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Traditional fisherman · San Juan La Laguna, Atitlán
Don Mario Sapalú
32
years of craft
3
experiences in the network
Network-verified
A third-generation fisherman in San Juan, Mario heads out onto the lake before dawn with a bamboo rod and a net handed down from his father. On his outings he teaches you to read the water, to spot the clouds that herald the xocomil wind, and to share the morning prayer to Tata Atitlán.
Tz'utujilSpanish
Ask Don Mario about…
Cast-net fishingTz'utujil worldviewBirds of the lakeReading the xocomil
Trust
Verified by the Aurexon network
Every host passes the same process before welcoming travelers. It is not an individual booking guarantee — it is our standard of trust.
Verified identity
32 years in the craft
Verified languages: Tz'utujil, Spanish
Endorsed by the community
Network reputation
What the network says about Don Mario
Traveler reviews of Aurexon’s local host network as a whole — not attributed to any one person.
«They took us into the Chichicastenango market with Doña Carmen, who reads the textiles like no one else. Two hours with her were worth the whole trip. And the logistics were flawless, too.»
Margaret Holloway
Boston, USA
«I've been to Guatemala three times. Aurexon is the first agency that truly understands what 'discreet' means. The hosts have a face, a name, a craft.»
Antoine Lefèvre
Lyon, France
Part of our local network
Your dedicated local coordinator is assigned when you book.
We work with real people like this. Explore the available tours, pick your date, and when you book we introduce your coordinator. We pay them fairly and directly, with no middlemen.