San Juan La Laguna Private Tour: Weaving, Honey & Lake Swimming

Learn weaving from local women, taste honey made by families, then swim in the lake

A private tour of San Juan La Laguna and Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve on Lake Atitlan combines textile weaving with natural dyes, artisan honey-making demonstrations, and swimming in the reserve's clear waters. The tour runs seven hours with a private boat, local guide in English or Spanish, and entry to both sites included. Lunch is not part of the package.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit San Juan La Laguna and swim at Tzankujil

• Explore San Juan La Laguna village
• Take textile tour with natural dyes
• Experience artisan honey demonstration
• Walk trails in Cerro Tzankujil Reserve
• Swim in Lake Atitlan waters
• Use jumping platforms for adrenaline

The experience

The tour starts with a private boat ride to Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve, where you walk trails along the lake shore and reach viewpoints overlooking the water. The reserve sits in the Tzankujil Mayan village, and the main draw is the chance to swim in Lake Atitlan's clear waters or jump from platforms built into the reserve if you want the adrenaline version. This is where the day's physical release happens before moving into the cultural stops.

San Juan La Laguna is the heart of the experience. The village streets are covered in murals and local art, and you spend time with women's cooperatives learning the ancestral weaving process: how they use natural dyes and work the looms the way Tz'utujil Mayan families have for generations. You also visit a family-run honey operation to learn about native bees and watch how they make artisan honey. These are not demonstrations you watch from a distance. You're in the workspace, seeing the actual work and the people who do it.

A local guide who speaks English or Spanish leads the whole day and handles the logistics: the boat, the entry tickets to both sites, and the route through the village. You're moving at the pace of someone who knows the community, not racing through stops. The tour takes seven hours total, which means you're not rushed through either the reserve or the village, but you're also back with time left in your day.

What’s included

• Private boat to both sites.
• entry tickets to San Juan La Laguna and Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve.
• local guide in English or Spanish.
• access to swimming in the lake and jumping platforms.
• textile weaving demonstration with natural dyes.
• artisan honey-making experience with local families.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to15h before

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 65 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Conociendo Guate

Is this one for you?At seven hours, the tour fills most of a day but leaves room for breakfast before or dinner after. If you want a shorter cultural stop or need to fit other activities into your schedule, a half-day village tour might work better instead.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do you do during the textile tour in San Juan La Laguna?

You visit women's cooperatives in the village and learn the ancestral weaving process used by Tz'utujil Mayan families, including how they prepare and use natural dyes on the looms.

Can you swim in the lake during this tour?

Yes, swimming in Lake Atitlan's clear waters is included in Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve. There are also jumping platforms if you want to try that instead.

What's included in the price?

The private boat, entry tickets to both San Juan La Laguna and Cerro Tzankujil Nature Reserve, a local guide in English or Spanish, and access to the swimming area are all included. Lunch is not.