The Belizean ATM

In the US, going to the ATM means walking up to a machine, pushing a few buttons, and leaving with a handful of cash.  In Belize, going to ATM means hiking 45 minutes through the jungle, pushing the “on” button on the headlamp attached to your hard hat, and leaving with a newfound respect for the ancient Maya.

ATM in Belize is shorthand for Actun Tunichil Muknal, a 3 mile long cave which was the site of Maya rituals, including human sacrifices, dating back about 1,200 years.  The site was only officially discovered in the mid 1980’s, and most of the artifacts – and human sacrifice remains – have been left as they were found.  The site is amazing, and well worth the effort it takes to get there.

The expedition starts with a 45 minute hike through the jungle.  Our local guide, Luis, has been doing this for 12 years, and stops along the way to point out various plants, trees and assorted crawly things.  Before going into the cave we don our hardhats and headlamps, and get a few safety lessons.  Lesson #1 – listen to your guide.  Lesson #2 – see lesson #1.  Then we walk down a few rocks, slip into the cool water at the entrance of the cave, and swim about 20 feet to a ledge on the opposite side.  From that point we spent almost 4 hours inside the cave, climbing over, under or through rock passages, almost all the time being at least partially submerged in water.  The rock climbing was longer and harder than I anticipated, and I fit through some spaces I never would have believed I could have.  With one exception, the only light came from our helmets.  We turned them off a few times and were in a pure darkness rarely experienced by most people.  I kept looking up, amazed by the stalactites hanging over our heads.

After about 2 hours we got to our destination – a high ledge that led up multiple levels, each scattered with various artifacts.  And a few bones and skulls.  The last level was reached by a well placed, and thankfully modern, ladder.  Going up another 12-15 feet, we reached the site of a very well preserved human skeleton, the bones calcified to the limestone below.  Once we were done there, it was time to turn around and start our trek out.  For the most part, it seemed easier going out than coming in (with the exception, at least for me, of coming off that big ledge – a rather harrowing experience that luckily was over in just a few minutes). 

Once we were out of the cave and back on dry land, we had time for a quick lunch before our hike back to the van.  Little did we know that during the 4 hours inside the cave we missed torrential rainstorms outside.  A quick change into dry clothes, and we started our ride back to Parrot’s Nest.

The total trip took just under 10 hours.  We arrived back at the lodge with enough time for a hot shower and well deserved fruity rum drink before dinner.  I was in bed by 9pm, asleep within minutes, and so exhausted that for the first time in 3 days I did not hear the 4am rooster. 

PS - I'd love to post photos of the expedition, but due to the fact that stupid tourists kept on dropping their cameras on artifacts, including one of the skulls, cameras are strictly prohibited on ATM tours.  This is what google is for.  

JAC edit:  Many thanks to Laura Watilo Blake, fellow world traveler and phenomenal photographer, who has shared her pictures from ATM which were taken before the ban.  See them here:  http://www.farflungtravels.com/?p=1329