Maya, Nature & Adventure in Belize

MAINLAND TOUR «MAYA, NATURE & ADVENTURE IN BELIZE» - 6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS

Experience the most beautiful sights of Belize. On the tour you will visit and experience a river cruise on the mystical jungle river New River, adventurous hours of ziplining and cave tubing in "Indiana Jones style" through the middle of untouched nature and the magnificent Mayan sites of Belize with a day trip to the magnificent site of Tikal in Guatemala.

PROGRAM OF THE MAINLAND TOUR «MAYA, NATURE & ADVENTURE IN BELIZE»

DAY 1, BELIZE CITY - MAYA RUINS ALTUN HA - ORANGE WALK

Arrival at the international airport of Belize City (BZE) and then drive towards Orange Walk. On the way, visit the Mayan cult site in Altun Ha. It is assumed that the name Altun Ha means something like "water that comes out of rocks". The first traces of settlement in Altun Ha can be traced back to around 1000 B.C. The site consists of two main plazas and a total of 300 documented buildings, including at least thirteen temples, most of which were built during the so-called Classic Period. The relatively large number of buildings and rich grave goods indicate that Altun Ha benefited from the trade network between the coast and the interior. Afterwards, continue to Orange Walk and spend 2 nights in the small town.

DAY 2, ORANGE WALK - MAYA RUINS LAMANAI - ORANGE WALK

After breakfast, drive to the boat landing stage at Tower Hill. We travel by river boat on the New River through the nature reserve to the elongated lagoon of Lamanai. Visit to the Mayan city built in the middle of the rainforest. The name Lamanai means "submerged crocodile" in the Mayan language. With a settlement period of around 3000 years, it is one of the longest continuously inhabited Mayan cities. In the classic period around 700 AD, the population grew to over 20,000. Unlike most other Mayan sites, Lamanai was still inhabited when the Spanish came to Belize in the 16th century. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

DAY 3, ORANGE WALK - ZIPLINE & CAVE TUBING ADVENTURE - SAN IGNACIO

In the morning we drive past Belize City up the Old Belize River towards Jaguar Paw. There we stop for a unique cave tubing and zipline adventure. We drive through the jungle to the zip line, where you climb onto the first platform. From there, you "zip" through the dense canopy of the tropical rainforest in eight different stages. After around one and a half hours, you will head to the nearby resort for lunch. After lunch, your guide will lead you on a 40-minute jungle trail to the entrance of the Xibalba Caves. Then it's time to don your headlamp and jump on your tube into the pleasantly cool water and marvel as you glide through the amazing caves filled with stalactites, stalagmites and crystals. The caves were once the cult temples of the Mayas. Relax Indiana Jones-style on your tube as you glide along the river through the untouched nature and cave systems. Then continue to San Ignacio and spend 2 nights.

DAY 4, SAN IGNACIO - TIKAL (GUATEMALA) - SAN IGNACIO

Today the whole day is dedicated to the Mayas. After crossing the border into Guatemala, we drive to the famous Mayan site of Tikal. In its heyday from 250 to 900 AD, it was one of the most magnificent places and has retained its unmistakable charm to this day. The huge pyramids towering above the rainforest canopy are so elegant and mystical that you will never forget them. Cross the border again later in the afternoon and return to San Ignacio (Belize).

DAY 5, SAN IGNACIO - ATM CAVES OR MAYA RUINAS XUNANTUNICH

Option 1 Today we explore the caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal, better known as the ATM Caves - the underworld of the Mayas, in the middle of the Belize jungle. After a bumpy drive, we reach the park, where we hike through the jungle for half an hour. Swimming, wading and climbing, we enter the cave and follow the path into the mystical underworld of the Mayas. Through narrow crevices we discover stalactites and stalagmites in a cathedral-like room. We feel like Indiana Jones on one of his adventures in search of hidden treasures. And before long, these treasures appear! We find countless relics such as whole clay jugs or various shards. They bear witness to sacrifices to the gods. Here in Xibalba, the Mayan underworld, is the entrance to the gods. The highlight of our tour is a visit to the resting place of "Crystal Maiden", a 20-year-old woman who was sacrificed to the gods over 1000 years ago. In addition to her, there are also numerous other skeletons, which only hint at the brutality of the Mayans in these ceremonies. Finally, we take the same route back to the cave exit and return to San Ignacio.

Tip: The tour into the cave takes the whole day. It is advisable to bring swimming trunks and fresh clothes in a dry bag as well as a water bottle.Several rivers are crossed on foot on the way to the cave, so it is also advisable to wear waterproof shoes.You are not allowed to enter the cave in shoes due to possible damage, so you should bring at least two pairs of socks.Photography is not permitted at this height since a tourist dropped a camera on a skeleton years ago and damaged it.

Option 2 Alternative activity (e.g. if you are claustrophobic or have limited mobility): Visit to the Mayan site of Xunantunich.

Xunantunich was an important ceremonial site of the Classic Period until it collapsed sometime in the 10th century.Xunantunich's showpiece is the towering pyramid A6 (40 meters), which was long considered the tallest structure in Belize before Caracol's La Caana was measured.A total of over 25 temples and palaces are grouped around six plazas.The reconstructed stucco frieze on the east side of the pyramid and the new frieze replica on the west side are remarkable.

DAY 6, SAN IGNACIO - BELIZE CITY / INT'L AIRPORT

After breakfast, return to Belize International Airport. On the way visit the Belize Zoo, which is the oldest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in Belize. In keeping with its origins, animals confiscated by law enforcement agencies from the illegal wildlife trade or taken from other rehabilitation and zoological facilities find an ideal habitat here. The 30-hectare facility, which is modeled on the animals' natural environment in the style of a tropical savannah, provides visitors with a comprehensive educational experience. Many of the 160 species are native animals, such as the tapir, the keel-billed toucan, the jaguar, the crocodile, the jabirus stork, the macaw parrot and many more. They have all found a new home here. Continue to Belize International Airport, where your guide will bid you farewell.