THE FACTS
Location: Belize, Central America
Start point: Belize City
Best time to visit: December - June
Activities: Trekking, Exploring ancient Mayan sites, Learning about medicinal plant lore, Diving, Snorkelling, Sea-kayaking (depending on option chosen for last 4 days).
Tribe: Maya
Duration: 12 days
Guideline Prices: Caye Caulker option (includes all dives) from £2,300 (US$ 4,140)
Placencia option from £2,150 (US$ 3,870)
Please note the US$ exchange rate to calculate US$ prices will be confirmed at sign up.
ITINERARY IN BRIEF
Day 1: Arrive in Belize City and transfer to the capital, Belmopan. Depending on the arrival time, we will take in the Belize Zoo, Spanish Lookout, and Green Iguana Farm. Spend the night in San Ignacio.
Day 2: Explore the famous Mayan ruins of Caracol, deep in the Belize Jungle.
You will also receive Jungle Training from S2Si staff to prepare you for this new environment! Return to San Ignacio for the night.
Day 3: Travel South with a quick stop at Nim Li Punit and Lubaantun, if there’s time, so we can compare these two archaeological sites. Overnight Sun Creek Lodge, Toledo District, Southern Belize.
Day 4: Experience the Cacao Trail where you will get an idea of how important Chocolate and Cacao was for the Ancient Mayans. Meet with farmers from a Mayan village and learn about all the medicinal properties of the jungle flora. Step off the official ‘touristy’ medicinal trail, and learn about Belize’s medicinal plants inside locals’ houses – this is truly getting under the skin of Belize and its people! Later we will go Cave Swimming at Blue Creek, and overnight Sun Creek Lodge.
Day 5: Trek to the beautiful Uxbenka (this is a non-excavated Maya Site, surrounded by secondary jungle – local villagers sometimes burn around this area because they have their milpa around the site), where an archaeologist from the University of New Mexico is doing some surveying and mapping. It is the most important site in Southern Belize and is 600-700 years older than Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit! Continue trekking to the Yok Balum Caves. Later in the afternoon visit the Waterfalls at Santa Elena, perhaps do some hiking, and walk on a cable bridge! Overnight in the jungle - camping by the fire and using a Hammock, Basha and Mozzy Net…
Day 6: Trek to the unexcavated Kayuko Cave and Mound Group, deep in the Belize Jungle. Due to the off the beaten track nature of this site and lack of excavation, we can only see the entrance to the cave system, not go into it – imagine what could be inside! Similarly with the Mound Group you could be standing on hoards of jade and other treasures – very Indiana Jones! Later, enjoy the waterfalls at the village of Santa Cruz or further away at the Rio Blanco waterfalls. After completing some exciting river crossings we will camp overnight in the Rainforest by a beautiful river in the National Park!
Day 7: Spend a day visiting and taking in the Maya village life of Santa Cruz before heading back to Sun Creek Jungle Lodge.
Day 8: Spend a full day taking in Pusilha (San Benito Poite) Acropolis and the Maya Bridge (the only remains found in the Mayan World)! Overnight at Sun Creek Lodge.
Placencia option:
Day 9: Transit to Placencia by local transport. Relax and spend the night at The Inn at Robert’s Grove, Placencia, with Belize’s best beaches!
Day 10: Go snorkelling or fun diving! You can even Sea-Kayak for the day to a local island, and return to Robert’s Grove for the night.
Day11: Try more snorkelling or fun diving, or go Sea-Kayaking to the local island! Enjoy your final night in Placencia with its laid-back Caribbean atmosphere…
Day 12: Transfer by local transport to Belize City to take your international flight home.
Caye Caulker option:
Day 9: Take a light aircraft to Caye Caulker and relax on the island where the motto is 'Go Slow'...shoes are hardly worn here as the streets are sand and there are only golf buggies and bikes for transport (not that it takes long to walk from one end of the island to the other)!
Day 10: Dive Dive Dive! You will be experiencing diving on the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world including within the Hol Chan marine reserve - beautiful!
Day 11: More diving - we can arrange a Blue Hole dive if you wish - this dive comes highly recommended by S2Si staff!
But please note flight times and diving times - you must not go to altitude within 24 hours of diving. Please ring us and we can discus your options.
Day 12: Belize City for return flight home.
“Small but perfectly formed, Belize has everything from ancient cultures to white sand beaches! Spending nights in the jungle with all the wildlife is fantastic – swimming in waterfalls is not to be missed either! The coast is laid-back and the diving superb on the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world – when is the return trip?!”
LOOK FORWARD TO
• Excavated and unexcavated Mayan sites, including the magnificent Caracol ruins
• Spend nights in the jungle surrounded by wildlife
• Learn about medicinal plants from the local Maya
• Swim in gorgeous waterfalls
• Spend time on the coast diving, snorkelling or sea-kayaking!
GETTING AROUND
You will be transported in 4x4s, on your feet, by boats, local buses and aircraft depending on the exact itinerary you choose.
EATING AND SLEEPING
Sleep in a mixture of locally-run guest houses, hotels and your wild jungle camps – for these you will be sleeping in hammocks with a basha and mosquito net. All food will be prepared for you – enjoy the seafood, and Belizean staples of tortillas, refried beans and chicken. Food will be carried in for your wild camps in the jungle and will be prepared on open fires.
THE NITTY GRITTY
Further details on what's included, kit, medical advice, flights and insurance can be read on the NITTY GRITTY page, or give us a ring!
