Day 3 San Miguel Village The Kekchi Maya people are originally from the Verapaz region of Guatemala. They migrated to Belize in the late 1800's after losing their land and freedom to German coffee growers. You will be invited to help with food preparation, please join in. The mainstay of the Kekchi and Mopan diet is corn and beans. They also eat bananas, citrus fruits and mangoes. They grow vegetables in the family milpas. Wild game such as guan, wild pig, deer and gibnut supplement meat from a number of domestic animals such as chickens, turkeys, and pigs.

Visit to Lubaantun Maya ruins. Climb the steep hill to the ruins of Lubaantun will be a rewarding experience with an enchanting sight when you arrive at the top. The dense rainforest setting with its beautiful foliage and the unusual style of stonework give this site a visual impact that none other has. Lubaantun is one of the least visited major Maya sites due to its remoteness.

Dated to the mid-Late Classic period, it is built on a hill top, 200 feet above sea level and surrounded on three sides by two streams which come together at the southern tip of the hill. The name, which is Yucatec Mayan for "Place of the Fallen Stones," was given by the explorer Thomas Gann in 1924, in reference to the state of the ruins. Prior to that it was known as the Rio Grande Ruins. The original Mayan name is not known.

All of the plazas are surrounded by large mounds that are faced with the finest masonry work found in the Maya world, and unique to this site. The stones used on the outside of the mounds and surrounding terraces are dressed and trimmed blocks of closely fitted sandstone and limestone. While this stone is relatively easy to work, one must remember that the Maya had only primitive tools, generally using harder stones to work this soft material.

Other than clearing the bush, no restoration work has been done here, so you will see the mounds as the Maya left them. The walls of dressed stones have been moved around some, by earthquakes and large tree roots...making the name Fallen Stones seem appropriate. The intense green of the surrounding grass and bush provide a striking contrast with the dark grey stones. If you visit Lubaantun early in the morning, you will see many colourful birds in the canopy overhead, as well. You will likely be the only visitors at the site, and Santiago, the friendly caretaker, will gladly guide you around and teach you about the Maya of past and present.
Dinner with a family and stay in guesthouse. B, L, D.

Day 4 San Miguel Village After breakfast we take to the trail for about 1 ½ hours to reach Tiger Cave through second growth forest. You will pass nearby corn milpas and jungle streams. Ask your guide to spot a jippi jappa plant. This plant grows wild in the rainforest. The freshly-picked, tender, white heart of the young plant is delicious. A small hot spring called "Blue Hole" by the villagers is hidden along the way. The cave is only five minutes away from a wide blue green creek which you cross by canoe. The dark entrance of the cave squeezes through narrow elevated corridors leading to a wide interior chamber. Large gaping holes in the ceiling of the cave emit shafts of sunlight into the dark interior. Over the years, rain pouring through the gaps in the cave ceiling have formed smooth indentations on the limestone floor of the cave. Large pieces of broken pottery lie scattered on a ledge. In the afternoon take a swim in the river near the guesthouse.
Dinner with a family and stay in guesthouse. B, L, D.

Day 5 Barranco - Garifuna village The village is situated on flat coastal land with a large variety of fruit trees including breadfruits, malay apple, golden plum, and mango scattered throughout the village. The diversity of fruit attracts a large number of birds. The Garifuna are a racial fusion of Carib Indians and Africans originally from the island of St. Vincent. The Garifuna have remained along the coastal area of Southern Belize.

Your hosts start by giving you a village tour and they talk about the history of their community. After lunch learn how to make Cassava bread, and later take time to relax on the beach.
Dinner with your host family and stay the night with them. B, L, D.

Day 6 Barranco After breakfast we take you on a trip down the Temash River. The beauty of the river lies in the old red mangrove trees that tower alongside both sides of the river, sometimes reaching more than 100 feet. Orchids and bromeliads thrive on the thick roots of these mangroves. The presence of ospreys and other seabirds indicate the quality of fishing. Alternatively take a sea fishing trip.

After lunch relax on the beach. Dinner with your host family and then listen to drumming and storytelling. Stay the night with your host family. B, L, D.

Day 7 Punta Gorda – Belize City Transfer back to PG after breakfast and then fly to Belize City. Stay overnight at the Mopan Hotel or similar. B.

Day 8 Belize City Time for last minute shopping before your flight home. B.