Wednesday 30 May 2012

Your Guatemalan Dream Hike Awaits

By Linda Patterson


Containing some of the most incredible and lush unspoiled tropical forests on the planet, Guatemala is fast gaining a reputation as a hiker's dream come true. With so many opportunities for the average person to experience the feeling of truly returning to nature vanishing every day, as cities expand and the needs of human industry demand greater penetration into the realm of the natural world, it's the lucky few who can honestly say they've had the privilege of trekking in true wilderness. On a jungle trek in Guatemala, you'll climb mountains, see amazing and rare animals, visit ancient Mayan ruins, and come face to face with the true visage of nature in all her glory and untouched splendor.

Unlimited Adventure Potential

Everyone's jungle trekking experience is unique; the only certainty is that the images, experiences, thoughts, and feelings provoked by your hike will remain a part of you for the rest of your life. Those who have been once usually consider it a watershed moment of illumination, and for those lucky enough to make repeat journeys, each unfolds with its own menagerie of serendipitous encounters and events, making each trek back into the arms of the jungle a unique and fascinating experience. To facilitate your journey into the lush lands of Guatemala, there are many companies that offer reliable guided tours which wind through the hills and forests, passing by all manner of unforgettable sites, from giant pyramids to smoldering volcanoes. Using a guide is by far the wisest and safest route, as a highly experienced firm will be able to plan appropriately and provide almost all the equipment necessary for jungle survival. Instead of blundering through the foliage, wondering if you forgot your tent and if you're carrying enough water, a seasoned guide will afford you the freedom to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of the forest. If there are any preparations or equipment that the company expects you to be responsible for, they'll let you know well in advance of your trip, and a briefing session will bring you up to speed on the basics of outdoor living, and teach you a few essential safety skills no trivial matter whenever we leave the comforts of modern civilization, and walk in the shoes of our ancient ancestors who called such forests their homes.

Your trek will take you into some of the most incredible environments imaginable. Birds of every color and description line the towering jungle trees, filling the air with a symphony of strange and alluring songs. The forest is teeming with life of all kinds and sizes: insects, reptiles, and mammals, twenty-four hours a day. At night, you might see enormous swarms of fruit-eating bats flock from their cave roosts, filling the evening air with their ultrasonic cries. You might even have the chance to descend into their hidden homes for a little cave tubing, probing the subterranean realms and drifting on the underground rivers in search of clues left by the ancient Mayans who once traveled these same routes.

These ruins are truly awe-inspiring to behold in person, and you'll have complete access to climb, explore, inspect, and photograph them (as long as there are no existing regulations which prohibit such activity). Depending on the route your tour takes, you may dive underground for a tube ride on one of the Yucatn's many underground rivers, which were also used by the ancient Mayans and can be accessed through large holes in the roofs of cave systems called cenotes. Wherever you go, and whatever you see this trip, one thing is for sure the memories you make on your jungle adventure hike through Guatemala will remain with you for the rest of your life.




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