Most Inspirational Moment
Though I enjoyed all of the various activities, I will highlight just a few.
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary was the perfect laid-back peaceful place to start our tour. It's almost an understatement to say it is a bird lover's paradise! As happened in our group, it even makes birders out of non-birders! And the sunset cruise was absolutely amazing! There was hardly a moment along the way where we weren't spotting something!
Tikal - The whole experience of staying in the jungle was pretty amazing in and of itself. Then, setting out in the early morning darkness with only our headlamps/flashlights for light, walking through the jungle, making our way to Temple IV where we would climb to welcome the sunrise was everything and more than I anticipated, and absolutely nothing short of magical! Along the way, our guide had us stop for a moment, and close our eyes, before opening them to view the incredible blanket of stars under which we were walking. Once at the top of Temple IV, and still in darkness, we sat quietly taking in the powerful and thunderous roars of the howler monkeys. Then, just moments before sunrise, we were rewarded once again with an unbelievable concert of "the awakening of the birds". The sunrise was almost surreal (as though someone had painted it). As if that wasn't enough, immediately following the sunrise, and within easy viewing distance, the rare orange breasted falcon was spotted. This whole experience of the jungle coming to life from out of the darkness will be indelibly etched in my memory for a long time to come. Still in Tikal, later that same morning, while exploring other ruins, we were fortunate to encounter a wedding ceremony being celebrated in what we understood to be traditional Mayan way that included the connection to the four elements of earth, air, fire and water.
Tubing in the Caves Branch River - unfortunately, the day we were were scheduled to be here, there was a cruise ship in. During our time in the cave, a number of other groups were in the cave at the same time. Because of the echo, and the overpowering noise of so many, it was difficult to hear what our guide was saying. Though certainly not the fault of Exodus, it felt sad that no apparent attempt was made to space the groups out. In the earlier trip I had done, our group was alone in the cave and we were able to benefit not only from the commentary of the guide but also to experience the sounds of the cave in silence and total darkness (when we turned off our headlamps).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge was tireless in ensuring that every member of the group was cared for throughout, and that everyone had the opportunity to experience all that the trip had to offer. He did so through continuous sharing of his indepth knowledge of Belize and the history of the Mayan civilization. It seemed no question was beyond his ability to answer. His birding skills were beyond infectious! In our opinion, he is a guide "extraordinaire". Just a word about all of the other local guides and drivers - their enthusiasm, knowledge and willingness to share all served to benefit us and our overall experience of Belize and Tikal (Guatemala). Time and again, I wished I knew as much about my own environment as all of these guides do about theirs.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It's important to read the trip notes. Be prepared for heat, humidity, bugs, rain, clothes not drying out, some long days, and some long slow drives along potholed roads (particularly in Guatemala). But, also be prepared for an adventure of a lifetime!
