By Tamara Sniffin of the San Pedro Sun
For this article accompanied by lots of photos, CLICK HERE.
It has been a couple years since I
had the treat of traveling to the
Lamanai Ruins in the Orange
Walk District of northern Belize.
Although I have explored the area
many times I always anticipate the
trip with excitement. Each journey
promises new and different experiences
that are guaranteed to delight
my "inner explorer" and I could
easily make a monthly pilgrimage to
this Mayan site if time and finances
allowed. Just getting there is half
the fun!
We leave from San Pedro at 7AM;
the early day is greeted with a spectacular
sunrise while we wait for
our boat from Tanisha Eco Tours to
pick us up. When our vessel arrives
we are welcomed by tour company
owner and guide extraordinaire
Daniel Nu�ez and his two assistants.
In all, our group totals 27,
and although some of us are still
bleary-eyed there is no doubt we
are ready for a day of exploration.
Before making way to the mainland
Daniel gives us a little introduction
on where we will be traveling and
what we hope to see along the way.
Once we have been properly briefed
he puts the boat into full throttle
and off we go, skimming the Caribbean
waters headed on our exotic
expedition.
After passing a chain of cayes
with colorful names like Cangrejo
(Crab) Caye, Caye Caulker, Caye
Chapel, Long Caye, Coffee Caye
and even Chicken Head Caye, we
come out into the open waters off the
mainland coast. Along the way we
stop to admire Bottlenose dolphins
gracefully cresting the water surface
and shy manatees that only choose
to show us their nose. As we enter
the Belize River, we are surrounded
by Red Mangrove and find orange
and green iguanas sunning in the
treetops. Daniel slows the boat to
an easy cruise and a light breakfast
of fresh baked banana bread and
juices are passed around. Shortly
afterwards our boat docks and we
board a van where we travel on the
Northern Highway to Orange Walk.
Through open savannahs to pine
tree barrens, the landscape of Belize
unfolds before us. Along the way we
stop to admire a pair of stately Jabiru
Storks tending to their huge nest.
The Jabiru Stork is a rare bird that
is endangered throughout its range.
One of the largest birds in the New
World, the Jabiru stands five feet tall
and has a wingspan of eight feet. Its
heavy black bill is about a foot long
and is perfectly designed to catch
fish, frogs and snakes. Recent studies
have confirmed that Belize has
the healthiest breeding population of
Jabirus for all of Central America,
and we consider it a special treat to
see these majestic birds.
Next stop is at Toll Bridge where
we load onto another boat and head
out on the New River. The 26 mile journey showcases a variety of birds including Boatbilled
Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Snowy Egrets,
Green Kingfishers, Northern Jacana, Purple Gallinule
and Green Herons to name a few. Another highlight is
an up-front and personal meeting with a pair of Spider
monkeys and spotting several freshwater Morelet's
crocodiles basking on the riverbanks.
As we approach our destination, we spot
the crest of the High Temple of Lamanai
crowning the tree tops while the ancient
ruins remain hidden, cradled within the
confines of lush jungle on the bank of
the New River Lagoon.
Of course the first matter of business
when disembarking is restroom breaks and lunch, as we need to fuel
up for our walking tour of the ruins.
Under a covered eating area the
Tanisha team puts out an impressive
spread of classic Belizean rice and
beans with stewed chicken, coleslaw,
potato salad and fried plantains,
yummy! With full tummies
we are ready to take on the jungle,
and we gather around Daniel as he
begins the tour.
Lamanai, pronounced Lama'an
Ai, means "submerged crocodile"
in Yucatec Maya and was once a
considerably sized city of the Maya
civilization. The site's name is pre-
Columbian, recorded by early Spanish
missionaries, and documented
over a millennium earlier in Maya
inscriptions as Lam'an'ain. It is
clear that Daniel is proud of his
Belizean heritage and his passion
for the ruins and the surrounding
flora and fauna is infectious. Not
only does he have an extensive
knowledge of Mayan history, he is
well versed in the natural world as
well. His quick eye spots birds and
animals we are oblivious to and
just minutes into our walk he finds
a Black-headed Trogon in a tree
above us and a cute pair of Mollted
Owls looking down at us with wide,
blinking eyes.
Eight major plazas make up the
core of Lamanai and as we tour the
compound we learn about the Mask
Temple, which has just undergone
restoration. The magic of the area
is accentuated with the growl of
Howler monkeys deep in the tangled
forest and we are transported back
to a time when the Mayan kingdom
ruled the area. Throughout the tour
we discover the amazing history
behind this archeological treasure
and not only are we mesmerized by
Mayan mystique but in awe of the
jungle that embraces it. When we
reach the High Temple the temptation to see the view from the top
overcomes the hesitation to climb
the hundreds of steep stairs and
although we are hot, sweaty and
winded when we finally accomplish
our ascent the breathtaking
panoramic view of the jungle and
snaking river below is one we will
remember forever. After we descend
from the temple we visit the Ball
Court where we learn about the ancient
game they played. We spend a
couple hours exploring and learning
about the magnificent Maya and
before concluding our tour we get
a chance to shop for souvenirs at
a few gift shops near the on-sight
Museum which hosts a complete
history of Lamanai along with excavated
artifacts.
Once back on the boat the Tanisha
team breaks out cool and refreshing
Rum Punch and cold beers for our journey back, and we
are all happy campers
as we take in the
river views along the
way. Bird enthusiasts
are delighted when we
spot a Black-collard
hawk who poses for
the cameras and Daniel
points our various water
channels that were constructed
centuries ago
as irrigation systems by
the Maya Indians.
It is sunset by the time
we reach San Pedro,
and all though we are
weary from a long day
we are enthused about
the adventure. A trip
like this can be a once
in a life time experience,
and Tanisha
Tours has the expertise
to make that memory
one you will cherish
for years. If you just
take one mainland trip
while visiting La Isla
Bonita, let Lamanai enchant you with one of the best Belizean adventures in the county.
For more information about Tanisha Eco Tours you can visit them at the
Hurricane Ceviche Bar on the beach or call 226-2314. Their email address
is: [email protected] or visit them online at http://www.tanishatours.com.
For this article accompanied by lots of photos, CLICK HERE.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
