A full day with snorkel stops on a small sailing catamaran. Your is Hol Chan Fish Reserve. This fish reserve has been in existence for many years and offers an incredible array of carol and sea life, including southern stingrays, eagle rays, turtles and myriads of other fish. After your snorkel at the fish reserve, you will sail to Caye Caulker, smaller more laid back version of San Pedro. Explore the island, have lunch at one of the local restaurants (not included) and return back to the sailing catamaran for your return. On your return you will stop at Shark/Ray Alley. This shallow sandy snorkel, around 8 feet deep, offers large numbers of southern stingrays and nurse sharks. Don't be frightened, they won't hurt you. Watch your guide feed the sharks and rays, try you hand if you are brave enough.
This trip begins with a pick up at your hotel dock. You will travel by boat through the inner islands, inside the reef. Your guide will stop and you will see the gentle manatees feeding off of the turtle grass. Sorry, you cannot swim with them, they are protected. After visiting the manatee, you will stop at Goff's Caye where you will snorkel right off this tiny little island. The island is actually part of the reef. Your guide will fix you a wonderful BBQ lunch. After lunch, you return back to San Pedro with another snorkel stop along the way.
A full day snorkel trip to Rocky Point on the north end of the island is a great way to see the northern part of Ambergris. This trip begins with a pick up at your dock and takes you inside the barrier reef between the reef and the island. Beautiful turquoise waters with shallow coral patches make for some excellent snorkeling. Your trip will include three snorkel stops and a beach BBQ before returning back to your hotel.
It's off early morning (5:30 a.m.) to The Blue Hole located in Lighthouse Atoll. Belize has three of the four atolls in the Western Hemisphere . The atolls are very different from one another. Your two hour boat ride takes you out into the blue and through the northern part of Turneffe Atoll. This atoll has hundreds of mangrove islands and is the largest of the atolls. You will then go back into the blue and across to Lighthouse Atoll. Lighthouse atoll has only five islands on it, all palm and sand.
The Blue Hole is right in the middle of the atoll. Your first stop is at the Blue, diver will dive but the rim of the Blue Hole is incredible snorkeling. After the Blue Hole dive, your boat will take you to Half Moon Caye, one of the most beautiful islands in Belize . This is a marine reserve as well as a sanctuary for the Red Footed Booby Birds, located in only two places in the world. Explore the island, climb the tower and watch the red footed booby birds at eye level. You will also have lunch on the island. After lunch, you will snorkel off of Half Moon Caye while the boat takes the divers out.
The boat will pick you up and you will return to San Pedro. You will have to pay a $5 entrance fee to Half Moon Caye when you go ashore. Full day tour of Lamanai Ruins begins with a pick up by boat at the dock of your hotel. You will be transferred to the New River, a beautiful jungle river that offers an abundance of wildlife. Your guide will point out monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas and birds such as tiger herons, boat billed herons, Great Blue heron, egrets and if you are lucky the wood and jabiru stork. The river opens up into a large lagoon and the Maya site of Lamanai is situated on the edge of the lagoon. Your guide will give you a full tour of the ruins and you will have lunch before returning back to San Pedro by boat.
Your tour begins with a pick up by boat at the dock of your hotel. The boat takes you back to the mainland and up the beautiful Belize River . Your boat drops you at a van that drives to the Jaguar Paw area for the Cave's Branch River system. You will hike 45 minutes through the jungle flat trail. You then begin your journey through the spectacular Cave's Branch caves. You will meander through a series of caves with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. Your driver will meet you at the other end and you will be have a tour of the Belize Zoo. Included are boat, guide, equipment, entrance fees and lunch.
Day One- Five: Be picked up at International airport and be transported to duPlooys Jungle lodge in the Cayo District. It is a two-hour drive to duPlooys. duPlooys is 8 miles off the highway in the jungle right on the Macal River . If your International flight arrives early enough, you can stop at the Belize Zoo on your way to the resort.
You will stay in a private room with private bath/private screened porch and two queen beds. Included on the inland portion are meals because you are so remote. You will spend four nights at duPlooys. Included is dinner the first night, three meals a day on non-travel days and breakfast on your final day.
You have your choice of three full day tours. Entrance fees are not included and they are listed next to the tours below and are per person. Tours to choose from include Mayan Ruins to Tikal ($70), Caracol ($25), El Pilar/Xunantunich/Cahal Pech known as Triple Ruins ($10). Cave trips are Barton Creek Cave ($5), Chechem-Hah Cave ($26 for 1 3 persons), Flour Camp Cave ($5), Aktun Tunichal Mucknal ($45). There are also jungle river canoe trips, horseback through the jungle, and natural history, medicine trails, butterfly farms and many more to choose from.
On your final day (day five) you can canoe from the lodge to San Ignacio Town, where a driver will meet you with your luggage and transport you to Municipal Airport in Belize City .
Day Five: After returning to Belize City , you will fly via small plane to San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye. Ambergris Caye is beautiful sand and palm island located 1/4 mile from the second longest barrier reef in the world. You will spend three nights at The Sunbreeze Hotel located right on the beach at the edge of San Pedro Town. This hotel is convenient for all restaurants, shopping and dive shops. Meals are not included in this portion because there are many restaurants to choose from and it is better to try different places and types The Sunbreeze is a nice hotel with large tiled rooms, two double beds, private bath, a/c, cable TV, phone, maid service and a fresh water pool.
Included are two snorkel trips or if you are divers, we will replace these with two days of diving:
A full day snorkel on a small sailing catamaran takes you to your first stop, Hol Chan Fish Reserve. This fish reserve has been in existence for many years and offers an incredible array of sea life and coral. The reserve is on the inside of the reef so you have nice smooth snorkeling but there is a large cut in the reef. The snorkeling goes from around 3 feet deep into the cut at 60 feet. Keep an eye out for southern stingrays, eagle rays and turtles coming in through the cut. After your snorkel at the fish reserve, you will sail to Caye Caulker. This little island is just a few miles south of Ambergris is very different. More of a backpacker destination, there are many small hotels and restaurants. Explore the island, have lunch at one of the local restaurants (not included) and return back to the sailing catamaran for your return. On your return you will also stop at Shark/Ray Alley. This shallow sandy snorkel, around 8 feet deep, offers large numbers of southern stingrays and nurse sharks. Don't be frightened, they won't hurt you. Watch your guide feed the sharks and rays, try you hand if you are brave enough. If you would like to know of more water sports activities that can be done in Belize such as scuba diving or fishing,please visit bzecotourism.org for more and also basic knowledge of Belize.
A full day snorkel trip to Rocky Point on the north end of the island is a great way to see the northern part of Ambergris. This trip begins with a pick up at your dock and takes you inside the barrier reef between the reef and the island. Beautiful turquoise waters with shallow coral patches make for some excellent snorkeling. Your trip will include three snorkel stops and a beach BBQ before returning back to your hotel.
Day eight you will fly via small plane from San Pedro back to International Airport .
Includes all accommodations, tax, service charge, transfers, tours and in country flights. Does not include International flights or meals except where stated or tips to guides.
Day One - A driver will meet you at the airport and transport you to Crooked Tree, a small Creole village for the true nature and bird lover. This beautiful wildlife sanctuary offers incredible birds that are not seen in other areas. The lagoon attracts all types of herons, kingfishers, hawks and during their season Jabiru Storks and Wood Storks. Cashew trees are numerous in Crooked Tree and most cashews and cashew products come from this region. This is also an area where you will find many log wood trees, as well as other hardwoods and lots of fruit trees. The beautiful lagoon is home to crocodiles, iguanas and other wildlife.
You will stay at a local hotel, right on the lagoon. The rooms are clean and comfortable and have two double beds, private bath with hot/cold, 24 hour electricity and fans.
Day Two - A full day tour to Lamanai Ruins begins early morning with a drive to The New River where you will meet your boat. Your boat takes you up the New River . This beautiful jungle river offers an abundance of wildlife. Your guide will point out monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas and much more wildlife. He will also point out an incredible array of birds, mostly water birds such as tiger herons, boat billed herons, Great Blue heron, blue heron, egrets and if you are lucky the wood stork and Jabiru stork. The river opens up into a large lagoon and Lamanai ruins is situated on the edge of the lagoon. Your guide will give you a full tour of the Maya site and you will have lunch before returning back to the road and van to return to your hotel.
Day Three - an early morning tour of the lagoon by boat with an excellent birding and naturalist guide. Return to the hotel for breakfast. a birding guide will pick you up and transfer you to, duPlooys Jungle Lodge in the Cayo District. Over 300 bird species have been recorded around duPlooys Jungle Lodge. They offer an incredible deck that sits right in the canopy. Blue Crowned Motmot, Rufus Tailed Hummingbird, Collared Aracari, White Fronted Parrots, Blue-gray and Yellow Winged Tanagers, Boat Billed Fly Catcher, Masked Tityra, Keel Billed Toucan are just a few that you may see here. duPlooys is also home to the Belize Botanical Gardens
Day Four - The Mountain Pine Ridge is a beautiful pine forest. Not only will you have the possibility of seeing these unique birds to this area, Rusty Sparrow, Rufus Capped Warbler, White Necked Jacobin, Orange Breasted Falcon, Harpy Eagle, you will also visit Rio Frio Cave and Rio On Pools. Be sure to bring your swimming suit for a nice cool dip in the beautiful granite pools.
Day Five - A full day with birding guide. This day is left open and will be determined at the time of your trip. You may visit a national park, a inland lagoon or an unexcavated Mayan Ruin. This day depends on the time of year you come and the best birding for your trip. This will also be based on what has been seen in different areas.
Day Six - after breakfast, your guide will transfer you to Placencia via the Hummingbird Highway . This is the most beautiful drive in Belize through the Maya Mountains . You will stop at the Cockscomb Basin (also known as the Jaguar Reserve) for a hike and birding stop before being dropped at your hotel on the beach in Placencia. You will stay two nights on the beach in Placencia. Placencia is a beautiful little village on a sandy peninsula and offers sandy beaches and a relaxed village atmosphere. There are numerous local restaurants to enjoy. You will stay in a private room with private bath, ac/ and on the beach.
Day Seven - relax and enjoy the beach and the village of Placencia . If you come at the right time of year, we will arrange a tour to see the scarlet macaws for an additional charge.
Day Eight - a drop at the Placencia airport and a flight, via small plane, back to International airport for your departure home.
Hopkins 3 night package
Hopkins is a Garifuna Village on the coast of mainland Belize with beautiful sandy beaches. There Garifuna drummers on most nights in the center of town. Anytime there are weddings, wakes, births or other celebrations, everyone is invited to join in. Since these are impossible to predict, you have to take your chances.
A 3-night package includes accommodations and tax in a private cabana at Hopkins, right on the beach. The cabana is clean and comfortable with a double bed, private bath w hot/cold, 24 hour electricity fans, small refrigerator and coffee maker. Continental breakfast is included.
You will also enjoy a typical Garifuna meal, cooked by a local Garifuna woman in her yard under a mango tree.
A local Garifuna guide will take you fishing for the day using a hand line. Bring your fish back into town to a local restaurant to have them prepare it for you.
Gales Point
Gales Point is a typical Creole Village . This beautiful village is located on the tip of a peninsula in the southern lagoon. The lagoon is home to many manatees and also is a nesting area for turtles. Local Creole families live in the village and you can wander around and explore and talk with locals. There are some small restaurants to stop and sample some of the food or have a cold beer and chat.
A 3-night package includes a room at a clean and comfortable hotel, right on the point with private room with two double beds, private bath, 24 hour electricity and ceiling fans. Meals are included in the package and local Creole women cook local foods at the hotel.
Also included are a drumming demonstration and one drum lesson on drum making (small bamboo finger drum) and unlimited use of canoes and a small sailboat to explore the lagoon. Birding is excellent in this area.
Transfers to and from International airport are included, one way will be by boat from Belize City or to Belize City through the lagoon and mangrove rivers with an excellent naturalist guide the other by road.
Crooked Tree
Crooked Tree is small Creole village for the true nature and bird lover. This beautiful wildlife sanctuary offers incredible birds that are not seen in other areas. The lagoon attracts all types of herons, kingfishers, hawks and during their season Jabiru Storks and Wood Storks. Cashew trees are numerous in Crooked Tree and most cashews and cashew products come from this region. This is also an area where you will find many log wood trees, as well as other hardwoods and lots of fruit trees. The beautiful lagoon is home to crocodiles, iguanas and other wildlife.
Included are three night?s accommodations at a local hotel, right on the lagoon. The rooms are clean and comfortable and have two double beds, private bath with hot/cold, 24 hour electricity and fans.
A full day tour to Lamanai Ruins begins early morning with a drive to The New River where you will meet your boat. Your boat takes you up the New River . This beautiful jungle river offers an abundance of wildlife. Your guide will point out monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas and much more wildlife. He will also point out an incredible array of birds, mostly water birds such as tiger herons, boat billed herons, Great Blue heron, blue heron, egrets and if you are lucky the wood stork and Jabiru stork. The river opens up into a large lagoon and Lamanai ruins is situated on the edge of the lagoon. Your guide will give you a full tour of the Maya site and you will have lunch before returning back to the road and van to return to your hotel.
Also included is an early morning tour of the lagoon by boat with an excellent birding and naturalist guide and a two-hour late afternoon nature walk with guide.
Your final day includes a transfer to and tour of the Baboon Sanctuary. Although the local name for these monkeys is Baboon, they are really Howler Monkeys. Entrance fee and guide are included.
Cayo District
The Cayo District is home to many Mayan Ruins, unbelievable caves and beautiful jungle rivers. This package is designed to see the modern Mayan, as well as visit ancient sites.
Included are three night accommodations in a private room with private bath in a jungle lodge, located 4 miles into the jungle form the main highway and right on the beautiful Macal River. Your room has two queen beds, private hot/cold bath, ceiling fans and private screened porch. The resort is run by generator and electricity goes off at 10:00. There are oil lamps in all the rooms and it is nice and cool in the mountains at night. This lodge has excellent birding and beautiful jungle surroundings. Accommodations, tax and service charge are all included. Dinner the first night, three meals on day two and three and breakfast on day four are also included.
Tours
A full day tour that includes the Mayan site of Xunantunich with an English speaking guide, entrance fees, lunch will be with a local Mayan Tour guide and his family at his home with typical Mayan foods and a stop at the Garcia Sisters gift shop for local slate carvings, Mayan medications and more.
Explore Flour Camp Cave by horseback or hiking. The hiking portion includes a trip by canoe from the cave area down the Macal River to duPlooy?s. A guided tour of the cave and entrance fees are included.
Final day includes a guided tour of the Maya Medicine Trail and Botanical Gardens. Not only will you learn about medicinal plants of the Maya, you will see a typical Mayan hut and how the early Mayan lived.
Thinking of retiring in Belize or moving to Belize ? This may be the perfect way to see if it's right for you.
Day One: Arrive at International airport and pick up a rental vehicle. You will drive inland to the Cayo District where you will have a small, one bedroom house in the jungle, right on the Macal River. This basic little one bedroom house is fully furnished with refrigerator, stove, double bed in the one bedroom and hot/cold bath. The owners are the only other people on this over 100 acre property called Toucan Bluff. Your little house has 24 hour 12 volt electricity and a 12 volt fan. No phones, no TV just relax and enjoy the country life and the sounds of the jungle.
It is not unusual to hear howler monkeys or jaguar upon occasion. This beautiful property is called Toucan Bluff for a reason. The keel billed toucans are an almost a daily occurrence. The property sits right on the Macal River with a nice sandy beach and a deep swimming hole. It's a 30 minute drive into town or you can drive to duPlooys Jungle Lodge or Chaa Creek in five minutes and have meals there.More Things to Do
You can explore on your own. You can visit the Mayan Sites, do cave tours that we can arrange in advance for you, rent a canoe or horseback ride at the nearby resorts. Chaa Creek offers a full spa, if you wish to pamper yourself.
Day Seven: After spending one week exploring the mountainous jungle region, drive to Placencia where you will spend one week in a small beach bungalow. This little modest bungalow offers a private beach, double bed, fully furnished kitchen, hot/cold bath and full access to the resort right next door with all the privileges of staying at the resort. The resort has a full restaurant/bar and a fresh water pool.
Explore the Cockscomb Basin on your own, go to Red Bank and see the Scarlet Macaws if they are in season, drive to Punta Gorda and see the very southern part of the country or we can arrange diving or snorkeling tours.
Day Fourteen: You need to leave early to arrive at International airport in time to check in your vehicle and make your flight. Or add another day or two onto your trip and visit the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary for a night or two.
The package includes car rental, 14 nights of accommodations, tax and service charge. Does not include rental vehicle insurance, fuel or any meals, insurance may be covered on your credit card check and if not, insurance is extra per day.