Belize Review: Island Expeditions Ultimate Adventure – Hello Sun!

For a Canadian in the dark depths of wintery February, there is nothing stronger than the draw of a tropical paradise vacation. Steve and I are not sit-on-the-beach people though, so we’re always looking to add a bit of adventure to a sun-drenched escape. The Island Expeditions Ultimate Adventure tour in Belize looked to be the perfect fix including kayaking, caving, snorkelling, and camping along the banks of the Moho River.

Overview: Ultimate Adventure Tour

After arrival in Belize City, the tour heads off to the Tropical Education Center for the first night’s stay. A nocturnal trip the Belize Zoo, located at the center, is an optional activity. Next up is a truly adventurous visit to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave. Water sports follow on the agenda during stays at two locations on the Belize Barrier Reef over the next few days. The trip ends with a few days of paddling and camping along the Moho River. There are visits and lunches in local villages along the way too. The tour takes a total of 10 days from arrival to departure.

It really was an adventure! Evidence of this is the number of times on the tour I recalled the movie The Revenant, which I saw shortly before the trip, as a source of inspiration. I kept saying to myself, “If pretty boy actor Leo DiCaprio was able to do all of that hard core wilderness sh*t in the dead of winter, I can manage the activities on this trip.” To be clear, at no time did we have to sleep inside an animal carcass.

Arrival: The Biltmore Best Western

We arrived on our connecting flight from Houston along with another couple destined for the tour. To start the relationship off right, we delayed our shuttle to the Biltmore hotel in Belize City for about a half hour to get SIM cards for our iPhones at the DigiCel shop across from the airport. Although Island Expeditions strongly encourages taking a technology break on the tour, we are self-employed slaves to our handheld digital portals. Everyone was polite about our detour, although I’m sure they thought we were pathetic.

While waiting for the other tour members to arrive (there would be 11 of us in total — all Canadians, go figure), we hung out poolside at the hotel. We would stay overnight here just once on our last night in Belize. It’s a comfortable spot with good amenities, nice rooms and adequate service. The pool rocks!

This was a great way to decompress from the flight as well as introduce our white, pasty skin to real, tropical sunshine.

The Tropical Education Centre and Belize Zoo

Our first night’s stay was at the lodge of the Tropical Education Centre, which is about 50 kms west of Belize City. The center is situated on 84 acres of savannah and is dedicated to research and environmental education. Accommodation is in private forest cabanas, which are rustic but comfortable. We got used to “group living” here with the shared toilets and showers located in an open-air shelter a short walk away.

The Belize Zoo, which is located just next to the center, has an interesting backstory. It was founded in 1983 by an American named Sharon Matola. As a biologist (and former lion-tamer), she was originally hired by filmmaker Richard Foster to care for several animals he was using in a documentary set in Belize. After the filming was over, many of the animals had become semi-tame and Matola was left wondering how to ensure their continued safety. Her solution was to create a zoo and rehabilitation sanctuary for animals. Today the zoo houses more than 45 native species. Many have been recovered from situations where they were kept as pets. The zoo advances Belize wildlife conservation in its programming.

The nocturnal zoo tour is a must in our opinion. Our group had the place to ourselves and the zoo staffer overseeing the tour was very knowledgeable about the species and the specific animals he has been caring for during his 5-year tenure. The bond he has with  his charges was evident in his interaction with them.  With our headlamps illuminating the walk, we listened to the various wildlife sounds along the way (many coming from animals who simply hang out at the zoo from the surrounding area).

Carrying a bucket of vegetables and raw meat for the animals, our guide gave us an up close and dynamic education about the habits and characteristics of each animal we saw. We got up close to jaguars, ocelots, owls, tapirs, crocodiles, and snakes just to name a few.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave

The tour’s visit to the ATM cave (Cave of the Stone Altar) is where the true adventure began. If you have ever wanted to pretend that you are Indiana Jones uncovering hidden ancient history, this cave is your ticket. Only a small group of guides are granted licenses to conduct tours of the cave, which is located on the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Even though we had to rise at 5 a.m. to embark on our tour, it was worth beating other groups to it for the chance to explore the space on our own.

Photo Credit: Island Expeditions

It’s Wet

I’ve never gone for a swim in my clothes and shoes before—something I associate with ship wrecks or dramatic near-drowning rescues. But there we were wading in hip- to waste-deep streams on the 45-minute hike to the cave and then swimming through the 10-metre deep entranceway. Other areas of the cave involve trekking through and around various depths of water. Some of our group members wore shorts and sports sandals, but I’m glad I opted for hiking pants and boots even though it felt a bit cumbersome at times. This provided additional protection and good traction on the rocks. Note that the water is warm for any Canadian used to swimming in local freshwater lakes. Our Belizean guides told us it would be a bit cold. They know many things, but they don’t know cold.

It’s tight in places

There are a couple of spots in the cave where you have to navigate very tight spots through the water. With instruction from the guide they were easy to get through. The rest of the cave is fairly wide open, soaring to breathtaking heights in some spots.

Photo Credit: Island Expeditions

Lots to see, But No Cameras

There are more than 1400 documented ancient Mayan artifacts encased in ATM. Use of the cave is dated from around 0-1000 AD. In addition to numerous clay pots, tools, and weapons there are also several calcified human skeletons.

Photo Credit: Island Expeditions

Archeological evidence reveals that this was a sacred site for ceremonial bloodletting rituals and sacrifices. A number of the remains are of children. Most died as the result of head trauma. It’s a pretty gruesome history, but equally fascinating. Capping the tour is the opportunity to see the “Crystal Maiden” –  a skeleton of an 18-year-old female splayed out in a fashion that suggests she died quite violently or that her body was thrown into its present position. The remains get their name from the fact that the calcification of the girl’s bones gives them a glittery effect.

Photo Credit: Adrian Vanden Dungen

Going through the cave, there is so much to absorb visually. Unfortunately, the Belize National Institute of Culture and History was forced to ban cameras from the cave due to two unfortunate incidents. In 2003, a tourist dropped a camera on one of the skulls chipping one of its teeth. There was a second incident involving a camera in 2012. The ban is disappointing, but given how close visitors can get to the remains, it’s a worthwhile concession.

Steve and I were thinking about how the person involved in the second incident (who likely was told about the first incident) felt after it happened. Can you imagine?

Next Up in Part 2: Ready for Sun!

At this point in the tour we were ready for some sun. Our day at the cave was overcast, rainy, and well, we were in a cave. Our next stop was an overnight stay at Tobacco Caye on the Southern Barrier Reef followed by two nights at Glover’s Reef Atoll. Bring on the beach!

Heading out on this tour?

The folks at Island Expeditions do a terrific job on their website in terms of info about how to prepare for each of their tours, but there’s always one or two things you wish you’d done differently once you’ve gone. See our insider tips to help with your planning.

If you enjoyed this post, why not subscribe to Tag Along Travel? Twice a month, you’ll receive an email with links to recent posts.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin