I have to admit to a little bit of anxiety as we booked the tour with a local guiding outfit. This is not an adventure for the faint of heart and it does require that you be in good physical conditional and reasonably agile. After all, we hiked, swam and climbed about a mile and a half to the cave and then another mile underground! And while it was challenging it was never scary and we felt completely at ease with our very capable guide. We were fortunate to be in a very small group, only three people. And our tour (Mayawalk Tours in San Ignacio) left at 7am. That's about an hour and a half before most groups so we felt that we had the cave to ourselves.
Xibalba was both feared and revered. Archaeologists believe that only a select few of the living Mayans ever entered caves and they did so only when necessary to perform rituals and ceremonies designed to solve problems.
The bigger the problem, the deeper they went into the underworld.
We actually had to remove our shoes in the sacred chambers and wear socks. This helps to protect the cave floor and the artifacts.
After about three hours in the cave we made it back into the 'Middleworld'. The warmth of the sunlight was very appreciated and so was the lunch provided by our tour guide!
It's not an exaggeration to say this was one of the most incredible days of my life. And I was so happy to share it with my little girl!