Lamanai Mayan Ruins, Belize
View from the top of the Mask Temple, Lamanai, Belize.
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Mayan Ruins Belize
One of the major reasons tourists flock to Central and South America is to get a glimpse of the many ancient ruin sites. If you’re disabled and have mobility issues, getting around mainland Belize to explore its Maya Ruin sites can be difficult, but not impossible. There are a couple of wheelchair-accessible tour companies operating within Belize. They provide a variety of tours, including excursions to one of the most popular Mayan ruins in Belize, Altun Ha.
As always, I recommend planning ahead. Space on accessible tours is limited. Signing up last minute for a day trip offered by your hotel or resort will likely not offer you the level of accessibility you need. If you’re outside Belize City it likely won’t even get you a van with a seat belt.
So, why are we leaving the clear beach water of the Caribbean, packing into a seatbeltless van, and traveling to the bugs and animals of the jungle?
Look, there are only so many piña coladas you can slam down your gullet before you realize there’s more to life than unlimited cabana side booze and ceviche. It’s time to get out and see the longest continually occupied site in Mesoamerica!
Where To Stay In Belize
There are plenty of fabulous resorts in Belize for a dreamy getaway. I would personally recommend staying on one of the Cayes for beautiful ocean views and a more relaxing vacation. Though there are a few resorts on the mainland that make accessing the ruins a bit easier. Regardless, my main suggestion is to stay outside of Belize City. The area is higher in crime and not exactly the relaxing getaway you may be dreaming of.
Belize Mayan Ruins Guide and Wheelchair Accessible Tours Belize
How can you see the Maya ruins of Belize? Whether you’ve flown in or you’re visiting Belize via cruise ship, I recommend checking out Accessible Caribbean Vacations. They offer several accessible excursions perfect for adding to your Belize vacation package. Destinations include the Altun Ha Mayan ruins, the Belize Zoo, and lunch at an accessible restaurant. Roam Belize is another great company offering wheelchair-accessible tours around Belize including tubing, chocolate tastings, and trips to the world’s only jaguar sanctuary. Regardless of which tour company you use or if you choose to go it alone, Altun Ha will be the most accessible of the Mayan Ruin sites in Belize. Just make sure you bring a ton of bug spray. Mosquitos can be super aggressive in Belize jungles and bug spray with light, loose-fitting clothing that covers your skin is your best defense.
Lamanai Belize Tours
If you don’t require the use of a chair or scooter, I recommend the Belize City: Lamanai Maya Ruins & River Boat Safari with Lunch. Please note, with tour companies other than the 2 mentioned above, you may be required to walk through jungle paths, get in and out of vans, and possibly get in and out of small motorboats. The paths are not steep and are well maintained, but they may be slick from rainfall. It is best to wear shoes with good traction and skip sandals or flip-flops.
There are 30 Maya Ruin sites scattered throughout the country of Belize. Altun Ha, Xunantunich, Lamanai, and Caracol are the most popular for tourists. During our stay, we chose to visit the Lamanai Mayan Ruins, located on the New River, in the Orange Walk District of Belize. Lamanai is from the Maya for “Submerged Crocodile,” which you’re sure to see several of if you opt to make the trip by boat up the New River, Belize. If you travel by van, please know the trip will be almost entirely on dirt roads and is sure to be quite bumpy, so plan accordingly. I found a back brace to be helpful. The walk to Lamanai from the dock or parking area is not particularly long and is entirely on flat ground, however, you will be walking through a very hot and humid jungle on uneven earth, so a cane or walking stick is useful for balance.
Once you make it to the Lamanai Ruins, you’ll find the area largely made up of grassy fields. It’s an ideal spot to take in views of the temples and snap photos. While the Lamanai Mayan Center consists of over 800 structures deep in the tropical forest, there are three main Lamanai temples, The Jaguar Temple, The High Temple, and the Mask Temple. I found the Mask Temple to be the easiest to ascend. But again, please be mindful that surfaces can get very slippery. If you’re unsure of your ability to climb uneven, slippery steps, now is NOT the time to try. As previously covered in this blog, if you require emergency access to a hospital, Belize is not the place to be. Please exercise caution so you don’t injure yourself as I did.
The History of Lamanai Maya Ruins Belize
In Belize, Lamanai was once part of a major city of the Maya civilization. It was occupied for three millennia, dating back to the Preclassic Maya period and continuing into the 20th century. Lamanai is unique because, unlike other Maya sites, it wasn’t abandoned at the end of the 10th century.
Lamanai’s position on the New River Lagoon allowed the inhabitants to access valuable trade routes throughout the site’s 3,500-year occupation. The ruins in this area were once part of a larger Mayan city in the Orange Walk District of Belize. Most of the site remained unexcavated until the mid-1970s. Over the last five decades, archaeological efforts in the area have concentrated on the restoration and investigation of the three larger structures, the Mask Temple, Jaguar Temple, and High Temple. Along with the restoration of the temples, major efforts have been made to catalog and protect artifacts found during excavation. Lamanai holds the distinction of having the most copper artifacts recovered in the Maya world. It is thought many of these artifacts were brought in from West Mexico along the trade routes.
Though the High Temple appears to be the tallest of the three temples, a large portion of the Jaguar Temple remains under dense jungle growth. If it were fully excavated it would be larger than the High Temple. Multiple efforts have been made throughout the years to fully uncover the Jaguar Temple. Most notably by a team from the nearby villages of Indian Church and San Carlos. However, major excavations have been paused pending more funding for processing artifacts and purchasing storage.
Safety In Belize Jungles
If you opt to climb a temple, please go slow and exercise caution. No view is worth splitting your head open. Especially in Belize. Healthcare can be difficult to access and often comes with long wait times. There are only eight public hospitals in the entire country of Belize and sixty private clinics, most of which operate with little funding, equipment, or staff.
This is not to discourage anyone from visiting Belize, Belize is awesome, this is just to warn visitors, especially chronically ill, and/or disabled tourists to consider the risks and plan accordingly. Before you travel, make sure you can contact your doctor back home in case of an emergency. Prior to your departure visit your doctor to discuss any vaccinations or emergency medications you may need, such as antibiotics and medication for nausea, diarrhea, and conditions related to your particular health issues. A little emergency preparedness can save you a lot of hassle.
If you choose to take a boat up the river to Lamanai, be sure to be on the lookout for wildlife. There is plenty to see including howler monkeys, bats, iguanas, many tropical birds, crocodiles, and at night, the occasional jaguar.
If you’ve never toured a jungle, Belize is an excellent place to start. Any Lamanai tour guide will make a point to stop for wildlife on your Orange Walk Town boat ride and give you the best possible opportunity for photos while telling you fun facts about Belize and its many inhabitants.
No matter which of Belize ruins sites you choose to visit, Lamanai Mayan Ruins or beyond, if you use a tour guide, please make sure to tip them. It’s hot, difficult work to get a pack of tourists up the river, down the bumpy dirt roads, and in and out of the ruins in one piece. Your dollar goes quite far in Belize, so please share the wealth and show your guides some appreciation for all the hard work they do. Especially if they offer you a beer for the car ride back. (It’s legal!)
