Travelers looking for bargains should look towards Latin America. Like our Guatemala Classico trip 6-days for $795

Cotopaxi Trekking Ecuador
7-days for $950
Hike in the shadows of the Cotopaxi Volcano and follow the ancient roads of the Incas during our 5 day/4 night trekking trip. Experience the hacienda culture of the Andean highlands and explore Inca sites during an active trekking circuit near the Cotopaxi National Park and in the Condor Biosphere. Includes two nights in Quito before and after the trek.

Bolivia’s Jesuit Missions
5-days at $770
Thought to be “forgotten” for more than two centuries, the region of Bolivia’s restored Jesuit Missions is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site for its cultural accomplishments and history. Includes San Javier, Concepcion, San Ignacio, San Miguel, San Rafael, and Santa Ana.

Awesome Argentina
8-days for $1525
Travel through the southern reaches of Argentina, taking in the highlights of Patagonia. Includes Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, Beagle Channel, Gable Island, Tierra del Fuego, Parque Nacional Los Glaciares, El Calafate and hiking on Perito Moreno Glacier.

Guatemala Classico
6-days for $795
A great introduction to Guatemala, this trip visits the celebrated market of Chichicastenango and explores the inviting colonial city of Antigua. Spend the next couple nights along the beautiful shores of volcano-fringed Lake Atitlan.

For more Latin America bargains, take a look at our ongoing and special discounts available and upcoming trips.

My mom, and her three girls (and one grand-baby-to-be) on a canoe trip in Minnesota

Marissa and her mom getting ready to enter the ATM cave in Belize

Julia's mother-daugther Galapagos trip -- see Mom, they're all smiles!

I’ll get right to the point. Today I’m using all tools at my disposal, including the Adventure Life blog, to appeal to you to finally take that mother-daughter trip with me to Patagonia. With Mother’s Day approaching this weekend, I thought the timing was right — thematically anyway. Also, you are probably wondering why the card I sent has a picture of Torres del Paine on the front. Well, this explains it.

We’ve been toying with the idea for a while, but it’s time to make it happen. Don’t worry, we have plenty of time to plan. The best time to visit Patagonia is during our winter season, so I was thinking we could sneak away in early December when the weather in Patagonia is cooperating and there isn’t a chance your golf course will be open. (Mom, we’ll discuss your golf addiction later.) And Mom, we’re going to hike the W circuit.

Here’s my pitch:

Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park offers granite peaks, enormous glaciers, waterfalls, turquoise lakes and temperate rainforests — this is the backdrop for our trek. We’ll never get any higher in elevation than about 3700 feet, so don’t worry about altitude sickness. For the most part, the W circuit avoids the difficult and taxing routes in the park except for the last section to the Torres. But hey, you teach first-graders — “difficult” and “taxing” are part of your everyday vocabulary.

Base camp will be EcoCamp; it’s domes are designed to respect the surrounding environment and also to interfere as little as possible with the natural beauty of the park. And yes, there’s wine.

We’ll leave the notorious homebody (also known as Dad) in his favorite spot – he has his yoga and Michael Pollen to keep him company.

Everyone’s doing it. Adventure Lifers Julia, Kassi, Marissa and Mary have already taken their moms on trips to the Galapagos, Belize, Costa Rica and Panama. I’d happily put you in touch with one of them as a reference to testify that this whole mother-daughter trip-thing is right up our alley. Julia and her mom did a mainland Galapagos multisport trip that included 9 days of snorkeling, horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking. Marissa and her mom took to the jungles and beaches of Belize for great caving and snorkeling. Come on Mom, you’re making me look bad.

If I haven’t sold Patagonia to you, then you pick the place. After all, the destination is only part of the package; quite honestly I’m really looking forward to the good company …

Wishing you — and all the patient, understanding, good-humored and loving moms out there — a very Happy Mother’s Day.

Love,
Beth

Views of the countryside from Caracol ruins in Belize

Ancient maya pottery in Belize's ATM cave

Tikal ruins rising out the jungle

Maya ruins at Xunantunich in Belize

Travel to breathtakingly beautiful Belize must include excursions to the awe-inspiring stone temples and palaces of the ancient Maya civilization. The architecture of this highly advanced civilization remains stunning, adding another spectacular facet to the beauty and culture of Belize. The Maya flourished in Belize from 250 to 900 AD, the Golden Age, during which this ancient civilization attained incredible artistic and architectural heights. The Mayan Kings or holy lords, played an ancient game of out do your neighbor, with rivals building majestic palaces and temples competing in grandeur with the lush green canopy of the Belize rainforest. Not to be out done, each lord filled his castle with intricate ceramic murals, sculptures, pottery and jewelry. Ancient history comes alive with a visit to these magnificent Maya ruins.

Caracol – Mayan true name -Three Hill Water
Situated in the highlands south of San Ignacio and accessible via road, Caracol is known as the supreme Maya city. This metropolis is one of the largest in the Maya world, thought to be the home of 150,000 people. Water was supplied by man-made reservoirs. Rising a spectacular 140 feet the most impressive pyramid, is the Canaa, which is the tallest ancient structure in all of Belize. Extensive excavation beginning in 1985 uncovered a round intricately carved altar stone which tells the story of a battle and ultimate victory over the powerful Tikal.

Lamanai -Ancient Mayan name, Submerged Crocodile
Definitely check out this ruin by a taking a spectacular boat ride up the New River. Approximately 70 structures have been excavated, although 700 have been mapped. The most striking structure is the “Temple of the Jaguar” which has two jaguar masks bordering the stone stairway. This ancient ruin is unique in that successive generations of Mayan people built progressively upon the previous structures rather than destroy and rebuild. The Mask Temple, which sports a thirteen foot stone mask of an ancient holy lord and the High Temple, which offers a stunning view from its peak are truly impressive. Also an added incentive, travel along the New River will encompass a bird sanctuary.

Xunantunich- Mayan translation, Stone Woman
Travel to this Mayan ruin can be an adventure. Beginning in San Ignacio take the Benque Viejo road to the tiny village of San Jose Succotz. Next a hand-cranked ferry will transport vehicles across the Mopan River. Then it’s one mile up hill to this incredible site. El Castillo is the largest pyramid on this site. It rises 130 feet and provides an amazing view of Belize and even Guatemala. Be sure to notice this pyramid’s intricate stucco frieze.

Actun Tunichil Muknal
Looking for even more of an adventure, consider visiting ATM, one of three caves accessible only by licensed guides who conduct single day or mullti-day stays. There is no vehicular access to this site so be prepared for a forty-five minute hike into the jungle. The cave can be found in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and offers a wet welcome as the entrance is flooded with water. This archaeological site reveals skeletons, ceramics and stoneware. “The Crystal Maiden” is the most well known of the human remains. Natural processes of the cave make the bones of this teenage girl sparkle. Several of these types of skeletons can be seen in the main chamber. The trek through the caves will take 4-6 hours, so plan accordingly.

Tikal
Just across the boarder, Guatemala’s Tikal consists of 222 square miles of ancient Mayan ruins amid the lush tropical jungle. Many consider it one of the most impressive cultural reserves in the world. Five temples peek out of the forest canopy. The tallest is the “Temple of the Two Headed Snake.” The Grand Plaza is considered the most striking in all of Tikal. The plaza is surrounded by sculptured altars, stelae, ceremonial buildings, residential palaces and even a ball court. Tikal requires at least two full days to thoroughly explore; it is a jaw-dropping site.

Traveler and guide cross a river while hiking to Actun Tunichil Muknal

Ancient Maya pottery in the Actun Tunichil cave

One of nature's incredible formations in the ATM cave

Headlights on helmets light the way through the ATM cave to the Cathedral

Skull from one of the skeletons found in The Cathedral

By Elizabeth Coughlan
Our tour of the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave in Belize was a truly amazing experience, and not for the faint-hearted! Although you don’t have to be an experienced rock climber to explore the cave, you do need to be in good shape to cope with the ruggedness of the terrain. But we wouldn’t have missed it for anything!

The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave (Cave of the Stone Sepulcher) was, and is, a sacred place for the Mayas. They possibly thought that caves led to the underworld (Xibalba), and were places of sacrifice and religious ceremonies to the gods there. The site was excavated between 1996 and 2000 and about 200 pottery pieces and 14 skeletons were discovered. Many of these remain in the cave today, and excavation continue, making it a living museum.

The ATM cave is located in Belize’s 6,700-acre Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, and due to its historical significance and fragility, only a few tour companies are licensed to take trips there. We were advised to wear shorts and T-shirts with socks and closed-toe shoes or boots and to take extra clothing to change into at the end of the tour. You’re going to get wet on this adventure. Swim suits are not necessary, but quick-dry clothing is recommended. It was also impressed upon us that, for our own safety, we had to comply with the guide’s instructions and keep with the group at all times.

We left San Ignacio at 8:30 a.m. and drove for about 45 minutes, until we arrived at the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Once there, Carlos and Jaime, our guides, gave us helmets, dry bags and lunch packs in preparation for our trek through the jungle. Our trek took us over three lots of river, through knee-deep water and over slippery rocks, but it wasn’t really hard going. As we hiked, Jaime and Carlos told us about various plants on the way, accompanied by the all-too-human screeches of the howler monkeys. Apparently, there also tapir, jaguar, silky anteaters and white-tailed deer in the jungle, but, unsurprisingly, we didn’t see anything as we crashed about on the uneven ground. We did see lots of termites though, and some of our party even ate some, at Jaime’s prompting. Yuk!

After about an hour, we arrived at the encampment, in front of the entrance to the cave, where we ate lunch and divested ourselves of everything but our cameras and the clothes we were wearing. The hourglass-shaped entrance to the cave is filled with blue-green water, shimmering among the moss-covered rocks and lush jungle foliage. We divided into two groups and, helmets on and cameras in the dry bags, we ventured into the water and the darkness of the cave. After the heat of the jungle, it was refreshing, although rather eerie as only our headlamps lit our way ahead. Tiny fish nibbled at our legs and suddenly there was a great fluttering of wings as our shrieks disturbed the bats from their sleep; we were grateful for the helmets!

After the short swim, we climbed out onto dry land and clambered up over the rocks. Our headlamps flashed around the cave as we ducked and dove, picking out the stalactites and stalagmites and white flowstone hanging like drapes. For about 2 hours, we slithered in and out of water as we slowly progressed through the cave, until we reached a large dry cathedral-like cavern. Here, we had to take off our shoes and carry on in our socks to preserve the floor of the cave from damage by the oil in our skin and because, for the local people, this is still a sacred place.

This was the ancient place of sacrifice for the Mayas. Bits of broken pottery, dating back a thousand years, littered the floor. In the light from our headlamps, we glimpsed the occasional skull and the remains of 6 of the 14 skeletons already discovered by archaeologists. Jaime then led us up a rickety ladder to a separate cavern where the skeleton of the “Cristal Lady” lay, so-called because the dripping calcite has coated her bones. She is sprawled on the floor, with one leg akimbo, and is believed to have been about 16 to 19 years of age at her death. Hers is the only female skeleton – all the others are male. Archaeologists believe that she was sacrificed to Chac, a god of the underworld, to ask him for rain during a time of drought.

By this time, we were quite cold and tired and still had the return journey to do. There was no other way out, however, and the journey back I was grateful for the time to reflect. Everyone was quiet and thoughtful. We had seen something quite extraordinary. We finished our adventure exhausted and with a few acquired minor scrapes and bruises, but we had loved every minute. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat!

Snorkeling off the coast of Ambergris Caye in Belize

Exploring the crystal clear waters of the Belize Barrier Reef by kayak

Snorkeling and kayaking adventure in Belize

By Christa Visperas
The Belize Barrier Reef — This 300 kilometer stretch of coral reef in the coast of Belize is so breathtakingly-beautiful that even famous naturalist Charles Darwin was moved to call it “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies” in 1842.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a veritable adventure haven for visitors because it is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Snorkeling and scuba diving enthusiasts will marvel at the diversity of animal and plant life in the area. With hundreds of coral and fish species living in the reef, there is no lack of close encounters with these colorful and interesting denizens of the deep. Mollusks and corals co-inhabit the reef with crustaceans, echinoderms and fish of every size and color, with a plethora of interesting algae adding variety. Eagle rays, green turtles, moray eels, dolphins, and sharks fill the waters. No wonder UNESCO has tagged the Belize Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site.

Only a small portion of the Belize Barrier Reef has actually been explored. The diversity that people see is only ten percent of the whole area. Imagine what wonders lie in the remaining 90%! It touches a chord in every adventurous soul, for who doesn’t thrill to the idea of stumbling on a never-before-seen sea creature, or beholding for the first time a secret cave, or uncovering the secrets long hidden within the atolls and lagoons dotting the reef?

Getting to the Belize Barrier Reef can be done in many ways, but the most preferred method is to make Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island, your take-off point for exploration. San Pedro is the place to stay in Ambergris Caye, a bustling fishing village with quaint remnants of its Mayan heritage everywhere, from the English-Spanish-Creole-Maya mixed dialect, to the sunny shops with Mexican-Caribbean decors. Mahogany skiffs ply the island for chartered fishing and a day of scuba diving in the reef. The skiffs bring to mind the romantic buccaneering age when the reef was a pirate hunting ground. Hol Chan Marine Reserve, one of Belize’s top diving destinations, is only a ten-minute boat ride from San Pedro. In just 5 square miles it compacts 3 different marine zones: reef, mangrove and sea grass beds.

The town of Dangriga in Southern Belize is also one of the best places to stay if you plan to explore the Belize Barrier Reef. Only 70 miles from Belize City, it takes around 2 hours of car or bus travel to get there. There are also fishing and scuba diving operators in Dangriga waiting to take you on a day of excursion. All it takes is a stroll down the docks to start your fishing adventure. Trips to nearby cayes of the Belize Barrier Reef – Tobacco Caye and South Water Caye – are easily planned in these docks and jetties. If you have a mind for underwater exploration, Glover’s Reef Atoll is the nearest accessible snorkeling and scuba diving site from Dangriga. Due to its isolation from the mainland, Glover’s waters are very clear and have a rich reef system.

Yet another great place to start exploring the Belize Barrier Reef is at the town of Placencia, where most visitors base themselves to avail of the best diving and exploration packages. After settling in a hotel or guesthouse of your choice, you can immediately relax on a hammock or stroll along the sandy beaches. To explore the nearest cayes, a catamaran or a private sailboat can be rented in the docks or from many tour operators, for day and even overnight excursions. For the more adventurous, a kayak trip can take you to out-of-the-way islands that dot the reef, where you can enjoy nature camping at its very best.

Belize Weather: The climate in the reef is subtropical at 80 degrees Fahrenheit on the average, so best to wear light clothing like shorts and t-shirts, with a light sweater for nighttime activities and a hat to ward off the sun in the daytime. Sunglasses, sunscreen lotions and insect repellents are also essential things to bring. For sight-seers and avid bird-watchers, a good pair of binoculars will come in handy. Local commuter airlines Maya Island Air and Tropic Air take visitors in and out of the area on a regular basis.