Caracol Mayan Ruins

Caracol, a Classic Period complex, covers 30 square miles of thick, high-canopy jungle and includes five plazas, an astronomic observatory and over 35,000 buildings which have been identified.

The site was discovered in 1938 by a logger looking for mahogany. That same year Archaeological Commissioner A.H. Anderson visited the site and named it ‘Caracol’ (Spanish for ‘shell’ of ‘snail’). To date it is still the largest man-made structure in Belize.

Although one of the most challenging Belize ruins to reach, the trip to Caracol is also one of the most scenic drives. The drive to the site in the early morning occasionally allows guests to take a glimpse of tapirs, jaguars or ocelots, as they break their forest cover to cross the road. The sprawling site contains huge Ceiba, Mahogany and Sapodilla trees and is superb for birding (the rare Keel-billed Motmot is one of the many residents of the site). Wildlife such as Howler and Spider monkeys, the Oscellated Turkey, Coatimundi, Gibnut and Grey Fox are often sighted while quietly wandering along the site’s causeways or along trails connecting the plaza groups.

Optional stops at Rio Frio Cave and Rio On Pools for swimming included

Rate: $180.00 USD per person
Length: 9 Hrs – Entrance fee, lunch included