ATM Caves, Belize: Portal to the Underworld

Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the cave of the Crystal Sepulchre, is located just outside of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. The Maya archaeological site contains many artifacts and skeletons including ceramic and stoneware. The most notable skeleton, located in the main chamber is that of an 18 year old girl who is assumed to have been sacrificed. She is known as the 'Crystal Maiden' because her bones have been calcified and appear to sparkle, Most of the artifacts have calcified and remain attached to the inside of the caves.

The main cave system is approximately 3 miles long and has a river running through 2 miles of the main cave. Mayans carved animals and set up alters in the caves for rituals believed to have been dedicated to the rain God, Shac and other underworld deities. They believed the cave to be the dwelling place of the Mayan death gods and the subterranean court of the "Lords of Xibalba" and many of the ceramic bowls are marked with 'kill holes' indicating these items were used in sacrificial ceremonies. 

I hired Danielia's Shuttle Service to take Me to the cave site early before tour buses started showing up. I would recommend hiring a personal driver over joining a tour as there is less traffic and the caves are not as crowded. Being a UNESCO World Heritage site makes the caves tours extremely popular as an excursion for anyone in the area. I highly recommend bringing Your own river shoes, but note the shoes have to be close toed. They do not allow open toed shoes on the tour. If You do not have shoes, they do have shoes to rent for a minimal fee. 

Upon arrival, each person is assigned a tube, helmet with attached head lamp and life jacket. Once everyone is ready, there is a short walk through the jungle to get to the beginning of the caves. The jungle is a magical place where all of the plants and animals work symbiotically as a part of the greater whole. Everything has its purpose and place in the eco system. The termites eat the fallen tree parts on the ground while the tree provides a nesting spot for the termites. The vines add nutrients to the trees and vice versa. The flora and fauna is so green and alive. I always feel lucky to be able to spend time here. 

Once at the mouth of the main cave, the guide ties all of the floats together and pulls them into the water. The guide swims along side the floats pulling them into the flow of the river keeping everyone away from the rocks along the shore. Once our party was inside the cave, the guide had us look back at the entrance where the Mayans had carved the rocks to look like an animal guarding the area. We stopped on the shore inside the cave and got off the rafts to explore the dry areas where I found a sleeping bat. There is a large population of bats in the caves along with spiders, though I didn't see any of the spiders.

In this dry area, We were able to see the cave's stalagmites and stalactites. Due to calcification, the formations sparkled magically in our headlamp lights. I brought an additional flashlight, which I highly recommend, to get pictures of the inside of the cave which is why I was able to get a clear shot of a sleeping bat. 

Once back at the shore, our party got back on the rafts and pushed off the banks to the center of the cave. The ceilings were incredible. I could see why the Mayans believed they came from the caves and returned to the underworld here. The ceiling looked a lot like the night sky or the terrain of a different planet. At one point, everyone turned off their headlamps to see just how dark the cave was without artificial lights. It was a bit spooky.

This is where they sacrificed their citizens to the Gods for a myriad of reasons. Knowing that made me wonder what was in the water beneath us besides the fish, crabs and other water creatures who called this cave river home. We made our way slowly through the cave system, the guide pointing out features used by the Mayans including a standing water pool and high ledges used for pushing sacrifices to their deaths. 

After about 45 minutes in the cave, the river pushed us back out into the open jungle. The guide told us about all of the plants and trees on the shores of the river. I was surprised to learn about the Allspice tree. Up until this point, I believed all spice to be a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves. Our guide told us about the allspice tree and when I was surprised, swam to the shore to collect a few leaves. Sure enough, the leaves smelled and tasted just like all spice.

We floated on the open river for another hour before reaching the end of the tour where our tubes were untied to be carried along the trail back to where we started. A lunch of grilled chicken, beans and rice and coleslaw was served to everyone taking the tour. Most excursions include lunch, but if you hired a private driver and didn't bring lunch, you can purchase a meal for around $7USD. 

I love ancient Mayan sites and always try to consider what life must have been like for them over 1,000 years ago. Mayans were extremely superstitious and yet very brave people. These caves seem intimidating to someone used to artificial light and modern accommodations. To the Mayans, these caves were comfortable spaces meant to connect them to their underworld Gods. They were frequented by whole communities and individuals looking for quiet spaces to build alters for communicating with the afterlife.

This is a must do when traveling to Belize as spending time in these spaces changes the way one sees their seemingly complicated modern life. Check the weather before scheduling a tour as they close the caves when it rains enough to flood parts of the caves cutting off exits. Several excursion companies offer tours in the area as well as private drivers.

Danielia's Shuttle Service is reliable and extremely knowledgeable about the area.  I truly enjoyed My time with her as our guide.  Her vehicles are clean and well maintained,  her prices reasonable for such personable service.

Look for more on Belize Mayan sites and reviews of My stay in San Ignacio and San Pedro on Cape Caulker in future posts.

Hanging with the Howler Monkeys, Travel Belize

The Community Baboon Sanctuary located in the Bermudian Landing in rural Belize was established in 1985 by Dr. Robert Horwich, an American primatologist working with local landowners and conservation groups to designate jungle for the purpose of conservation. 12 landowners in Bermudian Landing established a cooperative agreement to preserve the jungle for the howler monkey, many species of birds and fauna. The sanctuary spans 30 miles along the river basin and is home to thousands of howler monkeys, known to the locals as baboons. 

Community Baboon Sanctuary

Found in South American rain forests in Belize, Brazil, Paraguay, Eastern Bolivia and Northern Argentina, howler monkeys are the loudest of any land animal. Each has an enlarged hyoid bone, allowing for the noises they make which is fundamental to communication. Every day at dusk and dawn, group male monkeys call out to other males in area who then call back. This call allows all of the Monkeys to figure out where to gather food that day based on where each monkey tribe is feeding and where each group settles for the night. When two tribes cross paths in the trees, conflict arises between the lead monkeys in the form of howling, leaping and fighting. These fights are infrequent, but vicious and can result in severe injury. 

When I arrived in Belize, I had the great pleasure of hiring Daniellia's Shuttle Service who recommended stopping at the site on the way to the hotel. It was an absolute pleasure as this was my first up close experience interacting with these magnificent creatures. I arrived mid afternoon and was given a private tour with a guide. With the guide, I took a short hike down a jungle path. It wasn't long before we could hear rustling in the trees above us and the first monkeys appeared. The guide called to them and signaled he had banana treats for them to enjoy. 

Howler Monkeys are herbivores eating a diet mainly comprised of leaves and tree vines, flowers and tropical fruit found in the trees. The guide told me the bananas are like candy to the monkeys, not being a part of their normal diet. The Father Monkey was completely in control of his clan at all times. The Babies would not come down to eat the banana until given permission by their Father with a nod of the head and hand gesture. As the young monkeys climbed down to enjoy the tasty treat being offered by the guide, the Father remained above with a watchful eye. 

We didn't see any female monkeys out and about. Howler monkeys are one of the few primates whose females have a blonde coat, so they would have stood out. 

There is a place on site to buy souvenirs, a visitors center and museum. I picked up a couple of hand carved bowls and a magnet of a howler monkey carved out of wood. The museum had lots of information on the history of the monkey as well as plants and birds who call the sanctuary home. I loved seeing how every plant, insect and animal have a specific role to play in the jungle. The vines live symbiotically with the trees, the insects fertilize and aerate the soil and so on. The jungle is an amazing place. 

Bring a sturdy pair of shoes for this trip and bug spray. It is the jungle after all. If you are staying at a local hotel or planning a trip, Danielia's Shuttle Service is available for excursions as well as rides to and from the airport. Danielia's drivers are well informed about the area, their vehicles are clean and air conditioned. Danielia also offers transportation to other attractions in the area including Mayan Ruins and Cave Tours. Look for more posts on Traveling Belize in the future. 

Happy Travels!