Belize Family Adventure – Water Fall Jungle Hike

One hour and twenty minute’s drive from San Ignacio to the village of San Antonio, then a twenty minutes’ drive to the reserve. The reserve is 13,006 acre of pristine broadleaf forest was set aside in memory of a Belizean traditional healer who used Mayan herbal medical techniques. Don Elijio was heir to generations of knowledge about traditional healing and spent his life in service to others. He was recognized throughout the Americas for his skills in using the simple but ancient system of Maya healing, employing plants, prayers, massage, acupuncture, and herbal baths. Hiking through the jungle were he once use for gathering his plants, you be able to learn about its traditional use. The hike usually take four hours, the first section of the hike is two hours from the entrance of the reserve where the vehicle to the camping ground of the national park. Then a hike down hill lead us to one of the most spectacular waterfall called five ladies of the forest. At five the waterfall we have the opportunity to swim and also have lunch so we spend from one hour and a have to two hours. Then we hike back to the camp site up hill, and continue the hike four one more hour toward the mountain pine ridge. Its boundaries are estimated to cover an area of 106,352.5 acres (430 km²) with two type of pine. Within the reserve it has been found at least eighty big pockets of limestone which allows broadleaf forest to grow, and caves were formed. Researchers have found rocks that date 340 million old, the oldest rock of Central America with one of the tallest waterfall over a 1000 ft high. Mountain Pine Ridge was one of the first mountains to emerge from the sea a number of waterfalls, creeks, and river was formed create Belize two biggest watershed, The Sibun River and the Macal and Belize River. At the end of the hike we get to visit one of the best swing spot of the mountain pine ridge Big rock falls. Here is also were the hike ends after swing for 45 min to hour the vehicle pick us up and drive back to San Ignacio.