Epic Travel → Central and South America → Belize → Pacbitun

Location: Cayo District, Western Belize

Time Required: 30 minutes – 2 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Visit this archaeological site in combination with other sites in the area.

What’s Nearby?: Rio Frio Cave, Rio On Pools, Caracol, Hidden Valley Falls

On the way out to Caracol, we passed a couple of sites currently under archaeological excavation. One of them was roped off from visitors and actively being worked on, but we passed another site – Pacbitun – that wasn’t roped off. So of course I asked our tour guide if we could stop there on the way back. I’m pretty sure he was hoping I’d forget about it, but I’m way too annoying for that, so he relented and let us stop for a little exploration at the end of the day. I love this kind of site, because you get to see what the ruins are like when you first find them, and you can imagine that you’re the first ones here (though of course we weren’t, since the site was first reported in the 1970’s and has been under active excavation since the 1990’s) – still, the un-restored nature of the site has its own appeal. Barely visible through the vegetation, you can just make out that the hill isn’t just a hill – it’s a pyramid, and there are steps visible if you brush away the leaves. And those aren’t just flat rocks on the ground, they’re stelae that have fallen over – and there are so many stelae that you realize this must have been a pretty important place. Everywhere you look, you realize that the hills are actually ruins that have been reclaimed by the forest, and they’re just waiting for you to find them. In actuality, there are over 40 masonry structures around 5 major plazas, a ceremonial ball court, palaces of the royal court, elevated causeways, and at least 20 monuments located to date (13 stelae and 7 altars). How much of it can you find in the jungle?

Epic Travel → Central and South America → Belize → Pacbitun