FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. Where exactly in Mountain Pine Ridge is Kane Villas located?
A. Kane Villas is close to the Blancaneaux Line. We are located in between Blancaneaux Lodge and Gaia Riverlodge. We are exactly 1 mile from Big Rock Waterfall. Not all roads in the Reserve have names so it's easiest to use landmarks to describe our location.
Q. How close is Kane Villas to San Ignacio?
A. Kane Villas is only about 18 miles from San Ignacio and takes approx 40 minutes to drive. The main road, Chiquibul Rd, in Mountain Pine Ridge is currently being paved all the way to Caracol Archaeological Park. Road conditions are improving rapidly reducing the drive time. The Chiquibul Rd from the Western Highway all the way to the Blancaneaux Line (where you turn to get to us) is fully paved. And, the road from Santa Elena/San Ignacio to where it meets the Chiquibul Road is also fully paved.
Q. Why should I choose to stay in Mountain Pine Ridge instead of San Ignacio?
A. Mountain Pine Ridge is a protected Forest Reserve with tons of opportunities for adventure and exploration. Many visitors that stay in San Ignacio end up coming to Mountain Pine Ridge for a day. Some of the attractions include: Caracol Archaeological Park, Big Rock Waterfall, Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and 1000 ft Falls. Also close by is Barton Creek Cave, Ziplining and Horseback Riding. Bird watching is also a highlight of our property as well as the Mountain Pine Ridge area in general.
Many of our guests also go on lots of adventures outside of the Forest Reserve. For example, the ATM Cave, Cave Tubing, Belize Zoo, Xunantunich, the Inland Blue Hole and so on. Regardless of where you stay, many of the adventures in the Cayo District require a drive because "adventure tourism" is never just off the highway! The most beautiful sceneries and adventures always require a bit of a trek!
Please inquire about tour company and shuttle recommendations.
Q. Is there WIFI?
A. Yes, we have high-speed WIFI (installed April 2021). If you see reviews before April 2021 that mention poor WIFI, please note that we have now upgraded. WIFI is available in all of the villas on the property.
Update as of Aug 2023 - our WIFI is extremely reliable, and we haven't had any problems at all. It maintains its fast speed and connectivity. We've had many guests who have worked remotely from the property.
Q. Caracol.....tell me more about that?
A. Caracol is an ancient Mayan archaeological site located in the Chiquibul Forest. In order to access the ruins you have to drive through Mountain Pine Ridge. It is actually the largest ruins in all of Belize and one of the largest in the Mayan World. It also boasts the tallest structure in ALL of Belize - Ca'ana. With all that being said, it is also one of the least visited archaeological sites in the country because of its remote location.
Many visitors that stay in San Ignacio find it a bit too far and opt-out of visiting Caracol. The beauty of staying at Kane Villas is that you've cut out half of the drive - Caracol is about one hour from the property. It is the most beautiful ruin (in our opinion!) in the country!
Q. Where are the closest store and gas station located?
A. There aren't any stores in Mountain Pine Ridge. Please plan accordingly and bring what you need. The closest village, San Antonio, has a couple of stores should you need last minute or extra supplies. San Antonio is 8 miles from the property, so about 1/2 way between Kane Villas and San Ignacio. Also, fill your gas tank before you begin your journey into the Forest Reserve. There is a small gas station in San Antonio but it is better to fill up in San Ignacio, or on the Western Hwy if coming from Belize City/Belmopan/Southern Belize.
Q. Are there any restaurants in the area?
A. Yes, there are a couple restaurants that are open to the public: Gaia Riverlodge (0.5 miles from the property), Blancaneaux Lodge (~ 2 miles away). Gaia Riverlodge is only open to children 10 years and older; Blancaneaux welcomes guests of all ages.
Q. What is the weather like?
A. Belize’s climate is tropical all year long, so there will be sunny days and rainy day, as well as a combination of both. June to November is the Caribbean hurricane season and more showers are to be expected. We cannot predict the weather, therefore it is advised to be prepared for hot days, rainy days and even cool days. It can be cool at times in the mountains between November and March, particularly at night, so it is recommended that you bring a jacket, long sleeve shirt and pants.
Q. Do I need to rent a 4x4 vehicle?
A. The short answer....yes!
The long answer....
The main road in Mountain Pine Ridge is currently being paved and road conditions are improving rapidly. Side roads will remain unpaved and can become muddy and bumpy during rainy season.
If you are visiting between the months of June - February do rent a 4x4 vehicle. Crystal Auto Rental is a local, reputable company with excellent vehicles and great rates. You can book directly through their website, www.crystal-belize.com, and they have an office located at the International Airport in Belize City allowing for easy pick-up and drop-off.
DO NOT bring a sedan type vehicle to Mountain Pine Ridge. Your vehicle should always be, at least, an SUV or truck with higher clearance than a regular sedan.
Q. What makes Kane Villas a vacation rental property and not a hotel or resort?
A. We don't offer the same services as a hotel or resort, such as front desk, restaurant or daily housekeeping. All of our units have full kitchens, which allow our guests to save money by preparing their own meals. We do provide extensive starter kits (toilet paper, shampoo, body soap, hand soap, dish soap, paper towels, coffee, tea, sugar, powdered milk, salt, pepper, tin foil and purified drinking water) to help guests get through at least a 5 day stay, but any group that stays beyond 5 days, or uses more than average of any of the listed items, needs to plan accordingly. We do not supply our guests in unlimited quantities as we strive to keep our costs down allowing a broader range of visitors to come to the region.
We provide towels, linens, blankets, dish towels. Our kitchens are also fully stocked with dishes, cooking utensils, pots and pans.
We DO NOT offer any type of laundry service on the property.
Q. Are there televisions in the rentals?
A. All 3 rentals on the property have 50" SMART televisions. The Netflix App, Amazon Prime App, YouTube App, among others are available. Guests need to have their own accounts to access the content on all APPs that require a subscription.
Q. How are the bugs in Mountain Pine Ridge?
A. As with any tropical environment there are bugs. They affect everyone differently. Some people get bitten while others feel absolutely nothing! We recommend bringing insect repellent with you to any part of Belize. You can buy bug spray (OFF, Cutter) at most grocery stores in the country. It is usually kept behind the counter, so you have to may have to ask for it.
Q. Kane Villas is off-grid but two of the villas (Mango and Pua) have air conditioning - how does that work?
A. We have a large solar system that can handle the electrical output necessary for air conditioning units. We also have a 20kw back-up generator that starts automatically when needed. We have power 24/7. We do ask our guests to be mindful of their electrical consumption and we ask guests staying in the Mango Villa and Pua Villa to ALWAYS turn off the A/C when leaving the villas.
We are also the only accommodations in Mountain Pine Ridge with air conditioning.
Q. Are personal pets allowed on the property?
A. No, we do not allow pets on the property. We ask guests to respect this choice. If a personal pet is snuck in we will charge an extra cleaning fee of $100 usd.
SUGGESTED PACKING LIST
- breathable clothing
- swimwear
- closed-toe shoes & socks
- sandals
- water bottle
- sunscreen
- hat
- camera
- insect repellent
- head lamp if you have one (they are provided on the tours where needed, however it can be nice to have your own)
- long sleeve pants and shirt; the nights and morning can be cool in the mountains
- first-aid items (we provide a kit in your rental, however you may want to bring extra or favourites)
- binoculars
- book/journal
- all necessary prescription medications
