Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails:
Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails Lynn Matt
SUMMARY OF TRIP INFORMATION
Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails
Leader Lynn Matt
Co-leader Ellen Kingsbury
San Ignacio and Hopkins, Belize
January 15-January 24, 2011
Total # of days 10
Hiking
Downhill skiing
Kayaking
Title of trip
Leadership
Location(s)
Dates
Type of trip
check all that apply
Backpacking
Cultural
Road biking
Nordic ski
Mountain biking
Snorkeling
Other – please describe
half day horseback ride, cave tour
Number of participants
(excluding leaders)
Advertised cost
Airfare range if not included
Do you wish to have your trip
listed online before it is
published in The Outdoors?
Smaller trips and leader
subsidization
Max 14
Min 14
$3195
Does it include airfare? Yes
No
$ (I am actually estimating $800 + $75 for the two flights)
Yes
No If yes, please list the approximate month (max is one year in
advance of trip)
January - as soon as possible after approval
Is this proposal for a small group trip – i.e., less than 14 participants and 2
leaders or 7 participants and 1 leader? Yes
No
If yes, why is a small group proposed?
If a participant fee increase of more than 15% is proposed, please explain
why?
LEADER AND CO-LEADER INFORMATION
Leader name
Leader address
Leader email
Leader phone
Wilderness first aid training
CPR training
Prior leading experience
Trip one
Trip two
Trip three
Other related trip experience
Co-leader name
Lynn Matt
3652 118th Avenue, Allegan MI 49010
lmatt2002@hotmail.com
Home 269-673-3672
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 3/2011
CPR
BLS
Expiration: 4/2009
Please list the last three longer (5+ day) trips you have led for the AMC including
destination, type of trip, dates and number of participants. Feel free to list additional
trips you have led, particularly if they demonstrate experience related to the trip you
are proposing.
Greece 2007
New Mexico 2009
Glacier 2010
Ellen Kingsbury

To lead a major excursion you must have current CPR and WFA at the time of your trip (or AWFA for all backcountry
trips). If you do not have the required level of certification at the time you submit your proposal or it will expire before
the date of your trip, you will need to make arrangements to recertify in a timely manner.
Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 1 of 5
Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails:
Co-leader address
Co-leader email
Co-leader phone
Wilderness first aid training*
CPR training*
Prior leading experience
Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails Lynn Matt
40 Goodwin Road, Kittery Point, ME 03905
ellen.kingsbury@gmail.com
Home 207-439-6449
Work
WFA
AWFA
WFR
Expiration: 12/2011
CPR
BLS
Expiration:
If you are a new co-leader you must submit an application to be a major excursions
leader or co-leader prior to submitting this application.
Scouting
Have either of you led this trip
before or traveled to this
area?
Languages
Does either the co-leader or
leader speak the local
language?
Couples
Do the leader and co-leader
have a significant personal
relationship?
Private trips
Do either of you lead trips that
are private - not sponsored by
the AMC?
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below:
Executive summary
Please provide a brief
description of the trip and the
activities planned.
We will be staying at two locations. Windy Hill Resort is in in San Ignacio near the
Guatemala border. This region is rife with caves, Mayan ruins and is close enough to
Guatemala to do a day trip to Tikal, which we plan to visit. Besides the wide cultural
choices there are options for cave canoing, easy hikes, horseback riding, river canoing
and cave exploration. The resort provides guides licensed by Belize tourist board for all
activities. In addition, water activity guides are separately qualified as are cave tour
operators. There will be 2 half-day activities, as well as a free time. The second
location, Jaguar Reef Resort, is located on the Caribbean Sea, where people can go
snorkeling, biking, sailing, kayaking or relax on the hammock with a good book. On
free times the leaders plan to offer visits to town to explore, see the Mennonite farmer's
market, possibly take in another local ruin or simply walk the property trails.
Windy Hill Resort, San Ignacio, Cayo Distrct, Belize in small cottages with bath (2 per
unit, possible to put 3 in the largest units) for 6 nights and 3 nights at Jaguar Reef Resort
in Hopkins, Belize. (2 per unit and possible to put 3 if necessary)
All meals provided by Windy Hill and Jaguar Reef, although their menus offer limited
choices. They do serve vegetarian meals. The meals include dinner for the 15 th and
breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of the days, plus breakfast for the 24 th.
Yes
No
Co-leader: Yes
No
Leader: Yes
No
Not applicable:
Yes
No
If yes, please list who has agreed to be your back-up in case one or
both of you need to drop out. This is required for approval!
Yes
No
If yes, please note that you cannot advertise AMC and private trips
together unless there is a clear distinction between the two in any marketing
materials you send out.
LOGISTICAL DETAILS OF TRIP
Accommodations
Please describe your plan for
accommodation(s)
Meals
Please describe your plan for
providing meals
Permits or permissions
Does the trip require special
permits or permissions?
(required on many U.S.
federal lands and national
parks)
Special equipment
Does the trip require special
equipment?
Special experience
Revised 7/15/2016
If yes, please describe below what you will need to do to obtain them:
If no, please describe the process you went through to find out that they were not
required:
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of equipment and how you
will ensure that people know how to use it:
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what type of experience? Also describe
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 2 of 5
Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails:
Does the trip require special
skills on the part of the
participant?
Pre-trip activities
Do you plan to get your group
together before the trip for an
activity or social event?
Conservation, education and
recreation
How will this major excursion
meet the mission of the AMC?
www.outdoors.org/about/
mission.cfm
Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails Lynn Matt
how you will ensure that the participant has this experience?
However, since there are several water activities will inquire about swimming skills of
all participants and require life jackets for all of them (they are provided by guides).
Yes
No
If yes, please describe below what you will do:
While providing a wide variety of physical activities, it will be a very rich educational
and cultural experience in terms of exposure to the Mayan civilation and their wonderful
descendants. Having local guides makes all the difference.
TOUR OPERATOR AND GUIDE SERVICE INFORMATION
Will this trip require a tour
operator or guide service
during part, or the entire
trip?
Name of tour operator/guide
service
Tour operator website
Safety record
Please provide information
about their safety record.
Insurance
Do they have liability
insurance?
Emergency response
Please describe the outfitters’
response plan in the case of an
emergency.
Yes
No
Please describe their services. If you are using a tour operator for the entire trip,
please describe why you will be using them rather than doing this trip on your own:
Although Windy Hill is not a guide service, I am providing their website below. The
"tours" they list are all available to the general public.
Windy Hill Resort is not a "guide service" per se. They are a resort who, like all other
resorts, uses individual licensed guides for activities that are stock in trade. For instance,
everyone who goes cave canoeing at Barton Creek does the same tour - all the water
guides do the same thing; they are required to by the managers of the cave.
www.windyhillresort.com and www.jaguarreef.com
No life threatening injuries have ever occurred at their facility or on any of their
activities, I have been told. The resort was opened in 1987, is family run and the owners
live on the property.
Liability? Yes
No
Maximum amt: $
Are they willing to list AMC as an
Yes
No
additional insured?
All guides have basic first aid training and carry first aid kits in vehicles. In addition,
there is a licensed nurse on the resort staff.
RISK ASSESSMENT
Please assess the risks and hazards of your trip. Carefully consider each area of risk and how it may affect your trip.
Devise a plan to prevent each hazard and to respond to it if it becomes necessary. Please be very specific for each section
if applicable.
Trail conditions, river crossings, weather, wildlife (bears, snakes, etc.)
Climate/terrain
Potential hazards
Although this is the dry season, there is still the potential for high water in rivers and
rain. There are ablso snakes and poisonous insects, and mosquitos may carry malaria.
Response
Water activities will not be conducted if water is too high; other activities can be
substituted. Leader and guides will provide guidance about avoiding snakes and insects,
what poisonous ones look like, and what to do if bitten. There is a clinic in San Ignacio
which carries the anti-venom. Will strongly advise participants to obtain anti-malarial
drugs prior to trip and will remind frequently to apply repellant.
Political concerns, crime, language translation, terrorism
Foreign Country
Potential hazards
Country is politically stable; however petty crime is still common, and it is always wise
to be cautious in rural remote areas. For daytrip to Guatemala, we will have Belize as
well as Guatemalan guide.
Response
Warn group about safeguarding passports, money and credit cards; monitor for unusual
Revised 7/15/2016
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 3 of 5
Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails:
Transportation
Potential hazards
Response
Participants
Potential hazards
Response
Other
Potential hazards
Response
Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails Lynn Matt
crime activity against tourists in advance, particularly Guatemala. Only travel with
guides in remote areas.
Road conditions, drivers, insurance
We will not be traveling on roads in poor condition, although many are dirt or gravel.
Level of fitness, screening concerns, experience with equipment or activity
Poor swimmers who do not admit to their lack of expertise; non-riders for horseback ride
Require life vests for all water activities; gentle horses suitable for non-riders are
plentiful. Another activity can also be provided for non-riders if they wish.
Conditions unique to this type of trip
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Please describe your plans for dealing with emergencies. Use as much detail as possible, and list any special
communications equipment you may need to ensure the safety of your participants. DO NOT LEAVE THIS SECTION
BLANK
Leader will have participant emergency contact and medical information with her at all
Emergency communication
Phone contacts, language,
times.
documentation, distance from
emergency services
Leader and guides carry first aid equipment; there is also a nurse on the premises at the
Emergency equipment
What sort of emergency first
resort. Cell phone service is excellent in Belize and both leader and guides will carry
aid or communication
one.
equipment (satellite phone,
two-way radios) do you plan
to use, if any?
We will never be more than an hour from a primary road
Evacuation
Please describe your plan for
evacuation from the
backcountry location if
applicable?
San Ignacio Hospital, 501-92-2066. This is a full service though small hospital. Major
Medical care
Please describe the medical
surgeries are performed in Belize City hospital, 2-1/2 hours distant by road. There is a
care available in the area(s)
small airport in San Ignacio which can expedite emergency care.
where you will be traveling
and list names and telephone
Dangriga Hospital is located 30 minutes from the town of Hopkins, in the town of
numbers for these facilities.
Dangriga, - 501-32-2084.
COST AND BUDGET DETAILS
Foreign currencies
For int’l trips list each foreign
currency, the current $US
dollar exchange rate and what
contingencies you have if that
rate changes. If a tour
operator or agent is being
used, what currency is the
agent to be paid in?
Deposits
What deposits will be required
by airlines, hotels, tour
operators, etc., and when?
Revised 7/15/2016
N/A; US dollars are accepted.
Flights will not be booked until minimum number is reached; Windy Hill Resort requires
50% at time of booking and other 50%, 30 days prior to arrival. They did say that they
would hold the bookings until April and I should pay the 50% then. Full refund will be
given on 61 days prior to arrival, which will be November 14, 2010. Jaguar Creek
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 4 of 5
Belize Wonders: Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails:
Refunds
What is the latest date you can
cancel and still receive a full
refund?
Participant deposit
What are the initial deposit
and your schedule of
payments?
Cancellation policy
What will your cancellation
policy be for the participants?
Minimum numbers
Will you still run the trip if you
do not get the minimum
number?
Reference web links:
MEC Home Page:
Forms:
Deadlines:
E-Mail Addresses:
Club House:
MEC Chair:
Revised 7/15/2016
Mayan Ruins, Caves and Jungle Trails Lynn Matt
requires $100/room to hold reservations and will refund 100% of the money if cancelled
121 days or more before the trip, which will be Sept. 14, 2010; then requires 100% of the
money with a list of participants 60 days before the trip.
My refund date is September 14th, 2010. I am requesting that people sign up for the trip
and pay the full amount of $3,195 by August 14 th. If they sign up for the trip after
August 14th, the cost of the trip increases $200 to $3,395. This is to encourage people to
sign up in a reasonable amount of time. They will be refunded this money if no costs
increase.
$850 initial deposit by July 1, then the balance on August 14th.
$100 non-refundable cancellation fee; thereafter $100 plus any monies spent on airline
tickets or non-refundable deposits, plus whatever is required to keep other participant
costs from increasing.
Yes
No
If yes, please describe conditions:
Windy Hill gives one participant at no cost if there are 15 paying participants. Jaguar
Reef does not give a discount.
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/application/
http://snebulos.mit.edu/orgs/amc/listings
cyout@outdoors.org
mecchair@amcboston.org
Major Excursions Trip Proposal Form, page 5 of 5