At 9 am we had to leave the enchanting iguanas.
 
While this area has many things to do in the outdoors with the surrounding jungle, wildlife, waterfalls, rivers and caves, it has created the ideal location from canoeing downriver and tubing through caves, but most of us choose the optional excursion to the famous caves Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), where untouched Mayan ceremonial and sacrificial remains were found.

Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre), also known locally as “Xibalba” or ATM, is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District, notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. There are several areas of skeletal remains in the main chamber. The best-known is "The Crystal Maiden", the skeleton of a teenage girl, possibly a sacrifice victim, whose bones have been calcified to a sparkling, crystallized appearance.

The ceramics at the site are significant partly because they are marked with "kill holes", which indicates they were used for ceremonial purposes. Many of the Mayan artifacts and remains are completely calcified to the cave floor. One artifact named the “Monkey Pot” is one of just four found in Central America. The Mayans also modified cave formations here, in some instances to create altars for the offerings, in others to create silhouettes of faces and animals, or to project a shadow image into the cave. 

The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages.

Animal life in the cave includes a large population of bats, large freshwater crabs, crayfish, catfish and other tropical fish. Large invertebrates like Amblypygi and various predatory spiders also inhabit the cave. Agouti and otters may also use the cave. These and many other species are quite common in river caves of this size in Belize. Thanks Mr Wikipedia.

To me so far this is certainly the highlight of the trip to date as it has the ‘adventure’ meaning I am not too old to be really stretched and cambering over rocks, swimming through the underground river, plus factor in the ancient Mayan civilisation. It was a real privilege that the archaeologists decided to leave the artifacts that they only recently found in situ ie exactly as they found it. 

As NO cameras were allowed (because a tourist who dropped his camera onto a skull and broke it!) we are reliant on the supplied images here or google 'ATM Belize images'.

The day was going to be WET. As it had rained most of the night and rain was still falling as we drove the hour to the national park passing newly planted cedar and mahogany tree plantations.

Helmets issued, packed lunch given out (roll, Snickers bar, piece of pineapple, bananas and a bottle of water) and off we walked. Three river crossings over the same river with one being up to our chest. We followed the bank for nearly an hour to the picnic area. Toilet stop and lunch was eaten under the shelter of a thatched roof shelter while our lights were fitted to the helmets before the start of the 2 ¾ hour caving experience.

We were broken into 2 groups of 8. At the cave entrance, first it was about a 30 metre swim to the far end before the start of the rock scrambling in single file. Instructions had to be relayed to the next person ’loose rock on the left, don’t touch the right-hand wall, step up, sit down and slide in, sharp rock on the left, break in the floor ahead etc’.

Passing thousands of years in the making of the stalactites and stalagmites the guide shone his touch highlighting the many different formations. Some have now joined to form columns, some still had water dripping down and others it had stopped. No lights, not walkways like the other caves that I have been into around the world. This was nature’s continual ongoing creation in its rawest form.

Climbing out of the water following the foot holds no doubt hundreds if not thousands of people but first by the Mayans have used in the past hundreds of years up further into the upper chamber of the cave.

Yes, the highlight was certainly the ceremonial chamber at the end. Staying in single file wearing just socks, we stayed within the narrow walkway at times marked out with the orange tape that indicated that an artifact was near by.

Seeing and understanding why the pots were deliberately broken (to let the spirits out), remains of the fire pits plus at the end the calcified skeletons will remain with me for a long time. The most famous one is of a male in his 20 - 30 and he is only 5’ 2’’ tall.

Then back out the same way and with the rain, the 3 river crossings was done in much higher and faster water. In fact the next day the cave was closed due to the high river conditions. We were lucky.

These are the photos and promotional video as supplied by PACZ Tours of San Ygnacio, Belize. All have been uploaded here for the benefit of our group.

Dinner that night at Serendib a Sri Lankan restaurant back in town. Decided on the Escabeche which is a spicy rich chicken broth with stewed onions and chicken. Really nice soup!!! Then it was more chicken with savoury rice. Again washed down with a happy hour 3 bottles for 10 BZ / NZ $ 6.20 / US $ 5.10 of the 250 ml Kubuli beer.