Tim Muse and I returned late last night from Guatemala City after a five day Familiarization trip sponsored by the Rainforest Alliance. The trip took us, along with local tourism operators and journalists, to several lodges that have been certified by the Guatemalan Green Deal program, which is overseen by the Rainforest Alliance standards for sustainable tourism.

The Green Deal program and the Rainforest Alliance have been working together to legitimize sustainable tourism at many lodges in the country and hosted the 2009 FAM trip in order to show tourism companies and media outlets how effective their efforts have been.

Tim and I were accompanied by representatives from tourism companies including ReContur S.A., Condor Tours & Travel, Holbrook Travel, a German journalist and media representatives from Costa Rican based Destinos TV and finally communications employees from the Rainforest Alliance. Eager and dedicated from day 1, everyone on the trip had unique perspectives and insights into sustainability in Latin America.

Our trip began with a walking tour of colonial Antigua, one of the most visited towns in the world in 2008 and a stunning area full of religious and cultural history. We visited a local Cloisters as well as the Church of San Francisco, where Hermano Pedro, the only canonized saint of Guatemala, is buried. After eating dinner at wonderful Casa Santo Domingo, the whole group spent the night in the Hotel Villa Colonial. The next morning we visited the Mayan ruins of Iximche, an impressive plateaued ruins outside of Antigua. After the ruins, we took a bus ride to Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, nestled between three volcanos, Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango.

A 45 minute boat ride brought us to Hotel Uxlabil, a sustainable lodge built into the lakeside and adjacent to the artisan co-op village of San Juan La Laguna. This tiny village is home to textile, painting, and coffee co-ops that work together to sell goods and educate their youth. The following morning, we took a bus to the archeological site of Tak’alik Ab’aj, which is home to both Mayan and Olmeca civilization ruins. That night the group checked into the Takalik Mayan Lodge, which is operated by 22 local community families and recently earned the Green Deal tourism certification from Rainforest Alliance.

Perhaps the highlight of our trip came on the second to last day, when the group took a bus, van, and two-hour kayak trip through mangrove wetlands to the isolated community of Playa de Chico. This area is home to 200 families that live in grass huts, sell sesame seeds, and live primarily of fish caught from the river. There are no combustion engines within earshot except for the occasional boat bringing mainland supplies to the families. Unloading from the kayaks, we were utterly floored to see beach on the far side of the village, with the vast Pacific Ocean in the distance. Perfect sets of rolling waves, lukewarm water, and pristine, empty beach made for an unforgettable afternoon that none of us will soon forget. That afternoon we made our way back to Gautemala City for our departing flights the following morning.

For Birthright Earth this trip gave us the chance to meet several Latin American tour operators as we consider future expansion for BE trips outside of the Amazon. Furthermore, we were able to connect with local media outlets and Rainforest Alliance employees who are eager to help our organization grow and achieve its goals.

A wonderful and successful trip! Please stay tuned for photos albums from the trip!

See It, Save It

- tim