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"
Selected as one of the top adventure trips
in the world by Outside Magazine in 1997.
"
The
Setting...
Where
the roads end in Belize, we continue with packhorse and inflatable
river kayaks to gain access to the most spectacular regions of the
country. Primary high canopy rainforests, unique riverine environments,
extensive networks of caves and hidden Mayan ruins are just a few
of the treasures found off the beaten path.
We fly from Belize City to the staging area of the trip
to keep the travel time to a minimum. This adventure begins with
a unique opportunity to walk, high above the forest floor, amongst
the rainforest canopy on Belize's only suspended walkway, at the
Blue Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. From this same point we have the
opportunity to explore the cathedral-like caves of the Hokeb Hah
Caves. Our local Mayan Guides, introduce us to this dark-as-night
underworld, revealing to us beautiful caverns, arches and sink holes.
From this point, we begin Belize's only multi-day whitewater paddle
on the spectacular Moho River. We are using two- person inflatable
kayaks which offer superior stability and ease of handling and are
a great way to explore this pristine rainforest. Traveling the full
length of a river from source to finish gives us complete immersion
in the life-cycle of this diverse environment. Our adventure combines
an exciting and challenging river-run with a rich cultural experience.
We travel into the heartland of the Maya people with Kekchi and
Mopan Mayan Guides. Here, we have a rare opportunity to experience
both ancient ruins and their contemporary village life.
A
Note About the Ecology...
Flora...
We begin our trip into the inland of southern Belize,
immersing ourselves into the magical world of the tropical rainforest.
The broadleaf rainforest, covers approximately 70% of Belize's wooded
area. The year-round grow season, huge amounts of moisture, and
generations of evolution have yielded this area with the most complex
and diverse range of plant-life. The forest floor is a spongy mass
of roots, fungi, bacteria and microorganisms, which is broken down
with the assistance of insects and chemical decay. Each plant fulfills
its own ecological niche, as the continuous recycling of the decayed
plant matter fuels new growth. This rich soil, in turn, feeds the
diverse range of plantlife, from the huge buttressed trunks of the
Ceiba trees to the smallest of fungi. High above the forest floor
is the enchanted world of the broadleaf canopy. This system has
its own unique infrastructure, which supports the forest's bird
life and a diverse range of mammals. The canopy ranges from the
tree tops of Cecropias and Gumbo Limbo trees to the many species
of Epiphytes (air plants). This complex and diverse plant and animal
life produces powerful biological compounds that are just recently
being discovered and understood by the scientific community.
Fauna...
While traveling in the remote regions of Belize's southern
rainforest, we have great opportunities to view all sorts of animals.
Whether we are catching a glimpse from a spiny-tailed iguana perched
on a tree branch, or get startled by the tiny red-eyed tree frog
jumping from limb to limb, we are totally immersed in a strange
and wonderful world. We will more than likely get a visit or two
from Toucans, sitting high above us and watching our every move,
or a flash of the Scarlet Macaw, with its beautiful plumage. There
are also an assortment of raptors, falcons, and hawks that are scavenging
and hunting the rich forest floor. There are also a number of unique
mammals in the southern Belizean rainforest, the largest being Belize's
national animal, the Baird's Tapir, or Mountain Cow. This is an
animal unique to the tropical rainforest with a large pig-like body
and a long prehensile snout, much like an aardvark. The tapir, along
with the white-lipped peccary, the jaguar, and the puma are some
of the larger mammals unique to the area.
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 staging area of the trip. This day is your day
to arrive before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers and
acclimatize to your new tropical environment.
Accommodation:
(Lodge/Hotel)
Meals:
Dinner is not included on
this Day
Day
1
:With an early start to
the day, our adventure begins with a drive south along the Hummingbird
Highway through the savannah and
into the rainforest of the Maya Mountains. Before lunch, we embark
on an exploratory trip into the Tiger Hill Cave system. Our guide
takes us deep into the ceremonial caves of the ancient Maya giving
us insight into practices and the cultural significance of the dark
underworld. Our trip continues along the Hummingbird Highway to
the coastal town of Dangriga, to catch a plane to the southern village
of Punta Gorda. During the flight we gain a spectacular vista of
the country - to the east, the turquoise waters of teh Caribbean
and to the west, the expansive wilderness of the Maya Mountains
unfold beneath us. The far south of Belize is a region of isolated
villages lying amongst a tropical wilderness. This is Mayan country,
the homeland of the Kekchi Maya. We are surrounded by pristine rainforest
with clear, cool natural swimming pools at our doorstep.
Accommodation
:
(Lodge)
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
2
:
We begin the day exploring
in and around the Blue Creek Sanctuary. We climb into the tree tops
along the Canopy Walkway. This walkway (constructed by the Jason
Foundation for Education), is secured by stainless steel cables
some 90 ft above the forest floor. The canopy is a very different
environment from the forest floor below, up here you can feel cool
breezes and hear the rustling of the leaves, see epiphytes (air
plants) and insects that are rarely, if ever viewed from the forest
floor. While half the group is up in the canopy, the others follow
Blue Creek upstream into the cathedral-like opening of the Hokeb
Ha Cave. Our guides, from the village of Blue Creek, know the caves
better than any, and lead us through a network of large caverns
connected by narrow passageways; each turn revealing new chambers
and intricate flowstone formations. After lunch, we transfer through
Blue Creek Village to the river put-in. Using two-person inflatable
kayaks we begin our river and rainforest journey into one of the
most spectacular watersheds in Belize. We begin by traveling slowly,
learning different paddle strokes and getting a feel of how the
boats handle. On this, our first day on the water, we take as much
time as we need practising and learning new boat handling skills
that will enable us to safely navigate the rapids and pour-overs
we will encounter further downstream. Our first camp on the river
is only a couple of miles from the starting point.
Accommodation:
(Camping)
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Di
nner
Day
3-4
:
For the next days we break contact completely with
the outside world and become a part of the mist-shrouded rainforest
following the Moho River as it flows through canyons and lush rainforest.
Each bend reveals the dynamic nature of the river - from calm, meandering
waters that reflect the intense green of the jungle, to stretches
of rapids, pour-overs and spectacular waterfalls as the river descends
from the Maya Mountains to the sea. Depending on water levels, some
days we may reach our bush-camp by mid-afternoon and switch to land
based activities. Hiking through the forest, birding, plant and
animal identification are some of the activities we engage in. During
the trip with our Mayan guides and North American leaders, we are
emphasizing the ecology of the rainforest. We are learning about
the habits of the wildlife and gaining an appreciation for the rich
Mayan folklore, which adds so much color to our experience in the
jungle.
Accommodation:
(Camping)
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
6
:
On this, our last day
on the river, after dropping into the last few pools and navigating
the last of the rapids, we reach our takeout at Big Creek. We complete
our adventure with a visit to the nearby Mayan ruins at Lubaantun.
This ancient city is unique within the Mayan world in that the temples
were built without mortar; using thousands of masterfully carved
and fitted stones. This site is also home to the controversial finding
of the "crystal skull". Froom here, we return to Punta
Gorda to a well-deserved shower and evening festivities. For those
returning home, a fllight is included to Belize City on the following
morning. For those continuing with a sea kayaking adventure we will
be traveling to Dangriga to meet up with the rest of the group.
Accommodation:
(Lodge / Hotel - Punta Gorda or Belize City)
Meals:
Breakfast, Lunch,
Dinner
is not included on this day
.
Note:
This is one of our most adventurous trips. It takes
place in a remote wilderness region of Belize. Participants need
to be in good physical condition and ready to handle the unexpected.
Weather conditions can greatly affect water levels and hiking trails
into the river and may increase the level of difficulty. We also
believe that the remoteness and variability of conditions are what
make this trip the best of its kind in Belize. Trip itineraries
may vary significantly depending on water levels.
What's
Included...
-
All meals, accommodation, and transfers described in the tour
-
Unlimited use of our Equipment
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Use of waterproof bags for the river portion of the trip
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Accommodation on the day before the trip ('Day 0') and the night
after the trip ends
-
Professional Guiding Services (both North American Leaders and
Local Guides)
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Transportation
back to Belize City after the trip
What's
Not Included...
-
Meal
on 'Day 0'
-
Alcoholic Beverages
-
Gratuities
-
International
Flights and Airport Departure Tax
-
Personal Equipment
-
Extra costs due to late arrivals, lost baggage and other circumstances
beyond our control
Accommodation...
On '
Day
0
', we will be spending the night at the Tropical
Education Center, approximately an hour outside of Belize City.
The Education Center has comfortable, rustic accommodation in a
beautiful pine savannah setting. The Center has a fantastic interpretative
center and harbors Belize's largest collection of tropical animal
specimens with a great network of cut trails and wildlife viewing
platforms, perfect for exploring this rare forest environment.
On
Day 1
,
we will be spending the night at the Blue Creek Wildlife Sanctuary,
located in the foothills of the Maya
Mountains.
The accommodation consists of a number of small cabins and a central
dining, and meeting area, built along the banks of Blue Creek. Although
our accommodations in the jungle are rustic, our location is superb.
This is a great jumping off point for adventure as we have easy
access to the Rainforest Canopy Walkway, the Hokeb Ha cave system,
and the Mayan ruins of Lubaantun.
On
Days 2 to
4
, we will be camping in the remote wilderness of the
Toledo District. We are practicing minimum impact camping, to ensure
the pristine state of the wilderness remains for future visitors.
We will be keeping our weight and volume to a minimum, carrying
our gear in our kayaks from site to site. We will be staying in
three-person Walrus Zia tents, which provide more than enough room
for two people and our gear. As we travel down the river, we use
pre-determined camping areas to minimize our impact on the forest
floor. However, we also give ourselves some flexibility to adjust
our schedule to different conditions.
The
final night of the trip is spent in the village of Punta Gorda,
at the Sea Front Inn. This is a clean and comfortable hotel onthe
waterfront in Punta Gorda. Here, we have the comforts of air conditioning
and a private bathroom and shower. This is a great place to end
our adventure, in preparation for your journey home or a great staging
point to discover other parts of Belize.
Thinking
about seeing other parts of Belize with Island Expeditions Co?
The Wild South combines very well with a trip exploring
the Barrier Reef and atolls. The Glovers Reef & River of Caves gives
you a flexible itinerary, with a "luxury" base-camp, from which
you will explore the atoll. The Coral Islands & Mayan Caves, offers a 7 day classic
sea kayaking tour, traveling from cay to cay, exploring the many
patch reefs and the inner and outer walls of the barrier reef. Or,
travel inland to Guatemala, with the Tikal Extension, where we visit
one of the world's largest excavated Mayan ruins site.
Thinking
About Traveling Independently, Before or After Your Trip?
With almost two decades of exploration in Belize, our
knowledgeable office staff can offer you a wealth of travel information.
However, we do recommend that you read up on Belize and find what
interests you. Once you find an area of interest, give our office
a call, and we can help you plan the best vacation possible!
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5
Days / 6 Nights
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$1299.00USD
*Canadians Call for Pricing*
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2002
/ 2003 Season
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Day
1 -
Trip Start Date
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Day
5 -
Trip End Date
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Day
6 -
Fly Home Date
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Please
call 1-800-667-1630 for availabiltiy
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When
Planning Your Trip...Think of "Day 0"
With
Island Expeditions Co. a seven day trip means seven days in the field, not 2 days
of airline travel and 5 days of vacation. So on all IEC adventures we meet you
the day before the trip is scheduled to begin. This is "Day 0" and has
been conceived for your convenience and comfort. "Day 0" is your day
to arrive in Belize before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers, and to
acclimatize to your new tropical environment. From there be it a short flight
or a boat charter, your transportation to meet up with your group on this day
and your accommodation on this night are included in the trip cost.
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Our
Trips in Brief
Cockscomb
Whitewater Expedition
