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Belize Rainforest

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$795

$175 single supplement

Starts and ends in Belize City, Belize

Actun Tunichil Muknal cave entrance|^|Jonathan Brunger

Actun Tunichil Muknal cave trip|^|Monika Sundem

Enjoying a sunset in the jungle on a Belize tour|^|Aaron Conway

Crossing the river during a jungle tour of remote Belize|^|Aaron Conway

Travel Highlights

Belize Zoo
Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve
Rio Macal
Actun Muknal Tunichil Cave

Extend your trip for a few days by journeying into the Belizean rainforest. Visit the Belize Zoo enroute to your jungle retreat. Go deep into the Maya underworld with an unforgettable adventure into Actun Muknal Tunichil cave. Discover cathedral shaped caves, explore winding trails in the Maya Mountains, and paddle down the Macal River - an exhilarating way to end your tour!

Day 1 Belize Zoo, Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve
Day 2 Rio Macal and the Maya
Day 3 Actun Muknal Tunichil Cave
Day 4 Return to Belize City

HikingIncludes guided hiking excursions. Hikes may vary from easy and optional three hour hikes to more difficult multi-day treks.
Nature ViewingIncludes intentional opportunity to observe flora or fauna with an experienced guide.
PaddlingIncludes paddling activity such as sea kayaking or rafting.

Pooks Hill Lodge

Day 1 Belize Zoo, Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve (D)

Arrive at the Belize City airport and transfer to your jungle retreat. Along the way stop at the Belize Zoo, where in typical Belizean fashion animals roam 29 acres in large natural enclosures. Your jungle lodge is tucked next to the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and Roaring River. Surrounded by pristine forest, your days at the lodge are filled with natural discoveries exploring the lush vegetation of the Maya Mountains and the mysteries beneath.

Day 2 Rio Macal and the Maya (B,L,D)

This morning paddle down the Macal River for your first introduction to Belizean wildlife. Your guide will help you spot iguanas, peccaries, coati mundis and a myriad of bird life. For lunch, we stop at the Garcia Sisters for a traditional Mayan meal. These five sisters have been instrumental in reviving the art of Yucatec Maya slate carving and maintaining the language, culture and traditions of the Maya in Belize. While here, walk the Medicine Trail, visit their botanical garden, tour the Tanah Mayan Art Museum, and listen to stories of spirits still revered by the modern Maya.

Day 3 Actun Muknal Tunichil Cave (B,L,D)

We wake early for our unforgettable adventure into the Maya underworld. We begin our journey from our lodge doors, crossing creeks and journeying deep into the Belizean jungle to the opening of the sacred Actun Tunichil Muknal - the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher. At the entrance we gear up with helmets and waterproof headlamps, then wade into the emerald colored water flowing from the cave's gaping mouth. Our journey follows the river's flow through wet and dry caves encased in hanging stalactites and towering stalagmites. Our final destination is the spectacular primary chamber where ancient kings and priests made blood sacrifices to appease the Maya gods. Our lights illuminate the ghostly outlines of skeletal ritual victims and scattered ceramic shards of ancient rituals. Tunichil is an active archeological site, so we're careful not to disturb the sleeping skeletons and ceramic pieces before returning to the light above ground. Those preferring life above ground can choose from a variety of alternative excursions.