Best of Belize

Day 1

Welcome to Belize! After clearing Belize Immigration and Customs you will exit into the arrival area where our team will meet you. You will then be transferred to our hotel, where we will check in for four nights. We’ll meet as a group for introductions and enjoy a delicious welcome dinner as we get to know our road sisters on this trip. Umaya Resort is situated on the beautiful Maya Beach, just a few minutes from the quaint village of Placencia. Overnight Placencia.

Day 2

After enjoying breakfast we’ll board the van as we embark on a full day of adventure. We will start in Bocawina National Park, home of the longest zipline in Belize. Glide like a bird through the pristine rain forest canopy on this zipline with 14 platforms, and 9 different runs. Ziplining through this exquisite rain forest gives us some amazing, birds-eye views. Very exciting and SAFE certified. After lunch, we’ll discover the world’s only jaguar preserve as we hike through the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which has a total protected area of over 120,000 acres. This sanctuary is home to jaguarundis, margays, ocelots, pumas, deer, howler monkeys, and tapirs. Jaguar and other wildcats are nocturnal so it is unlikely that you will see them, but you can spot fresh tracks while hiking in the Belize rainforest. Our guides will lead you through several nature trails, including one ending at Ben’s Bluff which has spectacular views of the entire basin and leads to a waterfall. Cool off with a much-deserved swim and soak in the river, and depending on the water level we may be able to river tube! At the end of this fascinating day, we have the option to shop for souvenirs like baskets, clothing, and jewelry made in the village by local Mayas. We’ll transfer back to our hotel to enjoy dinner together. Overnight Placencia.

Day 3

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a day of interactive cultural immersion into the Garifuna culture. A short flight (included) brings us to their town where we’ll learn the interesting history, language, and enjoy the entertainment of drums, dances, and singing. This tour takes us back in time to the start of this resilient culture. We begin with the Garifuna Museum to explore the history and Garifuna heritage, understand their struggles and development as they thrive as an indigenous culture. Next, we’ll enjoy their drum playing, singing and dancing. This cultural immersion experience wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t participate in the music and merry making! Oh, the photos! The perfect end to our time here is to enjoy a cooking class with the most popular local traditional dish. Of course we’ll enjoy our delicious freshly made lunch.  We can also tour the town to best understand the Garifuna culture of today. We transfer back to our hotel, get cleaned up, have another fine dinner and share all the excitement from today. Overnight Placencia.

Day 4

We’ve been very active, so today we’ll enjoy a FREE DAY to do whatever we please. Let’s start with a leisurely breakfast and then decide what we feel like. We can explore the beautiful Maya Beach, the outdoor pool, or schedule a spa treatment (at Guest’s expense.) We can walk the short distance to town to mix with the locals, shop, and enjoy a relaxing day before we move on tomorrow. Overnight Placencia.

Day 5

This morning after breakfast, we’ll pack up and check out. We’re off to San Pedro on the southern coast of Ambergris Caye, Belize.  Our land transfer and a short boat ride brings us to our beach resort located on the beautiful island of Ambergris Caye, Belize in Central America. This was the inspiration for Madonna’s chart-topping hit, La Isla Bonita (The Beautiful Island) and it is easy to see why.  After our free day yesterday, we’re getting back into the adventure with a trip to Jaguar Paw for Cave Tubing. We’ll hike for roughly 10-25 minutes to the caves and then get ready for a tube ride that will reaffirm your sense of awe. Our guide will tow us as we float through mysterious limestone archways beckoning us into the mouths of centuries-old caves, holding untold stories of Maya rituals of worship and sacrifice. We’ll explore and learn about the many breathtaking formations designed by nature and learn about the ancient ceremonies that are a part of the Maya mystique and magic. We’ll head to our hotel for 3 nights, and enjoy dinner together.  Overnight San Pedro.

Day 6

After breakfast, we’re off on a day of snorkeling where we’ll swim among hundreds of fish species: blue tangs, horse-eyed jacks, colorful parrotfish, octopus, lobster, anemones, and many more, not to mention the impressive coral formations. Belize is known for its commitment to protecting the marine environment and the barrier reef, which runs from the top of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula south through Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. A short boat ride away, the prestigious Hol Chan Marine Reserve will be the first stop on our snorkeling adventure. After donning a snorkeling mask and fins, we’ll be ready to splash into the shallow, clear Caribbean waters to explore the amazing coral reef formations below. Thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, this area boasts a wonderfully healthy and diverse population of marine life, including 160 different species of fish, as well as larger creatures like sea turtles and stingrays. We’ll hop back aboard our boat for a quick ride over to Shark Ray Alley, a shallow channel in the reef where these two bottom feeders are found in abundance. Swim among gentle stingrays, with wingspans up to 4 feet, as well as harmless brown nurse sharks that can reach lengths of more than 9 feet. After getting our fill of these marvelous marine animals, we’ll be transported back to Ambergris Caye and our hotel for dinner.  Overnight San Pedro.

Day 7

FREE DAY! Why would we visit the Caribbean in the winter and not have free time on this beautiful island to do whatever we wish today. A leisurely breakfast, perhaps some exploration time in town, enjoy the beach and more, all at your own pace. We’ll meet back up for dinner and share stories! Overnight San Pedro.

Day 8

After breakfast, we’ll say farewell to our newest favorite place, and board our boat to transfer to Belize City and the airport for international fights home – or stay and play in beautiful Belize!

• 8 days/7 nights fully guided tour with an English-speaking Trip Leader and a US Canyon Calling Representative
• All transportation as outlined in this itinerary, including one roundtrip internal flight
• Beach hotels with your own room in 2-bedroom suites
• All meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on Day 8 (exception 2 lunches)
• All activities, excursions, and activity gear as outlined in this itinerary
• All activity guide gratuities
• All entrance fees and permits

• Transportation to and from Belize City, Belize (airport code BZE)
• Alcoholic beverages and items of a personal nature
• Gratuity to your Trip Leader at the end of the tour