8:00a
Breakfast
We had originally booked the overnight jungle survival skills tour, but the plans fell through and Maya Guide Adventures offered us a couple alternative activities. One was the Crystal Cave tour, which we did a couple days later, the other was a ziplining + cave tubing tour, which we agreed to for today.
8:00a
Breakfast
We had originally booked the overnight jungle survival skills tour, but the plans fell through and Maya Guide Adventures offered us a couple alternative activities. One was the Crystal Cave tour, which we did a couple days later, the other was a ziplining + cave tubing tour, which we agreed to for today.
It had been pouring rain all night, so when we awoke on Day 5, we knew it would be quite soggy out there. Then we opened the door, and this ray of sunshine was waiting for us on the porch, and the whole day started to look a lot better!
Breakfast was quite good with chicken, beans, cheese, fruits, and handmade tortillas – a pretty hearty meal, unless you’re like Alex and skip the tortilla carbs and cheese fat. Time to dig into the luggage for some protein bars!
Next we were off to go zip on a few lines.
9:00a
Welcome to the Jungle
About 20 minutes of driving in foggy, soggy weather took us to Angel Falls Xtreme Adventures, which was newly-opened and boy, could you tell! The zipline equipment was beautifully organized and new. Check out my write-up on this great zipline operation.
9:00a
Welcome to the Jungle
About 20 minutes of driving in foggy, soggy weather took us to Angel Falls Xtreme Adventures, which was newly-opened and boy, could you tell! The zipline equipment was beautifully organized and new. Check out my write-up on this great zipline operation.
Stopping for Gas
On the way back to the Jungle Lodge, we needed to get gas, and this part of the Cayo has but one option. If we hadn’t had it described it to us, we would have completely missed the gas station, which we mistook to be a truck graveyard literally in someone’s backyard. At that time, it was also pouring rain and muddy, so harder to recognize the gas station as such.
Upon closer inspection, I realized the thing that vaguely reminded me of Dark Helmet from Spaceballs, was, in fact, the pump.
In the end, they were a lifesaver. We used them several times during our road trip. Their prices were on par with the fancy commercial gas stations, and the service was always super friendly.
12:30p
Lunch
Lunch was back at the Jungle Lodge and a basic do-it-yourself burrito affair which is also what they serve during tour lunches as well. It’s quite tasty and super filling (with the tortilla). If you want the healthier option, ditch the tortillas and make a salad out of all the remaining ingredients.
12:30p
Lunch
Lunch was back at the Jungle Lodge and a basic do-it-yourself burrito affair which is also what they serve during tour lunches as well. It’s quite tasty and super filling (with the tortilla). If you want the healthier option, ditch the tortillas and make a salad out of all the remaining ingredients.
2:30p
Cave Tubing at St. Herman's Cave (Blue Hole National Park)
After lunch, we were driven right next door to St. Herman’s Cave at St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park. This is the one activity that I found quite disappointing during our entire trip. See why in my detailed review.
2:30p
Cave Tubing at St. Herman's Cave (Blue Hole National Park)
After lunch, we were driven right next door to St. Herman’s Cave at St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park. This is the one activity that I found quite disappointing during our entire trip. See why in my detailed review.
The Blue Hole of Blue Hole National Park
After the short muddy hike back from cave tubing, we had a few more minutes before the park officially closed so we walked over to the Blue Hole that is the park’s namesake (not to be mistaken with the Great Blue Hole diving site). Admittedly, this was another disappointment. This little spot is peaceful and pretty enough if there aren’t a lot of folks around, but it just sort of lacked “wow” for me. It’s small (aptly named as a “hole), and perhaps due to the rain there was only a bit of blue to be seen. Maybe I just wasn’t feeling generous after the cave tubing trip, but I was not much impressed.
5:00p
Dinner
We walked back to the Jungle Lodge since it was only a mile away, and washed up with a cold shower. Ouch! I’m such a cold water wus! (As much as I would love to be a badass like Wim Hof, I think I’d end up dead before attaining any level of cold mastery.)
Dinner was back at the Jungle Lodge. Simple and tasty, along with fresh fruit.
5:00p
Dinner
We walked back to the Jungle Lodge since it was only a mile away, and washed up with a cold shower. Ouch! I’m such a cold water wus! (As much as I would love to be a badass like Wim Hof, I think I’d end up dead before attaining any level of cold mastery.)
Dinner was back at the Jungle Lodge. Simple and tasty, along with fresh fruit.
As we juiced up our various devices post dinner, we got to chit chat with Francis (Jungle Lodge owner) and Jose (our guide), discussing Francis’s Mayan roots, the challenges and satisfaction of running a tour business, Jose’s serious survival skills training with Francis’s father to become a guide, and the (eww!) bot fly. This little critter is indigenous to Belize, and I won’t gross you out with its parasitic egg-laying ways, but I wanted to pass on a suggestion from Francis: duct tape. Message me or leave a comment if you want to know how duct tape can help.
And on that note, here ends Day 5. Don’t miss all the fun of muddy 4x4ing and cave kayaking in the rain on Day 6!
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