Mayan Jungle and Caracol Ride

Saturday: If you arrive by International flight, you will be met outside the arrival zone at the airport by a driver who will be holding with a sign with your name on it. Alternative pickup locations can be arranged and rates may vary. A stop at the Belize Zoo can be added to your arrival or departure transfer depending on arrival time. The zoo closes at 3:30 pm. This would need to be arranged with the lodge when making your reservation. Depending on arrival time, you may enjoy some of the lodge activities such as: a refreshing swim in the pool, a hike on the trails, river tubing, canoeing and more. Or relax and decompress to the sounds, smells and views of the jungle river valley from your own private hammock. Enjoy your first dinner & cocktails in their open-air fine dining restaurant.   Alternatively, an intimate private deck dinner service can be arranged for a fee to be paid at the lodge.

Sunday: Breakfast is served starting at 6:30 AM. At 8:00 AM, a driver will arrive to take you to M.E.T. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. Riding helmet is highly recommended. We will provide water, lunch, a small saddle bag, beach towel and poncho. You will receive an oral orientation before being introduced to your horse and fitted to the saddle for a full day of horseback riding. You will ride through the rainforest to an ancient Mayan cave. Explore and discover interesting formations and evidence of the Mayan culture in pottery remnants and potsherds that are hundreds of years old. (Please don’t touch them!) After the cave, refresh yourself with a cool dip in the crystal clear river and feast on a delicious picnic lunch. Return to MET between 3:00 and 4:00 PM. After a refreshing beverage, you will be driven back to Table Rock, a 30-minute drive. Returnto your Cabana to freshen up for dinner and lively conversation with other guests.

Monday: Morning routine repeats with pickup at Table Rock at 8:00 AM. This morning you will get acquainted with MET, taking a tour of the grounds of MET, learn about the off-grid system, visit the ponds where you might see birds and wildlife and visit some of the trails on property. After lunch in the Cantina, we will drive to Nohoch Sayab River cave at Barton Creek. As you make your way down the steep narrow road to the valley floor, you will be astounded by the size of fruit trees and tropical flora in the fertile Barton
Creek valley. Arriving at Mike’s Place, you will enter a canoe and paddle across the creek, then suddenly disappear, paddling deep into the sparkling stalactite formation river cave. When you return to the mouth of the cave, enjoy a swim if you wish. Then back to Table Rock for another
unique meal and relaxation time.

Tuesday: This day begins with a beautiful half-day jungle horseback ride followed by lunch in the MET Cantina and then a vehicle tour to the Mayan Site of Cahal Pech and the town of San Ignacio. The destination for the half-day ride is a secluded hidden valley where you will ride along a winding creek and enjoy the exotic tropical vegetation and excellent opportunities for sighting colorful rainforest birds and iridescent butterflies. After lunch, Your MET guide will then accompany you on a tour of Cahal Pech followed by shopping or optional cultural tours in San Ignacio or simply experiencing the ambience of the lovely town of San Ignacio at the confluence of the Mopan and Macal Rivers where they merge into the Belize River. You will return to Table Rock for dinner and a relaxing evening.

Wednesday:Today, Table Rock will take you to visit Caracol (Spanish for “snail”). Caracol is the most spectacular Mayan site in Belize, as well as one of the most impressive in Central America.  Once home to as many as 200,000 people–more than half of the entire modern-day Belizean population, Caracol was a metropolis with five plazas and thirty-two large structures covering almost one square mile including Belize’s tallest manmade structure, the temple of Ca’ana.  Altogether there are some 35,000 buildings at the site, though only a handful have been fully
excavated. Your day will end off with a leisurely stop at Rio On Pools for more breathtaking scenery and a swim. Be sure to have your camera batteries fully charged and a fresh memory card available, as not only the grand Mayan architecture but the surrounding jungle and wildlife will keep you snapping photos all day long.  A must see!

Drive Time from Table Rock: 2 hours

Adventure Level: Moderately strenuous.  An amazing, but very bumpy two-hour drive on mostly unpaved road takes you through the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve, Elijio Panti National Park, and the lush broadleaf rainforest of the Chiquibul National Park.  Choose to climb to the tops of the temples to add an even greater adventure level.

What to Wear: Shorts or lightweight long pants, shirt, and comfortable walking shoes. Bring along your bathing suit to change into for swimming after touring the ruins. A hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and insect repellent are recommended, as well.

*Restrictions: This tour is not for those who suffer from car-sickness.

Thursday: Today is a full day of riding to another set of gorgeous waterfalls. The trail winds through varied ecosystems and terrain while your guide points out features and explains traditional uses of rainforest plants. Enjoy a homemade picnic lunch and swimming at the waterfalls, relax awhile and then mount the horses for a rejuvenating ride home.

Friday: Your last day of riding will be another jungle ride, an immersion into the rainforest and a visit to a lovely hidden valley filled with giant fruit trees. This is the heart of Slate Creek Preserve, the creek meanders through this incredibly rich and beautiful valley surrounded by forested hills. Your guides will continue to show you traditional uses of the plants and trees you are passing. You will return to the MET Cantina for lunch and goodbyes to your hosts, guides and staff. Travel back to Table Rock Jungle Lodge for an open afternoon or choosing any of the excellent activities they offer on-site.

Saturday: Day of departure. The time of departure will depend on your plans or flight times. The transfer from Table Rock to the International Airport or any other location in Belize City by vehicle is included. Contact us for rates to other desired destinations or for an alternate flight from San Ignacio to Belize City (additional fees apply).