Thrill-seekers have the rare opportunity to spend the night on an ancient Mayan ruin in a luxury tent resembling a suite at Ka’ana, without having to sacrifice the comfort and amenities of the Belizean luxury resort. Ka’ana takes ‘glamping’ to the next level, beginning with a ride through the Belizean jungle next door into Guatemala’s Yaxha National Park. Enter the 1,100-year-old city just after dusk where an expert guide will lead guests to their meal prepared by a local Mayan cook at the base of the ruins.
After dinner, the guide will lead the ascent to highest temple where guests can enjoy views of the Guatemalan countryside while an archaeologist waxes historical about the intricate excavation of the Yaxah Temple. At the end of the evening, guests retire to their luxury digs — a replica of the rooms at Ka’ana, complete with a king-sized bed. The Morning After: Cross Lake Yaxha via boat to visit another, not-yet-excavated Topoxte Maya ruins. kaanabelize.com; packages starting at $2,000
T H E E X P E R I E N C E E D I T I O N
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Imagine you’re hiking back from a waterfall. You swam a little, and now need a disco nap… Luckily your backpack comes with a secret compartment and a hammock in it. Crisis averted!
Get your VSTR Nomadic Pack By Partners & Spade here.
Location: Big Rock Falls is 45minutes away from Ka’ana, see where else you can hike here.
1.) One can argue which Jones movie was the best, but he’s hands down the coolest professor/treasure hunter to ever sport a leather jacket.
King Kong (1933)
2.) A unique tale of a ginormous monkey as a transplant New Yorker. This classic never gets old.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
3.) Female version of Indiana Jones – beauty and brains, Angelina Jolie takes us to exotic places and takes down the bad guys all by herself.
Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993)
4.) A hilarious spoof of the original story of a band of merry men.
The Terminator (1984)
5.) Nuclear holocaust future and a cyborg sent from the future on a deadly mission.
The Lord Of The Rings (2001)
6.) Definitely worth geeking out to the entire trilogy.
The Princess Bride (1987)
7.) This is a perfect Date Night movie; it has something for everyone: romance, sword play, giants (Andre The Giant R.I.P.), Princess named Buttercup and quest for true love.
Up (2009)
8.) 78-year-old ties thousands of balloons to his house to visit the beautiful landscapes of South America. Pixar never lets us down.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
9.) Post apocalyptic times with supped up cars, weapons and a serious wardrobe; definitely inspired a Beyonce video.
You like us, you really like us! We topped great places in Costa Rica and Guatemala – even our own Placencia and San Pedro! The farmlands, jungle hikes, nearby rivers and ruins – all contribute to make us the #1 Belize spot on Trip Advisor’s Central America: Top 25 Destinations 2012.
We got to work with some very talented friends who came down from New York to check out Ka’ana’s version of Belize – and capture it on video.
From making clay pots with local Maya women, horseback riding through rivers, hanging out in private pool villas, swimming into – and exploring Maya caves (Including human remains!) to helicoptering over rivers and waterfalls… The list goes on, so let’s leave it to the photos!
The Travel Channel spotlights Belize’s Great Blue Hole, a sinkhole off the coast of Belize a few hours away from us here at Ka’ana. A great diving spot to explore!
The skeletal remains of an adult Maya, along with several artifacts and ceramics – reported to be over 2000 years old – was discovered during the replacement of drainage pipes on Burns Avenue: one of the busiest streets in San Ignacio, Cayo.
In addition, bone tools, ceramic vessels, conch shell fragments, deer antlers, obsidian blade fragments, peccary teeth and pottery shards were buried with the individual who, according to renowned archaeologist Dr. Jaime Awe, was a male. Of the ceramic vessels obtained, three were complete while the pottery shards included an etched Juventud-Red vessel which possibly dates the site as early as the Middle Pre-Classic Period. What’s more is that the situ, which may have been abandoned after being destroyed by flood waters, is believed to be a part of Cahal Pech, thus proving that the “Place Of Ticks” was as extensive a settlement as was originally thought.
The artifacts, ceramics and remains will be displayed in the Welcome Center which is currently under construction as part of the development and rehabilitation of San Ignacio Town. For the time being, though, locals and tourists alike flock to the site to offer assistance, speculation and support to the archaeologists who’ve halted public works until their excavation is completed.
Venture off the beaten path and explore the remnants of a civilization that once was.
Enjoy 3 nights at Ka’ana – your exclusive out-post for adventure, culture and history – as you dine on Belizean gourmet cuisine while reliving colorful periods in Maya tradition as seen by an animated Maya Chiclero Storyteller. Horseback ride across open pastures and rivers to Actun Can: a Maya Ruin which has since been reclaimed by nature. As the adventure continues, tour Guatemala’s excavated “City Of Echoes” – Tikal – one of the most impressive Maya Cities in Central America!
