaving and there's a good chance that you will end up wearing local clothing
too. TOP |
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Godinez market visit
and a downhill hike |
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There
is no other place with a better view of Lake Atitlan and Spanish School Jabel Tinamit is
the first institution to visit this place. During the hike you will see the real lives of
the people, meet local people in traditional clothing, some saying hello to tourist for
the first time in their life. We take a pick-up truck from Panajachel to Godinez, we see
the market in Godinez, and then start to walk down to San Antonio Palopo. In San Antonio
Palopo we see the onion terraces, weaving, ceramics factory and other interesting local
sights. Of course, the views and seeing real local life make this trip the best hike in
the Panajachel area.
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San Juan La Laguna |
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Normally
we organise a visit to San Juan La Laguna during the weekend. We leave Panajachel at 8am
and the trip takes about 4 hours. Once in San Juan La Laguna we visit the brotherhood of
Maximón; see the installation where they produce coffee; see the amazing paintings on the
walls of the streets; and see a demonstration of the weaving process of cotton. You can be
part of the experience, try weaving yourself and see how they get colours from seeds and
herbs. TOP |
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Santiago Atitlan |
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Santiago
Atitlan is a beautiful town across the lake from Panajachel. We visit the church, Iglesia
Parroquial Santiago Apostol. This large church, dedicated to Santiago Apostol, dominates
the far side of the Parque Central. It is set back, on the far side of an open space. It
was built between 1572 and 1581, and has been restored several times after significant
earthquake damage. It has three altar pieces representing the three volcanoes that tower
over the village. There is also an interesting pulpit which shows how Roman Catholicism,
introduced by the conquering Spanish, absorbed some of the local traditions.
Along both sides of the church you will see wooden carvings of saints, each dressed in a
fabric tunic. These are made by local women and are changed each year. On the wall, either
side of the main door, are marble plaques that tell the history of the village – its
settlement by the Tzutuhil Maya from about 900 BC onwards, its conquest by the Spanish in
1524, the building of the first church in 1541 and of this later replacement.
Of great interest are two further plaques which tell the story of the Martyrs of Santiago:
"From mid 1980 until late 1990 the people of Santiago suffered from the violence
caused by the thirty year civil war waged in Guatemala from 1966 to 1998. Santiago Atitlan
suffered a massacre on January 6, 1980. Ten men from the village were killed on that day
by Guatemalan military forces at Chacaya about three miles from Santiago Atitlan. The men
were working their fields when the surprise attack occurred."
In Santiago Atitlan you can see original weaving with amazing embroidery all done by hand.
Woman and man wear this kind of traditional clothing. Man wear trousers with embroidery
and women wear the Guipil (or blouse) also with embroidery.
A trip to Santiago Atitlan would not be complete without seeing the famous Maximon.
Maximon is a Mayan god whose influence is focused on Santiago Atitlan. Maximon has granted
many favours to many people. There are those who are totally devoted to the Maximon cult.
When you visit him it is customary, to seek his favour, to light a candle, smoke a cigar,
or offer him a drink.
The final thing to see is the colourful local market.
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Scrabble contest |
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Share
your time with other students through our Scrabble contest. With this activity you have
the opportunity to teach and learn different words in Spanish. Moreover you can interact
with other students from other countries. TOP |
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Salsa dancing |
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Enjoy
the dancing and practise the Salsa at our school. We have a Salsa teacher and we are sure
you will have a great time dancing. We have these Salsa lessons at the weekend. TOP
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Iximche archaeological
site |
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If
you don´t have enough time to visit Tikal, no problem, Iximche in Tecpan Guatemala is a
fascinating Mayan Ruin and it is just 1 hour by car from Panajachel. The beautiful town of
Tecpan is in the department of Chimaltenango. This site is not as grandiose as Tikal but
it is still impressive to see what once was the last capital of the Cakchiquel Maya
civilisation and the first Spanish capital. In Iximche you can see the ceremonial centre,
a place where the locals have an altar and perform religious rituals. Iximche is
surrounded by big trees and lots of vegetation. The good thing about this site is that is
very accessible from Panajachel and you can see the whole place in a couple of hours. It
truly is a very interesting trip. The Mayan temples, museum, Mayan ceremonies and natural
setting makes Tecpan a nice place to visit, especially with one of our teacher from the
school. TOP |
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Bike riding tour |
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Many tourists see only the
centre of Panajachel but Spanish School Jabel Tinamit staff invite you to explore all
sides of Panajachel by bike. You can explore:
- The beach of Panajachel,
- Calle Principal, Calle Santander,
- The water treatment system,
- The Friendship bridge going to Jucanya’,
- The cemetery in Jucanya’ (Jucanya’ means Across the river)
- The main bridge build in 1942 in barrio Norte,
- The market and other places,
The tour takes about 2 hours to explore almost all Panajachel.
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Los Tarrales tropical
nature reserve |
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Los Tarrales
Reserve is located on the slopes of Volcan Atitlan, situated on the southern shore of the
lake. The area protects pristine forest from the upper volcano slope at 3,000 m (9,800
ft.) down to 700 m (2,300 ft.). Cloud forest occurs above 1,800 m (5,900 ft.) and below
this elevation occurs humid broadleaf forest interspersed with coffee plantations. Mean
annual rainfall is 3,400 mm. The reserve protects a watershed which provides drinking
water to several communities. It is home to several globally threatened and regional
endemic bird species like Horned and Highland Guan, Azure-rumped Tanager, and Pink-headed
Warbler. Los Tarrales is monitoring bird populations in collaboration with the Proeval
Raxmu Bird Monitoring Program.
Los Tarrales Reserve provides income to 60 Mayan Kaqchikel families which live within the
protected area. People work in the cultivation and processing of coffee and ornamentals,
some become forest rangers, and in providing tourism services. With one of their guide, we
are able to see different kinds of flowers, birds and have the sense of being in the real
rainforest. The trip takes about 5 hours in total, the Tarrales reserve is 1 hour from
Panajachel by car. One of our staff guides our students.
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Chichicastenango -
market, shrine & museum |
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We travel by
our own transportation to Chichi leaving Pana at 8am and returning at 3pm. We organise
this activity every Sunday. In Chichicastenango the main attraction is the market - the
biggest in Guatemala. There you can meet indigenous people from many places who come to
sell their products, it's very colourful and diverse. The crowds of crafts vendors and
tour groups who flock in for the huge Thursday and Sunday markets give the place a much
worldlier, commercial atmosphere, but Chichi remains beautiful and interesting, with lots
of shamanistic and ceremonial overtones. Mashenos (citizens of Chichicastenango) are
famous for their adherence to pre-Christian religious beliefs and ceremonies. The Sunday
market, rather than the Thursday one, is best because the cofradías (Mayan religious
brotherhoods) often hold processions in and around the church of Santo Tomas on Sundays.
Chichi has two religious and governmental establishments. On the one hand, the Catholic
Church and the Republic of Guatemala appoint priests and town officials; on the other, the
indigenous people elect their own religious and civil officers to manage local matters,
with a separate council and mayor, and a court that decides cases involving only local
indigenous people.
We will also visit the Pascual Abaj shrine. On a hilltop south of the Chichi, Pascual Abaj
is a shrine to the Mayan earth god Huyup Tak'ah (Mountain Plain). Said to be hundreds,
perhaps thousands, of years old, the stone-faced idol has suffered numerous indignities at
the hands of outsiders, but local people still revere it. Sacrifices do not take place at
regular hours. If you're in luck, you may witness one. The worshippers will not mind if
you watch, but be sure to request permission before taking any photos and don't assume it
will be granted. You may be asked if you want to make an offering (of a few quetzals)
yourself. If there is no ceremony, you can still see the idol and enjoy the walk up the
pine-clad hill. Tourists walking to visit Pascual Abaj have on occasions been robbed, so
the best plan is to join with others and go not too late in the afternoon.
To make your trip to Chichi complete you can visit the regional museum of Chichi. This
museum is crammed with a collection of ceremonial masks, copper ax heads, obsidian
spearheads, incense burners, figurines and metates (grindstones for maize). The museum
also holds the Rossbach jade collection, with some beautiful necklaces and figurines. Hugo
Rossbach was Chichi's Catholic priest for many years until his death in 1944. TOP
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Demonstration of weaving
- an activity for special occasions |
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When we have
a group of students we organise at the school a presentation of various kinds of weaving
by indigenous women from different villages around Panajachel. You will have the
opportunity to observe and experience the preparation of these colourful cloths. If you
are interested in knowing the culture and wonderful places in Atitlan, we offer this
activity to give you the opportunity to learn Spanish while interacting and learning
from the Mayan culture.
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Internet studio
& FREE WIFI |
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You can stay
in contact by using our Internet facilities. You can check email and browse websites as
you please. We also provide FREE WIFI access so that you can connect your laptop to the
Internet whilst working or relaxing in the school's grounds including our fabulous garden.
You will have everything you need at your finger tips.
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Visit remote Highland
villages |
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Get
off the beaten track and go where few travellers have gone before. We organise special
trips to Concepcion village in Solola department and Panimache and Chituestancia villages
in the nearby San Andres Semetabaj municipality. Unlike the lake side towns, tourists
don't visit these highland Mayan villages which are a short distance north of Panajachel.
It's a very special experience to see places where the local culture is pure and you can
still witness the traditional life of the Mayan people of the Atitlan region. Many of the
beautiful woven fabrics that are on sale in Panajachel are made in these villages. It is
very interesting to see exactly how the weaving is done. As a student of our Spanish
school you may join a Highland Village trip as an out-of-class activity. TOP
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Climb a volcano |
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For fantastic views of the
lake a 3 hour climb will take you to the summit of Volcan San Pedro at 3020m.
Returning to the base takes about 2 hours! Normally at weekends, this day trip
involves taking a boat across the lake and then making the accent with the help of a local
guide. We charge USD35 per student to cover the cost of transportation, entrance
fee, and the guide.
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Shopping trip |
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At your
request other activities may be planned. For example, instead of a formal class you
may wish your teacher to accompany you on a shopping trip in Panajachel or a visit to one
of the many Mayan villages which boarder the lake.
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Mayan dancing |
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Join in
Mayan dancing with your fellow students - instruction will be provided by the teachers
who, all being local Mayan people, can explain the cultural import of particular dances. TOP
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