Country: Guatemala

Organization: Cooperativa Sanimtacá

Website: -

Project Description:
Cooperative Sanimtacá is a small village in rural Guatemala. The community is located in a deep, round valley and completely disappears under clouds every night, reappearing in the late morning. Sanimtacá is surrounded on all sides by the Sacranix mountain range, the site of extensive cloud forest and home to 350 species of native and migratory birds. Trained bird monitors can guide tourists through the mountain jungles to observe the outstanding natural beauty. In addition, the village itself retains its Mayan heritage and a visitor can observe traditional life and hear the Q'ekchi' language which is still spoken here predominantly. A visitor can stay and eat with a family during their visit. Accomodations are spartan, but if a visitor can appreciate the simplicity of the life in Sanimtacá, they will find themselves warmly welcomed.

Pedro2010's Story:
I am a current Peace Corps volunteer serving in Sanimtacá in the area of ecotourism. Sanimtacá lacks a lot of things that established ecotourism sites already have (income, electricity, access, cell-phone signal, infrastructure), but Sanimtacá's potential is so strong that it's only a matter of time and work. The people here had the foresight to set aside great portions of communal forest as protected area. They have not profited financially from this decision. I am filled with respect for their conservation. This site and these people are worthy of recognition and attention as a beautiful and welcoming tourist destination.