Cave tubing without the hike

[cruisinmommyTX]

Hi, We'd like to try cave tubing in Belize, but most excursions seem to include a significant walk through the jungle. My SIL is on the tail end of recovering from foot surgery and will likely still be in a walking boot. She has no open wounds and is cleared for all normal activities, but would have a tough time walking for 20 minutes in rough terrain. One review I saw said their hike to the tubing site was 45 minutes!

 

So, can anyone tell me how long the walk/hike was up to your tubing site, and let me know which company you went with. Any suggestions for a tour agency with minimal walking would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

[crewsweeper]

The length of the hike depends on where your guide company is putting in the tubes on the water. And some companies offer longer tube trips and shorter tube trips. Shorter ones are typically those associated with zip lining or other excursions because of the time, but that's not always true.

 

If your SIL believes she can't walk 20-30 minutes at a reasonable pace, she may wish to pass on the excursion. She might be able to take her boot off for the tube but if her foot is wrapped or needs to be covered like in a sock, the boot and sock will get wet and she'll need to bring dry bandaging, or socks to change to.

[mitsugirly]

It will not matter which company you go with for the cave tubing in regards to the actual "hike". They all take the same route.

 

Like Crew said, there's 2 different parts to start the tubing. (One before the other at the Y). Most companies will ask you if you want to keep going or if you'd like to stop and get in there.

 

However, that's not the problem. The problem is you are not just walking along to get there. There's various terrains to walk. You are in gravel, dirt, going up and down steps and rock steps and then large gravel that she could easily turn/twist her foot IMO.

 

It starts out in easy to walk smaller gravel:

 

 

 

You have dirt areas to go down and up to small "caves"

 

 

 

 

Dirt/rock steps with no handrails:

 

 

 

Steps with handrails:

 

 

 

I was taking a picture of the fuzzy things here, but you can see there are various "big" rocks in the paths:

 

 

 

Then of course you have to cross the river to get to the other side to continue the journey until you get to one of the areas you go into the river at:

 

[mitsugirly]

Last but not least, when you go to get into the tube to cave tube, you are on a deck and turn around backwards and they help you drop/fall back into the tube:

 

 

 

It's not hard to do, but with someone with a foot issue recovering, it might be.

 

 

I'm not at all trying to discourage you/the SIL into not doing this. Just wanting you and her to be informed of what's in store. It's a very fun and interesting trip and we have done it twice.

[Brones]

Thanks for posting the pics, it helps in deciding how to spend our day in Belize.

[stewartluzon]

Hi, We'd like to try cave tubing in Belize, but most excursions seem to include a significant walk through the jungle. My SIL is on the tail end of recovering from foot surgery and will likely still be in a walking boot. She has no open wounds and is cleared for all normal activities, but would have a tough time walking for 20 minutes in rough terrain. One review I saw said their hike to the tubing site was 45 minutes!

 

So, can anyone tell me how long the walk/hike was up to your tubing site, and let me know which company you went with. Any suggestions for a tour agency with minimal walking would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

yes it is possible, this company has had guest in similar situations and did the cavetubing. email narcisoat vivtours.com for more information.

Stu

[mitsugirly]

Thanks for posting the pics, it helps in deciding how to spend our day in Belize.

 

 

You are welcome. I just wanted you to be aware of what's involved. Like I said, not trying to discourage her because it's a great tour. But, not sure how well she will be recovered from surgery at that time and how comfortable she will feel doing this walk. Just know that we have been several times with little one's from 3-5 years old (slow walkers of course) and we have been with a guy that had a knee replacement and an elderly couple (guessing maybe in their 80's) before. The tour guides at .bz took their time and went at everyones pace assuring that everyone felt comfortable. They take great pride in what they do and assure everyone is ok. So, if she can accomplish the terrain, even at a slow pace, it will be fine with them. ;) :)

[live2cruise2011]

we went through victor bodden tours. I have a child that has special needs. Alex has had 7 open heart surgeries as well as has other issues. Bodden tours assigned a special guide just to us so that we could go at our own pace as well as had a shortened hike. we also did not get in at the dock we were able to walk into the water and sit on our tubes. I was really afraid that I was wasting money because I was scared Alex would not be able to do the hike. but with their help we had an awesome time and a great day. and my son learned lots of educational things that he shares with everyone now.

[nolatravelgirl]

Last but not least, when you go to get into the tube to cave tube, you are on a deck and turn around backwards and they help you drop/fall back into the tube:

 

 

 

It's not hard to do, but with someone with a foot issue recovering, it might be.

 

 

I'm not at all trying to discourage you/the SIL into not doing this. Just wanting you and her to be informed of what's in store. It's a very fun and interesting trip and we have done it twice.

This is the shorter excursion where you get in here. We took the full excursion (without zipline) with .bz and got in at the wade in point.

 

[mitsugirly]

This is the shorter excursion where you get in here. We took the full excursion (without zipline) with .bz and got in at the wade in point.

 

 

Hmm, not sure where this is. We've done the trip twice now and each time we went past the 1st entry point (which is the shortest walk and at the Y) and all the way until the trails ended. They told us each time that this was as far as it went and it was the entrance to the longest ride. :confused:

[live2cruise2011]

we went through victor bodden tours. I have a child that has special needs. Alex has had 7 open heart surgeries as well as has other issues. Bodden tours assigned a special guide just to us so that we could go at our own pace as well as had a shortened hike. we also did not get in at the dock we were able to walk into the water and sit on our tubes. I was really afraid that I was wasting money because I was scared Alex would not be able to do the hike. but with their help we had an awesome time and a great day. and my son learned lots of educational things that he shares with everyone now.

 

 

Wow what a wonderful memory to come across. I am so glad that we were able to have this cave tubing experience as we lost Alex in January. At least we had 18 years full of memories

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Rescueforlife]

I am so sorry for your loss. Treasure the memories

[DopeyRN1]

live2cruise2011, I am so sorry for your loss of Alex. My prayers are with your family

[mrsfuzzmo]

My family has booked a private tubing trip with cavetubing . bz. Because they are going private, the guides have offered to pull my two 78 yr old parents up the river to meet the rest of the group. My sister asked about someone with some mobility issues and they said they would be happy to take them up that way.

 

The rest of the group is doing the hike!

[nolatravelgirl]

My family has booked a private tubing trip with cavetubing . bz. Because they are going private, the guides have offered to pull my two 78 yr old parents up the river to meet the rest of the group. My sister asked about someone with some mobility issues and they said they would be happy to take them up that way.

 

The rest of the group is doing the hike!

Wow, that is going to be a seriously hard task for the "puller" I would plan on tipping very generously. Even with someone pulling there is still some walking on uneven surfaces and slippery stairs to navigate. Here is where you enter the park.

 

 

 

[mrsfuzzmo]

No worries, we are well traveled and will tip well. The tubing company was the one that suggested this option, and were very insistent that they do this for them. My parents can walk, but my Mom has heart issues and needs to walk slowly, especially in the heat and up and down stairs. She would not do well climbing or anything like that. Walking across a river or along a path is fine.