Belize Wildlife Holiday

This fantastic itinerary offers the opportunity to try and spot a variety of wildlife by visiting a range of different ecosystems in Belize including rainforest, savannah, coastal mangroves and coral reefs. You will stay at two of the best wildlife and birding lodges in the country and at a small island eco-resort right atop the barrier reef.

Starting your trip at Lamanai Outpost Lodge you will have the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife such as howler monkeys and toucans and many river birds such as Jabiru storks and kingfishers on night walks, sunrise canoeing trips and night spotlight river safaris. You then head deeper into the rainforest to stay at the remote Chan Chich Lodge in the Gallon Jug Reserve, an area with the best chance of seeing wild cats in Belize including jaguar, margays and pumas although sightings are rare.

Next head out to the island of Ambergris Caye to snorkel the famous Hol Chan Marine Reserve where a natural cut in the reef brings a variety of fish species, shoals of grunts and snapper, nurse sharks, stingrays and green turtles. Optional tour to spot west indian manatees in the Caye Caulker Sanctuary.

Then take a few short propeller hop flights down to the middle coast of Belize to stay in the Garifuna village of Hopkins and enjoy a guided hike of the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Reserve before heading out to the island of South Water Caye which sits atop the barrier reef and you will stay at a small island eco-resort where you can snorkel from the beach, and also enjoy guided snorkel trips by boat to nearby patch reefs. View a variety of hard corals here including magnificent stag and brain corals, and swim among spotted eagle rays and parrotfish. Watch the sunset and the pelican's diving from your over the water cottage.

*Between the months of November and March a visit to Red Bank from Hopkins is recommended to see the Scarlet Macaws. **Upgrade to luxury Ray Caye resort off the coast of Placencia that has spectacular reef around the island.

Day to Day

Below is an example day by day itinerary

Day 1

Overnight at airport hotel in US

Day 2

Met on arrival and transferred by minibus and then riverboat along New River to Lamanai Outpost Lodge spotting birds and wildlife along the way. Your choice of two standard activities per day which could include sunrise canoeing on lagoon, spotlight night river safari, night walk, early morning birdwalk, guided tour of nearby Lamanai mayan ruins. Overnight at lodge (D).

Day 3

Your choice of two standard activities per day which could include sunrise canoeing on lagoon, spotlight night river safari, night walk, early morning birdwalk, guided tour of nearby Lamanai mayan ruins. Overnight Lamanai Outpost Lodge (BLD).

Day 4

Depart by 4x4 to Chan Chich lodge which is in remote rainforest location in the Gallon Jug Reserve. Enjoy unlimited onsite guided walks around the extensive onsite trails or guided vehicle tours. You may see howler monkeys and spider monkeys, coatimundis and agoutis. Chances to spot many birds such as oscellated turkeys, trogons, northern potoo, toucans and parrots. If you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of a jaguar or puma, although sightings are rare. Overnight Chan Chich Lodge (BLD).

Day 5

Unlimited guided walks and vehicle tours at Chan Chich (BLD).

Day 6

Unlimited guided walks and vehicle tours at Chan Chich (BLD).

Day 7

Depart on a small private charter plane to Belize City and then a 14 seater propeller plane to San Pedro town on the island of Ambergris Caye. Both flights will give you fantastic aerial views of the rainforest and barrier reef and will give you an appreciation of how sparsely populated Belize is. Embrace the hustle and bustle of San Pedro town knowing that the barrier reef is just 10 minutes by boat from the shore where reef fish and corals await. Overnight Xanadu island Resort.

Day 8

Guided snorkel trip to Mexico Rocks a site at the northern end of the island where beautiful purple sea fans, shoals of sergeant majors and many smaller reef fish such as puffer fish, blue tangs and parrotfish weave in an out of the corals. Overnight Xanadu Island Resort.

Day 9

Today you will take a guided snorkel tour of Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a protected area just 10 minutes by boat from San Pedro beach and where there is a natural cut in the barrier reef. The currents bring food for plenty of marine life and you may see shoals of french grunts, green turtles in the seagrass beds, moray eels, southern stingrays, tarpon, grouper and many more varieties of fish. Overnight Xanadu Island Resort.

Day 10

Fly back to the mainland this morning and fly on to Dangriga on the southern coast before being transferred in an air-conditioned vehicle to Hopkins an hour further south. Hopkins is a Garifuna village on the middle mainland coast and has a scenic setting on the beach, there a handful of shops and restaurants that serve both local dishes such as Hudut and continental cuisine. Overnight at Jaguar Reef Lodge (B).

Day 11

Day trip to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve. Jaguars are solitary animals and need large areas to roam especially when prey is scarce. The Cockscomb Basin Preserve forms part of a central american corridor protecting jaguars and although sightings are rare, the area has many hiking trails, waterfalls and includes the highest peak in Belize Victoria Peak. Overnight Jaguar Reef Lodge (B).

Day 12

Transferred in an air-conditioned vehicle from Hopkins village to Dangriga where you will take a boat to the island of South Water Caye to stay at Pelican's Pouch. Hopkins is approx. 1 hour south of Dangriga by vehicle and the boat trip takes approx. 45 mins to the island. Overnight at Pelican's Pouch (BD).

Day 13

Enjoy a guided snorkel to nearby patch reef and snorkel at your own leisure from the southern beach at Pelican's Pouch where you will see many fish as well as hard and soft corals. Relax on your balcony overlooking the sea or in one of the hammocks on the beach. Overnight Pelican's Pouch (BLD).

Day 14

Day at leisure to relax in your natural surroundings, snorkel from the beach, watch Pelican's dive over the reef crest. Overnight Pelican's Pouch (BLD).

Day 15

Depart the island early by boat and transfer to Dangriga airstrip where you will fly in a propeller plane back to Belize International Airport in time for your international flight back to UK via the US. Trip ends.