FINCA IXOBEL

Jungle Trek – The ultimate 3 or 4 day jungle experience

horse, FOOD, WATER, GUIDE AND ALL CAMPING EQUIPMENT IS PROVIDED

The Finca Ixobel Jungle Trek goes to a beautiful unspoiled area in the vast jungle where you experience the rainforest in it's authentic state. If you love nature and adventure you will experience them both on this jungle trek by immersing yourself in the jungles’ exotic sounds, fragrances, giant trees and vines and by visiting one or more caves hidden within. You sleep in tents or hammocks. Evening light is by candlelight. Cooking is done on an open-fire with dry wood. Live trees are protected so only dead wood is used. We encourage you to participate in the culinary effort. Take a refreshing dip in the nearby river.

Day 1

You leave Finca Ixobel on horseback in the morning and ride through the pine forest leaving it to continue your ride through the savannah until you arrive at our special jungle refuge. The ride is approximately 7 - 8 hours. Half-way through the ride you stop for lunch.

Upon arriving, you set up camp and take a dip in the river or just enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.

Day 2

You explore the jungle. The guide will take you through the rainforest to see different kinds of plant and animal life, rivers and springs. You will soon learn which plants are medicinal and those vines and plants which provide potable water and herbal teas. You will see many different trees including giant Ceibas. The Ceiba is Guatemala's national tree.

Day 3

On the third day you eat breakfast and head home. You will notice that the horses move a little faster as they near Finca Ixobel. You will stop for lunch and arrive home around 4pm.

If you are spending Day 3 in the jungle you will walk to "La Cuevba de la Concha Acustica" by a new jungle route. As the cave is rather high you get a fantastic view of the canopy of the jungle.

Rates:

Two people minimum, Q225.00 per person a day.
Includes all food, horses, guide and equipment.

LONGER TRIPS OF 4 OR 5 DAYS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. ASK STAFF FOR DETAILS.

4 X 4 Land Rover Trips

If you want to see the jungle, but dont want to ride by horseback for 6 hours to get there we have just the trip for you in our Land Rover. Prices depend on the number of people and the number of days.

Tikal:

We will take you on a day trip to Tikal to see the biggest Mayan site in Central America. We leave at 6am to arrive at about 8am at the National Park of Tikal. At this hour you still have a good chance to see some wildlife and, of course, we will give you enough time to explore the ruins. From temple 4 you get an incredible view of the top of the jungle. We depart from Tikal at 2:30pm to drive to Flores which is the oldest city in the Department of the Peten. The city is built on a small island on Lake Peten Itza. It is a great place to buy some typical gifts to take home with you. At 5:30pm we are on our way back to Finca Ixobel to make sure we won't miss out on the delicious buffet dinner. The cost for the trip is Q1500 with a maximum of 8 persons. Includes transportation and lunch box.

Naj Tunich Cave:

After almost 20 years of being closed to the public, you can now observe unbelievable cave paintings in the recently opened replica just 400 meters from the original cave. We leave Finca Ixobel at 8:30am for the one hour 4X4 trip to arrive at the small village of La Compuerta. From there it is a 45 minute walk to get to the cave entrance. The inhabitants of La Compuerta are Kek'chi Mayans. As you arrive you will first experience their community life as they shall be your guides and will also welcome you to their very own community restaurant. There you will eat the traditional dishes from the area. To benefit the economy of the community, we do not include a lunch in the package with the hope that you will support this local comedor (restaurant).

In support of this community, the authorized guides receive courses in Mayan glyphs and the women received courses in higienic basic cooking. This was organized by two local organizations (INTECAP & TURISURP) who work in community development and tourism. Finca Ixobel is a member of TURISURP. The cost is Q1000 with a maximum of 8 persons. Includes transportation, entrance fee and the guide.

Mopan Waterfalls, Ixcun Ruins and Dolores Museum:

We leave at 8:30am and head for the Ruins of Ixcun. This site is known for the second biggest stelae found in Guatemala. The area is surrounded by a reserve of virgin jungle where you may go for a stroll. We then go back to the town of Dolores and visit the very nice Archeological Museum which contains Mayan artifacts. After the museum, we go to the Mopan Waterfalls or El Cabro Waterfalls which is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Peten. The 12 meter jump from the top is an unforgettable experience. This is a perfect place to have lunch and enjoy the jungle. Between 5-6 persons is Q200 p/person, between 7-10 persons the price is Q175 each. Price includes transportation, guide, entrance fees and lunch box.