We were excited to depart early in the morning for our most anticipated adventure, Actun Muchknal Cave! A short drive and hike through a jungle trail took us to the mouth of the cave where we entered the cool water to begin our cave exploration. Over the next few hours we swam, squeezed and climbed our way to the top of the cave. Since Pook's Hill is so close to this national treasure, our guide and the two of us were the only one's in the cave until our trip back out, which gave the experience even more impact. This breathtaking journey took us to the sacrificial chambers of the cave where ancient Mayans came to sacrifice belongings and lives to their gods. Broken ceramics, human remains, and soot from ancient fires fill these magnificent rooms and although photography is no longer allowed in the cave, for the sake of preservation, this is an experience we will never forget.
We returned to the lodge in the afternoon which gave us an opportunity to more fully explore the jungle trails offered by the lodge.
A quick stop at the Roaring River. (Joe Devine)
On top of all the dense and luscious scenery we saw some very impressive insects and birds. The most enjoyable insects to watch were the leaf cutter ants which had carves many ant-highways through the trail used to transport their precious cargo.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
