Maya Ruin Tours

The Mysteries of the Maya…

The Altun Ha Maya Ruin Tour and Jungle Spa Visit

On this adventure you head out the backside of the island toward the mainland. Soon you will be winding through the Northern River where you are likely to see Orchids, cactus and a rich variety of birds and indigenous animals. At Bomba Village, you will then board a private bus that takes you through several quaint villages as you make your way to the maya Ruins of Altun Ha.

There, our guide will give you a tour of the ruins and you’ll have some time to explore. Once you have worked up a healthy appetite, we will head to the Maruba Jungle Spa for an exotic lunch including fish and wild game. After lunch you can take a refreshing dip in their pool or indulge in incredible treatments such as herbal facials and mud baths (for those that wish to be pampered). Then enjoy the swift boat ride back through the river and home to San Pedro.

Flourishing during the Classic Period of Maya civilization, the true ancient name of this site is unknown. “Altun Ha” is a maya translation of the nearby village named “Rockstone Pond.” The extent to which the site has been cleared and restored makes it easy to imagine its past glory and wealth as a major ceremonial center. The archaeological site covers about one square mile of area, with at least 500 visible structures. Evidence dates the earliest settlement here to 200 BC, with varied construction phases ending about 900 AD.

This Adventure Includes: Beer, sodas, rum punch and snacks

The Lamanai Jungle River Adventure

Start the day with a scrumptious breakfast of fresh fruit, muffins and fresh squeezed orange juice as you wind your way through the Northern River and enjoy the early morning sights and sounds. At Bomba Village, a private bus will take you through jungle, villages and sugar cane fields to Tower Hill, where your tour of the New River begins. As you make your way towards Lamanai, you will encounter animals indigenous to the area such as river otters, turtles, crocodiles and monkeys.

Once at Lamanai you are served a tasty picnic lunch of local fare. Then you hike through dense jungle and explore the ancient maya temples that majestically perch on the water’s edge. At the end of the day, as you make your way back to San Pedro, you will realize that your experience to Lamanai will linger with you as a truly Beyond Ordinary experience.

Lamanai is the Spanish historic name for Lama’ an/ayin, which means “submerged crocodile.” The Royal Ontario Museum directed a archaeological research project at Lamanai between 1974 and 1986 during which over 940 structures were mapped. A long, unbroken sequence of Maya occupation at Lamanai occured through Preclassic and Classic times, beginning by roughly 1500 BC.

Includes: Breakfast, lunch, beer, sodas, rum punch and snacks. This adventure departs at 7:00 am and returns at approximately 5:30 pm

Caracol Belize Tours – Mainland Stays Only

Situated high on the Vaca Plateau deep in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, Caracol is the most extensive Mayan site in Belize and was only re-discovered as recently as 1936. The site of Caracol covers over 80 square miles with 30,000 structures, and at its peak supported a population in excess of 150,000. Situated at 1600 feet above sea level (one of the highest located sites of the southern uplands region) with no natural water body close by, it remains a mystery why such a huge population centre like Caracol evolved where it is. However, the close proximity to both extremely hard stone and copal, two commodities highly prized by the Mayas may help explain this enigma.

At the heart of the site lies the massive pyramid of Caana (Sky Palace) which is now almost fully restored and reaches a height of over 135 feet. From the top you can enjoy breath taking panoramic views over the forest clad mountains.

The drive to the site in the early morning occasionally allows guests to take a glimpse of tapirs, jaguars or ocelots, as they break their forest cover to cross the road. The sprawling site contains huge Ceiba, Mahogany and Sapodilla trees and is superb for birding (the rare Keel-billed Motmot is one of the many residents of the site). Wildlife such as Howler and Spider monkeys, the Oscellated Turkey, Coatimundi, Gibnut and Grey Fox are often sighted while quietly wandering along the site’s causeways or along trails connecting the plaza groups.