Day 3--Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve

We woke up yesterday excited for a new adventure.  We had decided to visit the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve.  Originally we were supposed to be apart of a tour to visit the park, but in the end we decided to do the trip ourselves by taking the local bus and a self-guided tour.  The decision let us make our own schedule and also saved us about $100!

After a leisurely bus ride (in the old US school buses that are repainted and fitted to be public buses) to the park, we started in through the access road.  We came upon a restaurant/taxi service/tarot card reader/gift shop.  We procured some delicious vegetarian burritos for our lunch, sipping on freshly squeezed juice (papaya for Irene and orange for me) and petting some of the cutest animals we had met thus far.  The family had a brown and white rabbit named Biscuit, an orange and white cat named Garfield, and a new puppy, yet to be named.  We are both animal people, and have been keeping a keen eye to the health and wellness of the animals around us here.  Luckily for these owners, their animals were well-loved and taken care of there, because if they hadn't been, I have a feeling we would have taken them with us! 

Ummmmm  could he be any cuter?  Really?  He is yet unnamed, but definitely our favorite Belizean pooch, and luckily, the best taken care of!

Again, really?  any cuter?  NOPE

After we got our animal fix for the day, finished our juice and paid for our lunch, we got a taxi ride for the 7mi trip into the reserve.  As we sat in the back of his pickup truck, we had the chance to admire the view all around us.  On our right was lush rainforest and a river, and on our left were fields and fields of crops--mostly bananas and oranges.

Our ride into the reserve in the back of a truck.

We arrived about 20 minutes later at the Visitor's Center, paid our admission fees and procured a map of the trails.  We decided to head up the Tiger Fern Trail, which led to what the Park Ranger said was their most impressive fall.  The hike was 3km each way, but strenuous.  We were up for the challenge.  We were already wearing our bathing suits, but had also brought with us sarongs, cameras, snacks, lots of water and bug spray.  Off we set down the trail, in awe at the lush greenery, new sounds and new smells all around us.

The lush green of our rainforest trail.

Given my knee history, I did have to pay close attention to my footing, as the ground was wet and often slippery.   This did, however, leave my fascinated by the whole world of the forest floor.  It was unlike any forest floor I had ever seen.

leaf-cutter ants hard at work

The leaves were all so enormous, and most were near black from always being wet

I still don't know what these nuts are, but they are larger than a golf ball

I was struck by the veins in this leaf.  I had never seen patterning like this before.

 

Despite my attention to the ground, I did happen to catch some for the lovely greenery above me, too.

We saw this plant everywhere, usually growing in a ring around a standing tree, in the middle of the trunk.  Because of that, we named this the "tree tutu"

The color of everything is so vibrant here!

After an hour and 15 minutes of hiking, often needing all fours given the slippery leaves and mud of the rainy season, we finally reached our destination.  It was more than we could have hoped for.  We stopped for a much needed swim here, and a delicious snack.

The goal of our hike was WELL worth it--a cool, refreshing pool at the base of a 75' waterfall!

The fruits of our labor--we devoured the huge papaya we had lovingly carried with us.

Refreshed, we gathered our things for the hike back, returning to the Visitor's Center ahead of time, leaving us time to take a quick shower, and catch a little sun before our taxi came to fetch us back to the bus stop.  We arrived back at the hotel safe and sound, and slept well after the day's adventure.  For anyone planning a trip to Belize, I would say Cockscomb is a DO NO MISS!