Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

Actun Chapat, located near Benque, just south of San Jose Succotz, is getting more exposure, and now Hidden Valley Inn offers it as a tour.  Actun Chapat, along with Actun Halal, makes for a great day tour that includes a jungle hike, cave exploring, and a history lesson about the Maya.

"Meet your archaeology guide at the village of San Jose Succotz along the Mopan River where you will traverse 8 miles through old farms and tropical forest in the infamous land rover.  There is only one trip a day and tours are private to Hidden Valley Inn Guests only.  Your experience guide will share stories, legends and facts about the caves and the surrounding area.  The History of the Maya will be told by your guide as you hike through the chambers of mysterious cave formations, terraces, alters, strewn with artifacts and Mayan relics.  At the sky opening you break for lunch with a favorite burrito.  Handmade flour tortillas, with a bean and / or chicken filling, a special sauce, with fresh lettuce, tomato and cilantro and of course hot sauce.  After your return a cold soft drink, beer, or water to enjoy while you rest up for your return ride."

Wow!  These are the best pictures of ATM ever!  Check out some of Ben Kim's amazing pictures from when Pacz Tours took him through the cave last weekend.  Spectacular pictures!

"Just got done with post processing this assignment.  It takes my back to my roots in adventure and travel.  I did a lot of caving when I was a bit younger. ATM Cave was an absolute pleasure to photograph.  I have to give a really, really, big thanks to Jamaal Crawford at PACZ Tours for inviting me and Jaime Awe at NICH for making this possible.  What a great way to start off the new year!"

Discover Magazine did a piece that shows a lot of Actun Tunichil Muknal, and talks about some of its 'subterranean secrets.'

"Over the past 50 years, vestiges of religious rituals have turned up in hundreds of caves throughout the land of the ancient Maya, stretching from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula down through El Salvador.  Some caves, like Actun Tunichil Muknal, or 'Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre,' contain human or animal remains, as well as ceramic pots, musical instruments, jewelry, small sculptures and stingray spines, which were used for bloodletting.  Others contain mysterious stone structures: altars, plaster platforms, pathways and monuments. In some caves, every chamber is adorned with this architecture — an extraordinary feat of engineering in absolute darkness."

Cayo has the caves!  Waterfall cave, located off the Hummingbird Highway, has a series of cascades in it that you can climb up.  It's guaranteed to be an incredible day of exploring fun.

"Along the Hummingbird Highway, near the Blue Hole, is the Waterfall Cave.  After a 20 minute hike to the entrance of the cave, you hike 3 kilometers into the cave, climbing up 7 waterfalls and cascades.  You then backtrack, jumping into the pools, and enjoying an amazing lunch along the way.  Contact Ian Anderson's Caves Branch for more information."

Phillip Flores has a great essay on why he wants to be an Eco Kid.

"One of my great passions is watching the wonderful flower and the vegetation and the different aromas from the different plants.  I enjoy the wonderful views, watching the bees and butterflies picking on the flowers.   At the age of five, I had the opportunity to visit a cave at Che Chem Ha.  It was an experience that I have not forgotten. I started the journey to the cave by riding a mule.  After riding for about 100 yard, I fell off the mule and I had to continue the journey by foot. What a wonderful experience it was to see what our ancestors left behind – the pottery, their religious beliefs and the way they lived. Given the opportunity to attend this camp would give me the opportunity to increase my knowledge of their existence, culture and traditions."

Actun Tunichil Muknal, which was re-opened to tours many days ago after having been closed for the better part of a week due to heavy rains, has a significant history, which can be read in this article from a student getting a PhD in Archaeology.

"Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, otherwise known as the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, was first entered by the Mayas in AD 300-600.  It was not until the late AD 700-900 that the Mayas went deeper into the cave to perform their ceremonies.  The cave was officially opened to the public in 1998.  The cave houses various types of artifacts from ceramics and stoneware to the remains of skeletons.  The Mayas consider Actun Tunichil Muknal a highly sacred location, enclosing the famous “Crystal Maiden,” who was thought to be a sacrifice victim.  After decades of weathering and natural processes, the surface of the skeleton appears to be covered with a geological sanded finish, which gives the maiden a somewhat magical fairy-dust appearance."