Join an immersive 8-day mushroom cultivation course on-site at Fungi HQ!
Designed to take your knowledge to the next level so you can grow anything from spore to shroom. Like the mycelial network, we grow best in environments rooted in abundance and support.
That’s why we’ve created a hands-on learning experience surrounded by passionate, like-minded individuals. Guided by experienced cultivators, you’ll gain practical skills in a collaborative and supportive setting.
By the end of the week, you’ll feel confident, empowered, and inspired to start growing your own mushrooms at home.
Master the whole process of mushroom growing from collecting spores to picking your fresh mushrooms. You will learn and apply many proven indoor and outdoor techniques, learning to grow gourmet, medicinal, and sacred mushrooms for you and your community.
Become a node in the mycelial network. Collaboration is the foundation of our learning environment. The more meaningful connections there are in a network, the stronger it is. By living and learning together with other students, you weave yourself into a global web and form bonds that last.
Living and learning together is fun if we keep ourselves healthy and centered. Healthy food, yoga, breath work, sauna, swimming, and meditation are some of the holistic lifestyle elements that help to keep our inner and outer space activated.
Become a node in the mycelial network. Collaboration is the foundation of our learning environment. The more meaningful connections there are in a network, the stronger it is. By living and learning together with other students, you weave yourself into a global web and form bonds that last.
“My experience in the face-to-face cultivation course was fascinating, extremely inspiring. The way that each facilitator transmits their wisdom is an art channeled from their experience with much love and attention to detail, and they manage to create a program that fuses science, biology, theory, history, spiritual practices (meditations, yoga, breathwork) and laboratory practices, which help to deepen fungi awareness.”
“If you have a love for mushrooms, and a love for plants, and really want to know the species, and don’t know where to start. I think it’s a good way to start, and find the root of it, and just start!”
“The Fungi Academy course and experience blew open the creative pathways in my mind. I learned how to technically, physically, and symbiotically cultivate and harvest gourmet and medicinal mushrooms at a level beyond my imagination. I am forever grateful to the team for helping me pack in 10 years of learning in just one week. You all have huge hearts and brilliant minds, and I cannot wait to see you again! Matiox!”
There’s something very special about this place !
“I love how they’re able to bounce of each other, the teamwork behind the course is amazing”
“This is how it’s done, folks!
From San Francisco to Guatemala, the travel was multi-vehicle and entirely worth it. Fungi Academy was stock-full of multi-cultural, effervescent and intentional community. Incredible to be a part of.
I have the entire skill-set to be a local fungi grower after Jasper’s course. I feel confident to grow and if I have questions, I have a substantial community to reach out to.
The joy that this course brought me will have me going back! It’s a joy I want to share with everyone. Do not hesitate to take a course here at Fungi Academy — if you feel called, trust the calling.”
“A magical experience in a magical heavenly hidden paradise.
The staff, the vibes, the atmosphere, and ohhh yes! the food!
Above all, the information and learning, a professional experience, exceeded all my expectations. I will go there again for more.
I loved every moment”
“honestly can’t say enough good things! awesome course, awesome people. truly one of my favorite experiences this far in life. i’ll be back :)”
“Fungi Academy as a team figured out this genius way of providing an education and making it friendly. So that regardless of your educational status, your educational background, you can take the course and walk away learning. Ready to start your journey of cultivation….”
“So far my favorite thing has been the hands-on teaching, and being able to do every little agar transfer, substrate, agar to substrate; all those steps. If you’ve already done them with someone who knows them then you feel safe doing it at home. It’s way better than what I found reading a book and on the internet, you never really know, here it felt like there’s always a teacher staring at you, and I like that. Now I feel confident.”
“I was so impressed with how professional the curriculum is laid out, the imagery, the marketing. Everything from A – Z you guys have thought of, I’m very impressed. It’s not your standard hippie operation.”
“An unforgettable learning experience! Innovative and practical.
In a beautiful space surrounded by nature and life, thanks to the whole team! They make you feel like family”
“Fungi Academy significantly advanced my research interests, theory, and practice of mycology. The perceived instructor effectiveness goes beyond five starts to cover all the stars (or spores) in the universe into countless points of recommendation. The cultivation and journey was equivalent to a graduate-level mycology degree program from a top-ranked university, compressed into an amazing week of fungal immersion.”
“Great experience, both pedagogical and human. Incredible environment in the middle of nature next to Lake Atitlán, a land full of magic, energy and ancestral wisdom. Recommended 100%”
“I’ve taken 2 in person classes, one in Washington State and one in Guatemala. I signed up after a successful harvest that I learned from the online class. These are very nice people, who share their knowledge and enthusiasm for mushrooms and are there to help you be successful with cultivations. Don’t be afraid, go to Guatemala and have an amazing experience with Fungi Academy and learn something new. All kinds of students were included in the class. Young and old, professionals, medical practitioners, construction workers, college students, students of life.”
"You know, undoubtedly this will be one of the greatest experiences I've ever had in my life."
"My favorite avenue of education would be with the Fungi Academy"
"My experience at Fungi Academy has been one of the best experiences I've been trough. We learned so much, not just about mushrooms, also about ourselves. "
"The facilitators just come together like the best combination of everything that you could imagine that you'd want here in a course"
"Fungi Academy's Mushroom Cultivation course blew my mind and my heart open. The world needs this!"
""I am blown away by how smart, organic and authentic the Fungi Academy Teaching Style is."
"I got way more than I was looking for, I got new friends, I got a lot of knowledge to bring back to my country and a lot of details about the technique that I was actually looking for. "
"The Mushroom Cultivation Course over exceeded my expectations!"
A Worldwide “ShroomBoom” is igniting, and it’s more than a trend. It’s a shift toward community resilience, regenerative living, and sacred connection with nature.
Since 2016, we’ve trained hundreds of “sporriors” from over 40 countries, equipping them with skills to weave positive change in their communities and beyond.
Our graduates have gone on to:
Mushrooms are catalysts for personal and collective transformation, and skilled cultivators are at the heart of this change.
Sacred mycology is about creating meaning and purpose in our lives with the help of mushrooms. It’s about learning to interact and listen to nature’s wisdom within and around us.
This wisdom has the potential to help us heal and regenerate our bodies and our environment. Sacred mushrooms can inspire us to find purpose and a deeply meaningful existence while living here on earth.
Guatemala City La Aurora (GUA) is the nearest international airport.
Travelling Economically
You can either take a shared shuttle bus or a private shuttle to get to Panajachel (the biggest town on the lake). From Panajachel, you can take a Lancha (public boat) to Tzununa. In Tzununa, you will easily find a TukTuk driver who will happily take you to the Fungi Academy! (Locals know it as the Ashram).
Shuttles to Panajachel can be found here
Private shuttle or car
There are plenty of private options available to take you directly to Panajachel or Tzununa on Lake Atitlan. You can either arrange one yourself outside of the airport terminal or book one through an agency at the airport.
As our student, we can help you organise a private car to the Lake!
Please note that flights and transportation to and from Fungi Academy are not included. Any expenses related to travel arrangements are the participant’s responsibility and are not included in the tuition fee.
Our retreats are jam-packed, so there will not be time during the retreat for you to visit other areas of Guatemala. Whilst we do have some excursions included in our program, if you want to see more of this beautiful country then we strongly encourage you to extend your stay by a few extra days to enjoy the many wonders Guatemala has to offer.
Antigua: A beautiful town not too far from the airport full of art, culture, and amazing food, all surrounded by epic volcanos, including Fuego, Acatenango and Pacaya. You can organise a tour to hike up Acatenango to get up close and personal with lava!
Maya Papaya is a beautiful and clean hostel with private and shared rooms. If you are looking for a spa getaway, we recommend Hotel Santo Domingo.
Our Restaurant list for foodies:
Guatemala City: The location of the nearest International Airport. Hostel Villa Toscana has been recommended by our students who arrive late in the evening or want to stay close to the airport for an early flight.
Lake Atitlan: There is plenty to do on this beautiful Lake! Amazing sunrise hikes, climbing volcanos, swimming or paddle-boarding out on the lake, yoga, ecstatic dance, ceremonies, open mic nights, and so much more! You can take courses in Spanish, permaculture at Atitlan Organics or herbalism at Casa Curativa. You will find lots of variety in Tzununa, San Marcos or the other communities around the lake. Lush, Picnic, Maya Moon, and Eagles Nest, are all beautiful spaces to stay in before or after the course.
Other places to see: The ancient ruins of Tikal, the wonderous pools of Semuc Champey, the surfy town of El Paredon, or the jungly beaches of Livingstone… Guatemala is beautiful, ancient and wild!
For more accommodation options, you can check out Airbnb and Booking.com
Our course is priced depending on the accommodation you choose (and that is available).
Options available: EARLY BIRD pricing!
Please let us know if you snore or are a loud sleeper or require special care – we will make arrangements to ensure everybody gets a good night’s sleep!
You must arrive at Fungi Academy after 12 pm for check-in, but before 2 pm so you do not miss any first-day activities. Checkout is around 11:30am.
Our own amazing jungle property is close to a river, filled with bananas, avocados, dragon fruit, zapotes and all the following amenities:
There is NO drinking alcohol allowed on our property
Yes! All our meals are vegetarian by default (we get happy chicken eggs from our neighbours’ permaculture properties), and our in-house chef has no problems catering to your needs!
There is no drinking alcohol, smoking, or meat allowed on the property.
On the first day of the course, only dinner will be served. On the closing day only breakfast will be served.
Please let us know your preference, and we will make sure your belly and body are healthy and happy!
Yes! There are dogs and cats at Fungi Academy (future new furry friends for you!). If you have allergies, please let us know as soon as you can so we can place you in an appropriate room.
This year we are introducing our new Decompression Package! For an additional fee you will be able to stay at Fungi Academy for some extra nights to relax and integrate after the course with accommodation, some meals, mind-body classes, massage, sauna and more!
Let us know if this is something you are interested in!
It is also possible that you could be able to stay on as a short-term resident after the course; however, we cannot guarantee your spot until you have arrived at the Academy and we’ve gotten to know each other! If you’re interested in this possibility, make sure to notify us when you arrive!
Guatemala is wild and free! You are coming on an adventure, there will be bugs, the dirt roads are windy and we cannot predict the weather – Come prepared!
It is recommended that you bring comfortable clothes for both warm and cold weather, a headlamp or flashlight, walking shoes, toiletries, reusable water bottle, journal/notebook, swimsuit, towel, sweater/rain jacket. It can get wet and cold in the afternoons. Ladies are recommended to bring reusable products, although it is not mandatory.
The currency of Guatemala is Quetzal. Currency exchange is available at the airport, any banks, and in some local markets in Lake Atitlan. There is also an ATM machine in San Marcos, the neighbouring town. Please come prepared with some cash, as there will not be much time to visit an ATM once the course has started!
Your deposit is non-refundable. If you cannot make it to the course, you can transfer to a Retreat/Course, though there will be a $200 transfer fee (unless you find a friend to take your place!). If you cancel less than 14 days before the start of the course, the transfer fee to a future course is $500.
There are no more COVID restrictions! You can enter Guatemala without a mask, test, or vaccination.
Ready to catch the worm – or in this case, a sweet discount? Early Bird prices are available on a first come first serve basis – whoever pays their deposits first! You will receive confirmation in your acceptance email if you have qualified for Early Bird (sometimes our system takes a second to update, so please wait for our confirmation).