A Trip to Jaguar Paw
Jungle Lodge
When our daughter Jesse, granddaughter Jade and their friends Victoria and Hailey came to Consejo, Belize during the last two weeks of August 2009, we thought we should spend a few days showing them other parts of Belize. The first part of the road trip was to the Cayo District and Jaguar Paw Jungle Lodge.
This is about a 3 hour drive from Consejo, so we stopped and took some picture along the way. In Corozal are few local sail boats that make for some nice photos. Hailey was impressed with that a beach in Belize carries her name!
Ever since the floods of October 2008, we have been having some trouble with the old truck. The alternator was replaced a few months back. Driving down the Northern Highway the temperature gage shot up to max and the engine died! It seems the mechanic didn't use lock washers or just didn't properly tighten the bolts. We flagged down a car and asked for a ride back to Orange Walk. The exceptionally nice folks took a look at the problem then took me to a mechanic just a mile up the road near Crooked Tree. He dug up a couple nuts and bolds that should work then drove us back to truck and fixed it on the spot. The man only asked for $20. I paid him a bit more, since he did save our trip and it was a Sunday morning.
To avoid driving through Belize City, we took the Barrel Boom bypass to the Western Highway. This takes you past the Hattie Ville Prison.
Turning off the Western Highway we drove down several miles of pretty bad road to the Jaguar Paw Resort
The main reason we decided to go to Jaguar Paw was for the Zip Lining. Unfortunately, that attraction was closed for repair so we settled for the Cave Tubing, which we had planned on doing anyway. It was a very beautiful ride, but not too exciting.
After tubing we took a quick dip in the pool, the Jacuzzi being a wonderful way to warm up after a couple of hours in the relatively chilly river water. Then it was off to Dinner. Then back to the pool!
Unable to go Zip Lining, we decided to leave Jaguar Paw Jungle Lodge and drive on down to Hopkins for a day or two on the Beach. All in all I would give Jaguar Paw a B-. The grounds and accommodations are very nice, the service was excellent, but the prices for almost everything are bit steep, even at their off season rates. Their very nice website, now defunct, didn't mention the Zip Lining being closed (It should be reopened Sept. 1, 2009). I should note, because we are Residents of Belize, Joyce and I did get a very reasonable room rate.
Photos by: John, Jesse and Jade McMaster