Name: Santa Elena Village

Ancestry: Mopan and Kek’chi Mayan Indian

Location: Toledo District Belize, Central America

Santa Elena, a small Mopan village of about 200 people, is ideally situated to allow the visitor to reach the spectacular Rio Blanco Falls, which have been granted national park status by the Government of Belize. Still in a pristine and undeveloped state, these falls and surrounding high canopy rainforest are a must for every visitor to interior Toledo district. This settlement, like Blue Creek, was previously known as Rio Blanco after the river and waterfall that runs next to the village. As more families moved here from San Antonio, a statue of Santa Elena was brought and the village name was changed. Today, 95% are Mopan with a small number of Kek’chi families.

Source: T.E.A. Eco Trail Booklet