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Coral Islands & Mayan Caves - 6 Days / 7 Nights: SAMPLE TRIP ITINERARY

A classic sea kayak and snorkelling journey plus an extraordinary day of caving and archaeology

The six day Coral Islands & Mayan Caves multi-sport trip is the perfect combination of vacation and adventure in the tropics. As we paddle and sail from cay to cay, traveling over 20 miles along the southern Barrier Reef of Belize, the itinerary will stimulate the active person yet still leave us ample time to relax and enjoy island life. Try world class snorkeling,camp on postcard-perfect tropical cayes and explore secluded mangrove islands, or kick back in a hammock while guides prepare delicious meals of seafood, Caribbean vegetables, tropical fruits and fresh baked bread. After six glorious days on the water, we cross back to the mainland returning to the village of Dangriga for an evening celebration, and a roof-top meal, at a local family home.

For added adventure value on the Coral Islands & Mayan Caves we have included a day at the beginning of the trip focusing on the Mayan Archaeology caves of Actun Tunichil Muknal. With guides specially trained by the Belize Department of Archaeology, we venture into the sacred underworld of the Maya on an incredible journey through time into the spirit world of the ancients. From the mouth of the cave we follow a subterranean creek bed to the entrance of a massive, cathedral-like sacrificial chamber. Once inside the chamber, our light beams illuminate an astonishing variety of artifacts; littering the cave floor are dozens upon dozens of ceramic vases, stone tools, and carved altars which have lain hidden for over a thousand years.

Accommodations: Tropical Education Center, Paradise Lodge, Camping on the Cayes, Chaleanors Hotel

Activities: Sea Kayaking (Paddling & Sailing), Snorkeling, Fishing, Birding, Mayan Ceremonial Cave Exploration, Photography, Natural History Interpretation

  The Barrier Reef, which runs the full length of the Belizean coastline, is considered one of the richest marine ecosystems on earth. The 185 mile long reef runs from 10 to 25 miles offshore, and is the longest continuous reef in Caribbean; the second longest in the world. Along the Barrier Reef are over 225 cayes, ranging from small sand-fringed islands perched along the reef's edge, to larger islands of partially submerged mangroves. Historically, ships avoided this area of the Caribbean because of inaccurate charts and the difficulty of navigating the shallow reef-strewn waters. Teeming with brilliantly-colored fish, sea grass beds, and patch reefs, the reef systems have not seen nearly the level of human impact as witnessed in Mexico to the north and Honduras to the south. We travel in the less-developed southern regions of Belize's Barrier Reef which remains a near-pristine marine ecosystem and is unparalleled in the Caribbean. It is in this region that we find the best sea kayaking and snorkeling. Our base of operation, in the southern coastal community of Dangriga, is the ideal launching point for us to explore this spectacular region.

The Mayan archaeology cave, Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulcher), is set within lush tropical rainforest on the boundary of the Cayo District. The region is characterized by mature karst geology carved by the flowing creeks and rivers in the area. The cave contains large broken pottery, two slate stelae in front of which Mayan elites performed ritualistic bloodlettings. Using obsidian blades they would cut themselves and collect their own blood as an offering to the gods. Calcite solidifying from the drip water has encased many of these artifacts over the centuries, including the calcified remains of a young woman who researchers believe was sacrificed to the rain god, Chaac, during a prolonged period of drought.

Typical Daily Itinerary:

   Day 0 : Arrive at the Belize International Airport where you will be met by an Island Expeditions representative and transferred to the Tropical Education Center, adjacent to the Belize Zoo. After settling into our forest cabanas we have a chance to meet our fellow travelers over dinner. At the Tropical Education Center, we have a chance to explore the surrounding savannah forest through their network of interpretative trails and wildlife viewing platforms. There is also an interpretative center, which details the diverse ecology of Belize, and is an ideal starting point for the adventure ahead. This day is your day to arrive before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers and acclimatize to your new tropical environment. Transfers from the airport, dinner and lodging are included.
Accommodations: (Lodge)
Meals: Dinner   

Day 1 : We rise early to start today’s extraordinary journey, which takes us deep into the Mayan underworld known as Xilbalba (shil-balba), a mythical realm inhabited by spirits and powerful gods, an underworld of untold fears and dreams where Mayan shaman, in supposition to the gods, ventured into darkness to conduct their secretive rituals. As we venture underground into the caves, we learn from our guides how the caves played an important role in the ancient Maya civilization and about ongoing archaeological research taking place underground in Belize. After our jungle and cave adventure, we travel through the Maya Mountains along the Hummingbird Route to meet up with our motor boat charter awaiting to take us to the barrier reef from the coastal town of Dangriga. This 45 minute trip takes us to our island lodge perched on the eastern edge of the southern Barrier Reef. We arrive at in time to settle in, have dinner and plan our next days on the barrier reef.
Accommodations: (lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 2 : Perched north over the water, we rise early to the sounds of the sea. After breakfast and an island orientation your guides teach you beginner to advanced snorkelling and then the remainder of the morning is snorkelling from the caye. Then in the afternoon guides begin with kayaking fundamentals, and go over ocean touring techniques with the whole group, including how to pack our boats. After a short paddle, we arrive to our first camp already set-up, giving us time to settle into our accommodations, enjoy a fine meal cooked by your guides, and instruction on the finer points of horizontal hammock surfing.
Accommodations: (Camping)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3-5: We sail and paddle south along the barrier reef camping on idyllic tropical cayes, usually traveling five to ten miles each day along the reef (with some lay-over days). We have plenty of time to snorkel, fish and enjoy the scenery and marine life of the Caribbean. We explore many different regions of the reef including the inner and outer walls, patch and fringing reefs, mangrove ranges and protected lagoons. Our traveling routes often cross those of the fishermen who make their living from the sea and with this inter-action we gain good company and an insight into a way of life that is very different from our own. Each night we camp on small cayes along the barrier reef.
Accommodations: (Camping)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 : We end our journey on an island along the inner channel of the barrier reef, and are transferred to the mainland by motor charter. Back in Dangriga, we settle into our accommodations, and have a chance to shower, dress and relax before our evening celebration at a local family’s house for dinner. Trip finishes in Dangriga the following day. Our office can help you make whatever travel arrangements you need from this point.
Accommodations: (Lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation...   

On Day 0, we overnight in our forest cabanas at the Tropical Education Center (TEC). Here we are able to experience first-hand the wondrous tropical wildlife of Belize at the Belize Zoo and at the TEC there is also a fantastic interpretative center with a network of trails and wildlife viewing platforms, perfect for exploring the pine savannah setting.

  While out on the cayes, we are practicing minimum impact camping, to ensure the pristine state of the wilderness remains for future visitors. We will be keeping the weight and volume of a gear to a minimum, carrying our gear in our kayaks from site to site. We will be staying in expedition quality tents, which provide more than enough room for two people and gear (some single tents are available on each trip). As we travel from cay to cay, we use predetermined camping areas to minimize our impact on the islands. However, we also give ourselves considerable flexibility to adjust our schedule to different conditions encountered as we travel.  

 On the final night we will be staying in Dangriga. Our accommodation is at Chaleanors Hotel, a Belizean-style hotel within the town. On this final night, we have a barbecue celebration on their rooftop terrace prepared for us by a local Belzean family..

A Note About the Ecology...

Flora...
  The ecology of the Belizean coast is a complex combination of coral reefs, sand flats with extensive turtle grass and mangrove ranges. The Barrier Reef, second largest in the world, extends 185 miles (300 km) along the coast. This reef structure shelters the Belizean coastline from the rougher open waters of the Caribbean sea. The Barrier Reef acts as a huge breakwater, holding in the sand and protecting the coastline from the incoming seas. From this action, we get beautiful islands forested with coconut palms, sea grape and coco plum and remarkable protected reef structures. Also from the 'breakwater' action of the barrier reef, we have protected waters which allow the diverse ecosystems of the mangrove and turtle grass to flourish. These tangled partially-submerged forests provide essential feeding and nursing habitat for hundreds of species of fish, shellfish, reptiles, marine mammals, and birds.

Fauna...
  On our journey to Actun Tunichil Muknal, we travel through broadleaf, semi-deciduous forest. All around us are signs of life, from the tropical birds high in the canopy like the keel-billed toucan and mot-mot's to the mammals that inhabit the forest floor, including Belize's largest herbivore, Baird's tapir.

While traveling along the Barrier Reef, we have the opportunity to view a diverse range of sea-life and tropical birds. Paddling from cay to cay in areas rich with patch reefs and sea grass beds we have many opportunities to view bonefish, angel and parrot fish, stingrays, eagle rays,conger, moray eels, goatfish, just to name a few. Trailing a fishing line from our kayaks, we also may get a strike from a barracuda, or grouper or snapper. Over our heads, we will see bird-life, such as osprey (the Billy hawk), sea gulls, brown-footed & white-footed boobies, frigate birds, hawks, mangrove warblers, and white-crowned pigeons. Also, throughout the Barrier Reef and along the coast, there are nesting sites for loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles. If we're lucky, we may see them while out snorkeling. We will definitely sample one of the main staples for Belizean fishermen, the queen conch and spiny lobster(in season).

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