Mayan Experience with the Garcia Sisters

He whosoever forgets his past in his present has no future.

Broaden your horizons. Discover the enrichment that comes from seeing another way of life. Feel the wonder of being with people who have different time concepts and thought patterns. Seek the richness and wisdom of the ancient ways as they continue to be practiced today.

Located in the heart of the rain forest on top of a hill with a panoramic view of the blue Maya Mountains and the lush farmland of the surrounding area, Chichan Ka Lodge is a recreational and educational resort offering comfortable accommodations. The lodge is built in the Mayan tradition with palm wood and leaves and with white lime and clay.

Enjoy the art, music, medicines, and meals with a Mayan family. Sit down to a meal of Mayan tradition, cooked on a homemade open hearth stove, where the corn based cuisine tempts the taste buds with delicious tamalitos boiled in plantain leaves, tortillas, porridge, mouth watering desserts, and fresh brewed tea made from lemon grass, ginger, or pimiento leaves. Walk the Maya Medicine Trail through the jungle, as well as the beautiful botanical garden. Take a guided tour through the Tanah Mayan Art Museum, and develop a sense of timelessness while you learn about honored rulers, elders, priests, and gods who are still revered by the Mayans of today. Visit The Art Center where handcrafted jewelry, dolls, masks and sculptures offer the opportunity to take part of the rich Mayan culture home with you. And just three miles from the lodge you can explore an ancient musical Mayan Site, Pacbitun, meaning "stones set in the earth."

Your hosts are five sisters, known as The Garcia Sisters, who live with their mother, brother, and families on a self sustaining farm where they plant and harvest everything they consume. Their village is surrounded by a reserve which has been established to protect the way of life of the indigenous people and the natural resources.

Reforestation and conservation projects are on going with the planting of a number of endangered vegetation species. The reserve includes virgin forest that is home to a diverse range of tropical flora and wildlife, such as the baboon, coatimundi, agouti, pace, and the Keel billed Toucan.

The Garcia Sisters welcome you to come share and experience the gifts of their homeland, ancient traditions, and their holistic lifestyle. It is a place where the past is part of the present, forever leading into the future. It is a place where everything is different!