jungle buggy and cave tour

[whenzuc]

just got back from the NCL Dawn 12/22 trip. This tour was a waste of time for $84. Any questions, ask. It was a 5 1/2 hour waste of a day.

[Diva Onboard]

What didn't you like about it? Was it the monster jungle buggies - 10 feet tall?

[Cozumel-Ian]

Hi whenzuc

 

I'd be interested to know what you didn't like too - last time I was there I went on the Land Rover jungle and cave tour which I thoroughly enjoyed. I think you must have been on a different tour though as we didn't use buggies.

 

The Land Rover tour had good vehicles, excellent guides, stunning scenery and the caves were fascinating. The operator's website is www.belize-paradise.com

 

Ian

[Babs66]

My 73 year old mother and 66 year old aunt want to do a Rainforest excurision without alot of walking, they are both very active for their age (Mom went to India on a pilgrimage for a month at age 69) Does anyone recommend the Jungle Buggy tour or is the Land Rover tour better for them?

[Cozumel-Ian]

There is some walking on the Land Rover tour, maybe a mile to the caves and back through some fairly level jungle. Then you have to go up an incline to get to the caves themselves, but people took it at their own pace when I was there and a guide was always on hand.

 

There is one narrow part in the caves that some people chose not to clamber through, but they just walked around a different way with a guide instead.

 

The drive itself is off-road, so quite bouncy, but a Land Rover is perfect for the job!

 

I'm afraid I don't know much about the buggy tour, maybe someone else can help..?

 

Ian

[flashdog_1]

We were just deciding which excursion to do when you posted. Please tell us everything about it. We want a mini review, if you will.

 

I'm looking at HAL's excursion but it is probably similar. It says

 

Caves & Jungles of Belize 5 hr $99.

Go by high speed boat for the Sabun River, upstream thru jungle covered banks that look like the setting for an Indian Jones movie.

 

That sounds really remote!

 

After 45 minutes, boat arrives at the Landings, a secluded farm located on a peninsula in the river. Visit farm briefly, board the 4x4 in which you will go to the Mayan Groto Caves, thru lowlands and over jungle mud trails.

 

Doesn't say how long you drive.

 

At the river, you'll cross on a bamboo barge.

 

Now that sounds like something I haven't done before. Can you describe the barge? Is it a two man thing?

 

Take a short walk (someone above said it may be a mile!) thru the dense rain forest w/many species of trees, before you begin your cave experience.

 

First cave tunnels thru mountain (do you get coal miner hats?Did you get clostrophobic, were there bats and other unseen critters in there?) and emerges into a a tropical bowl w/cliffs on all sides (The Mayans used this as a sanctuary with protective walls still evident).

 

Again, this sounds very remote.

 

Within the bowl are several caves you can explore (see specific stages of stalactite and stalagmite growth.

 

I';d guess that if you don't want any more caves you can just swim or lie around until the cave explorers return to the water.

 

After the caves you can swim, relax and enjoy a a snack before boarding a jungle truck for the return trip to Belize City.

 

Is the return by speed boat also since that's how they got you there?

 

I wondered if you got to see any of Belize City on your way back. Is the truck pretty much a military transport?

 

Was it just too long, or what? Please let us know. Thanks.

[flashdog_1]

Is this what the "bowl" looked like?

 

http://www.belizex.com/bartoncreek.htm

 

It may be another cave. Fill us in, please.