Lamanai & New River Cruise was awesome

[Husky359]

Just wanted everyone to know, we went in May, and booked the Lamanai and New River Cruise through our ship (RCCL), and this was an awesome excursion! We loved it! This was one of our 2 favorite days. It is a long excursion, but it is nice going down the river, they stop for a bunch of different wildlife, and the Mayan ruins are really awesome - there was a big temple to climb, 2 temples that were just for looking, a few awesome carvings, a ball field, plus it is all in the jungle... it was really neat. We didn't see any monkeys like lots of other people get to on this excursion (our tour guide said we'd have about a 75% chance), but it was still totally worth it!

[TamaLee]

Thanks for your thoughts. We are taking this tour in September and can't wait.

[mnsawyer]

Great review and thanks for sharing. Know that Carnival does a river tour along with ruins and it has good reviews. If we go to Belize again, we'll assuredly do this type of tour!

[beancounterbeth]

Glad to hear you had so much fun. We just booked this tour through RCCL for our 8/28 Explorer cruise.

[jacobbear01]

We, wife and I and our two boys (ages 4 and 9) took this excursion on our June 5th/Explorer cruise. A real jungle adventure. We saw crocs, bats, parrots, a toucan, and howler monkeys....The boat ride is a high speed adventure, the paths to the temples are literally carved tunnels through the jungle, and the guides are very knowledgable...bring good walking shoes, mosquito repellant, and a poncho in case it rains... a hilight of our cruise...I highly recomend it

[cruiser620]

We are leaving on the Explorer on 6/19. I haven't yet booked this tour but it sounds interesting. I'm trying to decide between this and the Jungle Buggy/Mayan Cave. When you said it was a "high speed" adventure, does that mean it's some kind of speed boat? That's not exactly what I was envisioning. Also, how bad were the mosquitoes? I never get bitten, but my husband seems to be a mosquito magnet and I'm wondering if it will be too awful for him in the jungle by a river.

[wastin' away]

Crusier620, My party is debating the same excursions as you. I posted a thread about the jungle buggs option, but haven't received any feedback yet. Please let me know which you decide on, and how it goes... we are cruising in Jan 06. I really want to see some good ruins, and both seem exciting... I just don't know which one to try...

Good luck in your decision and happy cruising!!

~A:)

[jacobbear01]

the boat holds a max of 40, but we were 29...its an open boat with open sides, but a hard top..it has two outboards...on the way to the ruins they drive slower, stopping frequently to view wildlife, on the way back they speed back...its not dangerous..but very refreshing compared to the humidity of the jungle...the mosquitos ...are there but not overpowering, bringing a small spray container of off/about 3 inches high, and weighting just a few ounces, is a good insurance policy...I always believe that you can take off what you have on, but you can't put on what you haven't got...so Ialways bring a small backpack with a few extras.. June to October being the rainy season would lead to more skeeters/November to April being the dry season would lead to less...Also the guide carried a first aid kit, just in case...

[BobbieSu]

Husky359, I'm glad you enjoyed the trip, our memories of the trip this last Jan are still fresh and I still feel it was the best day of the cruise. I'm sorry you didn't hear the monkeys, it seemed like they accompanied us the whole time, and certainly added to the jungle feeling. The magic of taking the African Queen boat ride and then walking through the jungle to climb the temples was an unbelizeable experience....Webegontabelizemon!

 

Cruiser620; the boat ride to the ruins was stop and go so we could see the wildlife, the trip back was nonstop as fast as they could go. I just hunkered down and let the wind blow, if it was a rainy day I can imagine the trip back might get a little cold. We were there in Jan and it was 80 degrees that day. We had no mosquitos. We had mosquito repellant and my husband used it. Neither my son or I used it and I think I had one bite and I was in shorts and a summer shirt. Enjoy Belize, it was so wonderful.

 

Su

[camperdiva]

I am really interested in taking this tour with my 84 year old father. Can someone let me know how much walking/climbing is involved? He is in good physical shape for his age, but can't walk for long distances.

[Mike2131]

I am really interested in taking this tour with my 84 year old father. Can someone let me know how much walking/climbing is involved? He is in good physical shape for his age, but can't walk for long distances.

 

The boat ride would not be a problem and lunch is served under cover near the dock. The small museum is probably 200 yards from the lunch site. The only concern I would have would be at the ruins. There is a fair amount of walking and the ground is uneven in places. The initial ruins are pretty close to the lunch site and perhaps he could make those and turn back if the others are too challenging.

 

I will tell you that, since climbing is allowed, there are always those who want to scale the pyramids at the first few stops. As a result, the pace is not too rushed.

[BobbieSu]

Camperdiva

 

I'd say it was about a half a mile of walking (with three prolonged stops) over what to me were wide open trails and flat....but others have said there were some uphill places...I really didn't notice them. My husband had had knee replacement surgery three months prior and this was his first attempt at anything outside the house. He went slow, but kept up with the group, and just avoided the stairs/climbing. My 80 year old mother would have a hard time with the walk (she has a hard time walking from the front door to the car in the street), but my 81 yr father would be able to handle it just fine.

 

I agree that it may be possible for him to ask to go to the Jaguar Temple and Plaza which was very close to the dock, and look around at the residential ruins surrounding the plaza and wait for the group there if there was any problem (though I think the tour guides were very concious of where everyone in the group was and may not want him going/staying alone).

 

Su

[cruzn buckeye]

We will be flying to Miami from Ohio on our Sept. cruise. Can you take mosquito repellent in your carry on, also is it o.k. to pack it in your luggage?

 

Thanks!

[BobbieSu]

We had our mosquito repellent in our carryon with our sunblock and antibacterial wash and medicines. I can't imagine it would be a problem checked either.

 

Su

[Husky359]

If anyone has been on an airboat ride in Florida, that is what the boat ride feels like going down the New River. As far as the walking, both my parents have knee problems, and my dad needs a knee replacement soon, and they went on this..... they did not climb the Mayan temple, obviously, and they were the last people to get everywhere - but they had a 2nd guide that stayed back behind them. I must say, though, that after the cruise, my mom's knee really swelled and was really sore, but I really don't think it was from this day - later in the week we had a snorkeling excursion where they made us wear life jackets... well, as you could imagine, it is VERY difficult to use your fins with life jackets on... then they had us end extremely far down the beach, and walking on the sand I think is what got to her knee.... so I think the Mayan excursion was not her problem.

[webprinter]

Was there time for shopping, and if so, where is the best (cheapest) shopping? We are considering this tour on our Dec. Legend of the Seas cruise. Debby

[Mike2131]

Was there time for shopping, and if so, where is the best (cheapest) shopping? We are considering this tour on our Dec. Legend of the Seas cruise. Debby

 

Hi Debby:

 

There was some shopping (not shops, just a few vendors) at the dock where we boarded the boat for Lamanai. On return to Belieze City, there was a small flea market near the tender dock where some people shopped (we didn't), and there were some shops inside the tender terminal. Since the tour is all day, we really did not shop at all and just made the last (or next to last?) tender back to the ship.

[BobbieSu]

I agree with Mike2131, no time for shopping. I took some cash (they took dollars and were willing to haggle) and bought two wooden bowls at the boat dock-- the guide requested we do this on the way back, I took 5-10 minutes while everyone else took a potty break. (They have cracked a little having gone from a low elevation and a more humid climate to the exact opposite, but they are beautiful and are all I have from Belize). We also bought some cookies from the absolute cutest Mennonite kids near the museum. We were back in time for the second to last tender so had 15 minutes more if we had wanted to take the chance and try to find a shirt or other typical tourist buy at the tender pier. We didn't take the chance.

 

Su

[DEL67]

How does it compare to Altun Ha in terms of accessibility? My husband is in a wheelchair and we found Altun Ha reasonably accessible?

[ute_fan]

We've been to both Altun Ha and Lamanai. I personally don't think that Lamanai would be nearly as handicap accessible. When you get off the boat, there are several stairs that lead up to the picnic area - they are quite far apart, one step, then about 4 or 5 feet, then another step, but I don't think they'd be easy to manage with a wheelchair. I have no idea if there is another way up from the rivier. If you're interested in seeing a picture, follow the link in my signature line to my webshots photos -- there is a picture of my DD walking up the stairs.

 

Once we got up to the area past the museum and picnic area to where the tour of the ruins stars, there was a flight of stairs -- maybe 8 or 9 of them -- to where our tour started. My DD, who has asthma, was having trouble breathing after going up them, as they were fairly steep, and she was having trouble with the humid air (not used to that here in Utah). There were also several places on the path that were quite covered with tree roots -- one older gentlemen on our tour tripped over one and fell down but wasn't hurt, and my DH also tripped over one and almost fell.

 

I also think there might have been difficulties getting someone in and out of the boat, depending on what his level of disabiity is. Good luck with your planning!

[DEL67]

Thanks UTE Fan. I can get the wheelchair up one or two steps, but not more so It looks as if it is not something we should attempt.

[camperdiva]

My dad and I did take the tour, and my 84 year old father pretty much kicked my tail during the hiking portion! The guides kept an eye on him along with me, and we all had a great time. The trail had some rocky/muddy inclines, but was pretty forgiving for the most part. Not wheelchair accessible at all.

DO take mosquito repellent, the strong kind! Them skeeters were mean!

 

I was a little disappointed with the ride to the ruins; our guide did make some stops, and we were able to see several small crocodiles and a few interesting birds. However, we pretty much sped towards Lamanai. If you are a birder, or are hoping to do some wildlife photography, be forwarned. There were a lot of beautiful groupings of water lilies.

 

We did get to see howler monkeys! I was very happy about that!

[kirbmeister]

We did this last week and it was a good tour. We had a great guide who taught us a lot about Belize on the bus ride and kept us well informed the rest of the way.

 

The ride up the river wasn't as good as it could have been. We had boat troubles, which meant we couldn't stop to look as much as we would have liked. Still saw lots of birds, but no crocs.

 

The ruins were fascinating, but I wouldn't do this again in the summer. 96 degrees with 90% humidity is a little more than I can handle. The walking was not strenuous, but definitely not wheelchair accessible. WE did see lots of monkeys. Some of which actually came to the bottom of the trees to pose.

 

There were some nice bowls and woodworkings at the boat dock on the river which we purchased. The young man there was much more willing to bargain when his mother wasn't there watching.

 

All in all I would do it again, but not in the summer.

[ute_fan]

I laughed at your comments, kirbmeister. Us Utah folks don't tolerate that humidity very well, do we? I feel that same way -- my Caribbean trips are going to have to be scheduled for cooler weather :p .

[kirbmeister]

The funny part was that everyone we would run into from the midwest wanted to know we could possibly handle the dry air. A couple from Arkansas said that once their humidity got to 30% and they couldn't breathe. It was 12% here yesterday.:eek: