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Belize
Ages 14-17

Talisman Adventure Belize is an experiential journey within the lush tropical jungles and beaches of Belize. Campers age 14 to 17 will travel to the beautiful jungle resort of Mountain Equestrian Trails (MET) where they will be surrounded by ancient forests filled with Howler Monkeys, Parrots, Toucans, and many other indigenous creatures and plant species. Meals will be prepared by locals whose expertise is traditional Central American cuisine. At MET campers will explore the surrounding Slate Creek Preserve and Mountain Pine Ridge Preserve from the backs of horses traveling to such places as 1,000 foot Hidden Valley falls, Rio on Pools, Rio Frio Caves and Mayan ruins.

Campers will paddle through caves bearing the signs of a by-gone ancient culture and swim in cool mountain pools amidst limestone bluffs. Guatemala and the extraordinary lost Mayan city of Tikal are just a stone's throw away and may be one of the most memorable experiences your child will have in their lifetime. Finally, our campers will spend a couple of days on the clear blue waters of Belize experiencing snorkeling, fishing and many other activities that the Caribbean Sea has to offer.

Our Adventure Belize campers will be building self confidence through activities such as learning to ride a horse and participating in the running of an equestrian ranch. They will also gain confidence in themselves by helping prepare traditional meals either right beside the cook or in gathering fruit and vegetables from MET's beautiful gardens and tropical orchards. They will learn ecology from our guides and the practical uses of the ecosystem and what it has to offer. Social skills will be further developed in a nurturing environment that offers new cultural experiences. Daily responsibilities will be a focus in order for our campers to set out on each day's adventures highlighting a direct link between choices made and the benefits received in each day's activities.

MET is an Ecotel four-globe certified Belize ecotourism jungle lodge located in the heart of Slate Creek Preserve in the Cayo district and bordering other preserves including the 300 square mile Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve. Within a short horseback ride away are incredible gardens, butterfly exhibits, and Mayan ruins and caves. Our campers will be staying in MET's Cabanas and eating their meals in the open air Cantina.

9 campers and 3 experienced Talisman staff will meet before the trip at Talisman's base camp in North Carolina for a day of preparation and discussions about the Belize trip. The following day campers and staff will drive to Atlanta, GA and fly to Belize City, Belize. Upon arrival our group will meet up with our Belizean guides Arran and Allison Bevis who will take us to their lodge which is approximately 2 hours from the airport. Campers will spend ten adventure filled days in Belize before returning to North Carolina. The overall length of the trip is 14 days.

Our guides in Belize are Arran and Allison Bevis. Both are Texan born Americans with citizenship in Belize also. Arran grew up on the ranch in Belize and as a boy learned first hand from his family, locals, and experiences of how to be a guide and educator in the dense jungle of Central America. Both have spent years teaching others about the wonders of Belize and its many plants and animals. The Bevises are fluent in Spanish and in the quirky English dialect Creole which is most commonly used. Their trusted staff are more like an extension of the Bevis family and have worked with Arran and Allison for many years. The Bevises have guided National Geographic explorers, played host to crews from Survivor Guatemala, and most recently led the History Channel to remote caves for exploration of the underground Mayan world.

For more information on MET please visit their website at www.metbelize.com