MAYA SITES

Caracol
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ANCIENT MAYAN RUINS

The location of the Inn provides convenient access to the endless attractions of Belize. Discover past and present cultures by visiting ancient Mayan archaeological sites and modern day rural villages. Other tours on offer include horseback riding, river canoe trips and exploring the many caves in the area. Be sure to schedule enough time to enjoy all of the natural splendours that the Cayo District has to offer and at least one day to explore the numerous private waterfalls on Hidden Valley Inn's private reserve.


Caracol-Click to see larger imageCaracol Tour

35 miles from the Inn, deep in the Chiquibul Wilderness lies one of the largest sites of the Ancient Mayan world with over 4000 structures spread over 55 square miles.

Cloaked in a jungle shroud, it is difficult to appreciate the extent of this mighty city. Excavation to date has revealed amongst others the towering temple of Caana (the Sky Palace), Belize's tallest manmade structure. The view from the top over the pristine jungle is breathtaking. Trails have been cut through
the surrounding jungle for those interested in observing the wealth of fauna, flora and birdlife that inhabit the area.

Xunantunich Tour

25 miles from the Inn on the banks of the Mopan River and 3 miles from San Ignacio lies Xunantunich. A unique hand cranked ferry takes you over the Mopan on the way up to the entrance. The main temple, the 130 ft high El Castillo, is the second tallest temple in Belize and is surrounded by a stone and stuccoed frieze, decorated with Mayan glyphs. Some of these friezes have been restored and others are in their original state.

Cahal Pech Tour

22 miles from the Inn on a hill above the town of San Ignacio lies the small but very well restored site of Cahal Pech. The site had provided important information on the earliest Mayan settlers of Western Belize. Judging from their decorative artwork and architecture, it is believed that they were quite sophisticated.

Tikal Tour

Approximately 3 hours across the border into Guatemala lies one of the greatest of all Classic Mayan cities with its spectacular temples penetrating through the thick jungle canopy. The flora and fauna are almost as spectacular as the temples themselves. Howler monkeys, spider monkeys and coatimundis are seen regularly as well as an abundance of exotic birds.

Maya Ruin Tikal-Click to see larger image
Hiddev Valley Inn