Trailblazer Jungle Ride

Introduction
Interior Belize

Situated on the mighty Belize River and central to all of Belize, the ranch is a place where the horses roam free and huge iguanas laze in the branches above the bamboo. The land here is surrounded by evidence of both the ancient Maya and a historic logging tradition. Nestled in a quiet jungle setting, in the midst of birds and other tropical wildlife, the jungle ranch resort features delightful accommodations that blend with the local landscape and culture. Home to the finest equestrian center in Belize, here you will experience something different from the familiar. If you've ridden over mountains, prairies and park lands we know your expectations are high. Can the tropics show you anything you haven't already seen? Absolutely!

You awaken to the shimmering glow of dawn materializing through the tropical haze. Horses are roaming freely and grazing in green pastures surrounded by large palms. The day is young and a sudden rush of excitement fills the air. It's time to ride! The ranch is big, beautiful and boisterous. Miles of jungle and riverside trails are awaiting you. There are opportunities to experience horsemanship in a variety of ways, from setting your own trail itinerary to participating in structured instructor lessons. The well kept horses, quiet river, gentle breeze, flocks of parrots, saturated sunsets, delicious meals, friendly people, and exotic surroundings will sooth your soul.

In addition to the day to day riding tours, you have have the opportunity to participate in a hands on experience with the horses here. In the arena or on the trail, communication between horse and rider begins to meld. The concepts we follow are those of natural horsemanship, as presented by John Lyons and Pat Parelli, two of the most popular horse clinicians in the United States, and are the basis for horsemanship at the ranch - even down south here in Belize! Key words are communication, trust and discipline. Of course you may just opt for just some exciting trail riding instead.

While we mostly ride western, we also have two sets of English saddles and tack for your use. There are miles of jungle trails in and out of the forest canopy. Nice long canters along jungle trails can be an exhilarating experience.  This is a place far from the real world and near to the things you've dreamed of. An exciting, yet peaceful place. You will be taking more than pictures home. You'll have memories to last a lifetime!

Accomodation

The Lodge
Nestled near the river in a quiet jungle setting, in the midst of birds and other tropical wildlife! The tropical jungle resort features delightful accommodations that blend with the local landscape and culture. You will stay in cabanas with roofs made from jungle bay leaf thatch and are uniquely designed. Built by local craftsmen with fine Belizean woods, they are, in themselves each works of art. Each cabana has a solarium bath, a sitting room and two bedrooms, each with queen and single bed. Four to six family members, friends or groups traveling together can be easily accommodated in each cabana. Carved doors, original oil paintings and jungle ambiance create a truly memorable surrounding.

The Rooms, Cabanas
Cabanas with roofs made from jungle bay leaf thatch are uniquely designed. Built by craftsmen with fine Belizean woods, they are, in themselves works of art. Each cabana has a solarium bath, a sitting room and two bedrooms. Native wood and skillful craftsmanship make each Cabana exceptional. Four to six family members, friends or groups traveling together can be easily accommodated in each cabana as each room has a queen size bed and a single bed. Carved doors, artwork by Carolyn Carr and jungle ambiance create a truly memorable surrounding.
Caracol Room - The soft rounded shape of this room with it's creamy rose color, stained glass windows, bamboo ceiling and solarium bathroom make this a delightful place to snuggle in. The unique use of sea shells in a stunning mirror is another feature that lets you know this is a designed room. It has the option of a ceiling fan or air conditioning. The room has a reading desk, a tea kettle for that hot cup of late night tea and a comfortable easy chair. This room has only a queen size bed.
Maya Room- This room is a tribute to the Maya heritage of Belize. There is a Maya fresco in the bath and a solarium tub with stained glass windows. Maya pottery, carvings and paintings decorate the room. There is a ceiling fan or optional air conditioning. A tea kettle is included. This room has a queen size and a single bed.
Creole Room- With dark burgundy lace curtains and bed spreads, the mood is set for the sensual mystery of the creole culture. Authentic accent pieces, a hand hewn paddle, a rice beater, and whisky crock take you back to the logging era. The beautiful hand carved mahogany headboard clearly expresses why so many struggled so hard to harvest this precious wood. The solarium bath with the stained glass windows and delicate curves is a work of art. A tea kettle is included. There is the option of ceiling fan or air conditioning. The room has a queen sized bed and a single bed.
Sunshine Room- The minute you enter this room you know you are in a special place. As the name implies, it is joyous. The large bath is a molded artistic expression of curves and stained glass . Rich fabric and carved furniture complete the feeling that all is right with the world. There is the option of ceiling fan or air conditioning. In this room is a queen sized and a single bed.
Chateau Brio - A 3 story building, houses our newest accommodations. These units will satisfy the guest that prefers to be above the jungle floor, in an environment less organic. Presently there are 3 rooms, more will follow in the next 6 months. Things are always changing and we invite your inquires to help us meet your specific needs.

Club House...
The pool was designed by Carolyn Carr with the idea of giving a person a sense of oneness with a natural setting, a truly relaxing environment that has a sense of nature or nurturing, something like being enveloped in a peaceful lagoon.  We have one such place here in Belize to use as a model, the Inland Blue Hole. The shape and color were the inspiration for the pool. The shape of the pool is also in respect to the divine porportion. There is a relationship that can be proven with numbers that gives rise to a series of shapes and dynamics that appear throughout nature and which can be directly translated into rules of proportion to be used by designers. This principle of harmony has been acknowledged as a fundamental spiritual truth for centuries and its relationship as relates to our daily lives is seen in the proportion of our very own bodies. It is expressed numerically in an equation that is called Phi. The numbers prove the proportions are in harmony with proportions that are used over and over in our world, in nature, the Parthenon, the Great Pyramids and the chambered nautilus just to name a few.  Roses, hurricanes and the Ark of the Covenant were designed using the Divine Porportion.

Bird Sanctuary

Dining Room...
There is an exotic feel to it. The tone is set by the soaring thatched roof. Carved banisters, pink gypsum stonewalls, and rich local hard wood paneling make this a beautiful place to enjoy. Our meals are served family style and are widely reported to be some of the best in Belize. The family atmosphere provides a setting for lively discussion between guests from different parts of the world and diverse interest. Menus vary but center around the kind of home cooking we call "grandma's food" although our girls put on some of the best cuisine found in Belize.

Pool

**There is a 14" Meade telescope for star gazing at night!

This trip includes and can accommodate special dietary requests.

Riding

In addition to the day to day riding tours, we offer you an opportunity to participate in a hands on experience of interacting with horses. In the arena and round pen, communication between horse and rider begins to meld. Making it easy to do the right thing and difficult to do the wrong thing. These concepts, as presented by John Lyons and Pat Parelli, two of the most popular horse clinicians in the United States, are the basis for horsemanship at this location. Key words are communication, trust and discipline.
A variety of activities include barrel racing, gymkhana events, overnight rides, Saturday to Saturday itineraries that may be flexible. While we mostly ride western, we also have two sets of English saddles and tack for your use. There are miles of jungle trails often times under the forest canopy.



Horses
About 100 head (we had 8 colts this spring) of well-kept, mixed breeds, predominately quarter horses. This combination provides sturdy but agile mounts necessary to negotiate river terrain and jungle trails. We whisper train our horse here at Banana Bank.
Training in process Stable
35' x 60' with classic clerestory roof design, 24 stalls, 12 on each side of a central 10' tiled corridor that features cedar paneling, brass lamps and other appointments making it truly distinctive.
Equipment
35 Western saddles with accessories to make the riding experience safe and comfortable. Equipment is well cared for, clean and attractive. If you feel comfortable riding your own saddle, bring it with you.
Round Pen
A four rail state of the art 60' diameter enclosure that not only gives the rider a circular confined space to hone riding skills but commits the horse to the will of the handler in a gentle but firm situation of control. We welcome guests to use the round pen with our horses.
Time to tack up Arena
A beautiful two rail 200' x 100' enclosure to safely put the horse through the paces of walking, trotting, cantering or galloping. This arena is sufficiently large to allow action but keeps rider and instructor in charge.

Itinerary

Sample Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival transfer to the lodge. If you have an early arrival coming from Belize City or International Airport we can stop at zoo (entry fee not included) or a stop on your departure transfer can also be arranged. If arrival to Banana Bank is before 2:00 pm a short horseback can be arranged upon request. Dinner and lodging in thatched roof cabana or standard air/conditioned room.

Day 2 – To start you off with a bang we take you on the Devil Dip Trail which is an exhilarating trail that will challenge your riding skills. After dipping through the jungle you will make a stop at the 3 sisters Maya Mound near a Mayan lagoon where you will have a picnic lunch. After relaxing for abit you then continue on the Happy Home Trail which takes you through teak plantations and open fields, Opportunity for faster paces. Your guide will explain to you all the facets of the ranch as you roam through the fields. The ranch totals 4000 acres about 1800 are farmland and teak plantations and the rest is still pretty much jungle. Upon returning to the lodge you can relax and enjoy a hearty dinner.

Day 3 – In the morning we start off with the Howler Monkey Trail which winds along the Belize River and has many exotic plants and trees your guide will point out to you including the immense Guanacaste tree. We then continue on around to the Tiger Creek Trail. This trail is exciting as it has many creeks to ride through water (certain times of the year) and beautiful jungle. Some opportunity to canter between clumps of jungle. We go back to the main lodge for lunch and then continue the afternoon with the Crocodile Lagoon Trail and the Maya Well Trail (yes you will see a Maya Well) these are what we call darker trails as you go deeper into the jungle. If you have binoculars bring them along as there is much to see in the high trees. Back to the lodge for dinner and a good nights sleep.

Day 4 – This is your day of endurance riding. Get ready for at least 6 hours of riding. We take you to the Valley of Peace village which is about 7 miles from the lodge and harbors about 3000 residents who were refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala and sought refuge in Belize in the 1980’s. Before then this area was originally part of the ranch. Besides riding through jungle, open fields, and teak plantation, you will have the opportunity to presence some of the local culture. Lunch is served in typical local style. Afterwards you circle back in a different direction that continues on through the back roads to Caricom and back for an evening of good food and good rest.

Day 5 – Today you will have the opportunity to experience some of Belize’s other features. Choose between visiting a Maya Site, (Xunantunich or Caracol) or choose any of the cave tours (Cave Tubing, canoeing in Barton Creek Cave). On the cave tours you will also see many Mayan artifacts in the caves and your guide will instruct you on the presence of the Maya in Belize. When the Maya people dominated the lands of Belize their population was over one million. Today Belize has barely 300,000 and only about 12% are Mayan. You can also spend half the day zip-lining and half the day horseback riding. (you may also combine ½ day cave tubing and ½ day zip-lining)

Day 6 – This is a full day of riding as well but in a different environment. In the morning we swim the horses across the Belize River and then saddle up and head for Belmopan – the smallest capital city in the world. We ride around the market place, see government buildings, US embassy and the residential areas. You then ride to Las Flores where we wind through orange groves to the Roaring River Cave. Here we stop for lunch and a swim (optional). This is a beautiful area with lovely greenery at every turn. We then ride back towards Roaring Creek Village and cross the Belize River again in a different location. (This ride is seasonal – if river is too high an alternate route is taken) This is an all day ride followed by dinner.

Day 7 – This is your final day of riding. We take you back up through the Devil Dip Trail but this time with a different twist. You get to canter between the teak plantations on over to experience the Cahune Ridge Trail. The Cahune palm is is a very important palm in Belize. Its leaves are used for thatch and the nuts are used to make oil. The Cahune palm readily grows in the area and can get up to 90 ft tall. Your guide will explain how this is all done along with other valuable plants your will see along the trails. We then go back to the main lodge for lunch. The afternoon you have the option to go for more horseback riding or you may wish to take a boat ride up the Belize River or enjoy river tubing or you may wish to wind down your week by just evening out your tan by the pool.

Day 8 – After your delicious Caribbean breakfast we transfer you to the airport or to your next destination within our transfer range. Happy Trails!!!

Optional Tour - Tikal
There is an option to visit Mayan Temples of Tikal (Guatemala) during the week or we can add a day for you.
There is an extra charge and we will need a minimum of 3 participants. 

Tikal is one of the largest archaeological sites and urban centres of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. It is located in the archaeological region of the Petén Basin in what is now northern Guatemala. Tikal was the capital of a conquest state that became one of the most powerful kingdoms of the ancient Maya. Though monumental architecture at the site dates back as far as the 4th century BC, Tikal reached its apogee during the Classic Period, ca. 200 to 900 AD. During this time, the city dominated much of the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily, while interacting with areas throughout Mesoamerica such as the great metropolis of Teotihuacan in the distant Valley of Mexico.

Tikal is the best understood of any of the large lowland Maya cities, with a long dynastic ruler list, the discovery of the tombs of many of the rulers on this list and the investigation of their monuments, temples and palaces. An early breakfast prepares you for a 'must see' trip to visit the Temples at Tikal in Guatemala. Your English speaking guide will lead you through the 5 major temples built around 700AD - he dominant features of the city, identified only by numbers. Two of them stand in the middle of the square which can be viewed only from the top of the temple number 2. The top of this temple reaches the height of 38 m. Temple number 1 is not accessible, for safety reasons. The north acropolis stands among these temples. Archaeologists uncovered layers of earth, and thus proved that the Maya had lived here before Christ. The current appearance of the acropolis comes from the 8th century AD. Nowadays, Tikal has become a part of the Tikal National Park , and in 1979 it has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tour lasts 4-5 hours. 

Rates and Dates for Trailblazer Jungle Ride

Dates Note: Available every week from Saturday to Saturday.

Other Info
Meeting: Belize City
Airport: Belize City
Transfer: Belize City

Climate:

The overall climate of Belize can be described as sub-tropical. The humidity while high, is seldom oppressive. Temperatures in Belize range from 50°F to 95°F with an annual mean of 79°F. November to January are traditionally the coolest months with a 75°F average and May to September are the warmest at about a 81°F average. Location is a big factor for temperature as Cayo to the west can be several degrees colder then along the coast and during November at night, temperatures can fall to a beautiful 46°F in Cayo. In the mountains, the coldest days and nights might seem relatively very cold and blankets will definitely be needed at night. However, the mean annual temperatures on in the mountains is a perfectly comfortable 72°F.

Remember that you are in a subtropical climate so dress lightly!

We recommend cotton clothing rather than synthetics.

A poncho, in case of rain, will be provided. For the ride, jeans (single seamed) and light boots or ankle high shoes are most suitable.

You don't need electrical adapters or converters if you are coming from North America.

Plenty of water will be provided to you. Bring a bottle or camel-back if you wish.

Bring your lap top if you want  - wireless is available at the front desk/reception area of the lodge and the Chateau Brio building!