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Published: February 7th 2012
After 3 nights I had to leave the beautiful tropical island of Caye Caulker and head inland to the jungle. I was heading to San Ignacio, not far from the border with Guatemala to stay in a jungle lodge – Barton Creek outpost. To get there I had to catch a speed boat, a bus and then a 4x4 taxi to the resort itself.The outpost is in the middle of nowhere in the jungle bordering a national park and it took 45 mins to get there from the paved road across dirt track that was so bad it shook the brakes loose on the 4x4 and we had to stop for 15 mins while the driver repaired it!
The outpost itself consists of a main lodge, (thankfully with a bar) and a cabana (cabin) a separate dorm room and you could also rent tents which is why I opted for to go for the real outdoor experience:-) and to prove to my Tassie friends that I too can sleep in tents (as long as there’s easy access to a cold beer:-).
Whilst I was there the outpost was staffed by some young volunteers but for the most part they
were my only company, there was 2 New Yorkers for the first night which resulted in some interesting conversations, the guy was a hedge fund manager on Wall st and we got involved in some debate on what cause the current financial crisis and what the future holds. He reckons the dollar will collapse within 6 months!!! They left this am which meant I was the only guest here - cool. The food is all cooked for you by the staff and it is next to a river so the sounds coming from that together with the audio track from the jungle lends for a great soothing way to sleep. It is very rustic and there is only WiFi and electricity available for mornings and night and to wash you have to jump in the river!
Strangely enough in this area of Belize there is a large Armish community and it’s always surprisingly to see them in their hats and bonnets on the bus. I never could get my head round them but each to their own!!
Later in the morning I went for a jungle hike with two Rhodesian Ridgebacks for company (the owners dogs) as usual
I got lost which meant I ended up slashing my way through dense undergrowth with my brolly, I was offered one as I set off and foolishly said yes which meant I had to carry it with me for the following two hours!!
I had planned to do the ATM tour the following day but as it had rained so much the water level had risen too high it was cancelled. I then asked if I could go on another tour but this was too short notice. As a result I bailed and headed off to Guatemala. If there is one downer about the outpost is that there isn't much to do if you are not in a tour and the tours are nt that cheap especially if you are on your own, yu need to do everything with a guide which costs.
Most people stay at El Remate or Flores and then go to Tikal in the morning but I decided to go to Tikal in the evening and camp there so I could just get up and go for the sunrise. The ticket allows you to go in for the evening and the whole of the
next day.
I was a bit unlucky choosing my tent as it turned out to be located right next door to a generator that was on all night so I didn’t get much sleep that night!!
Boring bits
To get to Tikal from San Ignacio you have to catch a bus to Melchor de Mencos on the border and then go through immigration where they charge you B$37 to get across and then catch another but to Puente Ixlu and wait for a chicken bus to Tikal. However there are lots of express buses going through the border and I caught one of them.
ATM Cave
Artifacts are often looted from caves following their discovery. Because of this, passage through this cave is known to only a few select guides, who have permission from the Belize Department of Archeology to take visitors to this special cave. To this day, the cave has not been looted and nearly all of the cultural artifacts have remained in place as they were originally found in 1989.
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM - Full Day)
The ATM cave is a 45 minute drive from San Ignacio, followed by
a 45 minute nature hike. The hike includes three stream crossings and passes through the 6,700 acre Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve.
Degree of Difficulty: Challenging - A good level of physical fitness required. Ability to swim is a plus. Clothing: Shorts and T-shirts are suggested along with a good pair of tennis or hiking shoes, (no sandals allowed). You will be getting wet so bring along extra clothing.
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David Tasker
non-member comment
Tassie Friends
I see whe finally got amention. Not convinced you slept in atent until I see a photo of YOU in one - A picture of a tent doenst cut it. LOL Page 19 mentions a femal travelling friend in the futur? Whats the gossip on that?