Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Belize Ultimate adventure: Zip-Lining, Rappelling, Cave Tubing and Crystal Cave

If you are seeking adventure and great fun, Black Orchid Resort offers you the ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE! You can choose any of the attractions separately, all at once or in any combination.  All activities are located on the banks of Caves Branch River, a 45 minute drive from our resort. If you choose the full package, the sequence is as follows:

Upon arrival to the Jungle Camp, you can use bathrooms, changing cabins, lockers. Water shoes are available for rent. Experienced tour guides provide a short safety briefing-demonstration about Zip-Lining. Zipping from platform to platform takes about an hour, then you hike to an abyss and rappel down to the river. Here you take rubber tube and go down the river through the caves. This adventure allows you to explore ancient Mayan mysteries and geological beauties. Crystal Cave joins the Caves Branch. Here you walk through the labyrinths with crystal formations and ancient Mayan artifacts. Then you tube the Crystal Cave back to the main cave and soon see daylight again. A short trek takes you back to the Jungle Camp. Take your time and relax in pool, get a drink, taste local Mayan food and buy some souvenirs.


Practical info for Zip-Lining and Rappelling tour:
  • Dress in light clothing (best: t-shirts, shorts or loose trousers) and have sturdy comfortable shoes (no flip flops or loose sandals). You can rent here water shoes that are perfect for all the attractions. On arrival you’ll have access to changing rooms and lockers
  • Minimum age: 12 years
  • Weight limit: 265 lbs (120 kg)
  • Not suitable for persons with back or neck problems and pregnant women, not wheelchair accessible

Zip-Lining: Let’s learn to fly!
Zip-Lining is a thrilling and exciting adventure, the experience is totally indescribable! You are individually outfitted with helmets, harnesses and safety lines. SAFETY FIRST!: You have to attend safety briefing and your every step is going to be supervised by well-trained and experienced guides. Then you feel yourself grow wings as you fly from platform to platform like a bird across the jungle canopy – over river canyons, and across mountains. Hear the rushing waters as you sail over rivers, and then enjoy the silence as you glide through a tunnel of tree leaves. The platforms high in the trees allow you to stop and enjoy the magnificent view of this untouched rainforest. And then you go soaring high in the sky again and again. Now you know how birds feel flying amongst the trees. It’s a ride of a lifetime that you will never forget.


Rappelling: Become an alpinist!
When done with Zip-Lining, you hike down a jungle trail where your guide points out various plants, roots and herbs once used by the ancient Mayans for medicinal purpose. After the relaxing walk through the forest chasing butterflies and chatting with your friends, you arrive to the edge of an abyss. Yes, yes, you’re going to go down there! Do you feel your legs shivering? Not yet? Then go closer to the edge… Here you use the same equipment as while Zip-Lining and the same friendly guides will connect all necessary ropes, to make sure your way down is safe. Then… you just go down. How does it feel when there is no ground under your feet? For a while the way down can be even faster than you’ve expected, you might be feeling yourself falling, but the speed gently reduces and finally you are down standing on the river bank. By the way – alive and happy.


Practical info for Cave Tubing:
  • All guests must be in good physical condition and able to walk on a jungle trail for 35 min.
  • You will be sitting in the water, which is not cold, but refreshing.
  • If you have photo camera which is not waterproof, be extremely careful. Better seal it in a plastic bag.
  • Helmets, lights and life jackets are provided and are mandatory. Your guide also will do everything for your safety. Just relax!
  • Sometimes current might be strong enough to turn around your tube and you might be under water for a moment.
  • Minimum age: 8 years
  • Weight limit: 265 lbs (120 kg)
  • Not suitable for persons with back or neck problems and for pregnant women. Not wheelchair accessible.

Cave Tubing: Welcome to the hell!
If you just went down the rock rappelling, you are right at the river bank and your inner tube is waiting here for you. If you’re coming from the Jungle Camp, the hike takes 30-45 minutes down a jungle trail where your guide points out various plants, roots and herbs once used by the ancient Mayas for medicinal purpose. Caves Branch River has made its way through limestone rocks and partially flows underground through caves it has formed during millenniums. Cave Tubing is one of the most exciting and relaxing nature tours. Step into a rubber tube and hand paddle your way over clean, cooling waters. When river meanders you into the cave, turn on your headlamp and allow the gentle flow to guide you through dazzling and complex crystalline formations of stalagmites and stalactites. The ancient Mayas regarded these spectacular cave systems as a sacred underworld Xilbalba (we can translate it as ‘hell’) and home to many powerful gods. We can’t promise you rendezvous with those Mayan gods, but you’re going to find bats in the walls of the cave.


Crystal Cave: Revealing Mayan mysteries
While Cave Tubing you’ve passed waterfall on your left and saw daylight over it. That’s where Crystal Cave meets River Cave. You can take a separate tour to visit only Crystal Cave – the entrance from hill-top is near the jungle camp. Then you walk through the mysterious labyrinths. You can also choose the cave as the part of your tubing adventure. In that case, passing the waterfall, you climb out of water and your guide shows you the way through one of the largest caves in Belize. Here, in a living natural cave you witness the ongoing miracle that created this natural masterpiece of underground scenery. You see here thousand-year-old pieces of pottery and other artifacts and listen to stories about how Mayas performed their rituals in this underground world. Once arrived to the magnificent Crystal Room, the glittering walls full of dazzling stalactite and stalagmite formation will leave you in awe!



You can experience all that while staying in Black Orchid Resort and booking one of our unforgettable Belize tours.

See more photos:  http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.521387207877842.139048.188938937789339&type=1 

1 comment:

  1. Travel may occur by human-powered transport such as walking or bicycling, or with vehicles, such as public transport, automobiles, trains and airplanes.
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