GREAT experience!!!! Fabulous guide, Manuel, and good lunch and rum punch after!This was the most taxing and extraordinary experience! Not for the feint of heart, nor those who aren’t in good physical condition. You will swim through neck deep water, with and without current, squeeze through tight places and climb huge (Like 2 story high) boulder before you climb (in socks) the huge archeological site and high ladder to the crystal maiden. Truly an adrenaline rush experience. GREAT guide, small 8 person groups must work together to pass back where to stand, hold, etc, as you spend 3 hours in the underground cavern system. Best advise: Wear light weight sturdy shoes you can sim in and wear socks as part of the excursion you are climbing without shoes on. I wore tightly fitting gloves as then I could grip rocks without worrying about cuts and scrapes. You will be soaking wet the whole time, but you will be climbing around, so shorts, t shirt, light Wright long0sleeve top ,athletic skort are all good ideas.
Be aware if you are claustrophobic or scared of the dark or do not swim, this is not the tour for you! You will hike about 45minutes to the cave (quick pace) and back and the water is cold, but you will be expending a lot of energy, so you won’t notice the cold. NO Bags, hats, water bottles, food, camera etc go in with you, so hydrate and eat a snack at the last stop before you enter the river. No bathrooms once you start hiking, so you should take advantage of the jungle stop prior to the fist river crossing…
Take a towel and full dry set of clothes for after, shoes as well. There’s a big restroom building where you can change after and you’ll want dry clothes and shoes before you have lunch and get in the van for the very bumpy ride to the main road.
