 |
 |
|
|
From meeting local Belizeans to discovering nature in the vast rainforest, we offer a wide variety of excursions to suit your taste and interest. Our guarantee: you can relax as much as you like or have an adventure you will always remember.
Rainforest | River | Ruins | Villages |
Blue Creek Hokeb Ha Caves
 
We drive inland along a road bordering the Mayan Mountains. As we come into the tiny village of Blue Creek, we leave our vehicle and begin our journey by foot. The cave is a 20 minute hike from the village. Following the river's edge, we make our way further upstream as we begin to recede into the mountain gorge. Either side of the gorge is covered from high above with a blanket of emerald green vegetation cascading down to the blue creek's source.
This is Hokeb Ha Cave. From here the true adventure begins. As we swim into the caves opening, through a pool of emerald blue cool water, we soon come into darkness. We have entered into the underworld of the Maya. The Maya name for this cave is "Hokeb Ha" or "Where the water enters the earth". We light our lanterns and the magic of this place begins to appear.
Stalactites and stalagmites lead us from one chamber to the next as we explore this seldom visited world. Archaeologists have found many Late Classic ceramics and an altar inside the cave, leading them to theorize that the Hokeb Ha cave was used specifically for ceremonial purposes.
The calm water at the main entrance is perfect for us to take a leisurely swim. An unforgettable experience! After we exit the cave we'll relax and enjoy a picnic lunch. Before heading back to the lodge, we will walk back to the village and we'll stop and see some local Maya selling crafts.
 
Mayan Mountain Hike
 
Awaking early, we will venture west into the Columbia Forest Reserve mountain range. With a local knowledgeable Indian guide we begin to explore one of many possible trails which wind through second growth forest until we reach the primary forest canopy. As the light grows dim (due to the height of these old trees) parrots will caw from high in the canopy, and lizards will scurry through the dense underbrush.
Hiking in this area is truly the best way to experience a tropical forest. Your senses will be inundated! You will see every shade of green; smell life and decay; feel the humidity and earth beneath your feet; hear the continuous hum of insects; and the distant roar of the Howler monkeys.
 
There are no trail maps for Southern Belize so your guide is essential here, pointing out the hidden birds, camouflaged wildlife and medicinal plants that abound. Stopping to rest atop a high bluff, we will take in the view of the beautiful valleys below. There is only tropical forest jungle as far as the eye can see, one of the few places left on earth that you can have this experience. We will return along another trail, passing small villages at the forest edge then back to the lodge that evening for a much needed rest and a hearty meal as the sun sets.
|
Tamash River /Barranco
 
Our first stop along this wild and remote coast is the southernmost settlement in Belize, Barranco, home to a small Garifuna group of families. Listen as the people speak to one another, you will feel the roots of Africa in their language. After a lunch of traditional fufuo (a kind of fish and plantain soup), we set off down the coast to the Tamash River and on to The Tamash and Sarstoon Delta Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the most remote reserves in Belize. This area provides habitat for warries, tapirs, ocelots, and jaguars. Rarely seen birds and animals such as the scarlet macaw, and the white-faced capuchin monkey have been spotted here.
Moho Bird Watching
 
More than 600 bird species live in this area year-round plus those that visit Belize as part of their migratory pattern. Canoe trips or leisurely walks along the banks of the Moho River are excellent for observing waterfowl such as anhingas, kingfishers, herons and swallows. Some of the best sightings can be viewed simply by staying where the mix of open land, orchard plantings, and jungle edge provide an excellent habitat (exactly the property site of our lodge) for yellow-tailed orioles, blue-gray tanagers, and a myriad of parrots and other species. Even those with a mere casual interest in birds will be delighted at the colorful avian displays seen during their travels within the Toledo District.
Rio Blanco
|
After a mile hike along the jungle trail we come to the Rio Blanco waterfall, which flows through wide, shallow pools and gentle cascades formed of smooth slabs of mudstone and sandstone, before pouring over a 15 foot ledge into a deep pool. This is a favorite jumping spot for local thrill-seekers--you may want to give it a try! Surrounding limestone boulders allow easy exploration above the pool. Further upstream, a small waterfall and wading pool feed the main waterfall.
|
Deep River
The Deep River trip features a tour of the Seven Hills Sugar Mill and the chance to see crocodiles, manatee and a variety of jungle flora. Here you will encounter a whole new suite of bird species such as golden-hooded tanager, yellow-backed oriole, rufous-capped warbler, and the rare orange-breasted falcon. At the mouth of the river we will visit a site once thought to be a pirate hideout and place of buried treasure.
|
Pushila
For something really different, this is the adventure you won't want to miss! Pushila is a Mayan ruin partially excavated in the 1920s then abandoned. It is known principally for its many carved monuments dating to the Classic period and has a unique architectural feature: a triple-span bridge. The ruins can only be reached by boat so we will launch into our canoes paddling a short distance up the Moho River. The plaza contains about two dozen carved stelae.
Nim Li Punit
In the Maya Kekchi language, Nim Li Punit means "the big hat," which is inherited from a carving on the longest of the site's twenty-six stelae, depicting a figure wearing a large headdress.
Lubaantun
Lubaantun is the largest Maya archaeological site in the south and one of the last major settlements built in Belize. Temple walls were constructed of cut stone and fit without the use of mortar. A controversial Crystal Skull was found here in 1926. The skull is said to show no tooled markings and is composed of pure crystallized quartz--fact or fiction, you decide.
|
Santa Anna
 
Santa Ana Tortilla Making Workshop
This is a chance to share your culture with the Kekchi Mayans and learn theirs. Participate in one of the daily routines of village life.
Punta Gorda
Punta Gorda is a gateway to and from Guatemala. In the market near the clock tower, the town springs to life on holidays and Saturday and Wednesday morning market days. This is when the villagers and Guatemalans from across the border pour in to buy and sell handicrafts, meat, produce and simple household goods. We'll come on market day and you will have time to roam throughout the town and spend some time in the market.
San Pedro, Columbia
 
San Pedro Columbia, made up of about 700 residents, is the largest Kekchi Maya village in Belize. Over the years, a number of Mopan Mayas have intermarried and now live there. The village is well known for its hand woven embroidery.
The original settlers of this village were Maya Indians who fled from San Luis, Peten Guatemala. The Columbia branch of the Rio Grande runs just north of the village. San Pedro Columbia is laid out on a series of rolling hills with smooth meandering gravel roads.
The village has electricity, a community phone, seven different churches, a police station, a handful of shops, a school, and a club. Flowering plants, including bright purple morning glories and ruby red poinsettias, color the surrounding thatch homes. |
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
