Join us in Palenque from January 20-24 for unforgettable days of cacao, ceremony, cultural exchange, and exploration in the heart of the Maya world.
Soul Lift Cacao is hosting a unique international gathering featuring representatives of indigenous cultures that carry a lineage of cacao spirituality.
Through traditional ceremonies, educational experiences, and visits to ancient Maya sites, we’ll explore cacao’s rich cultural heritage while building meaningful connections between the communities who preserve these traditions and those who appreciate them.
Everyone is welcome, whether you have a deep relationship cacao or you're new to it but just feel called.
ELDERS & SPECIAL GUESTS
We’re honored to welcome Abuelo Efrén of el Grano de Oro cacao, and two fellow elders from Tabasco and Chiapas, Mexico.
We’re also working to bring cacao representatives from Pacalá cacao in Guatemala and Betena cacao in Costa Rica, as well as a new group we're starting to work with in Colombia. We hope to confirm and announce those exact details soon.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
- Traditional ceremonies guided by Indigenous elders and tradition keepers.
- Cultural exchange and education exploring diverse cacao traditions, histories, and practices.
- Guided experiences at Palenque, one of the most extraordinary ancient Maya cities, where cacao was cultivated at least 1,500 years ago.
- Full-day excursion to Yaxchilán and Bonampak, two remarkable archaeological sites surrounded by jungle, including transportation and two meals (14-hour day trip)
- Additional activities and special guests to be announced!
LOCATION & ACCOMMODATIONS
Our gathering will take place at a beautiful hotel surrounded by tropical greenery, just 10 minutes from the Palenque archaeological site.
Participants arrange their own accommodations, either at our host hotel or elsewhere nearby.
We recommend arriving in the area by January 19. The official program concludes late morning on January 24. The nearest international airport is Villahermosa (VSA) in Tabasco, Mexico, about a 2.5-hour bus ride to Palenque. We will provide arrival recommendations to approved participants.
NOTES: (1) Specific lodging details are subject to change due to factors out of our control. We are doing our best to represent the essence of the tour and what it will involve. We will update the group of any alterations to the plan. (2) Meals are also not included except for the day trip to Yaxchilán and Bonampák, which includes breakfast and lunch. (3) As of now, we will not be visiting a cacao farm during this program. However since cacao does grow in Chiapas, we will be looking into how to at least see some cacao trees!
We are offering two pricing tiers: (1) people who were born in AND still live in Latin America, (2) people who were born and/or live internationally (e.g., the U.S. or Europe).
Early Bird (through October 31):
• Latin America: $475 USD
• International: $675 USD
Regular (beginning November 1):
• Latin America: $525 USD
• International: $725 USD
Secure your early-bird rate with a $150 deposit by October 31. Remaining balance due by January 4, 2027 at the latest.
FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
Our commitment to ethical cultural exchange extends to how the summit’s proceeds are distributed. Soul Lift Cacao will retain no more than 20% of net profits, with the remainder shared among participating elders and their communities. As registration grows, so will their compensation.
EVENT LOCATION
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Soul Lift Cacao has hosted approximately 10 programs in Guatemala and Mexico.
In the past these were primarily TOURS where we would sometimes move around to different hotels and different regions of the country.
TESTIMONIALS FROM PREVIOUS TOURS
“My intention in coming on the tour was to connect with cacao, to learn about it and learn from it. The intention was definitely met, and went beyond any expectations I could have set. There’s a saying in Spanish that loosely translates to ‘When you wake up, do it cautiously so as not to disrupt someone else’s journey, dream, or path.’ It’s what I’m really trying to emulate, and I appreciated that about Nick. He is awakened but doing it cautiously and mindfully. Nick is such a quiet yet strong force. In so few words, he taught me so much, and I’m really grateful for that. I’m also really grateful because Nick is one of the few white people I’ve personally encountered who authentically pay tribute, make space and give honor to the medicine and medicine carriers who deserve it. As a Latina, I often experience anger towards the lack of cultural sensitivity of white people who don't honor nor make space for the medicine and medicine carriers whose birth-given right is to be in that space. Being enveloped in a space where the medicine and medicine carriers were honored was in itself so healing because it allowed me to embrace the call of returning to and remembering my ancestral practices. Labels associated with those ancestral practices are difficult for me to accept and by Nick creating this space, it’s really helping me as a Latina release fears, and accept who I am and who I am meant to be. Not many white people create spaces like these. I dare to say that Nick is the first white male person that has created the space for me to resonate with my ancestral identity, so I am eternally grateful for the space and for Nick. I see how much in service Nick is to the medicine, and it inspires me to be in service as well.” - Stephanie Álvarez, Musician, Educator, Mexico City Native - Nov 2023 tour
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"This was absolutely a life-changing trip! I jumped on Nick's tour without knowing much about him or Soul Lift Cacao and I don't have any regrets! I found his information after a night of Google searching for the perfect cacao tour and decided to go with his tour after seeing he was working with some of the people I already followed on Instagram like Lavalove etc. I really liked how he takes you through every step of the process in working with cacao from meeting producers, growers, roasters, Mayan elders, and so much more. I chose his trip because he actively spoke about honoring where your cacao comes from and after his experience I have gained so much knowledge, respect, and appreciation for this sacred tree and the people that preserve her! Thank you Nick" - Alessandra Motola, Travel Agent - March 2023 tour
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"Wow! What an incredible, unique experience! Everything about this tour, from start to finish was mindfully hand picked for a well rounded experience. You will not be able to find this type of trip anywhere else. Every collective we visited had something different to share. It was such a gift to learn about this sacred, ancient medicine and to witness it's full life from seed to cup, first hand. Every tour, every experience was facilitated by the warmest, most genuine people who wanted nothing more than to welcome us into their homes and their lives and spread the word about who they are and what cacao represents. We learned so much more than how to make cacao. We witnessed a gentle, kind group of people and we experienced their lives first hand. Nick does an incredible job of curating this experience and managing all facets of the trip, I felt like I had nothing to worry about. You arrive wanting to learn about cacao, you leave with an open heart full of gratitude and a new perspective on your life and others." - Laurel Ziemienski, Ananda Healing Arts - Dec 2022 tour
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"This cacao tour was more than I could have imagined. I signed up with the intention of wanting to learn more about cacao, and I feel like I walked away with so much more. This thoughtfully curated tour was a journey not only into the depths of the lands that grow cacao, but a journey into the hands and hearts that continue to courageously protect Mayan Indigenous wisdom and traditions. I was transformed by the gracious opportunities to sit in ceremony with these wisdom keepers and also by witnessing the labor of love each bar of ceremonial cacao offered really is. Grateful to the Soul Lift Cacao team for sharing such a beautiful experience with the world. Please do not miss out on this transformative tour!" - Toni Kim, Holistic & Integrative Psychotherapist - Dec 2022 tour
PHOTOS FROM PREVIOUS TOURS
ABOUT SOUL LIFT CACAO FOUNDER NICK MEADOR
Since 2016 Nick has been traveling throughout Central America connecting with cacao farms, collectives, and experts. He founded Soul Lift Cacao to create a positive impact in the world by helping Mayan collectives share their cacao in the U.S. and beyond.
On top of that, Nick has been on a path of facilitation, leadership, and self-development for more than a decade. He has trained in various traditions, schools, and lineages for healing and self-development, and looks for the parallels that tie them together.
Nick created the Soul Lift Cacao Method to provide an ethical and responsible way to share ceremonial cacao in modern settings, and to create safe containers for transformational journeys. He has been training people to share cacao on their own since 2017.
This will be the eighth cacao and culture tour that Nick has organized.
ABOUT CEREMONIAL CACAO
Cacao is the natural, unprocessed form of chocolate grown in tropical regions around the world. Most people know cacao as a superfood. It has possibly the highest amount of antioxidants of any food. Cacao contains beneficial minerals like iron and magnesium. And the main active compound, theobromine, gives a boost of energy without the crash or cravings that can happen with coffee.
Yet cacao also has another aspect not spoken about in health food stores. Legends tell of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations using cacao for introspective and celebratory purposes, calling it the “Food of the Gods” and even trading it like currency. This more mysterious "plant medicine" side of cacao offers the potential to put you more in touch with your body and your soul. You can gain insights into the best direction moving forward, as well as the focus and motivation to take action towards those goals.
MAKE SURE TO ALSO CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE SHOP!
ABOUT ETHICS
Nick Meador is an American man of mixed European heritage and not of Mesoamerican descent. So he puts a lot of effort into making sure his work is ethical and responsible. Nick works in close partnership with indigenous teachers and cacao workers in an ongoing effort to bridge cacao into the modern world. It's all based on direct, consensual relationship, and an attitude of curiosity about this special plant that has changed Nick's life so profoundly, particularly on his path of healing from chronic illness. As an American who started traveling to Guatemala in 1996, and who has a deep background in facilitation, Nick is in a fitting position to lead this tour for Americans and people from other Western countries. The intention is to bring positive impact for both visitors and our local hosts, while minimizing or eliminating potential harm. Feel free to write to hello@soulliftcacao.com with any questions.
Guatemala cacao farm photo by Clara Angel Neumann
