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Sacred Roots Retreat:
A Pilgrimage Through Maya Lands and Ix Cacao
A 8-day immersive pilgrimage in the sacred lands of Guatemala — weaving Mayan ancient wisdom, sacred cacao, nature, and spirit.
FROM FEBRUARY 24- MARCH 3RD 2026
Return to the Sacred. Reconnect with the Earth. Remember Your Heart.
This is more than a retreat — it’s a pilgrimage of remembrance.
Step into the sacred lands of Guatemala, guided by the spirit of cacao and the ancestral wisdom of the Maya.
From the volcanic depths of Lake Atitlán to the crystalline waters of Semuc Champey, you are invited to reconnect to the earth, awaken your inner guidance, and commune with spirit, anchored in the ancient wisdom of the land and her biocultural heritage.
You will be held in:
• Ceremonial cacao journeys guided by ancestral tradition
• The ethnobotany of cacao — plant as teacher, medicine, and ally
• Wisdom teachings from Indigenous Maya elders
• Sacred Maya Fire Ceremony — ancestral offering and prayer
• River and lake immersions for cleansing, grounding, and connection
• Teachings on the Maya worldview for deepening your bond with Earth
• Integration circles, storytelling, and stillness — space for weaving it all within
The Pilgrimage
This journey will lead us to two sacred sites revered by the Maya people for generations as spaces of healing, connection, and transformation. These sacred lands are not just beautiful landscapes; they are living entities that hold the stories, rituals, and wisdom of our ancestors. We will tap into the wisdom of the spirit of the land, and learn from the elemental forces of nature, interwoven into the fabric of the rich culture and history of the Mayas.
Our Journey Focuses in two distinct Regions:
Lake Atitlan, in the highlands of Guaetmala and Semuc Champey, tucked into the Guatemalan Jungle
Meet your Facilitators
Charlotte Nieuwenhuis
Charlotte is an Earth guardian, regenerative systems designer, and biocultural philanthropist, as well as the founder of Heart to Earth.
Mariana Bandera
Mariana is the founder of Passages, a collective dedicated to bridging ancestral wisdom with contemporary life. Her work is an offering to culture, ceremony, and the sacred connections that unite humanity across generations.
Nana Izabel
Nana Izabel Pérez and Tata Izaias Sajvin Mendoza are esteemed Maya wisdom keepers and fire shamans from San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala, daykeepers of the Tzolkin Calendar.
Tata Izaias
Nana Izabel Pérez and Tata Izaias Sajvin Mendoza are esteemed Maya wisdom keepers and fire shamans from San Marcos La Laguna, Guatemala, daykeepers of the Tzolkin Calendar.
Doña Elsa
Doña Elsa and Don Hector are stewards of an ancestral lineage rooted in the sacred relationship between cacao, Earth, and community. As Maya wisdom keepers and dedicated cacao growers, their life’s work is a living expression of cultural revival — tending to the seeds of tradition while guiding others back into connection with the land and the heart.
Don Hector
Doña Elsa and Don Hector are stewards of an ancestral lineage rooted in the sacred relationship between cacao, Earth, and community. As Maya wisdom keepers and dedicated cacao growers, their life’s work is a living expression of cultural revival — tending to the seeds of tradition while guiding others back into connection with the land and the heart.
Whats Included
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7 days / 6 nights accommodation in two sacred sites
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All meals (local, organic, vegetarian)
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Guided ceremonies and rituals with local and international facilitators
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Transportation between retreat locations
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Entry to Semuc Champey
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Cacao for ceremonies and personal use
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Study book
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Optional one-on-one guidance or extra activities
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As part of our commitment to aligning words with actions, we travel with intention and responsibility. This journey is designed not only for personal transformation but also to support the land and communities that welcome us.
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As such, a portion of your contribution goes directly toward impact tourism initiatives — supporting local regenerative projects, Indigenous-led efforts, and environmental restoration, ensuring that our presence nurtures rather than extracts.
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*Not included: Flights to/from Guatemala, personal travel insurance, tips
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Please Note:
We are not including the shuttle from the airport to Lake Atitlán, as participants will be arriving from different locations at different times. -
However, if you’d like assistance arranging your transport from the airport, feel free to contact us directly — we’re happy to help coordinate it for you!
Our Collaboration with Heart to Earth
Heart to Earth is rooted in reciprocity, honoring the cycles of nature and the wisdom of those who have safeguarded it for generations. Passages Earth School aligns with their values of Reciprocity, Biocultural Heritage, regenerative practices and is excited to join forces!
Charlotte Nieuwenhuis
Founder of Heart to Earth
Charlotte is an Earth guardian, regenerative systems designer, and biocultural philanthropist, as well as the founder of Heart to Earth.
She has dedicated her life to bridging the ancient with the emerging, cultivating a deeper bond with the Earth, and reestablishing the sacredness of life through reciprocity, integrity, and responsibility.
Over the past decade, Charlotte has journeyed across four continents, living among Indigenous communities whose wisdom and ways of life have profoundly shaped her. These experiences have led her to embrace a worldview rooted in animism — where all of life is seen as sentient, interconnected, and worthy of reverence.
She holds a deep reverence for plant spirits, and through Heart to Earth, she upholds a vision where the biocultural heritage of cacao is preserved and its ancestral seeds honored and celebrated.
She brings this pilgrimage to light as a way to share the deep heritage of cacao, in the hope of inspiring greater respect for this plantcestor and honoring the cultures and peoples who have shaped her path.