CAVING, RAPPELLING, SEA KAYAKING & ISLAND CAMPING ADVENTURE PACKAGE
9 Days / 8 Nights
This adventure package will take you to explore two amazing caves in the jungle and then sea kayaking and camping on deserted tropical islands off the coast. Your first stop is Caves Branch Jungle lodge in Central Belize, near Belmopan. This area of the country, with its mountains and broadleaf forests, has the highest concentration of caves in the country. The first cave you will visit is Actun Tunichil Muknal where you'll swim through pools, hike in waiste high water, climb steep ledges and squeezing through small crevices that open up into giant echoing chambers. This cave is also littered with countless Mayan artifacts including the skeletal remains of sacrificial victims. The next cave you'll visit is a massive sinkhole, the Black Hole, where the ground has collapsed into an underlying cave, forming a huge hole in the ground that drops 400 feet. Here you'll strap on a harness and rappell down it's steep cliff wall. After a few days in the jungle you will head to Placencia to meet your sea kayaking guide, who will be with you for the rest of your trip. You will spend the first night in a resort in Placencia to relax. Located on the southern coast of Belize, this peninsula is sandwiched between a lagoon and the sea. But of particular appeal is its 16 miles of beach. Off the coast is the Barrier Reef and several deserted islands that are ideal for sea kayaking. Placencia village is such a jewel. Quaint bars and restaurants are great for filling your afternoons. Or head towards the lagoon to see the sunset behind the Maya Mountains. Overall, Placencia is a beautiful and relaxing place. Next morning you'll wake up bright and early and take a boat ride with to the Silk Cayes, a deserted island with white sand baeaches, where you'll set up camp for the next 3 nights. These days will be filled with exploring the surrounding islands as well as the Barrier Reef. Your guide is an expert naturalist and will reveal the many wonders of this aquatic wonderland. You will kayak to nearby islands, catch fresh fish for your meals, snorkel the reef, enjoy amazing sunsets, share stories over a campfire at night and much more. The sea kayaking is designed for all experience levels, even if you've never kayaked before. There is a support boat with you the entire time so you can paddle as much or as little as you like. This 9 day adventure will take you through some of the most amazing caves and deserted tropical islands in Belize.
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Itinerary & What's Included:
- You will be welcomed at the International Airport by a representative of DiscoveringBelize.com
- The transfer from the International Airport to Caves Branch Jungle Lodge is not included. Your options include public bus, rental car or private transfer by SUV. We can easily arrange any of these options for you.
- 3 Night Accomodation at Caves Branch Jungle Lodge in Central Belize, near Belmopan
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour
- Black Hole Drop Rappelling Tour
- After your stay, the transfer from Caves Branch Jungle Lodge to Placencia is not included. Your options include public bus, rental car, private transfer or puddle jumper flight. We can easily arrange any of these options for you.
- 1 Night Accomodation at Laru Beya Resort in Placencia where you'll meet with your sea kayaking guide who will talk to you about the adventures of the next few days.
- Early next morning you will leave Placencia by boat to the Silk Cayes, where you'll set up camp for the next 3 nights. Your guide is an expert naturalist and will take you kayaking to explore surrounding islands and snorkel the reef. All equipment, food and drinks are included for these days. You can read more about these 4 days and 3 nights below.
- After your third night camping on the Silk Cayes, you'll return by boat to Placencia for 1 Night Accomodation at Laru Beya Resort.
- After your last night, the transfer from Placencia back to the International Airport is not included. Your options include public bus, rental car, private transfer by SUV or a puddle jumper flight. We can easily arrange any of these options for you.
- The Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Black Hole Drop Rappelling Tour include lunch, park fees and all equipment.
- The smile on your face at the end of the trip is free
Doesn’t Include:
- Departure Tax
- International Flight
- Transfers within Belize as specified above, but we can easily arrange these for you.
RATES
CAVES BRANCH JUNGLE LODGE & LARU BEYA RESORT
LOW SEASON
HIGH SEASON
2 Persons in Room
$1686
$1710
3 Persons in Room
$1609
$1625
Rates are per person and in US Dollars Low Season: Jan 8 - Dec 14, 08 High Season: Dec 15, 08 - Jan 7, 09
Children under 9 stay FREE at Caves Branch Jungle Lodge, with free meals, and go FREE on the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave and Black Hole Drop Repelling Tours. Children under 12 years stay FREE with parents at Laru Beya.
This resort is located about 20 minutes west of Belmopan, just across the Blue Hole National Park. The property is dotted with towering trees and features a river flowing in front of the property. The rustic cabanas blend right into the surrounding jungle with large screen windows that put you right into the dense foliage. The only lighting is by kerosene lamps with the night filled with the sounds of the jungle. It’s a comfortable lodge that stays true to its natural surroundings. The main building overlooks the river and is where you will dine, enjoy a few drinks at the bar and meet other travelers.
This is a relatively new resort with condo-style apartments. They have taken great care in ensuring that the level of service matches the elegant property. With its contemporary design, the center piece is its central 4 story tower with roof-top jacuzzies. The pool is just steps from the beach while the open-air restaurant overlooks the pool. It’s not too far from the village so it offers a bit of privacy while at the same time a short drive will take you to explore all the village has to offer. Overall, it offers great value.
To get to the mouth of the cave, you first have to embark an hour hike through jungle and past a couple of streams. The hour-glass shaped cave entrance with a stream of water flowing out is beautiful. Then it’s into the cave, swimming through pools, hiking in knee high water and squeezing through small crevices that open up into giant chambers. It’s not as scary as it sounds, the cave formations are spectacular. After about an hour you will reach the main ceremonial area with several chambers. It is littered with Mayan artifacts, such as countless pots and bones of sacrificial victims, including the Crystal Maiden, a calcite-encrusted skeleton that glimmers under the light.
The Black Hole is a large sinkhole where the ground has caved into an underlying cave, forming a huge hole in the ground that drops 400 feet. The hike to the sinkhole takes about an hour, going over 4 hills. It can be a strenuous hike but u will go at a comfortable pace. As you head up the 4th hill you get your first view of the massive opening and looking at the cliff face you begin to get butterflies about repelling off of it. Next, you strap on you harness and go over the edge. This is by far the hardest part, trusting the rope. Many people turn back at this point, but everyone who has faced that initial fear never regrets it. After that, it’s a scenic descent 400 feet to the bottom.
4 Days & 3 Nights of Sea Kayaking & Camping on the Silk Cayes
You will explore the sea on a 4 day adventure exploring islands by sea kayak and camping out on the beach. You will set up your base camp on the Silk Cayes, a deserted island with white-sand beaches and a few coconut trees. It is also perched right beside the Barrier Reef with plenty of great snorkeling. Nearby islands that will be visited include Hatchet Caye, a local fishing camp and Little Water Caye where there is a marine research station. Meals are the “catch of the day” from fish to fresh lobster. Your guide is an expert naturalist that will reveal your aquatic surroundings in a whole new light. He will teach you the basics of sea kayaking so even a beginner will be comfortable on this trip. This trip is all about nature and adventure. Enjoy the water, gaze at the stars, learn about the marine ecology, stare at sunsets, snorkel beautiful corals, share stories over the campfire and much more.
DAY 1
Boat transfer from Placencia to Silk Caye. Silk Cayes, Sometimes called Queens Cayes, may be the most beautiful islands in all of Belize. The white sand beaches and breezy palm trees of these three tiny islands create an idyllic Caribbean escape. The Silk Cayes sits on the longest Barrier Reef in the Western Hemisphere and form part of the Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. The reef around the islands has an abundance of fish and coral species. The first part of this day is spent getting familiar with your kayaks and gear. The guide will give you lessons in basic paddling and self-rescue techniques. This afternoon you will get to practice your techniques by paddling to nearby islands for snorkeling. This evening your guide may entertain you with local folklore and fisherman tales. You may also enjoy some stargazing. From the darkness of the island the sky will light up like youÍve never seen before. Overnight Silk Caye.
DAY 2
After breakfast we paddle to Hatchet Caye. Hatchet Caye is a private island with spectacular snorkeling opportunities. After a snorkel around the island we paddle back to Silk Caye for lunch and some time to relax in a hammock under the shade of a palm tree. This afternoon we will paddle along the barrier reef itself. This is the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Weather permitting we may paddle outside the reef for a brief experience of blue water paddling. You may wish to snorkel along a section of the reef before paddling back to our base camp. Late afternoons and evenings are yours for relaxing in a hammock or exploring the island. Overnight Silk Caye.
DAY 3
Today we will paddle to a sand spit which acts as a local fishing camp. We will snorkel this area which is surrounded by very large coral structures. Here we frequently spot one of the beauties of the reef, the queen angel fish. After lunch back on Silk Caye we will paddle to some patch reefs for more opportunities to snorkel, exploring new coral formations and colorful fish. Overnight Silk Caye.
DAY 4
This morning we depart in our kayaks for Little Water Caye. This island serves as a research station for the monitoring of commercial fish populations and annual whale shark migration through the Gladden Spit Reserve. This is a fairly large island and you can take some time to explore around the island. After a snorkel you will have the option to paddle back to Silk Cayes or jump in the support boat for an easy trip back. This day is our longest paddle. After lunch we pack up our gear and boat back to Placencia.
Accomodations:
The kayaking portion of this trip is all camping with tents, sleeping mats and sheets. A portable toilet and shower are the facilities available.
Activity Level :
The sea kayak trip is set up so that even those with no paddle experience can enjoy the trip. A support boat is along for the entire trip, so you may paddle as much or little as you like.
Food:
The food for the sea kayak trip is freshly caught seafood (including lobster, conch, fish), rice, pasta, a variety of fresh vegetables and tropical fruits prepared in traditional fisherman style dishes. Meals while in Placencia village will be on your own. There are many local restaurants within walking distance to choose from.
Equipment:
Tandem Wilderness Systems Sea Two kayaks are used. Limited singles are available.
What's Included:
All meals, guided tour, all camping and sporting gear necessary, support boat, and transfers to and from Placencia.
