Environment & Culture in Belize
Fall 2022
Adventurers, take notice: Jungle hikes, Mayan ruins, zip-lining, and all-out discovery ahead. From rolling green hills to the ocean floor, Belize’s rich biodiversity will be all around you. Learn how humans have interacted with this natural beauty by trekking to the ruins of Lamanai and Tikal, and feel closer to our animal ancestors as you snorkel in Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan marine reserve.
Tour Highlights and Details
Sightseeing tours led by an expert, licensed local guide of the following:
- Tikal Archeological site
- Jungle hike
Entrances included to the following sites:
- Lamanai Ruins
- Old Sugar Mill
- Ziplining Nohucheen
- Cave Tubing
- The Mayan site of Nim Li Punit
- Introduction to the Reef Eco System
- Snorkeling in the Cayes
- Tikal
- Maya Cooking and Pottery Experience
- Belize Zoo
- Snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- Snorkeling in the coral gardens
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Belize
Meet your group and board your flight to Belize City.
Arrive in Belize City: Welcome to Belize. In Belize’s largest city, you’ll find an interesting mix of Caribbean charm and eclectic culture. Belize achieved independence from Britain in 1981 and attracts visitors to its famous Barrier Reef, rainforests, and Mayan ruins.
Day 2: Belize City
Guided visit to the Lamanai Ruins
Travel by boat to the New River Lagoon, Belize’s largest body of fresh water which supports exotic birds, colorful fish and crocodiles.
“Lamanai” means “submerged crocodile” in the Mayan language, a fact you won’t forget as you discover crocodile carvings and artwork all over these ruins-some dating back as far as 1500 B.C. View three large pyramids, residential areas, some open plazas, and a ball court. Make sure to check out the views from both the spectacular High Temple and the Mask Temple, where tall stone faces are carved into the sides of the structure. Later, return to Belize City for the night.
Visit the Old Sugar Mill
During your journey through the jungle, you’ll come across the brick and wooden remains of a sugar mill that was imported from New Orleans. Now home to only the surrounding wildlife, the old mill has become almost entirely intertwined with the jungle.
Enjoy lunch in Lamanai.
Enjoy dinner in the Belize City region.
Day 3: Belize City | San Ignacio
Guided jungle hike
Depart Belize City for Peccary Hills National Park and its 10,000 acres of preserved rainforest. Explore rainforests crisscrossed with streams and caves once inhabited by the Maya as you trek through this tropical paradise with a guide. Look for tropical birds fluttering in the canopy, reptiles soaking in the sun and perhaps an old turtle making its way through a cool stream-it’s all part of an average day in Peccary Hills.
Zip-line tour
After your hike up to the jungle canopy, the zip-line platforms await. You’ll learn how to properly navigate a zip-line before being safely secured and traveling through the air. The view of the worlds below is truly breathtaking.
Cave tubing
Enjoy cave tubing and enjoy the cool waters within one of Belize’s many astounding cave systems.
Enjoy lunch at the Caves Branch Outpost.
Enjoy dinner in San Ignacio.
Day 4: San Ignacio | Tikal, Guatemala
Guided visit to Tikal
Cross into Guatemala and visit the ancient Maya site of Tikal. With an expert local guide, tour one of the largest Maya UNESCO World Heritage archaeological sites, noteworthy in its evidence of the decline of the Maya state.
Enjoy lunch.
Enjoy dinner in San Ignacio.
Day 5: San Ignacio | Ambergris Caye
Maya cooking and pottery experience
Enjoy a Maya cooking and pottery experience. Help make corn tortillas alongside local women and try your hand at crafting traditional Maya pottery.
Visit the Belize Zoo
Your visit to the Belize Zoo, opened in 1983 by U.S. naturalist Sharon Matola, may prove to be unlike any zoo experience you’ve ever had. The zoo has no moats, cages, or concrete platforms; all the animals live side-by-side in fenced-in areas of bush, forest, and riversides, allowing visitors to see them in their natural habitats. The Belize Zoo is home to 36 of the 100 species native to Belize.
Enjoy lunch in Belize City
Travel to Ambergris Caye
Return to Belize City, where you’ll hop aboard a ferry headed to idyllic Ambergris Caye, located just off the tip of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.
Enjoy dinner in Ambergris Caye.
Day 6: Ambergris Caye
Snorkeling at Hol Chan
The Ambergris Caye coastline is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef, a diverse ecosystem with over 500 species of fish, hundreds of invertebrates and over 90 varieties of coral identified. At Central America’s first marine reserve you’ll have the chance to discover it all for yourself. Enjoy snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley and discover colors you didn’t even know existed in the warm waters of the “little channel”.
Enjoy lunch in Ambergris Caye.
Spend time exploring Ambergris Caye on your own.
Enjoy dinner in Ambergris Caye.
Day 7: Ambergris Caye
Time to explore or enjoy the beach.
Spend the morning exploring Ambergris Caye on your own.
Snorkel in Coral Gardens.
See one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems up close when you explore parts of the Belize Barrier Reef with an expert local guide. Board a boat bound for Caye Caulker, and snorkel through the stunning Coral Gardens. Depending on the season, you could observe manta rays, tarpon fish, and nurse sharks. You may even spot the magnificent West Indian manatee—a protected species that can grow up to 13 feet long and weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds.
Enjoy dinner in Ambergris Caye.
Day 8: Depart for home
Meet your group and board your flight.
Depart for home: Transfer to the Belize City airport for your return flight.
Your Tour Director assists with your transfer to the airport, where you’ll check-in for your return flight home.
