In and Around an
Organic, Gourmet-Coffee Farm
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Hosts: Luis
& Lisa Maldonado When: Year round Length of tour: As long as you wish. You can pick and choose among the four options outlined below, and pursue them at your own pace. Minimum number: Two Languages: English and Spanish are spoken fluently by both, and Lisa speaks French
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Before getting to the four activity mixes mentioned below, here are some facts.
Like most of the villages in the lake region, San Lucas Tolimán is an agricultural
community where the most important crop is coffee. Located at an altitude of 1,500 m, in
the valley of Lake Atitlán, its warm, sunny days and crisp nights personify Guatemala's
climate of eternal spring. Awaken to the highlands' cool misty mornings and the calls of
exotic, rarely seen birds. Our tours depart from Guatemala City or Antigua, with pickup at your hotel at 6:30 am
or if in Antigua, at 7:30 am. We will be happy to help you arrange your airport pick-up
and first night in your hotel, FOUR OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM: OPTION 1: Farm tour and alfresco lunch on the shore of
Lake Atitlan Pickup at your lodgings, early a.m. (If in Guatemala City, pick-up at 6:30.
If in Antigua, pick-up at 7:30.) We will provide a light portable breakfast (coffee,
juice, muffins, fruit) to keep you going over the two-hour trip to San Lucas Tolimán, through some of Guatemala's most beautiful
scenery. We should arrive in San Lucas at You will check in to your rooms. A full breakfast will be served at this time. The farm tour begins at 11:00. Literature will be provided. See the nursery, coffee in the field, and the wet-processing system. Learn about the factors that make El Volcan the finest quality gourmet organic coffee in the world. Harvest lasts from December to March but visiting the plantation any time is a wonderful experience. A nice time of the year: coffee blossom season, from late April to late June. Hear and see the Melodious Blackbird, Brown-Backed Solitaire, Clay-Colored Robin, Aztec Parakeet, Rufous Sabrewing, Berylline and other Hummingbirds, White-Tipped Dove, Band-Backed Wren, and smaller wrens, Bushy-Crested Jay, several types of Tanager, orioles, and many others. After the tour, we will return to the house for a brief rest and freshen up before going down to the dock to catch the boat to your lunch destination. We will arrive at our lakeside barbecue site at the foot of nearby Cerro de Oro by 2:00 or so. Here you may swim, canoe, explore and birdwatch, or just relax, as you prefer. We will serve an alfresco barbecue lunch. Later in the afternoon we return to your lodgings. Coffee/tea/hot chocolate at 5 PM. At this time, it will be possible to either see a weaving demonstration or tour San Lucas Toliman's Colonial Church. Supper will be served at around 7.
OPTION 2: Daybreak birdwatch and visit to Santiago Atitlan This consists of a daybreak birdwatch and a visit to Santiago Atitlan The day begins with a daybreak birdwatching expedition to the farm. Organic shade coffee farms provided homes for more birds than any other habitat except unspoiled rainforest. There are 90% more birds on an organic shade coffee farm than on a conventional farm. Studies by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center show that shade coffee farms provide important stopping points and/or destinations for migrants, especially songbirds, from the North. Early in the morning is the best time to catch the birds. We will leave the house around 6:15. You may skip this if you'd rather sleep in! A full breakfast will be served at 8 am. After breakfast we set out on our excursion to Santiago Atitlán. Santiago Atitlán is located 18 km west of San Lucas along the lakeshore. This town is a cultural pocket as its residents are the only ones in the entire country to speak the Tzu'tuhil language. Santiago's 95% Indian population continues to dress traditionally in hand-woven clothing extravagantly embroidered with bird motifs. Santiago has a lively art scene and great markets and shops for buying typical crafts. Lunch at the lovely Posada de Santiago. Experience Santiago with its mysterious adoration of Maximón (say Mash-ee-MON), a curious amalgamation of San Simón and a Mayan deity. Maximón is reviled in other regions of Guatemala where he represents Judas. However in Santiago he is adored and during religious processions is paraded through the town. He is housed during the rest of the year in the house of one of the Mayan elders where he receives offerings of cigarettes and liquor! If you want to get a taste of some of Guatemala's fascinating culture, you won't want to miss this day. We'll return to San Lucas by nightfall. Supper at 7 PM.
OPTION THREE: Hike to the Saddleback of Volcanoes Atitlan and Toliman This consists of a hike to a volcano Saddleback After breakfast we set out on a hike up to the junction of the Atitlán and Tolimán Volcanoes. The saddle between the two volcanoes is a pristine cloudforest habitat. You will see a wealth of exotic bird, animal and plant life. Sadly, deforestation infringes upon this priceless jungle ecosystem more and more each year. However you can still look forward to seeing many rare birds, perhaps even the Horned Guan, Highland Guan, Blue-Throated Motmot, White-bellied Chachalaca, several kinds of Tanager and others. The volcano is also home to tapirs, coyotes, coatis, deer and other wild animals. A note: this hike is not for the faint of heart!! Please also note: it is possible to ride up the volcano on horseback. If you are interested in this option, please let us know in advance. If you have never ridden, hiking is the better choice. We'll provide a picnic lunch, and plan to be back down around 4 PM. Coffee and hot chocolate at 5 PM, supper as usual at 7.
OPTION FOUR: Hike to the summit of Cerro de Oro Hike Cerro de Oro--the 'bump' between the Tolimán Volcano and the lakeshore. This desert-like ecosystem is markedly different from San Lucas' although it's located less than 10 km away. We'll hike to the summit of Cerro de Oro where you may explore and see fascinating archaeological remains. You'll see many cacti as well as everlasting plants and desert wildlife-lizards and roadrunners are common. We'll lunch at the summit where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Lake Atitlán. This day is less strenuous than the hike to the Saddleback. We'll return to San Lucas later in the afternoon. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be served at 5pm. Supper at 7.
Some practical information: San Lucas Tolimán, located at 1,500 meters (that's 5,800 ft) above sea level, has a lovely temperate climate all year round. The rainy season lasts from May to October, and the dry season from October to May. Bring clothes that are comfortable for May-June weather in the North. For the evenings, you'll need a light jacket and/or sweater. For the farm tour and hikes, comfortable preferably high-top shoes or boots, and long pants. For the Santiago Atitlán day, comfortable walking shoes, shorts, skirt or pants, sunhat and sunscreen. Otherwise we strongly recommend you bring your Central American bird guide and your binoculars! These are essential for enjoying birding. And, make sure you bring enough personal toilet items and film. APPENDIX:
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Fee charged: Each day's tour costs US$75.00 per person, including meals,
accommodations, transportation, activities and informative literature. The Santiago
day costs US$80.00. CHILDREN 5 AND UNDER, FREE. CHILDREN 6-10 PAY 75%. Guatemalan taxes are not included. We donate a
percentage from each person booked for the eco-tours to the Carlos A. Maldonado Ecological
Foundation. See below. Call us to book. We accept Visa. We require a 25% deposit upon
reserving .We'll be happy to help you arrange the details of your arrival in Guatemala
(airport pick-up, transportation to Antigua and booking you into your first night in a
hotel there).
Our two eco-tours offer you unlimited birding on our family's 3rd generation gourmet
organic coffee farm, home of El Volcan Gourmet Organic Coffee, as well as an extensive
tour where you'll learn about every aspect of gourmet coffee; and climb up the Tolimán Volcano to
enter the habitat of the very rare Horned Guan, among other equally
fascinating and enjoyable activities. Guatemala's vibrant indigenous culture stars
in our tours with its spontaneous, esoteric displays coinciding with important dates such
as All Saint's Day, Christmas, Easter, and others. 
You'll be lodged in homey comfort in a majestic turn-of-the-century Colonial
hacienda in downtown San Lucas Tolimán, or in a lakeshore chalet close by. Three
all-you-can-eat meals made with fresh, natural ingredients are included, as is all
transportation and a friendly and knowledgeable bilingual guide. 