Rio Dulce Jungle Lodge

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We left Antigua at 8am ( Wednesday 22nd ), and by private taxi, made an 8 hour journey to Rio Dulce. The journey was tiring, the heat had picked up once we had driven past Guatemala City, and it was in to 30 degrees. Arriving at Rio Dulce, we were met by a boat to take us on the short trip across the river, and to the hotel, the Hacienda Tijax.

The hotel is on the river bed, and is made up completely of wooden chalets, and is basically in the jungle. There are expensive yachts anchored here too, mostly from the States and Canada. The hotel is linked by wooden walkways between the trees, its really a great jungle/hotel experience. There is also a swimming pool, with the water channeled from the river.

We had a meal in the restaurant that night. As you walk tyo the restaurant just as trhe sun was going down, there were bats flying everywhere through the trees, and right over your head! Cockroaches are bugs are ever present too! In the day you can feed fish with bread, and there are turtles at the edge of the water.

An early night tonight, got to my bed and slept inside my mosquito net, to the sound of millions of bugs outside!!

Next morning I stayed in bed until 11am, and then me and my friend took a walk across the rope bridges out of the back of the hotel, and in to more jungle land. We found a man made pool, and spotted some woodpeckers.

Then lunch, and at 2pm, a riverboat trip up the Dolce, where we would head to a town called Livingston, which is on the River mouth to the Caribbean Sea, and near the Belize border. The trip up the River was one of the most incredible I've seen. Dense jungle at each river bank, a beatiful sight, many wild birds, huge Lilly's in the water, and the banks dotted with the odd wooden River houses of locals, and people rowing in small carved wooden canoes. You could think you are in Thailand or somewhere similair. We stopped off at one part of the river, where there is a natural hot spring. The water was very hot in places, all coming from just this tiny spring.

The trip took over an hour before we reached Livingston, a small town. The town has a real Caribbean/Jamaican feel about it, you wouldn't think you are in Guatemala still at this stage. We had drinks and wondered around the many souvenir shops which like many towns are in abundance, before jumping back on the boat and heading back up river. It was 6pm now, and the sun was setting, a flamingo sky across the jungle and river, a spectacular sight once again, and an amazing trip.

Back in the hotel and dinner, steaks mostly eaten everywhere! Then to bed! I was in our room, packing my things for the next day, when my friend who was reading a book looked over me and said "oh my god". Immediately I knew what it was, and looked up to the ceiling slowly. The BIGGEST muther Spider I have ever seen!!!! It was huge. Straight away I did the thing I know hopw to do best in these situations... Scream, and run like hell...!!!!!!!!! Dave and Paolo my friends, revelled in my panic as I ran away, and filmed the capture and release of the spider. Dave, who is very well travelled and seen many Spiders all over the world, said it was the biggest he had ever seen. That night was tough to sleep as I was holed in my Mosquito net!!! Also it was very very hot. Then at 5am, there was a massive unexpected storm that lasted 3 hours. One clap of thunder was so big, everyone got up and out of their beds it was unreal, the loudest I have ever heard, I thought something had blown up!!

It was now 9.30am, Friday morning, and we were ready to leave the hotel. A great experience to be in the jungle, but thank god!!!!

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Photos

Jungle Lodge, Rio Dulce
Hacienda Tijax, our jungle lodge

Fisherman On Rio Dulce
As our riverboat took us up the Rio Dulce. A local man fishing, only a crab so far. Look at its colour

Rio Dulce
The amazing boat trip on the way to Livingston

Rio Dulce
Such a beautiful place, maybe the best boat trip I've done so far on this tour