Travel to Belize: Belize Family Vacation

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Belize Family Vacation

			Read a Trip Review DAYS: 9 GRADE: I, Active family adventure define PRICE: From $2350 per person (Includes Local Air) HIGHLIGHTS: Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve Caribbean Beach and Reef Rainforest canoeing Xunantunich ruins Cave exploration ACCOMMODATIONS: Hotels/Lodges MEALS: As noted  [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch,   D-Dinner] Prices, Departure Dates and Included Services Send to a Friend Print this Itinerary

Wild and friendly Belize is an exciting land of discovery and adventure; perfect for a family vacation. Travel through this small Caribbean country experiencing Creole, Maya and Garifuna (African) culture. See amazing wildlife with one of the best naturalist guides in country. Watch for iguanas as you paddle the Macal River, take a dip in the Blue Hole, learn about nocturnal rainforest wildlife on a night walk, and imagine life in ancient times exploring the Maya ruins of Xunantunich. Relax at a Caribbean beach lodge with time to snorkel the calm, clear waters of the Barrier Reef, inner tube float and hike through an incredible cave system with Maya relics and explore the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve. Accommodations include comfortable thatched cottages and beach-front cabanas.

Our naturalist guide is an expert at introducing you to the rainforest wildlife

DAY 1 :  ARRIVE IN BELIZE
Upon arrival at the Belize International Airport receive a warm welcome from our guide. Get your first glimpses of Belize as you depart Belize City and head for the mountains of the Cayo District. The two hour ride takes you deep into the jungle of the Cayo and to Black Rock Lodge, the perfect base for beginning to experience Belize. Surrounded by the Maya Mountains and located high above the Macal River, you'll have beautiful views from Black Rock Lodge. The surrounding 250 acres of private rain forest is teeming with life and with only 12 cabanas the lodge has a personal feel. Ten months out of the year the lodge generates 100% of its power from the sun and a local stream that comes gushing down the mountain side. Get to know other travelers while enjoying a three-course dinner around the common table and taking in the commanding view of the Macal River making its way through the jungle valley. Overnight Black Rock Lodge.  [D] 

DAY 2 :  BARTON CREEK CAVES
Deep into lush, protected rainforests protected by a rural Mennonite community we reach the entrance to the Barton Creek Cave system. Equipped with canoes and high powered lights we gently paddle into the Xibalba (she-bal-ba), Maya for underworld amongst giant stalactites and stalagmites and impressive calcite crystal formations. Learn about the important of the cave underworld to the ancient Mayan people and the archaeological significance of this 7.5km limestone Cave system. Stop in at a local butterfly farm to see the many different varieties of butterflies and marvel and the beautiful indigo color of the Blue Morpho, one of Belizes treasured insects.  Enjoy the afternoon exploring the nature trails accessed exclusively from the lodge learning about medicinal plants, identifying tropical birds and playing in the pools and waterfalls in the reserve. Overnight Black Rock Lodge. [BLD]

	Green iguanas are challenging to spot in the trees lining the riverbanks as you canoe towards San Ignacio.

DAY 3 :  CANOEING AND EXPLORING XUNANTUNICH
Grab a paddle and set off to explore the nearby Macal River by canoe. With your guide's assistance become an expert at spotting birds, iguanas and other rainforest wildlife as you travel the river. Eat lunch before visiting the Maya ruins of Xunantunich or Maiden of the Rock. The dominant structure of this ruin rises 130 feet above ground with an excellent view from the top of the surrounding forest and the rest of the ancient city mapped out below. Explore the ruins picturing life in this once thriving ancient city as your guide brings history to life for all ages. Returning to Black Rock Lodge, savor another dinner surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest before packing your bags for the beach. Overnight at Black Rock Lodge.  [BLD]

DAY 4 :  OFF TO THE BEACH
Settle into the van for one of the most scenic drives in Belize as you travel along the Hummingbird Highway through the Maya Mountains to Hopkins on the Caribbean Coast. Stop at the Blue Hole, a crystal clear sinkhole fed by an underground stream, for a refreshing swim and lunch before arriving at the beach. Bid farewell to Sam and kick off your shoes, unpack and settle into your beach cabana, your home for the next 5 nights. The lodge features hardwood, traditional materials such as bay leaf thatch, ceramic tiles, wonderful ocean views and pristine white sand at your doorstep. Take a dip in the gentle ocean water or one of the swimming pools or simply relax in a hammock under the swaying palms and let your cares drift away. Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge or similar. [BLD]

Learning to snorkel is easy in the calm, shallow waters of Belizes cayes.

DAY 5 :  SNORKEL THE BARRIER REEF
Check out the strange coral formations and swim amongst a variety of brilliantly colored tropical fish as you explore the marine environment on a full day snorkeling and swimming adventure. Boat through a string of mangrove cayes, home to an impressive variety of marine life including angel and parrot fish, sergeant major, barracuda, eel and the occasional stingray or harmless nurse shark. Continue out to the Belize Barrier Reef, the longest unbroken barrier reef in the world. Your guide will swim along with you pointing out the dazzling array of tropical fish and brain and hydrocorals, sea fans, feather plumes, sponges and sea cucumbers. Enjoy a relaxing picnic lunch with plenty of time for beachcombing before further exploring the reef and returning to the lodge by mid afternoon. Don't forget the sunscreen! Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge or similar. [BLD]

DAY 6 :  FREE DAY!
Your last full day in Belize is yours to plan as much or as little as you like! Sleep late, lounge on the beach, swim in the pool, or borrow one of the complimentary kayaks and paddle the blue waters off shore. Hop on one of the lodge's bikes and pedal into the nearby village of Hopkins to experience Garifuna culture. Or bike 10 minutes to Iguana Lodge, Jaguar Reef's new outpost on the Sittee River. Explore the pristine river water by kayak looking for iguanas, manatees, crocodiles, turtles, parrots and parakeets. Or try your luck with the complimentary spin casting gear and fish the Sittee for grouper, snook, snapper, or tarpon. Complete the afternoon with a family game of bocce, badminton, cards or dominos. Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge or similar. [BLD]

DAY 7 :  RIVER CAVE EXPEDITION
Rise early for an unforgettable day combining an inner tube float trip with cave exploration. Catch a little more sleep on the hour drive into the heart of the Maya Mountains before hoping on a tractor cart for the ride through citrus orchards to the rivers edge. A short float trip carries you into a cave which opens into a massive cavern featuring underground waterfalls, limestone formations, and an incredible crystal cathedral chamber. Witness evidence of ancient Maya ceremonial sites and relics as you walk throughout the cave system. Relax and relish this adventure as expert caving guides and naturalists lead this exploration. No experience is needed since the trip does not involve technical caving. Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge or similar. [BLD]

	Howler monkeys provide a raucous soundtrack as you explore the preserve.

DAY 8 :  EXPLORE COCKSCOMB BASIN JAGUAR TOUR
Grab your hiking shoes and head out to explore one of the most beautiful nature reserves in Belize. The sanctuary which was established in 1984 as a preserve for the largest cats in the Americas, the jaguar, encompasses some 100,000 acres of lush broadleaf tropical forest. See Howler monkeys, Bairds tapir, numerous amphibian and reptile species and plenty of birds such as the endangered Scarlet macaw, Keel-billed toucan and King vulture as you walk the trails hoping to catch sight of an elusive jaguar. Return to the ranger station for lunch and to catch your breath before hiking to a waterfall. Plunge into a refreshing pool and have fun on the natural waterslides. Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge or similar. [BLD]

DAY 9 :  FLY HOME
Enjoy a last dip in the ocean and shake out the sand before packing up and boarding your short flight from Dangriga back to the Belize International airport in time for your international departure. (Local flight included.) Laugh about your good times on the way home and start planning your next family adventure! [B]

Note: There is a BZ$70 (US$35) airport departure tax that must be paid upon departure from Belize.

Questions? Ask Our Program Directors.

. C o n t a c t Jeff Stivers 1(800)345-4453