Can't Decide Which Mayan Ruins Excursion To Take!

[StLeCe]

Hi, everyone,

 

My husband and I will be visiting Belize City as part of our upcoming Ultimate Caribbean Cruise aboard the Celebrity Equinox. Greg really wants to explore some Mayan ruins.

 

This is our first cruise, so we're planning on sticking with shore excursions run by Celebrity just to keep things simple and stress-free. We're strongly leaning toward the excursion entitled "Lamanai and the New River Safari." The description follows. For those of you who have been to Lamanai and the New River, is it interesting and enjoyable? I really don't want a long, boring motor-coach ride to some hot, miserable death march to the ruin site. (I've heard of this happening.) Any feedback would be much appreciated.

 

Trip Description

Your adventure begins after a one-hour drive from Belize City to Tower Hill, where you will board a riverboat for a 90-minute cruise of the New River, with its spectacular rainforest, mangroves, orchids and birds. Disembarking at the northern end of the New River Lagoon, you'll enjoy a Belize style lunch. Then begin your 90-minute tour of Lamanai, once the largest Mayan ceremonial site in Meso-America and occupied as early as 1500 B.C. The first stone buildings appeared here between 800 and 600 B.C. Huge masks depicting dead rulers and gods seem to materialize out of the rainforest amid the chatter of birds and the haunting calls of howler monkeys. Your guide will point out the copal and ramon (breadnut) trees, of great importance in ancient times.

Note: Due to the hot and humid climate of Belize, it is recommended that while on tour, guests wear comfortable clothing, low-heeled walking shoes, a hat, sun block and insect repellant.

[Toyz711]

we did it on NCL ship excursion...doesn't matter, they use gray line bus and tour guides. you do a little bus tour of the city, as they drive out of town. the boat ride was great, even though we didn't see much wildlife...the river was high and the crocs were not around much. at times you can see many crocs and birds. (did see the bird that "walks on water" and some iguanas.)

the boat captain knows where to stop and after a while it's a very fast boat ride to get there in time to see the many sights.

lamanai is in a jungle setting, as you get out of the boat....you start expecting indiana jones to come running down the path with a tribe of mayans at his heels. howler monkeys are in the trees around the visitor center, you can hear them as you walk the site.

much of it is still uncovered. what is there is wonderful. not the ruins we see elsewhere, these are still intact.

just be prepared, take some bug spray and extra water. it can get hot/humid under the trees. wear good walking shoes, the path can be any where from muddy to walking over tree roots, stone steps, etc.

we loved it, had a great tour guide, food was good (different but good)

the boat ride back was fast and a nice time to cool off and relax.

[Jayayeff]

I agree with Toyz711. I did this tour in December 2007 and it was one of the most interesting and fun days of the cruise. The boat ride is amazing - hardly a cruise as they use very high powered boats that give you an exhilerating ride up the river (and back). The site at Lamanai is as described above - when we 'explored' we were given the choice of two walks into the jungle (I think classified as gentle and more energetic) choose the latter as it isn't a difficult walk and you get to see a lot more than the 'easy' option - climbing the 'pyramid' (which you can still do unlike at Chichen Itza) is still optional so don't feel you need to take the easy walk to avoid it...

 

Anne

[1SMURFF99A]

We are doing this tour in mid December and wonder if it will be extremely hot this time of year. Out daughter has MS and hope it's not too humid. She has it undercontrol and you would not know she has it as she is very mobile.

[Toyz711]

ours was in december, it was warm..we were in shorts and sleeveless tops all day. since it's under the trees, for most of the walk, it's more humid then hot. just be prepared, we are only talking high 80s to low 90s in temp (usually). a week before it was all rain and ppl said they were cold on the boat ride. (it's an open boat). weather will vary that time of the year.