Belize is the last unexplored frontier near our borders, a naturalist's paradise! Belize is a beautiful, peaceful country in Central America in the heart of the ancient Maya World. Ruins abound, and it is the archaeologists dreamland. It is also one of the best kept secrets of the Caribbean.The ancient Mayan civilization once lived throughout Belize, and over 600 of their fascinating ancient cities can still be seen here. The ones that are listed in the navigation bar are just a few of the incredible ruins this great civilization built. From the major site of Altun Ha to the little known site of Uxbenka, all of these sites are worth visiting.
The history of the Mayans began a long time ago, around 2500 B.C. The oldest site appears to be Cuello in Orange Walk. Then came the pre-classic era in which the cities of Lamanai, home to the largest pre-classic structure in the Mayan world, and Cerros prospered. In the classic period, the crowning period for the Mayan Civilization, the enormous sites of Caracol and El Pilar rose out of the forest and ceremonial centers like Xunantunich built lovely temples and pyramids. The prosperity of the Maya didn't last forever, and in 900 A.D. most of the great Maya centres collapsed. But the culture and outposts of the civilization were still alive and cities like Santa Rita and Lamanai still were inhabited when the Spanish came. In fact, Lamanai lasted right up into the 1900s until British sugar cane farmers drove the remaining inhabitants out to make way for their farms.
 

Riding Tours:

• Mayan Jungle Ride

•  Trailblazer Ride

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CAYO DISTRICT
Beginning in the flat savanna near Belmopan, Cayo District proceeds up to the Maya Mountains and over to the border of Guatemala. Cayo containscrystalline caves, cascading waterfalls, multitudes of Mayan ruins, purerivers, and friendly people. Some of the villages are San Ignacio,Benque Viejo, Cristo Rey, San Antonio, and Belmopan. Others havefanciful names like Unitedville, Black-Man Eddy, Camalote, RoaringCreek, Valley of Peace, Cotton Tree, and Teakettle. Spanish Lookout is aMennonite community of industrious farmers who provide much of theagricultural products for the country.

The people of Cayo include Hispanics, Creole, Mayas, Mennonites,Garifunas, Europeans & North Americans, all of whom co-exist peacefully.Cayo is well known for its friendly people and cooperative community.For diversity and adventure, Cayo District is a "must do!"

SLATE CREEK PRESERVE
Slate Creek Preserve is a private community-basednon-profit organization actively involved in the conservation of habitats of the Slate Creek and Upper Barton Creek in Cayo District of Belize. Slate Creek Preserve (SCP) is made up of landowners in the region, representatives from neighboring villages, and consultants from the Belize Audubon Society.

SCP now boasts almost 1500 hectares of protected privately owned land. In protecting these areas bordering the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, SCP is functioning as an important bugger for the MPR towards the south, and the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve to the Northeast. Found within SCP are the Keel-billed Motmot, Jaguar, and other wild cats, tapir, Kinkajou, the Blue Morpho butterfly and numerous other birds, butterflies, and wildlife.

The most important instruments utilized by SCP are community involvement, education, and research. SCP has been assisted by the following: Robert & Birgit Bateman, Artists United for Nature, Wildlife Conservation Society, UNDP (United Nations Development Project), Kinderfonds, Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World of Scotland, Belize Environmental Consultancies (BENCO), Mountain Equestrian Trails, Belize Communications and Securities, Ltd., the JASON Foundation for Education, Pine Ridge Lumber Co. of Belize, The Forestry Department, Belize Timber, Ltd., and the Belize Audubon Society.