Altun Ha, Cave Tubing and Zipline This mixed bag tour will depart from Belize City air-conditioned to the Old Northern Highway for 50 minutes. Altun Ha is the nearest excavated Maya Temple to Belize City and is probably the most visited by Belizean school children from all over the country. This beautiful Maya Temple, whose name means “Rockstone Water,” has wide-open spaces. The temples are easily climbed and are not as tall as Lamanai and Xunantunich. After trekking an ancient home of the Maya, you’ll head west for 90 minutes on the Western Highway, for Cave Tubing & Zip-line. Once at the outpost, you’ll be given a basic orientation and safety briefing before heading off on a 30-minute hike, which includes wading through a few knee-deep water streams. Don’t let the walk worry you, though; as it’s mostly on flat terrain, it is enjoyable and informative. The rainforest canopy shades it, and our tour guides will point out flora and fauna noteworthy to the area. Once at the entrance of the cave system, it’s time for your cave tubing adventure through the ancient Maya underworld. Inside, you’ll see intricate crystalline formations that line the cave with a majestic rise and fall of stalagmites and stalactites that add to the smooth richness and grandiose of Xibalba as it’s known. If there’s time, and you’re open to added adventure, our guides may stop at the mini waterfall and swimming area. After leaving the falls, you’ll emerge into the sunlight and free float downstream, ushered by the gentle current and little rapids, to the harmony of birds and natural wildlife which routes back to where the tour started. It’s then on to zip-lining, which gives you a bird’s eye view of Belize’s jungle while soaring through the treetops at high speed. It’s a short walk over to the equipment area where our expert guides will help outfit you in the required equipment. You’ll then make your way over to the first platform, where a vital safety briefing will follow, which covers braking technique, balancing, and cable safety. READY! SET! GO! Push off from the wooden platform and zip along the aerial cable at the canopy level, where a guide will be waiting for you at the next platform. A couple of platforms into your Indiana Jones adventure, you’ll see the “hammock bridge” hanging almost 120 feet above the forest floor. Take in the tangled heart of Belize’s spellbinding and lush primeval forest, as the full glade of trees falls away to reveal an infinite blue sky. After this, the lines get faster and longer. This thrilling combo tour will add memorable photos to your album and is a must-do when visiting Belize.
