Personal Yoga Vacation

2 night minimum

Description

Give yourself a timeout in nature with a fantastic 2-hour morning yoga class with breakfast and dinner included. This program is perfect for those who want to have lots of free time to go explore around the lake, time to read and just hang out.

If you want more structure and more activities, we invite you to join our Wellness or Spanish retreats.

Settle in and enjoy herbal tea picked fresh from the garden, connect at our Buddha Cafe, and relax with a view.  Magic is in the air. 

*Choose however many nights you’d like at check-out.*

*Any stay over 6 nights in our private rooms will grant you a free massage.*

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A GROUP RETREAT. You will most likely have other guests at the center doing some form of retreat, Spanish immersion, wellness, or others. However, since the dates are flexible, it is not a set group retreat.

About

Lake Atitlán is an internationally recognized spiritual center hosting multiple holistic and spiritual retreat destinations. Doron Yoga is a sustainably minded, eco-conscious yoga center where you can enjoy an ethereal lake view setting with comfortable, shaded hammocks, banana trees, and the quiet whisper of the river flowing through the property. Our outdoor café is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat, relax with friends, or read quietly in a hammock.

Our Address
Doron Yoga & Zen Center
Departamento Solola, Santa Cruz La Laguna
Tzununa, Zona Calle, Sector Iglesia Nazareno 9880

Our Location 

Doron Yoga is a spiritual eco-village based on permaculture principles with touches of Zen. It manifests the power and energy of the magnificent Lake Atitlan, which is viewed majestically from its grounds, with volcanoes framing it so perfectly.

We may just have one of the most beautiful yoga spaces in the world, consisting of a huge cypress, floating wooden floor, surrounded by large glass sliding doors, bamboo pillars, and jaw-dropping views. High ceilings of bamboo with extra insulation keep the temperatures perfect year-round. It is a temple sitting along the Tzununa River, allowing the sound of water flow to calm and soothe softly.

We are part of the Mayan village of Tzununa in Guatemala. Located 10 min walk from Lake Atitlan, set in the valley with a river flowing through our grounds. Hammocks hang by the river and in the gardens and paths are paved with local stone, and the Buddha Café offers a place to rest, connect with new friends, read, and have some delicious food (much of it from our organic gardens), homemade snacks (bliss balls, black bean brownies, muffins), kombucha, and ginger beer.

Permaculture principles are followed to ecologically enhance the quality of the construction and design functionality of the center.  We grow coffee, bananas, avocados, lettuces, beans, yams, radishes, herbs, and around 30 other fruits and vegetables (Yum, guacamole!).

We have a beautiful fire ceremony circle under the grand Jocote tree (which you may want to climb). We built a natural, large, ceremonial-grade sauna to help with detoxing and cleansing. We offer massages and can organize tours around the lake for you.

We’ve built the Doron Yoga on high-frequency vibration land. We are sure you will feel it as you come to stay with us. As one guest stated: ‘enter’ doesn’t seem to be the most fitting word- maybe something like ‘dream village’ or ‘yoga farm’ or ‘riverbank Zen oasis’.  I smile just to think of it.”

LAKE ATITLAN

Visit Lake Atitlan, formed by a gigantic volcanic eruption that occurred thousands of years ago, which is home to a primarily indigenous community. The local Mayans say that Lake Atitlan is the “bellybutton of the world,” and unique energy fields run through the area. Whether you feel the vibes or not, there’s no denying the lake is a special place.

The lake is ringed by a series of villages, each with its own characteristics. Explore San Pedro, San Juan, and San Marcos during your free time! The spacious openness of Lake Atitlan and the powerful energy of Mayan culture invite you to enjoy the magic of Guatemala.

Lake Atitlan is an internationally recognized spiritual center hosting multiple holistic and spiritual retreat destinations.

How to get here 

The journey is part of the process. Check-in is until 6pm. Please make sure you give yourself enough time to arrive by 6pm. If your flight lands in Guatemala City after 2pm, please consider spending the night in Guatemala City or Antigua and traveling to the Center in the morning.

Shuttle Options

• Public shuttle is a shared shuttle that stop in Antigua on the way to Panajachel, the gateway town to Lake Atitlan. (~4.5 hrs)
• Private car will take you directly to Panajachel with stops as requested. (~3.5 hrs) Please email us at info@doronyoga.com if you would like us to arrange a private car snd privse boat for you.

To get to Doron Yoga from La Aurora International Airport (GUA) or Antigua please do the following:

• Book your flight to arrive at La Aurora International Airport (GUA).
  Take a public shuttle or private car to the town of Panajachel at Lake Atitlan. 
• From Panajachel, arrive at Tzununa (our village) by taking the boat (lancha) in the direction of San Marcos (Tzununa is one stop before San Marcos). You can take a boat from San Marcos or San Pedro as well (the last boat is at 5:30pm) 
• In Tzununa, take a tuk-tuk from the dock to Doron Yoga – tuk-tuk drivers know where we are. Note that if you are arriving at night tuk-tuks will likely not be available.

Retreat Highlights  

• Our center was designed for a holistic yogi lifestyle – integrating mind, body, nutrition, and wellness
• Tap into the serenity of our lush gardens, clean mountain air and the sounds of a freshwater stream running through our property
• Nourishing daily meals made with love
• Locally-sourced (organic when possible) produce and ingredients  
• Epic lake and volcano views including the soft brilliant sunrises
• Minimal, vibrant, cozy, clean yogi accommodations
• Deepen your practice and still the mind with 2-hour meditative morning yoga in our beautiful shala overlooking tropical forests and Lake Atitlan
• Learn asana alignment and essential mechanics of poses 
• Breathwork (pranayama) and meditation to increase energy and life force          
• Practice gratitude, joy and positive psychology 
• Freshwater lake swimming nearby
• Temazcal on the property (Traditional Mayan Sauna)
• Recommendations and booking for tours and activities around Lake Atitlan
• Connection and community with like-minded yogis 
• Evening fire-side hangouts, singing and chanting
• Stay in a spiritual wellness community and meet lifelong friends

Accommodations 

Amenities 

• Environmentally friendly practices
• Lush permaculture, organic, tropical forest and gardens
• Serene river with chill areas to meditate
• The Buddha Cafe – our friendly communal dining space
• Yummy snacks, kombucha and gifts for sale
• Special nutrition requests are accommodated
• Ample hammocks and chair swings
• Beautiful yoga shala with stunning views
• Free Wi-Fi in the Buddha Cafe
• Daily room cleaning (private rooms)
• Clean, bright linens and room decor
• Laundry service (extra fee)
• Temazcal (Mayan Sauna) (extra fee)
• Private Spanish lessons with exceptional teachers (extra fee)

You will be accommodated at Doron Yoga. The rooms are beautiful, artistic, and charming. All accommodations are eco-friendly, built for comfort and safety, and have comfortable beds, traditional bed covers, windows, and a mix of local and Western styles. Many rooms have original art hanging or painted on the wall. It is a very special experience. Showers have hot water.

Casa Lotus 2 / Feliz 3 – Shared Space: We have two lovely and spacious dormitories that sleep 5 to 6 people and share the bathroom area. They have nice beds with local traditional Mayan bed covers, nightstands, shelves, and other storage places. They emanate a rustic, cozy arts feeling.

Casa Feliz 1 and 2 / Lotus 1-Shared Space: We have three private rooms with shared bathrooms. These rooms are unique and have their own wall-painted art. There are 3 toilets, 2 showers, and 2 sinks, separate from one another, so there is never a wait time.

Casa Amor: We have three beautiful cabins with ensuite bathrooms, a little deck with hammocks and chairs, a lawn in front, gardens, and gorgeous lake views. Special rooms with a unique creative energy. Bathrooms have locally sourced slate for the showers, hand-carved mirrors, and bamboo and wood elements throughout the room. Rooms are dry-walled for client comfort and keeping them sealed. Local hand-crafted furniture and orthopedic beds are brilliant additions for superb comfort.

Casa Ananda: Deluxe rooms with en-suite bathrooms, original artwork, slate showers, a deck with hammocks, a garden and some lake views. Roof top for Spanish classes and chill out when not in use. Unique mixture of modern, boutique eco-chic comfort with an artsy vibe. 

Our yoga shala (practice space) has a beautiful cypress wood dance floor, wall-to-roof glass windows, and bamboo pillars. The beauty is in the intricate details. The place is kept clean and has a wonderful vibe to it. The cane, cypress, pine, and rocks used in the construction are locally sourced and local community workers built each house with care. Permaculture principles are followed to ecologically enhance the quality of the construction, garden, and design functionality of the center.

The Buddha Café is a wonderful meeting place. It hosts a large deck with various seating options, a lake view, nutritious, delicious veggie food, and best of all – great company. Travelers meet to share stories and experiences, a cup of tea, and a hug. Wifi available.

Relax while surrounded by the soothing sound of the babbling river that flows through the Doron Yoga grounds and views of Lake Atitlan, its volcanoes, mountains, gardens, coffee, avocado, and banana trees.

Food 

Three nourishing vegetarian meals served daily. Our menu is a mix of Guatemalan and whole-foods, influenced by the Mediterranean diet, made from fresh local organic produce. Each meal is substantial, varied, and nourishing to energize you through your practices without leaving you feeling too heavy. 

We offer a healthy balance of raw, cooked, and fermented foods, homemade sauces, condiments, and jams, fresh baked sourdough bread, tortillas, and pizza from our clay and wood-burning pizza oven.

Snacks are homemade from wholefoods with very little sweetener. Try our chocolate chip banana muffins, vegan power superfood-rich bliss balls (made with local Mayan raw cacao), vegan black bean brownies, or enjoy one of our refreshing drinks: kombucha or probiotic ginger.

Note: Be mindful of food and water hygiene, as travelers’ sickness is not uncommon in Guatemala, which can be quite challenging when embarking on a yoga program. Bring some grapefruit seed extract and daily maintenance of seven to eight drops in water or juice, or any other supplement that suits you.

Please bring protein bars or other supplementation if you’re used to high-protein diets or meat diets.

This Yoga Retreat is vegetarian-friendly.

The following meals are included:

• Breakfast
• Coffee or tea with breakfast
• Lunch (only specified retreats)
• Dinner with herbal tea

The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Other dietary requirements on request

If you have special dietary requirements it’s a good idea to communicate it to the organizer when making a reservation.

Activities 

Yoga

Yoga classes are equally focused on strength, flexibility, and mindfulness—a healthy balance of challenge with a joyful mindset.  Detailed instructions for advancing your practice are shared, and assistance is offered. Yoga practice at Doron Yoga is nothing short of uplifting, inspiring, and transformative.

Styles 

• Ashtanga
• Doron Yoga
• Yin
• Hatha
• Flow
• Vinyasa

Levels

• Beginner
• Intermediate
• Advanced

Afternoon Workshops

Afternoons are an opportunity to dive deeper into your practice, soak in knowledge from experts, and ask specific questions. Workshops vary according to the specific retreat. Below is a list of potential afternoon workshops offered during your stay. These may or may not be included in your purchase depending on your package.

Dr. Asana: Intricate instruction of alignment, tips and tricks to master advanced poses, create a sustainable practice, refine the basics, and your yoga will inevitably advance. Options are offered for all levels of practitioners. Deepen the foundations of poses and grow and strengthen your practice.

Yin Yoga: Deepen your flexibility with longer-held poses. Get your hips to open, release the hamstrings, or build up more opening in the back and spine. 

Temazcal: Enjoy a traditional Mayan sauna when available with a local or trained guide.

Yoga Philosophy: Dive deeper into the understanding of yoga and Buddhism; Duality vs. non-duality. Understand what the mind afflictions are that keep us from finding freedom. Doron makes it practical and inclusive so you deepen and explore further no matter how many years of practice you have.

Yoga Lifestyle: Q&A about the yoga lifestyle, morning routines, food options, sleep hygiene, and more. Recommended to read The Yoga Lifestyle, by Doron Hanoch before the retreat. (Available on Amazon and other online stores)

Calistyoga: Fun 80s Jane Fonda-inspired calisthenics workshop.

Instructor

We have a variety of qualified talented guest instructors.

Lead instructor: Doron Hanoch

Doron is a certified 550-hour yoga teacher (ERYT) as well as the director of the Doron Yoga School (RYS 200 /500) and founder of the Doron Yoga (Doron Yoga & Zen Center) in Guatemala.

Purpose-driven teacher and leader with over 18 years of experience with creating holistic and inclusive classes and workshops that support momentum toward living authentically. Skilled in teaching mindfulness, meditation, yoga classes, workshops, and leading retreats.  As a trained chef, nutrition consultant, and retreat founder, Doron supports wellness and yoga entrepreneurs in building successful programs and establishments.

He believes we must look at each person and understand their specifics- no one diet fits all. This led him to create the flexitarian method and the Doron yoga sequencing system. His systems are based on tradition, mixed with modern scientific research. 

He seeks to help people make real, lasting improvements, to achieve sustainable health and happiness in all aspects of life, spanning from the physical to the emotional to the spiritual. Doron’s instruction is on-point yet still infused with humor and compassion.

He is grateful for the many teachers and paths from which he synthesized his efficient and powerful lifestyle systems. Including Ashtanga, Osho, Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, Vipassana, and other forms of yoga). He spent most of his adult life studying and practicing, and being totally devoted to mastering yoga as a powerful tool to help others. 

Doron has done countless hours in monasteries and ashrams, as well as an abundance of advanced training programs, including Richard Freeman, Mark Stephens, Tim Miller (3rd series TTC), Sheshadri, Cittananda, Dr. Nagaraj, Narasimha and others. He is a trained chef (Natural Gourmet Institute for the Culinary Arts), a nutrition consultant, and permaculture certified.

He is the author of 4 health-related books: The Yoga Lifestyle, The Doron Yoga Cookbook, The Nourishment Guide, Preventing and Healing Injuries in Postural Yoga, and The Complete Yoga Training Manual.

You will have the option to be initiated into the Doron Yoga Master program after your first TTC with him.

Things To Do (optional)

Lake Atitlan offers many different activities, including but not limited to: swimming, kayaking, hiking, cacao ceremonies, and more. A day trip can be taken by boat or tuk-tuk to the nearby villages for sightseeing and shopping, which also has a dock where local lanchas (boat taxis) stop every 20 to 40 minutes to take you to explore other towns around the lake.

San Marcos is the closest town and can be reached by boat, tuk-tuk, or walking. There, you can relax in one of the many cafes and restaurants or partake in an array of healing offerings, including shamanism, cacao ceremonies, Reiki, massage, and much more. Among others, San Pedro, a short ride to the other side of the lake, has more of a vibrant backpacker’s vibe and is a little less expensive. San Juan offers more handmade stores, beautiful murals, co-ops, and a small village feel.

Optional Activities at the Center

• Walk/hike around Tzununa, up the mountains, or to next-door villages.
• Sit on a rock in the river and meditate or read a book.
• Sit by the river or on a hammock and relax.
• Get a massage in our jungle house.
• Private yoga – creating your individual practice.
• Private Spanish lessons with exceptional teachers.
• Fire nights (when available).
• Temazcal – Sweat Lodge (natural ceremonial sauna).

Optional Activities Around The Lake

• Hiking: Hike the San Pedro Volcano (with a guide).
• Kayaking: Kayak in San Marcos or San Pedro.
• Shopping: Venture by boat, tuk-tuk, or foot into one of the neighboring towns to shop for traditional textiles, paintings, and crafts, sightseeing, and a feel for some local Mayan villages.
• Waterfall Tour (with a guide).
• Indian Nose  Tour
• Swimming.
• Stand-up paddle in Panajachel or San Marcos.

Thinking Global, Acting Local

Doron Yoga’s mission extends to our local community and beautiful natural surroundings. Located in the small, rural Mayan village of Tzununa, we are mindful of our environmental and social impact. We pride ourselves on supporting the local economy by purchasing locally grown and seasonal ingredients, reducing waste production, and promoting a mindset of sustainable living in the community. By staying with us you contribute to Youth Community Center, a local educational center that we support, and to free kids yoga classes that we provide. “For it is in giving what we receive.”

• Environmentally friendly – Permaculture principles.
• Garden with our own vegetables and fruit trees.
• Eco-chic lodging.
• Lake – 10-minute walk to a public dock for swimming.
• Yoga shala – Floating cypress floor, eco-friendly, stunning views, yoga accessories.
• River passes through our property, with chill-out spots by it.
• Vegetarian / vegan-friendly.
• Yoga that supports a perfect blend of body and mind practices to discover the true self.

Services

• Laundry (fee).
• Healthy snacks, Kombucha, ginger probiotics, and local chocolate (fee)
• Tours of Mayan Villages, Volcano climbing, stand up paddle and more.
• Shuttles, tuk tuks can be arranged (fee)
• Travel advice.

What’s Included 

• Morning yoga class
  
• Pranayama and breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Tips and tricks on mastering yoga
• Daily vegetarian meals – breakfast and dinner
• Filtered water, herbal tea, and coffee
• Guided meditations, programs, and workshops
• Locally-sourced food, cooked from scratch with quality ingredients
• Time to explore the distinct and charming towns of Lake Atitlan
• Hammocks and chill out benches and spots around the property

What’s not included (optional)

• Excursions
• Extra snacks and beverages
• Transportation (we can organize private transportation for a fee)
• Additional classes and massage therapies or other consultations/workshops with experts that are not already included in your package

Cancellation Policy 

• The deposit is non-refundable
• The rest of the payment must be paid 45 days before arrival