Belize Wildlife Holiday

Land only clients arrive to Belize City and check-in at hotel.

Belize City was the capital of Belize until 1970 and is a typical Caribbean town. Parts of the town are still largely built of wood and galvanised iron, with many of the original colonial style houses in an elegant state of disrepair. There is also a canal system through the old part of town. Creole English is widely spoken.

(Clients on the group flight from London will spend this first night in the United States, usually in Miami)

Overnight Standard Hotel

This morning is free in Belize City. We then drive along the coastal road to pick up the people joining from London at the international airport, before stopping at the Community Baboon Sanctuary. Here we have a chance to watch troops of black howler monkeys swinging from the trees in their natural habitat. Later in the afternoon, we arrive at Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, where we settle down for two nights enjoying the hospitality of our local hosts on the shores of the Crooked Tree Lagoon.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Dinner

Rising early this morning or tomorrow morning, we explore the lagoon by boat. In this birdwatchers paradise we may spot wood stork, boat-bill heron, vulture, kingfisher, grebe, hawk, snail kite, jacana and, perhaps most notable of all, the rare jabiru – the largest flying bird in the hemisphere with a wingspan of up to 4 metres. We return to the lodge for breakfast and then set off by vehicle to the New River for the boat ride upstream to the 2000 year old jungle ruins of Lamanai. Water birds are abundant in the ancient rainforest cover and crocodiles may be spotted lurking along the river bank. Lamanai, the original name of these Maya ruins, means ‘Submerged Crocodile’, which helps to explain the numerous carved crocodile representations at the site. The ruins are located some distance off the beaten track and are still not reconstructed or cleared. We approach on foot following rough trails. The surrounding rainforest with its thick canopy of huge trees, and humid atmosphere adds an aura of mystery to the scattered and overgrown relics. A cache of children’s bones has been unearthed from beneath one of the stelae, suggesting that the Maya practiced human sacrifice here.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving our friendly lodge behind, we head for the Mayan site of Altun Ha. The city was probably first established some 2,000 years ago as a trading centre. Artefacts have been found which are similar in style to those of Teotihuacan in central Mexico. Its major structures include pyramids, palaces and plazas. The tallest structure, known as the ‘Temple of the Sun’, rises 18 metres above the plaza floor. The jade head of the Maya Sun God Kinich Ahau, one of Belize’s greatest national treasures, was discovered here. After visiting, we depart on the fairly long, but interesting, drive down the country through jungle and banana plantations to Placencia.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Surely one of Belize’s best beach spots, the Placencia peninsula is still beautiful, despite the damage caused by Hurricane Iris in October 2001. Today is left free for you to relax on the beach or to take an optional day trip. Both Silke Caye and Laughing Bird Caye are ideal places to swim and snorkel. The other option is to explore the Monkey River by motor launch, accompanied by a local guide. Although there is still some evidence of the hurricane, the community is working hard to re-build itself and you’re sure to find the relaxed atmosphere agreeable. We are happy to return to Placencia and see it as a positive contribution to the re-building work.

Overnight Standard Hotel

This morning we visit the Sanctuary at Cockscomb Basin. This is the world’s first and only jaguar reserve; the magnificent cats are a protected species here in their natural habitat and are no longer hunted as big game: however we would have to be extremely fortunate (and quiet!) to spot one. They can grow up to six feet in length and weigh some 159 kilograms. The reserve has a variety of other wildlife including jaguarundis, peccary, brocket deer and iguanas. Toucan, king vulture and scarlet macaw are among the resident bird species. We allow some time here to walk the trails and experience the forest. Driving on towards San Ignacio on the hummingbird highway, we can stop at the ‘other’ Blue Hole – a collapsed limestone cavern - for a welcome swim in fresh water.

Overnight Standard Hotel

San Ignacio, a traditional Belizean town, is an ideal place to base ourselves for the next couple of days. Straddling the Macal River which was once a critical transportation artery for the Maya and later the European settlers it is now a centre for many adventurous activities. Today we make a visit to the great classical Maya site of Xunantunich, Mayan for ‘Rock Stone Maiden’, perhaps for phallic or fertility reasons. We go by bus and then cross the Macal by traditional hand-winched ferry to arrive at the site. Occupied until about AD 850, the main plaza is dominated by an awesome structure called El Castillo – a massive pyramid which rises to 40 metres. On the top is a partially restored stucco frieze representing the Sun God and astronomical signs of the Moon and Venus. The superb view from the summit looks out over the forest with the Maya mountains to the south and the lowlands of Guatemala to the west. The afternoon is free for personal exploration or perhaps to go canoeing.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today is free to relax in town or take any one of the many optional day trips available. For history buffs we recommend a visit to the remote Mayan site of Caracol, the largest known Mayan complex in Belize, situated at the foot of the Maya mountains. The trip through the Mountain Pine Ridge area includes stops at beautiful waterfalls and pools for swimming as well as informative walks through the jungle. This area is all under threat from a dam-building project. Another possibility is to hire a canoe, either with or without a guide, and paddle along the Macal river, rich in birdlife, butterflies and iguanas.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Belize today we drive to Tikal, just over the border in Guatemala. Arriving at Tikal we spend the day exploring this great Mayan metropolis, which can justly be compared with Egyptian and Greek masterpieces. Initially settled about 600 BC, Tikal was abandoned by its rulers around AD 890 and totally deserted a hundred years later. The city covered an area of 16 square kilometres. Re-discovered in 1848, only a few of its great temples and pyramids have yet been excavated. Accessible by foot are a number of outlying and little known temples still covered by a tangle of undergrowth, and for those with a head for heights, the views from the temple tops out over the jungle and the hidden city below are mesmerising.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we rise to the sounds of the surrounding jungle coming to life. Unaccompanied, we have a chance to return to the site (optional) for a further exploration of the jungle encroached ruins. Later we return to Belize City by road, stopping along the way to visit the Belize Zoo & Tropical Education centre. The animals, which include Jaguar and Red Macaw, have all been rescued in one way or another: the first group had been used for filming documentaries. The Zoo is visted regularly by parties of schoolchildren and is instrumental in teaching Belizeans how to better appreciate their rich natural heritage.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Once a pirate lair, this tiny but enchanting tropical island lies 34km northeast of Belize City and about 1.6km inside the greatest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. The water taxi transfer takes about an hour and is a highlight in itself, speeding through the turquoise waters. The island remains uncrowded, and unluxurious, with relatively modest prices in restaurants and bars, owned and run by the friendliest of local people. The local fishermen produce lobster, conch, fish and crab to supply the domestic and foreign markets. Fresh seafood is readily available and lobster is the best buy when in season from Jun to Feb. There’s time to relax – our hotel has a ‘beach’, which is rare on the island – as well as to enjoy a number of optional trips. You may take a snorkelling trip out to the nearby Hol Chan Marine Reserve & ‘Shark and Ray alley’, or take a full day trip out to Goff’s Caye to observe the Manatees in their natural mangrove habitat. Scuba diving is also available. (all optional).

Overnight Standard Hotel

The next two days are left free to either relax or to participate in one of many of the optional activities available on the island.

Overnight Standard Hotel

Return mid-morning by boat to Belize City where the Land Only tour ends.

(Clients on the group flights to London transfer to Belize City International airport).