Relaxing on the porch after an exhausting day of spelunking. Our guide Jes was an excellent musician and kind enough to entertain us.

After several hours underground, our group is ready to make the journey back to sunlight. Note that we are all wearing socks. In sections of the cave which contain artifacts, shoes are not permitted which forces you to be pretty damn careful where you put your feet.

This skeleton is of the only female and is located at the deepest part of the cave.

The Mayans made human offerings to the underworld Gods and the cave contains the remains of 6 infants under the age of 3, one 7 year old and seven adults. 

At one point the cave opens up into a huge chamber and you can envision how the Mayan must have gathered here for their ceremonies as did we for a group portrait.

The cave itself was unbelievably beautiful. According to our guide, effective one week from today, photography will no longer be permitted in the cave. I felt exceptionally fortunate to be among the last visitors to have an opportunity to capture these scenes.

Artifacts took the form of ceramic pots of various shapes and sizes and obsidian blades used for blood letting rituals.

Helmets and headlamps are considered essential. Kyle, pictured here with our cave guide.

The cave reaches 5 kilometers into the mountain side and requires a combination of swimming, walking through water from ankle depth to neck deep, climbing through openings and over rocks. Discovered in 1989, the cave was used by the Mayans for ceremonies and rituals between 300 and 900 AD. Artifacts and the sacrificial remains of 14 people remain exactly as they were left by the last Mayans who used the cave.

… and hike through the jungle.

Our first destination was the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave. To reach the cave entrance we had to traverse the same river three different times …

Kyle and I prepare for the first days adventure by applying face paint made by Jes from crushed seeds of a local plant.

Our base of operations for the first three nights was the Maya Mountain Lodge.

Bigger and brighter seems to describe almost everything in the tropics.