This first part is from a professional website describing our tour for the day. After this, I’ll share our experiences.
From http://www.belizecruiseexcursions.com/BelizeCaveTubingZipLineExcursion.htm
Enjoy two of the most exciting tours offered in Belize today, cave tubing and the canopy zip line excursions on your one day visit to Belize!
Your Zip Line adventure begins from the First Platform where you will "jump" from the first Platform to zip to the next Platform found 150ft away. Flying through the air surrounded by nature is the most exhilarating feeling ever encountered, the 
The Zip Line Adventure consists of 8 Zip Line Platforms each strategically located within the Rainforest canopy. Double cables (each capable of withstanding 2,000 pounds of weight, the requirement for this tour truly has nothing to do with weight but with the size of the safety equipment) are used for the ultimate safety. All landing Platforms are equipped with safety gear, handrails and Guides to meet your next landing as well as to ensure your personal safety throughout the tour. The Platforms are as high as 85ft into the Canopy and as far apart as 250ft!
On the second part of your exciting excursion you will then reach the Cave Branch System Welcome Area where you will be fitted with your life vest, (if you would like one) cave lamp and your tube.
If a picture is worth a thousand words the following pictures should give you a great description of both tours.
Walking through a cave on the way to the river for the cave tubing
Off we go on our Xtreme Cave Tubing Adventure
Regular Cave-Tubing entry and our guides assist you if you need help
Floating through the Belizean underworld
Exploring the cave system and various formations by the glow of the cave lights (head lights?)
The famous cave wave
The short walk through the rainforest to reach the first platform.
The Guides instruct the Zip method and explain the cables, platforms and itinerary. You can see the double cables.
Getting ready for the first jump to the first platform 85ft in the air!
Zip lining away!!!!
One of the many platforms found high in the canopy
Wayyy up!
At the end of the Zip Line Excursion you will repel from the last platform back down to Earth.
Easy does it. This is the experience of a lifetime!
Up and at ‘em early this morning.
This is finally the zipline day I’ve been thinking about since my kidney cancer surgery 3 years ago. Since then, I figure I have “extra years” and I wanted to do something kinda scary, yet fun. So, somehow, I decided on ziplining. Tom wouldn’t go with me but Michael would so I set this up almost as soon as we booked this cruise.
Tom went on a tour of the Mayan Ruins of Altun Ha. I hope to get his pictures to add sometime soon.
The description reads
“Travel to the ancient site of Altun Ha, famous for its nine-and-a-half pound jade head of the sun god Kinich Ahau. Three plazas and 13 structures mark the epicenter of this important ceremonial site. Prepared stone steps allow you to climb to the top of three of the main temples.”
Our tour left first so after breakfast, Michael and I got on the tender for Belize. Tom’s tender was about 45 minutes later. Even though the tender went zipping along, it was about 20 minutes to shore.
We got on our bus with about 30 other brave and not-so-brave folks and our guide, Eddie, told us a bit about Belize City, Belize in general and what to expect on our tour.
Belize City used to be the capital of British Honduras (as Belize was formerly named) but it’s 2 feet below sea level and prone to hurricanes so the capital was moved to the other city – Belmopan in 1970. It was almost entirely destroyed in 1961 when Hurricane Hattie swept ashore on October 31.
Because of the altitude, graves are all above ground.
The main languages are English (the official language), Spanish and Kriol. Eddie said the kids learned English in school but, as soon as they were out, it was back to the Kriol. They wear uniforms to school.
Bordering on Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean, Belize is the second smallest country in Central America (after El Salvador), with an area of approximately 9,000 square miles that includes numerous small islands off the coast known as cayes.
More than half of the mainland is covered with dense forests, and at its longest point Belize is 174 miles long while its greatest width is 68 miles. Long a strong advocate of environmental protection, the government has set aside approximately 20% of its land as nature reserves.
There are also several important Mayan sites situated on the mainland such as Altun Ha and Xunantunich that make for excellent day trips and are included on shore excursions by most cruise ships. As a matter of fact, Belize has the highest concentration of Mayan sites of all the countries in Central America.
Eddie tried to tell us that our tour would be scary – but FUN, it would be hard – but FUN. He himself had done the zipline only once, because he had to for this job. He said that the caves might have things brushing up against us but they would be leaves and twigs. The caves might have “log-gators” in them, too.
We travelled along the 37-mile drive along the Western Highway – the scenery changed from city to suburbs, to a settlement called Hattieville where hurricane survivors met to life after the country was destroyed, to the beginnings of the rain forest.
We turned down a road to a jaguar preserve – yes, they have them here! then, finally, to our destination, Caves Branch National Park.
Eddie handed out water (which we had to leave on the bus). A bathroom break, then off to the zipline area.
Each person had a harness around their legs with attached pulleys and carabiners. Women had them on their chests as well. In addition, we had leather construction gloves and hard hats.
We climbed to the top of the first platform and were given brief instructions and off we went. Because of the heavy gloves, I couldn’t get any pictures. I had thought that they would take some of us on the hardest line to sell to us later but they didn't. They also didn’t have cave pictures or T-Shirts. What a missed opportunity!
This was so cool, so much fun. I thought I might be afraid at first but I wasn’t. I just followed instructions and went.
Sometimes they told us to break. We did that with the right hand, which was always on the upper cable.
After the second line, I must have braked too soon because I stopped before I got to the platform. Michael was headed toward me. The guide on the end of the platform wanted me to do some hand over hand maneuver but I couldn’t figure out what he was saying so he came and got me by wrapping his legs around me and pulling me to the platform.
After that, no more problems with breaking!
The next platform was very high – over 70 feet in the air – and the climb up was difficult. It was very hot and the rocks were very uneven. I don’t know that I would have gotten to the next platform if Michael hadn’t cheered me on all the way.
We zipped down the next six lines up to 250-feet between platforms and 85-feet high in the trees, at canopy level. It seemed like it was all over too soon.
But, I did it! No fear, just fun.
Here we are, after getting our gear off. The people behind Michael are just starting out on their zipline adventure. I thought maybe we could go again…?
Next stop was lunch in the trees. It was a buffet similar to those in Barbados – a jerk chicken (Eddie had said it would taste like chicken – might be egret, road kill, log-gator or even…chicken!), peas and rice, a pasta salad, cake, fruit salad, the usual fare.
Next up, cave tubing! This is the event I got my new waterproof camera for. Thanks again, Alice!
First, we stopped to get equipment. This time, life vests, helmets with little head lamps and 8-pound rafts.
We hiked for 45-minutes mostly downhill. About 15 minutes into this, we forded the stream we would later float down. I gave Michael my raft to carry.
Our guide will pointed out various plants, roots and herbs once used by the ancient Maya for medicinal purposes.
Finally, we reached the entrance tunnel that went into the underground cave system.
We all got into our rafts and hooked our feet under the armpits of the person ahead of us to form an 8-person “train”. It was very dark at first and I think I might have fallen asleep until I heard someone commenting on the beautiful stalactites. I turned my head just in time to see them lit up with green back lighting but not in time to take a picture. Michael was behind me so he got some of me and I got some of the ceiling and the exit from the cave.
After the cave, we just floated merrily down the stream until we got back where we started.
Back to the bus for a little naptime! On the way back, I saw a sign like a deer crossing one but the picture was a crocodile instead of Bambi. Uh oh!
It was almost time for all aboard so we got on the tender and back onboard. Tom had been back for about 4 hours and was in the Internet Cafe. We went up to the Spinnaker Lounge and took a picture of the sunset.
We were all too exhausted from the day to dress up for dinner so we got dinner at The Great Outdoors.
The show was Country Gold with the Jean Ann Ryan Company and the Jewel Showband. I’m not a major fan of country but the show was lots of fun.
Tonight, we had a little mouse towel peaking our from under the sheets.
Today's Stats:
Forecast: Partly cloudy, 83F/28C
Sunrise: 6:00am
Sunset: 5:15pm
Arrival: 8:00am
All aboard: 4:30pm
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