Cleanse your Mind and Body Yoga Retreat at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Introduction

A week of cleansing and healing for the body, and mind, time for self-liberation and aligning yourself with what truly matters for the new year ahead.

Surrender completely into this journey of rejuvenation, cleansing, and recharging.
Are you ready to dive into this transformational week of mental, emotional, and physical cleansing through breathwork, meditation, powerful yoga practice, Maya Cleansing Ceremony, Ayurvedic vegan meals and community living? Find your tribe and find yourself at the majestic and energetic vortex of Lake Atitlán.

Renew yourself while earning Continuing Education credits!
Current Yoga Teachers will receive 35 hours of CE credits. This retreat is recognized by the Yoga Alliance as part of their Continuing Education Requirements.

Moreover by staying with us you contribute to Youth Community Center, a local educational center that we support.
“For it is in giving what we receive.”

Why us?

Doron Yoga & Zen Center has been designed to provide a place to truly live a functional Yoga Lifestyle – and we don’t mean fancy Yoga Poses in fancy yoga pants – it is about various yoga practices, meditation, breathwork, joy and contentment, being good to ourselves and others around us.

Cleanse Your Body and Mind Yoga Retreat is a powerful journey to cleanse and heal your body, your mind and your soul. Combining cleansing techniques of Yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ancient Maya Culture, together with no judgement and joy, and fantastic organic vegeterian cuisine in a lush scenery of volcanoes, mountains and Lake Atitlan.

From our permaculture-friendly gardens, to our gorgeous seasonal and local vegetarian menu, to our beautiful Zen River, you will experience a comfortable, blissful retreat that is also environmental conscious.

What’s included

• • 6 nights accommodation
  • 3 vegetarian meals daily in our outstanding Buddha Cafe
  • Coffee with breakfast and tea throughout the day
  • Wifi connection
  • Daily yoga classes
  • Daily meditation classes
  • Daily pranayama classes
  • Specialized afternoon workshops and sessions
  • Hike/Trek with a guide
  • Group activities: River Cleansing, Hike, Fire Ceremony
  • Only at our Center: Traditional Maya Cleansing Ceremony
  • Time to explore the beauty and culture of Lake Atitlan
  • Parking
  • Pre and post retreat support from our team

What’s not included

• Tours and other excursions
• Extra snacks and beverages
• Transportation to and from the retreat (we are happy to help book transportation for a fee)
• Massage therapy, Spanish classes and consultations with our experts

Yoga

The Doron yoga method (based in Ashtanga from primary through third series) blends yin and yang, core work, strengthening and deep stretching. Classes offer challenging poses and sequencing, but the flow is slow, mindful and focused. Be ready for a great workout and lots of laughter, plus tips and teachings to help you advance rapidly. Doron Yoga is a sustainable yoga system, where safety comes first and foundations of correct alignment are tailored specifically to each individual. We build up to the most advanced practices according to each student’s level and needs. Learn and receive amazing hands-on assists from a loving, compassionate, enthusiastic, and energetic teacher who has over 25 years of teaching experience and has studied yoga with experts around the world.

About Doron Yoga and Zen Center

Doron Yoga & Zen Center is a spiritual eco village, based on permaculture principles with Zen inspiration. Our grounds have a majestic view of Lake Atitlan and the surrounding volcanoes and villages. We are part of the Maya village of Tzununa and our property is only a seven minute walk from Lake Atitlan.

Accommodations

All of our accommodations are new construction and built with ecological practices in mind. Rustic and charming, rooms have either a jungle, garden, or lake view; they are decorated with murals, local art and textiles.

The property offers three types of rooms: private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, private rooms with shared bathrooms, and dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms. All bathrooms have showers with either gas or solar heated water and western toilets (eco treatment). We source water from a spring supplied by the municipality as well as river water that runs through the property.

We have three private rooms and two dormitories which share bathroom facilities. Private rooms sleep two people, while dormitories sleep 5 – 6 people. Our shared bathroom is outdoors with private stalls; it has three western-style toilets, two showers and two sinks with gas-heated water.

We currently have three private rooms with en-suite bathrooms in our “Casa Amor” log cabin accommodation. These rooms each have a skylight and a bathroom featuring a shower with locally sourced slate. Other elements include hand carved mirrors, bamboo and wood finishings, local hand crafted furniture and orthopedic beds. The three rooms share a deck with hammocks and chairs overlooking our beautiful garden and Lake Atitlan.

Amenities

• Comfortable beds, linens, pillows, and towels
• Free WiFi
• Heated Water
• Housekeeping service
• Private storage
• Yoga Shala
• Buddha Cafe:
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner served daily
  • Snacks and beverages available for purchase
• Permaculture organic gardens
• Fire pit
• Temazcal: traditional Maya sweat lodge/natural sauna (fee)
• Riverside massage room (fee)
• Laundry service (fee)
• On-site activities (more information below)

Yoga Shala

This beautiful practice space stands on stilts next to the Tzununa River with full length windows and sliding glass doors. The sounds of the river permeate the space, which features jaw-dropping views of Lake Atitlan and its surrounding volcanoes and mountains. Inside, the yoga shala features high, insulated ceilings held up by bamboo pillars and a sprawling cypress floating floor. The cane, Cyprus, pine, and stones used in the construction are locally sourced and built with care by community workers. Permaculture principles are followed to ecologically enhance the construction quality, garden, and design functionality of the center.

Grounds

We follow permaculture and sustainable design principals to ensure DYZC is eco-friendly in its construction and functionality. The Tzununa River runs through our grounds, where guests can enjoy meditation in chairs and hammocks. A path paved with local stones runs alongside the river, through our garden and around the property. We grow coffee, bananas, avocados, lettuces, beans, yams, radishes, herbs and around 30 other fruits and vegetables which can all be enjoyed when you dine at Buddha Cafe.

We have a beautiful fire pit under a grand Jocote tree more than fit for climbing. Our Temazcal is a classic Maya ceremonial sauna to help you detox and cleanse your body. For an additional cost, we offer massages and Spanish classes on property.

The energy of the earth itself is positively charged; the DYZC is built on a high-frequency vibration land. As one guest stated: “center” doesn’t seem to be the most fitting word – maybe something like dream village, yoga farm, or riverbank Zen oasis.

Buddha café

The Buddha Café is a wonderful meeting place. This outdoor deck dining space overlooks the lake; it is surrounded by the lush landscape and has a variety of seating (and hammock!) options. It serves nutritious and delicious gourmet vegetarian food, which you can read more about below. One of its primary highlights is the great company; meals are served and enjoyed community-style. Travelers meet to share stories, experiences, a cup of tea, and so much more. Rest, connect with new friends, and enjoy delicious food and snacks.

Food

“…We absolutely loved our experience. We definitely recommend eating the food there and you will probably meet lovely and interesting people while you’re at it.” – Alice, TripAdvisor Review

Three vegetarian meals are served each day. Our daily offerings have an international inspiration, mixing traditional Guatemalan fare with Doron’s Mediterranean touch. Meals are made from fresh  produce; to the greatest extent possible, food is organic and locally sourced, sometimes from our own garden. Gluten free and Vegan diets can be accommodated upon request.

Each meal is substantial, varied and nourishing to energize you through your yoga practice.

The menu at the Doron Yoga & Zen Center is designed with the guidance of founder and director, Doron Hanoch, who is also a professionally trained chef and certified nutrition consultant.

Some examples of our offerings include raw, cooked and fermented foods, healthy sauces and condiments, homemade jams and peanut butter, fresh homemade granola, baked sourdough bread, fresh tortillas and pizza cooked in either our clay or wood-burning ovens.

Snacks are available throughout the day. Try our chocolate chip banana muffins, vegan power super food rich bliss balls (made with local Maya raw cacao), vegan black bean brownies, or our homemade kombucha.

Notes: Be mindful of food and water hygiene, as stomach issues are not uncommon for travelers in Guatemala. We advise visitors to bring grapefruit seed extract to use daily. Remember to bring along any other supplement that helps soothe your tummy.

Local Activities

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

On-Site Activities

• Yoga and Meditation Classes
• Holistic lifestyle coaching
• Zen Dance
• Bonfires with Zen talk
• Massages (fee)
• Temazcal Ceremonies (fee)
• Private Spanish classes (fee)
• Yoga Lifestyle consulting (fee)
• Acro/Silk yoga classes (availability dependent on enrollment interest)
• Cooking classes: learn how to make authentic tortillas with our Maya cooks (fee)

Activities around Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

• Walk / hike around Tzununa, through the mountains or to nearby villages
• Swim in the lake or chill out on the dock with awesome volcanic views
• Stand up paddle boarding in Panajachel or San Marcos
• Waterfall hike (seasonal)
• Hike The San Pedro Volcano (with guide)
• Kayak in San Marcos or San Pedro
• Venture by boat or tuk-tuk to one of the neighboring towns and shop for traditional crafts; enjoy sightseeing in these unique Maya villages

How to get here

We’re happy to help arrange shuttles to the property from the airport, Guatemala City, and other popular tourist destinations around Guatemala. Please keep in mind that the lake is located several hours away from the airport, as this may affect travel times. For our full list of recommendations on booking flights and transportation, please check out our transportation guide here.

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

1. Take a public shuttle to the town of Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. We can arrange a private or shared shuttle for you.

2. From Panajachel travel to Tzununa (our village) by taking the boat (lancha) in the direction of San Marcos (Tzununa is one stop before San Marcos). The last boat from Panajachel is at 7pm. There are also private boats available. You can take a boat from San Marcos or San Pedro as well (last boat is at 5:30pm).

3. In Tzununa, take a tuk-tuk from the dock to Doron Yoga – all tuk-tuk drivers know where we are.

We can also arrange a shuttle from the airport directly to DYZC. It takes a bit longer as they go around the top of the lake, but on the other hand you get into one shuttle all the way here.