The last time I was in Belize a friend of mine, Chris,  and I took a trip into Mountain Pine Ridge in the Cayo district and were pleasantly surprised by what we found there. There were caves to spelunk in, plenty of jungle walks as well as cool refreshing pools with waterfalls that you could swim in.

The majority of the reserve is pine tree with a portion of it being broad leaf jungle and is criss crossed by streams and rivers.  Unfortunately the pine nut beetle took its toll on the forests and when I was there in 2004 the area looked like a forest fire had burned through. It is still very much worth the effort whether you’re taking a day trip or you want to spend a few days.

There are some lodges located in the Mountain Pine Ridge forest reserve including the Blacaneaux Lodge owned by Francis Ford Coppola.With rates well over $200 per night we didnt here but we did pop in for a cold beer at the bar which is decorated with the original fan from Apocalypse Now. If you’re interested in researching other accommodations in the area then the Toucan Trail website offers a hotel search feature. Chris and I opted to camp in D’Silva for a few dollars per night. Check to see if this option is still available at Eva’s Restaurant in San Ignacio as there have been reports of bandits in the area.

To get here we caught a bus to San Antonio from Santa Elena which was a short walk across the bridge from San Ignacio. You can also look for tours heading into the area or catch a taxi although that will set you back $50 US. From San Antonio we hitched a ride with some forest rangers who dropped us right and the camp site in D’Silva. Please research getting into Mountain Pine Ridge before you go as hitchhiking might not even be permitted these days.

The camping at D’Silva was rustic but comfortable nonetheless. There were pit toilets available as well as very basic showers (a pipe with cold water) and there was a sink for washing up the dishes. We pitched our tents next to a thatched palapa, set up our gear and took a look around. There was a small store in D’Silva where you could buy cold beer and a few other necessities but not much else so arrive prepared. There is also a camp here where the Brits do their military jungle training. Also, when I was here last, there was another camp for Chinese workers that were building a damn for Fortis, a Canadian owned company. Fortis tried to avoid negative publicity from the environmental damage by contracting out the damn construction to the Chinese. More information on this environmental pillaging can be found here.

Now that you’re all setup there are two main things you can do here that are both very cool and within walking distance of the camp. The first thing we did was check out the Rio Frio Caves. A short walk from the campsite heading west you’ll find a road that leads to the caves. There are signs along the way that point out the different caves as well as jungle paths linking them. One of these caves takes you deep underground where you’re surrounded by stalagmites and stalactites. Bring a head lamp so that you’re hands are free for scampering over the rocks and make sure to bring some candles along. You can easily spend a good day spelunking these caves but make sure you save the best for last, the Rio Frio cave itself.

The entrance to the Rio Frio cave is 20 meters high and adorned with a sandy beach along the river that passes through it. Plan to get wet as you climb through this behemoth. There is plenty of light filtering in from the enormous openings at each end of this cave and everything within is massive. From what I understand improvements have been made since my visit including a small footbridge at one of the entrances and a nature trail at the other end. After building up a sweat in the jungle humidity take a dip in the stream and return to camp via the well maintained dirt road.

The other trip that’s within walking distance of D’Silva is the Rio On Pools, a series of  swimming holes linked by cascading waterfalls rushing over smooth boulders. It’s a couple of km’s down the main road from camp and can’t be missed with a sign at the parking lot and picnic area located at the pools. You can literally spend hours just splashing around and if it’s hot enough you’ll welcome the respite from the heat.

If you have your own vehicle and plan to just spend a day here then try to do the caves first and cool off in the pools afterward. Ensure that you have a good 4 wheel drive as the roads are pretty rough heading into this area and again, check at Eva’s Restaurant to ensure that the roads are OK , the bridges are all intact and that security is not a problem. With the proper planning you can have a great time in the Mountain Pine Ridge. Other sites in the area include 1000 Foot Falls and Big Rock Falls.

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