Bright Light Corporate
Corporate Social Responsibility
Citizen Diplomacy Travel
Program in Guatemala
with SDWAC
Travel With a Purpose
Cultural Connections
This program is designed for globally curious individuals affiliated with the San Diego World Affairs Council—whether students, educators, or lifelong learners—who seek to understand development work from the inside out. It’s for those who believe that engaging with the world means rolling up your sleeves, asking hard questions, and building meaningful bridges across cultures.
Bright Light Volunteers, in partnership with Serve The World Today and the San Diego World Affairs Council, invites you to travel with purpose on an immersive service-learning program in the heart of Guatemala. This one-of-a-kind experience blends hands-on volunteer work, cultural exchange, and thoughtful dialogue to foster a deeper connection to the world and your place in it.
On this 7-day journey, you’ll step into rural villages, vibrant artisan towns, and historic cities to discover a side of Guatemala few travelers ever see. You’ll join forces with local families to help build a bottle school—a sustainable classroom made with eco-bricks—and engage in powerful conversations around history, migration, and sustainability.
Educational Enrichment
Learning never ends and our program offers a unique opportunity to increase your fund of knowledge via personal experiences curated just for you! This program isn’t just about building a school. It’s about building relationships, understanding context, and seeing development work through a human lens. Through guided visits, shared meals, and real conversations, you’ll explore how global and local stories are deeply intertwined.
If you’re a globally engaged student, educator, or world affairs enthusiast, this trip offers the perfect balance of meaningful service, intellectual exploration, and authentic connection.
Make a Difference
Always leave a place better than you found it. This trip isn’t just about travel—it’s about connection, contribution, and perspective. Step into a global classroom. Build a bottle school. And return home with new insights and lifelong memories.
Highlights
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Multi-city Tour
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Curated Lectures
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Cultural Connections
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Historical Tours
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Food Tours
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Cooking Class
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Service Initiative
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Fun & Camaraderie
Daily Itinerary
Program participants will be greeted at Aurora International Airport and then transported by private van to Hotel de Montaña in Tecpán where we will enjoy a special welcome dinner and orientation for the week ahead!
After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll spend the morning exploring the indigenous communities in the area and visit our partner community where you will take part in a welcoming ceremony and then start the bottle school service project. After lunch, we will take part in a private lecture on the history and legacy of Guatemala’s civil war. Private dinner at the hotel.
After breakfast, we’ll head back to the partner community to complete our service project. Then we will go on a community walk where we will take part in a tortilla making demonstration with one of the locals. Lunch on site and then we will attend a lecture on the impacts of migration within the community. Later we will have time to interact with the kids at the school and take part in a closing ceremony. Then it’s time to head back to the hotel for some R & R before enjoying another private dinner!
Get ready for a magical adventure as we travel to Lake Atitlán (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) where we will check into Hotel Posada Chinimayá before boarding a boat taxi to San Juan La Laguna where we will visit a textile co-op run by local, indigenous woman who will walk us through the process that they use to create their incredible Mayan textiles. A group lunch follows and then you will have a few hours of unstructured free time to explore the local markets in this artisan village.
After returning to the hotel we will be treated to a traditional dinner at Kaqchikel restaurant.
Today we will travel to Antigua, the famous and captivating city in Guatemala, renowned for its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture (as well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site)! Situated in the central highlands, Antigua offers a unique blend of history, culture, and stunning natural beauty, with views of nearby volcanoes.
After checking into Hotel Casa Antigua, we will depart for a private coffee tour at Finca La Azotea.
After enjoying some free time we will head to an interactive cooking class at La Tortilla where we will learn how to make Guatemala’s famous pepián and enjoy the fruits of our labor for dinner!
Mid-morning we will drive to Guatemala City & check into Hotel Ajau Colonial. A lunch and lecture will be provided by a special guest. Free time until we regroup for dinner and a cultural show in the country’s capital!
After breakfast at the hotel you will be provided private transport to Aurora International Airport to begin your journey back home.
7-DAY PROGRAM COST
PER PARTICIPANT:
$2,675
Tax Deductible Portion: $1,350
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Single Occupancy Supplement: +$500
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Estimated Airfare: $900**
* Estimated cost per participant based on double occupancy
hotel room. Single occupancy
available upon request
**This is an airfare estimate
only.
MINIMUM PARTICIPANTS: 10
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All lodging
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All breakfast, lunch and six gourmet group dinners
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24/7 On-Site BLC Group Coordinator
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Medical and emergency evacuation insurance
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All service project expenses
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All cultural activity expenses
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All ground transportation
*Bright Light Corporate does not cover visas, checked baggage fees, cancellation insurance, immunizations (if applicable), extra food (beyond meals quoted in program), or souvenirs.