Claire and I were up early for this adventure, meeting in the lobby at 6:55am. The drive took approximately an hour and a half before we arrived at The Jungle Maya. During the drive, our driver/tour guide, Emilio, gave us an overview of our day. He told us about the Mayan family, who continue to reside at the Rancho San Felipe ranch, which is where we were headed. Plus, he explained that they are the keepers of the Nohoch Nah Chiich cave.
The Nohoch Nah Chiich cave is the entrance to the Sac-Actun underground freshwater river system. It’s the longest in the world at 137 miles. Within this freshwater river system are cenotes. The Mayans believe that many cenotes are sacred. They believe that they are pathways to gods.
Our adventure began with a traditional Maya purification ceremony led by a medicine man. The purification ceremony included each of the elements, in a special cave designed for this ceremony. One of the main aspect of the Mayan culture is the worship of the elements: water, earth, air and fire. It’s hard to put into words what this experience was like for me. I learned about the Mayan culture when I was in 5th grade, but I don’t remember much. It was fun getting to experience the culture first hand.