Day 2 Recap: Belize Waterfall Cave Tour

What It's Really Like Climbing 7 Waterfalls with Kids

If you missed the Day 1 recap of our family vacation to Belize, be sure to check it out! You’ll find out why we chose to visit the mainland, how we got there, and our introduction to Ian Anderson’s Caves Branch Jungle Lodge.

Day 2: The Caves Branch Waterfall Cave Expedition

We came to Belize fully intending to tackle the ATM cave, but after a conversation with the tour guide the night before, we decided to pivot to the Waterfall Cave Expedition, a signature tour offered at Caves Branch Jungle Lodge. He told us this tour was very similar to ATM and said the main differences are that there are no visible human remains in the Waterfall Cave (but they ARE there- you just cant see them!) and it is more adventurous than ATM since it involves actually jumping from waterfalls. Since my kids love to get their adrenaline pumping, we decided to do the Waterfall Cave Expedition was a better fit for us.

I’m not going to lie. I woke up a little anxious about what the day held. Aside from the fact that this tour is listed as the most intense tour at Caves Branch (any maybe in all of Belize!), my oldest son has type 1 diabetes, so I was a bit nervous about being underground for hours. But, knowing that we were well prepared and in very good hands with the Caves Branch guides, we dressed in our closed-toed shoes, pants (both required), long sleeve shirts (strongly recommended), and LOTS of bugs spray, and off we went. After all, what’s a good adventure without a few butterflies?!

INSIDER TIP According to the Cave Branch Jungle Lodge website: “This Adventure is subject to high water levels from time to time throughout the year and can be replaced with another tour.”

Getting to the Cave

We boarded the shuttle (more like a glorified tractor bed) that drove us to the nearby trailhead. To get there, we passed through a citrus farm that leases land from Caves Branch. To protect the trees, every vehicle and person entering the property gets sprayed with a diluted alcohol solution first. While it seems like a strange practice, there’s no need to worry. You’re only sprayed from the waist down and it’s an easy way to protect one of the country’s largest exports.

Before setting out, we were each given a backpack with 2 liters of water, a helmet, headlamp, harness and life jacket. You need to be prepared to carry this for the short 15-minute hike to the mouth of the cave, where your load lightens considerably as you guzzle some water and put on your helmet and headlamp.

Now let the spelunking begin!

Inside the Cave: Bats, Crabs, and a Mile of Rock

Then entrance opened into a large cavern with hundreds of bats wrapped tightly and hanging from the ceiling and a few cave critters — spiders, crabs, and the like — came out to greet us too.

INSIDER TIP It probably goes without saying, but do not touch any wildlife inside the cave unless your guide says it is ok. This spider (actually not a spider at all, but in the scorpion family) is actually harmless and we were allowed to hold it. Eeek!

From there, we trekked about a mile into the cave system: over, under, and around rock formations, sometimes wading through water that ranged from ankle- to knee-deep. Our guides mentioned the water was relatively low for the season, and that some of the dry stretches we crossed can be waist-deep at other times of year.

The Waterfalls: Seven Climbs, Seven Jumps

The hike itself was fun, but then we got to the really exciting part! We were told to put on our life jacket and harness and leave our backpacks and anything that we didn’t want getting wet. Be sure to bring a waterproof phone case because you WILL want pictures! I also wish I had invested in this go-pro!).

It was waterfall time!

We walked about 5 more minutes and came to a cenote. It was beautiful! A clear, blue green pool that caught the water falling from the 25 ft cliff above it. One after another, in we went! This was the only waterfall that required us to be roped in, so when we swam across the pool, one of the guides locked us into the carabiner and another guide at the top of the cliff kept the ropes taut in case of a slip. The climb was up to us! With water falling down around us, we each made our way up the cave wall. The guides were helpful in pointing out places to put your hands and feet if you were unsure.

We did this 6 more times: jump in the pool, climb up. Jump in the pool climb up. After we scaled the seventh waterfall, it was time to do the whole thing in reverse! So one by one, we jumped from the top of each cliff into the pool below. It was a little unnerving but so much fun! I can see how someone who is afraid of heights would not love this, but we thought it was one of the most amazing things we have ever done!

Lunch, Underground

Once we’d finished all seven waterfall climbs and jumps, we made our way back to our backpacks and found lunch waiting for us: tortillas, grilled chicken, cheese, slaw, and vegetables. It was delicious, and certainly one of the most unique settings we’ve ever eaten in. There’s something about earning a meal like that after a morning of climbing and jumping that makes it taste even better.