- Address: San Ignacio, Belize;
- Website: belizejungletrek.com;
- Phone: +501 668-4889;
- Working hours: every day from 08:00 to 17:00.
Belize is a state in Central America, where you have an amazing opportunity to literally touch the remnants of the ancient Mayan civilization. The most spectacular landmark of this country, attracting an uncountable number of tourists every year, is the cave Aktun-Tunichil-Munal.
Mystery of the cave Aktun-Tunichil-Munal
In our language Aktun-Tunichil-Munal sounds like a "cave of a stone tomb." In the people it is usually called the cave of the Crystal virgin. Such an unusual name was given to her after she found human remains. One of the skeletons found belonged to a very young girl. Since for many centuries the skeletons were covered with many layers of natural substances, the discoverers of the cave, being inside the grotto, saw the skeleton of a girl shimmering in the rays of their torches.
The cave itself consists of several rooms. The nearest to the entrance is the Cathedral, in which the ancient Maya conducted their sacrifices. It was in it that the skeleton of the Crystal girl was found. In addition to the remains of a virgin, skeletons of another fourteen people and pieces of glassware were found here. Most scientists suggest that this cave served for the ancient Maya as a kind of entrance to hell, from which all sorts of diseases, ills and troubles fell upon people. Most likely, the young girl became the gift of the Lord of Death. After sacrificing the maiden, the Maya people hoped to appease God, arrange it to themselves and, thus, avoid illness and suffering.
It is worth noting that the skeleton of the girl is perfectly preserved. This is amazing, because all other remains are simply in a deplorable state. It seems that nature took pity on the poor virgin, whose soul was innocently ruined, and clothed her in sparkling clothes made of stone, thus protecting her from destruction.
In addition to the remains, fragments of dishes were found near Aktun-Tunichil-Munal. The unequivocal answer that near the cave did ceramics, scientists can not give, and to this day. This is due to the fact that in all ceramic items holes were made. Who and why they did it is still unknown.
What do tourists need to know?
To look at the Crystal virgin, it takes a long time to climb the mountain path, making your way through the jungle, then cross the river with icy water and overcome the flooded entrance to the grotto. In general, the path to the cave takes about 45 minutes. Be prepared for the fact that on the way to Aktun-Tunichil-Munal you can get pretty wet. Therefore, it makes sense to take raincoats with you.
It's amazing that inside the cave itself is always dry and there is not a hint of moisture even in the air. Once you are in the cave, you will need to try on a helmet with a lantern and go explore the cave corridors. Walking on them may well take you from 1.5 to 2 hours. The total length of the passages inside the cave is about 5 km.
Inside the cave you can see all the magnificence of the crystallized stalactites, shimmering and sparkling in the rays of light. When you finally find yourself on the threshold of the Aktun-Tunichil-Munal cave in Belize, you will need to take off your shoes and continue your adventure in your socks alone. This is necessary in order to keep the floors of the cave clean and dry. If you are used to wearing shoes on bare feet, take care to have a pair of dry socks in your bag.
Acquisition of the tour
Today, the tourist office of Belize has strictly limited the conduct of tours to Aktun-Tunichil-Munal. The license necessary for the organization of the excursion is available only for a small number of travel agents. This restriction is aimed at maintaining a reasonable balance between the incomes received from tourism and the preservation of the cave itself. Therefore, if you arrive in Belize for the sake of the Crystal virgin, do not try to visit this cave on your own, outside the tourist group.
Helpful Tips
To tour left only pleasant memories and a sea of positive emotions, take care of this:
- Choose for the tour in the cave only comfortable shoes. The ideal option will be sneakers with cushioning soles or trekking shoes.
- Prefer quick-drying clothes or take raincoats with you. They will surely come in handy when you cross a flooded grotto.
- Since in the cave you will spend 5-6 hours, and on the road to the grotto and back you will take about 2 more hours, take care that with you you have enough water and food for a snack.
- Inside the cave is quite cool, so warm jackets will be very handy.
- For some time, it is forbidden to enter the cave Aktun-Tunichil-Munal in Belize with heavy video and photo equipment, so be sure to grab on the tour mobile with a good camera or compact digital cameras.
How to get there?
San Ignacio is the closest city in which you can easily find a guide for organizing a trip to the cave.