Join us on a curated journey through western Guatemala in February 2026 to experience the special time of Wayeb firsthand.
Wayeb is a sacred, ancient tradition of 5 days of prayer that is an essential part of the Mayan way of life. This is a rare tour unlike anything that most foreigners ever get to experience.
We will meet in Guatemala City and then travel to Chichicastenango to visit the famous artisan market and gather supplies that will become our offerings during Wayeb. Here we will also join in ceremony with the Twins, Tatas Juan and Miguel Leon Cortez.
Traveling further into the Western Highlands, we will spend time with Kakaw Chinimital, as well as the Utz K'aslemal collective who make Pacalá ceremonial cacao.
Finally we will travel to an organic cacao farm in the lowlands near the Pacific Coast for the celebration at the end of Wayeb.
This tour is organized by Nick Meador of Soul Lift Cacao, with translation and interpretation services by Enjoly Mar Garcia and Stephanie Álvarez. More info on the organizers below.
NOTE: All potential participants must start by completing our written application linked below.
MORE ABOUT WAYEB:
Wayeb is all about agriculture. The main reason it was celebrated was for indigenous people to say thank you before planting new seeds for the growing season. To grow food and good crops was everything for them.
Wayeb represents a deep connection to Mother Earth for receiving abundance. It's a beautiful way to say thank you – for cacao seeds, for water, for all the harvest to come.
Praying for five days is an act of service and a way of paying respect to these ancient ceremonies, to Mother Earth, and to the cosmos.
There will be guidance on how to participate respectfully, so that we can foster symbiotic relationships between indigenous and modern cultures.
Watch this video recap from our Wayeb tour in Feb 2025!
TOUR DATES:
Arrive in Guatemala City by Weds, Feb 11
Activities planned from Thurs, Feb 12 to Thurs, Feb 19
Return to Guatemala City or continue traveling on Fri, Feb 20
TRIP INCLUDES:
Many ceremonies (with and without cacao) led by Mayan spiritual guides.
Live English translation (note: all participants must be fluent in English to join)
Eight (8) nights lodging.
NOTE: For three nights in the middle of the tour, only shared (dorm-style) lodging will be available.
Lodging isn't included the night of the 19th
All ground transportation (starting and ending in Guatemala City; optional ride to Lake Atitlan on Feb 19).
Options available for those who need to start or end in Antigua or Panajachel, Lake Atitlán. (There might be additional cost depending on your needs.
Meals from breakfast on Feb 12 to lunch on Feb 19.
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free options.
Some organized meals will only be vegetarian due to limited food supplies in rural Guatemala.
Due to the unpredictable nature of travel in a developing country, organized meals happen 2-3 times per day during the tour. Participants will have the option to bring snacks or find more food. There will be no refunds for missed meals.
REGISTRATION – LIMITED TO 12 PARTICIPANTS (ONLY 10 REMAIN!)
Shared Lodging - $2,299 USD per person
Private Individual - $2,599 USD per person
• NOTE: Those who select "private individual" will have a room to themselves for 5 nights. For 3 nights in the middle of the tour at Corazon del Bosque hotel, only shared (dorm-style) lodging will be available.
• Payment can be all at once, or you can save your spot with a $600 deposit.
• Payments by credit/debit card, Venmo, or Paypal are subject to a 2.91% service fee. If you need us to take credit card info over the phone, the service fee is 3.5% due to higher payment processing charges. Options to avoid the fee include paying by Zelle or wire transfer.
• NOTE: ShopPay automatic installments are not an option for registration. Whichever option you choose, if starting with a deposit in advance, the full trip balance will be due by February 1, 2026.
• Because we have to pay deposits to reserve lodging and other activities, registration is non-refundable. Please look into travel insurance if you have any concerns.
TO MAXIMIZE THE SYNERGY OF THE GROUP, WE ASK THAT EVERYONE FILL OUT AN APPLICATION HERE. THOSE WITH APPROVED APPLICATIONS WILL BE INVITED TO A ZOOM CALL WITH THE ORGANIZERS.
WE SHARE MORE LODGING INFO AND A DETAILED ITINERARY WITH PARTICIPANTS AFTER THEY HAVE REGISTERED.
LODGING PREVIEW
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.
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.
*Note: Specific lodging and activity 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.
This cacao has a bold taste and a powerful delivery. Each cacao circle we thank those behind such powerful elixir. Infinite thanks for the intentional work may those hands that plant and harvest live a long healthy life.
I’ve been enjoying Soul Lift Cacao for at least three years, their mission statement and ethical practices is what initially drew me in. Only to find that their Cacao also delivers on quality. The cacao varietals all vary and I enjoy the way SLC explains origin and flavor profiles. All this to say, I love their cacao and am grateful for the work they do, their product and how it uplifts people from every aspect of its creation.
I used the entire pound for a women's retreat where we had 16 participants, it was a profound and beautiful ceremony. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.- Love, Elmira
This was the first one I tried from ya'll. It has a very deep earthy chocolate smell. The taste in a drink took some getting used to. Wasn't sure i liked it, but after the 2nd cup I found myself craving it. Now it's one I try to keep on hand.
