The Mayan Mystery Tour

MayaLand Mystery Tour

A travel blog

Why did the ancient Mayans abandon their magnificent cities at the peak of their fabulous achievements and suddenly disappear?  The only remains are the pyramids.....

.....and the ruins of ancient cities. 

             Sit back and enjoy a short tour of an abandoned Mayan city, courtesy of MayaLand Belize Tours, LLC.  We will explore Mayan ruins that were hidden in the jungle of Belize for a thousand years, and we will climb to the top of a pyramid that overlooks the city.

Without further talk, we begin our tour of the ancient city of Xunantunich (this Mayan name rhymes with ‘tuna sandwich.’  Pronounce it like it is spelled Su-nan-tunich.)

Our bus stops at a narrow river and waits for a small ferry to come from the other side and take us across. 

Have you ever seen a hand-cranked ferry?  You will experience many adventures on this MayaLand tour that are new to you, but commonplace in Belize.  This ferry transports our bus across the river to a paved road that snakes its way up the side of a mountain to the enormous pyramid that dominated the ancient city. 

This is the sunrise side of the pyramid.  Our guide leads us to a trail that takes us to the top of the pyramid, the view is worth the climb up the gently sloping trail.  If you believe you are unable to walk to the top, you can sit in the shade of tall jungle trees and enjoy refreshments as you wait for the group to return. 

The following photo is Virginia, she is 66 years old and she made the climb without difficulty.  She is standing on a platform at the top of the pyramid, where ancient priests conducted ceremonies to honor the unseen spirits that protected the city.     

           
            Notice that the city behind Virginia is quite large and well planned.  If you thought the Mayans abandoned villages of thatched huts in the jungle, the magnificent palace in the distance should correct that impression. 

Our guide then leads us down the trail on the sunset side of the pyramid, and to undisturbed mounds that cover what had been homes and shops of a thriving city a thousand years ago.  As we stand on what probably was a street, the guide tells us a folklore tale about ‘evil spirits’ that live at the pyramid.  This ‘evil spirits’ tale had been passed down from generation to generation in his nearby village, nobody knows how long. 

            Later,  we learn how this tale provides a clue to help solve the famous riddle called ‘The Mayan Mystery.’

Then we leave the pyramid and its ‘evil spirits behind,….

….and we continue the MayaLand Mayan Mystery Tour with a visit to a current village, where we can talk with the descendants of the people who abandoned the city a thousand years ago.  These present day Mayans still live in thatcched homes similar to those of their ancestors,…

…..and then we visit a crater where a stream consstanyly flows from a mystical blue pool of water but, surprisingly, we see no water flowing into the pool.  Bring your bathing suit, and test the legend about the happiness enjoyed by all who swim in this magical pool. 

            That’s Virginia again, preparing to enter the mystical  blue pool.  

            You will also browse through a gift shop, such as Cesar’s Place in the following photo.

            This flowering bougainvillea that covers Cesar's porch is typical for Belize.  Red is the most popular, but some are white, yellow, orange, purple, or shades that combine several of those colors.

And, of course, we will dine on authentic Belizean food at an authentic Belizean outdoor restaurant (weather permitting), such as in the following photo. 

Your travel agent can arrange for your MayaLand Mystery Tour, and you can enjoy this unique experience.  If the scenery looks familiar, perhaps you remember it from an Indiana Jones movie.  They were filmed in Belize. 

            MayaLand Belize Tours cooperated with the author of the recent book,  Mayan Mystery Unveiled, to create this tour.  You can enjoy your own Indiana Jones adventure while you follow the same path taken by the author and his wife, Virginia, as they explored the Mayan country to gather information for his book. 

If you want to learn more about this MayaLand Mystery Tour, you can buy the book from Amazon, either the paperback or the e-book Kindle version and go with the author and his wife as they search for the answer to the Mayan Mystery.  The price of either version is very reasonable.

By reading the book, you will be well prepared for the Mayan adventure, following the path of both Indiana Jones and the author.