Part 3 of the Belize trip is when we headed into the jungle. See previous 2 posts for part 1 and 2. We left Caye Caulker on the water taxi and met our driver in Belize City. He drove us the 2 hours inland to Martz Farm where we would be staying for the next 4 days. Once we settled in we got to go our a horseback ride around the property. The “property” turned out to be the jungle where the trees are close together, the ground is very muddy, and there are pokey plants that are not meant to be touched. I got to ride Peanut-she was small like me and we got along well. I especially liked that she snacked on grass the entire time. We rode to an overlook and also to the top of a large hill just as a rainbow was emerging. The ride was way more advanced than any I’d ever been on but it was really fun and the horses knew just what to do.
The next day we went on a private pontoon ride along the river. On the walk there we got a bit of a nature talk which was super interesting. When we got to the river the sun was shining and it was the perfect day for exploring. We rode along the peaceful river looking for birds and animals before doing a bit of exploring. We saw a few waterfalls (one of which everyone jumped off but me) and then we pulled over to explore a bit of a lagoon. That was probably my hightlight of the day. We were essentially climbing up a series of waterfalls and pools. I loved all the little pockets of water and seriously I could have stayed there all day long.
One of the best things about staying at Martz Farm is that it’s such a family affair. Joe, one of the owners, took us horseback riding and his brother was the one who took us on the river and Miriam, Joe’s wife, made sure we all had everything we needed and made us the most delicious meals. For both breakfast and dinner we would all gather in the cooking hut and sit around a large table talking about the day to come or the adventures we had been on. It was so cozy and peaceful in there. I especially loved that no one was on their phone and we were all just so present with each other.
On our last full day at the farm Joe took us on a cave adventure. The coolest thing about the cave was that it was not a tourist attraction so once again it was just the 4 of us plus Joe. We also got to ride the horses again on our way to the mouth of the cave. It was pretty cool exploring the cave. The first room we entered was so much larger than I would have thought from the outside. It as pretty incredible. We looked at pieces of pottery, mineral deposits, rock formations and even silk worms-super cool. We continued on into the cave through small crevices and every time I was surprised with the size of the room on the other side. We spent a few hours in the cave before making our way out. We had a very late lunch and then headed back to the farm.
On the day we left the farm we took some time to explore the farm and the river running through it. We then said our goodbyes before Miriam took us into town to do a bit of shopping and eating. The place she recommended for lunch was super good. It was a little taco stand that seemed pretty popular. Also the fresh juice was incredible. After lunch she took us to the tiny airport so we could head off on our next adventure.