Please don't book through the cart.
To reserve, email Jess@casadestela.com and we'll send you an invoice.
Guatemala: Craft + Culture
November 3–9, 2027 · 7 days, 6 nights · Antigua & Lake Atitlán
With Jess Bercovici & Josephine Pulitano
From $3,250 per person · Limited to 16 travelers
[Reserve your space →] Jess@casadestela.com
Stela Tours was born from a desire to travel differently: to connect communities, create meaningful spaces for women, and experience a place through the people who call it home. Guatemala is where much of that story began.
Jess and Jo both lived in Guatemala for many years. This week is an invitation into the places, relationships and traditions that made it home. Rather than simply showing you Guatemala, we get to introduce you to our Guatemala.
Over seven days we'll travel between Antigua and Lake Atitlán, two extraordinary places ringed by volcanoes and deeply rooted in Maya history and culture. We'll cross the lake by boat to visit artisan villages, work alongside local makers, dig through piles of antique textiles, gather around the tables of our favorite restaurants, practice yoga, swim, shop, wander, and leave plenty of room for the unexpected.
Some of the people we'll spend time with have been our friends and collaborators for years. Those relationships are what make this trip so special, and so hard to replicate.
This trip is for women who are curious about how things are made and where traditions come from. It's for women who value a long lunch, a beautiful object with a story, jumping off a boat into the lake, getting a little lost in a market, and making friends along the way.
This is not Guatemala from a checklist. It's Guatemala as we know and love it.
Pricing
| Room |
Price per person |
| Private room |
$4,850 |
| Shared room |
$3,250 |
Shared rooms are best booked with a friend or family member, and roommate matching is available. Shared rooms with two beds are limited, so you may share a queen bed. If you're traveling solo, we recommend a private room.
How to Book
All bookings are handled directly with us. Tours can't be purchased through the website.
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Get in touch. Email us at Jess@casadestela.com. We'll confirm availability and answer any questions.
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Pay your deposit. We'll send you an invoice for the $750 non-refundable deposit. Your spot is confirmed once it's received.
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Sign your agreement. We'll send your traveler agreement, to be signed within 48 hours.
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Pay your balance. The remaining balance is due 90 days before departure and is non-refundable.
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Ways to pay
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Venmo, Zelle, check or bank transfer: no fee
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Credit card: 3.9% processing fee
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Monthly payments: split your balance into monthly payments, subject to approval. Just let us know when you book and we'll include it on your invoice.
Discount codes do not apply to stela tours
The Week
Wednesday | Arrival in Antigua + Welcome Dinner
Fly into La Aurora International Airport, and try for a window seat; you won't want to miss your first glimpse of the volcanoes.
- Airport pickup and private transportation to Antigua
- Settle into our hotel in the heart of Antigua
- Time to relax and explore
- Welcome dinner at one of our favorite restaurants
Meals: Dinner
Thursday | Antigua → Lake Atitlán
The ancient Maya considered the number three sacred. You'll understand why when you first see Lake Atitlán and its three volcanoes.
- Breakfast in Antigua
- Private transportation to Lake Atitlán
- Settle into our lakeside accommodations
- Free afternoon to swim, relax or explore
- Dinner overlooking the lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Friday | Ceramics + Artisan Villages
- Optional morning yoga and breakfast on the lake
- Private boat across Lake Atitlán
- A day in Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó
- Ceramics experience with local artisans
- Lunch together, then a relaxed evening and dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Saturday | San Marcos + Traditional Temazcal
- Optional morning yoga and breakfast
- Private boat to San Marcos La Laguna
- Free time to swim, wander and shop (lunch on your own)
- Traditional Maya temazcal with our longtime friend and Maya spiritual guide, T'zules. This is optional; you're welcome to take extra free time instead.
- Dinner together
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sunday | Lake Atitlán → Antigua
- Optional morning yoga and breakfast
- A slow final morning at the lake
- Private transportation back to Antigua
- Settle into our private home; free afternoon to explore, shop or relax by the pool
- Dinner at a favorite Antigua restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Monday | Natural Dyeing
- Optional morning yoga and breakfast at home
- Natural dye workshop with our friends
- Lunch together
- Free afternoon for last-minute shopping
- A very special farewell dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tuesday | Departures
- Breakfast at home
- Private transportation to La Aurora International Airport
- Lots of hugs and promises to do this again
Itinerary subject to change.
What's Included
- 6 nights' accommodation
- Meals as noted (dietary needs always accommodated)
- Optional daily yoga
- All workshops and artisan experiences listed
- Private transportation, boat transfers and airport transfers
- Photography documenting the trip
- Digital travel guide for Antigua
Not Included
- Airfare
- Travel insurance (required)
- Alcohol, except where noted
About Your Hosts
Jess Bercovici is the founder of Casa de Stela, which she has owned and run for 16 years. She first traveled to Latin America in 2007 as an archaeologist and fell in love with Guatemala's textiles and ancient crafts. In 2015 she opened her first bed-and-breakfast in Antigua, where she began hosting craft courses and weeklong retreats for artists. Her programs have since grown to include Mexico City, Oaxaca, New Mexico, Puglia and Mallorca.
Josephine Pulitano is an entrepreneur, hotelier and healer. After selling her three restaurants in Melbourne, Australia, she moved to Guatemala, where she has spent years leading yoga and spiritual retreats and working as a life and health coach. She teaches Kundalini and Hatha yoga, breathwork and trauma release, drawing on trainings in Bali, India, Peru, Mexico, Thailand and beyond, and travels to more than 70 countries. She recently opened a new hotel and restaurant in Australia.
What Past Travelers Say
"I travel a lot and typically I despise tours... I can say wholeheartedly that I chose the right one." — Vanessa G., USA
"It was worth the 24-hour flight from Australia... a week of my life which I will cherish forever." — Sky C., Australia
Good to Know
Guatemala is a developing nation, and itineraries and accommodations may shift. We'll always do our very best to give you an incredible experience, and we ask for patience and cultural understanding in return.
