Belize, Wildlife Tours

Beautiful Belize on a budget

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Tailor-Made Tour
12 Days
From 1450
Birding
Snorkelling and Diving
Budget

Tour Introduction

12 Days from  1450 per adult. All trip details below can be tailored just for you

Offering excellent value, this Belize budget holiday affords the opportunity to experience in depth three of the country’s main natural habitats – savannah wetlands, rainforest and the barrier reef – while staying in pleasant yet reasonably-priced accommodation.

Full Itinerary

Price from  1450 per adult. Based on sharing double / twin rooms
Day 1
Arrive in Belize

Fly to Belize International airport. Met on arrival at the airport and transfer by road west to Pooks Hill Lodge. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or enjoy some of the optional activities available including guided birding walks among the excellent rainforest. Keel-billed Toucans, Collared Araceris, and Howler Monkeys are common on the property.

Staying at Pooks Hill. Includes All Meals.

Day 2
Tapir Mountain Reserve

Optional activities on and offsite are available : guided birding walks among the excellent habitat particularly renowned for bird life. Explore Mayan ruins.
Kayak rivers. Explore cave systems.

Staying at Pooks Hill. Includes All Meals.

Day 3
Tapir Mountain Reserve

Day at leisure. Optional: guided birding walks, cultural visits to a caves or Mayan ruins to observe wildlife.

Staying at Pooks Hill. Includes All Meals.

Day 4
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Transfer north by road to the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, a vast assortment of swamps, lagoons and waterways making an excellent wetland habitat particularly renowned for bird life including osprey, snail kite, heron, egret and the magnificent jabiru stork. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure or do an optional activity.

Staying at Birds Eye View Lodge . Includes All Meals.

Day 5
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Day at leisure. Optional tours include canoeing, riding, mountain biking, Maya ruins, Maya Mountain tour.

Staying at Birds Eye View Lodge. Includes All Meals.

Day 6
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Day at leisure. Optional tours include canoeing, riding, mountain biking, Maya ruins, Maya Mountain tour.

Staying at Birds Eye View Lodge. Includes All Meals.

Day 7
Ambergris Cay

Transfer by road to Belize City and catch scheduled flight to San Pedro, Ambergris Cay. The palm tree covered island is located on the famous Belizean barrier reef with good diving and snorkelling offshore where the reef meets the open ocean creating good wall dives and a mix of reef and pelagic species. Close to the island is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and behind the island is a large shallow lagoon where manatees can be found.

Staying at Sunbreeze Hotel . Includes Breakfast.

Day 8
Ambergris Cay

The palm tree covered island is located on the famous Belizean barrier reef with good diving and snorkelling offshore where the reef meets the open ocean creating good wall dives and a mix of reef and pelagic species.

Free day for optional activities including diving/snorkelling on Hol Chan Marine Reserve, diving the canyons and caverns and other sites, sailing on a catamaran, a trip to Caye Caulker, paddleboarding or cycling around the island.

Staying at Sunbreeze Hotel. Includes Breakfast.

Day 9
Ambergris Cay

Free day for optional activities including diving/snorkelling on Hol Chan Marine Reserve, diving the canyons and caverns and other sites, sailing on a catamaran, a trip to Caye Caulker, paddleboarding or cycling around the island.

Staying at Sunbreeze Hotel. Includes Breakfast.

Day 10
Ambergris Cay

Free day for optional activities including diving/snorkelling on Hol Chan Marine Reserve, diving the canyons and caverns and other sites, sailing on a catamaran, a trip to Caye Caulker, paddleboarding or cycling around the island.

Staying at Sunbreeze Hotel. Includes Breakfast.

Day 11
Ambergris Cay

Free day for optional activities. Why not take a day trip to Altun Ha Maya Ruin by boat and car, or do some manatee watching?

Staying at Sunbreeze Hotel. Includes Breakfast.

Day 12
Belize City

Fly back to Belize City and check-in for your international flight home.

Staying at On plane. Includes Breakfast.

Tour Accommodation

Belize West Belize

Pooks Hill Jungle Lodge

Overview

A small, friendly, unpretentious jungle lodge – one of our clients’ most popular – adjacent to the strict Tapir Mountain Reserve and owned and run by the same family for over 20 years. It retains its original low-key ambience and enjoys a spectacular position on a ridge above Roaring Creek river. The lodge is built in an ancient Maya plaza which has been lovingly restored.

The lodge’s own 300 acre private rainforest reserve is listed with the Belize Association of Private Protected Areas and is a natural extension of the neighbouring 6,700 acre Tapir Mountain Reserve strict reserve, expanding an important widlife coridor connecting the reserves of the south of Belize.

There are private trails leading to the river where you can enjoy river tubing. The reserve is home to over 300 species of bird as well as many of Belize’s mammals with tapirs and jaguars being occasional visitors.

Swimming Pool
No
Air Conditioning
No
Rooms
11
Facilities

Eleven thatched cottages including two Birdwalk cabanas (No.10 & 11) accessed by walkway below the main lodge, which are the largest and most private of the rooms. The others are standard cabanas dotted around the grounds. Restaurant, bar/lounge area with small library; on-site naturalist birding guide; private reserve with trails; hot water; PC available free in the office.

Local Wildlife

Mainly birds, including rare hummingbirds which feed on the flowering trees in the gardens. Excellent birding can be had in the lodge grounds during the early mornings.

Optional Activities

Canoeing; butterfly farm; Tikal (Guatemala) excursion; Xunantunich Maya ruins; zip-lining; horse riding; excursion to nearby ATM cave – a real adventure with three hours of swimming, wading and walking through a remarkable cave system revealing many weird stalactites and, at the end, a spooky Maya ceremonial chamber with pottery shards and petrified skeletons.

Belize North Belize

Birds Eye View Lodge

Overview

An unpretentious, simple Belizean-owned lodge situated in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and catering to birdwatchers and nature lovers for over 14 years. Possibly the best birding in Belize is found here.

Swimming Pool
No
Air Conditioning
No
Rooms
20
Facilities

Restaurant with two dining rooms (indoor and patio), lounge with wi-fi and TV

Local Wildlife

Over 300 bird species, including jabiru and wood storks, glossy ibis, roseate spoonbill, osprey and, surprisingly, southern lapwing, which is a native of Chile

Optional Activities

On site: birding by boat at dawn on Crooked Tree lagoon, horse riding, canoeing, nature walks. Half-day tours off site include Lamanai, Altun Ha, La Milpa and Xunantunich Maya sites, Baboon (howler monkey) Sanctuary and Belize Zoo.

Belize Barrier Reef and Coral Cays

Sunbreeze Hotel

Overview

The coconut palm-covered island of Ambergris Caye is located on the northern end of the Belize Barrier Reef, famous for great Caribbean diving and snorkelling. A short distance offshore, where the reef meets the open ocean, there are excellent wall dives and a mix of reef and pelagic species. Closer to town is Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark and Ray Alley, leeward is a large shallow lagoon where manatees can be found. The small town of San Pedro has a lively, friendly atmosphere and a variety of bars and good restaurants serving fresh seafood, including lobster, and other local dishes.

Although conveniently situated on the southern edge of the main part of town, the hotel is nevertheless quite quiet and benefits from a swimming pool, sea frontage, restaurant, bar and its own dive shop and jetty.

Swimming Pool
Yes
Air Conditioning
Yes
Rooms
43
Facilities

PADI dive school, restaurant, bar, freshwater pool, art gallery, massage studio and complimentary early morning coffee.

Local Wildlife

The diverse marine life of the Barrier Reef, including Shark and Ray Alley for close encounters with nurse sharks and large stingrays; watching the pelicans dive for fish.

Optional Activities

Paddle boarding, sea kayaking, reef visits by boat, snorkelling, diving, fishing & sailing.

Route Map

Departure Dates

This tour has no set departure date and can be tailored to suit your travel requirements. Contact us for more details.

Travel Information

Are International Flights Included?

No. Please contact us for a quote if required.

Flight Info:

British Airways via Atlanta

Best Visited:

January to May

Are you ATOL Registered?

Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.

Claire Pote

Area Specialist

If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965

The holiday [to Belize] was superb! The support and advice from Reef and Rainforest [and your consultant] was excellent and the help given to change our flights was much appreciated.

Mr M F - Worcester