Central American Travel Specialists
14th Annual Garifuna Carnival Tour
Belize & Guatemala
Special Departure Tour : 12 November 2002.
( 11 nights / 12 days )
| This fabulous tour will appeal to anyone with a sense of adventure! Combine the Rainforests and Reefs of Southern Belize and the Garifuna Carnival with San Pedro on "Temptation Island". |  |
|---|
|
Day 1 - Tues 12 Nov - Off to the Rainforest! - (D) 
Meet & Greet on arrival at Belize International Airport and transfer up
the Western Highway to the beautiful rainforest area of
San Ignacio near the Guatemalan border with a stop along the way
at the small and informal Belize Zoo.4 night stay at the San Ignacio Hotel conveniently located on the Highway to Maya History. The hotel is situated on a hill just along the Macal River in San Igancio. The 25 rooms all offer beautiful hillside views of 14 acres of Jungle Gardens, the large swimming pool and the Macal River. Balcony rooms or suites with ceiling fans, cable TV, and in-room telephones are available. Delicious meals are served in the indoor-outdoor restaurant. Day 2 - Wed 13 Nov - Wonders of the Rainforest - (B,L,D) 
Today you will enjoy a full day of rainforest adventures. After breakfast a
visit will be made to the nearby ancient site of Xunantunich
which is reached by crossing the Mopan River by hand-cranked ferry.
There will be plenty of time to explore and climb the ruins which are great for panoramic photographs before going on to
the lovely Lodge at Chaa Creek to visit the Natural History Centre and Butterfly Farm followed by
a delicious lunch
This afternoon we will enjoy a relaxing end to the day, a canoe trip down the Macal River where you will see iguanas sunning themselves on the overhanging branches along the river banks. Anyone can opt out if they would prefer to spend the afternoon to enjoy some optional treatments in the spa. CLIENT COMMENT: " Ann, Thank you so much! We had such a wonderful time in Belize! Everything was perfect.... it was a memorable vacation for all of us. The Rainforest adventures were particularly fascinating. Again, thank you so much for all your help.." Theresa Dolloff (and family) Day 3 - Thurs 14 Nov - Mysteries of the Underworld - (B,L,D) 
Today you are in for a real treat! An adventurous drive towards the Mountain Pine Ridge area from where your guide will row you deep inside Barton Creek Cave (about 1 to 2 miles depending on water
levels). Sit back, relax and direct your 1,000 candle lamp at the amazing formations inside the huge cave believed by the Maya to be the Underworld, "Xibalba", (pronounced SheeBALba) the Kingdom of their Gods. Float under stalagtites, see ancient skeletons and pottery and prepare to be awstruck by cathedral-like caverns. Marvel at the 5 million
year old crystalline structures over 50 feet in length as your friendly guide (affectionately known as "Dave the Cave") shares his incredible knowledge with you about the Maya's beliefs about the underworld.
Continue further into the Mountain Pine Ridge area for a packed lunch and visits to the highlights of this region. The area is dotted with beautiful waterfalls, streams and the amazing Rio Frio Cave that you can walk through. The Rio On Cascades and Pools is a cascading river which tumbles over some of the oldest rocks in all of the Americas. The water has eroded numerous pools that are perfect for bathing. Most of the pools are connected by small waterfalls that have a massaging effect if you lie underneath them.The water is clear enough to drink. Deep within the reserve is a 1000 foot falls, a spectacular ribbon of water which drops from pine forest to tropical forest below. An overlook allows you to see the top part of the falls.
Click on any of the above photographs for larger images of the Mountain Pine Ridge area. |
Hidden for 1,000 years in the midst of rainforests teeming with wildlife are enormous ceremonial cities with magnificent Temples and Pyramids built by the mysterious Mayan people. THE TEMPLES OF TIKAL in the Peten region of Guatemala is the most fabulous site of all!
Today we will cross over the Guatemalan border to visit the Tikal National Park. Of the park's 222 square miles only 10 square miles of central Tikal has been mapped and over 3,000 separate buildings have been revealed: temples, shrines, ceremonial platforms, residences, ball courts, terraces, causeways and plazas. We will return to the San Ignacio Hotel for dinner and our final night in the Cayo region. Imagine the ceremonies where human sacrifices were offered to the Gods. Listen carefully and you will hear the still-beating heart of a dying Civilisation . |
|
Day 5 - Sat 16 Nov - Barrier Reef Bliss - (B,L,D) 
After breakfast transfer down the most scenic road in Belize, the Hummingbird Highway, past the
citrus plantations of the Stann Creek Valley to Dangriga
which takes it name from the local Garifuna language, loosely meaning "here, the sweet water is close at hand." It lies peacefully along the banks of the North Stann Creek River, whose water is legendary.
On arrival in Dangriga a boat will be waiting to whisk us to one of the most idyllic tropical islands of Belize, Tobacco Caye for a 2 night / 3 day stay at Ocean's Edge Lodge in Belizean-style island accommodation situated on a beautiful beach overlooking the crystal-clear waters of the Southern Belize Barrier Reef. The island falls within the Southwater Caye Marine Reserve which has been designated a World Heritage Site.  MEALS: Three delicious meals including fresh seafood, fresh fruit and home baking. NON-DIVERS : Sunbathing, Swimming, Snorkelling or lazing in a hammock with a Caribbean Rum & Coke! SCUBA DIVERS: 2 days diving x 2 boat dives on each diving day including tanks, weights & belts. All boat dives are drift dives because this section of the barrier reef is without any permanent moorings due to the small number of divers who are able to visit these private islands in the South. The Southern Belize Barrier Reef offers access to some of the most spectacular wall dives, ocean drop-offs and amazing marine life anywhere in the world. Wall dives range from 30 to 120 feet with water visibility averaging 80 to 100 feet and water temperatures between 75 to 85 degrees year around.  
Day 6 - Mon 18 Nov - Eve of Garifuna Carnival - (B,L) 
Another full day to scuba dive or relax on Tobacco
Caye before our sunset sail back to the mainland and an overnight stay at Pal's Guest
House where we will be in the heart of the action!
NOTE: For those who would like to take an optional tour to the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve, we will arrange an early boat transfer back to the mainland and a guided tour. An African Voice on the Caribbean Breeze! Tonight is the Eve of the Garifuna Carnival when everyone takes to the streets, and drumming and Punta dancing go on most of the night. The Garifuna are friendly and relaxed and there are none who more truly live the Caribbean creed. But when the drums commence and the women chant their history in a distant tongue, hips swaying, conch shell wailing, one senses the strength of their African heritage. Day 7 - Tues 19 Nov - GARIFUNA CARNIVAL DAY Today we will join in the fun and festivities of the Garifuna Carnival in Dangriga Town A brief history: Garifuna history began more than 300 years ago when two ships filled with African slaves were wrecked on the Caribbean's Windward Island of St. Vincent. The next century saw their intermarriage with the Carib Indians, creating the Garifuna. Their mixed blood children developed fishing, hunting and farming skills but were staunchly independent and resisted colonization by both the Spanish and British for several decades. In 1795, the Garifuna chief was killed by an English soldier's bullet and his conquered people were rounded up and shipped off to the inhospitable Bay Islands off Honduras.  On November 19th 1823,
a large group of Garifuna from the Bay Islands joined about 200 others who had settled at
the mouth of Stann Creek some 20 years earlier. They had left Roatan in dugout canoes
with a few meager necessities to start a new life in a new land.
The date of this mass landing is celebrated each year when everyone waits on the bridge early in the morning for the first sighting of the canoes as they re-enact the arrival of their forebears. La Isla Bonita - (B) 
Late afternoon we will fly to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye - made famous by Madonna in her
song "La Isla Bonita" ("The Beautiful Island").
Spectacular aerial views of the Belize Barrier Reef en route. Relax and unwind during our 4 night stay at the beachfront Sunbreeze Beach Hotel, Mayan Princess Hotel or Blue Tang Inn. We have not included meals so that you can have the freedom to choose from the many excellent island restaurants. Enjoy a Belikin Beer in any number of beachfront hang-outs and thatched roof bars or a gourmet dinner in a first class restaurant. Non-Divers: Swim, snorkel, shop or relax in a hammock with a rum & coke! Scuba Divers: 3 days of local two tank dives with the opportunity to upgrade one day to Lighthouse Reef Atoll and the Blue Hole and another day to the Turneffe Atoll Day 12 - Sat 23 Nov - Departure Unfortunately it is time to pack our bags for the short commuter flight back to Belize International to connect with our homebound flights. An Escape You Will Always Remember... |
|
Garifuna Carnival Tour 2002 Rates
( All rates are per person in US dollars ) |
|
|---|---|
| Double | 1,895 |
| Single | 2,295 |
| Dive Package | 290 |
| NOTES: |
|
| CHILD RATES: |
|
| INCLUDES: |
|
| HOTEL TAXES: |
|
| DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: |
|
| NOT INCLUDED: |
|
| INSURANCE: |
|
| PAYMENTS: |
|
