A Reef & Rainforest Family Adventure in Belize
Tour Introduction
This is truly a reef and rainforest family tour of exceptional value. Educate your children and yourselves by direct immersion in the lowland jungles and warm Caribbean waters of the small Central American nation of Belize, the only former British colony in Central America.
Stay in a small and friendly jungle lodge for three nights, then take a speedboat 15 miles out to sea to stay on a coconut palm-fringed coral island for five nights at the edge of the second longest barrier reef in the world.
Hike rainforest trails in search of monkeys, birds and other fascinating wildlife; marvel at ancient Maya ruins; learn about butterflies’ natural history; venture deep into the ATM cave system, culminating in an ancient Maya burial chamber; explore limestone caves by canoe; glide thrillingly down canopy zip-lines; go kayaking and paddle boarding; snorkel on colourful coral reefs; ejoy island hopping by boat.
All these experiences and more await adventurous parents and offspring who want to bond and commune with nature in the warm and sunny Neotropics at eminently affordable prices.
Full Itinerary
Met on arrival at Belize International Airport and transfer by road to a private reserve adjacent to the strict Tapir Mountain Reserve. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to try some of the included on site family activities. Perhaps take an evening walk to see nocturnal species found in the grounds.
Accommodation in Standard Cabanas. Upgrades to Birdwalk Cabanas might be available.
Staying at Pooks Hill. Includes Dinner.
Day at leisure. Perhaps walk the trails through the private jungle reserve with a lodge guide to learn about the local flora and fauna of the rainforest. In the afternoon float on inner tubes down the cool river or just enjoy swimming in a natural pool
Staying at Pooks Hill. Includes All Meals.
Day at leisure to enjoy included on site activities including early morning on-site birdwatching tour. Optional activities available include: zip lining, three-hour exploration of the amazing ATM cave, river canoeing into a cave mouth, visit of Xunantunich Maya archaeological site, visit the Maya Mountains.
Staying at Pooks Hill . Includes All Meals.
Pick-up and transfer by road along the scenic Hummingbird Highway to Dangriga. Connect with a 15-mile speedboat transfer to idyllic South Water Caye. Located right on the edge of the Belize Barrier Reef (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the 15-acre island is one of the most beautiful of all the reef cayes and is within a designated marine reserve with good snorkelling directly from the white sand beach.
Accommodation in Reef Crest rooms. Upgrade options might be available.
Staying at Pelican Beach Resort. Includes All Meals.
Day at leisure for swimming, snorkelling from the beach, paddle boarding, kayaking. Optional activities available include boat trips for snorkelling and visiting other islands along the reef.
Staying at Pelican Beach Resort. Includes All Meals.
Day at leisure for included and optional activities.
Staying at Pelican Beach Resort. Includes All Meals.
Day at leisure. Optional activities available.
Staying at Pelican Beach Resort. Includes All Meals.
Day at leisure. Optional activities available.
Staying at Pelican Beach Resort. Includes All Meals.
After breakfast, transfer by boat to Dangriga. Catch a domestic flight to Belize International Airport. Fly out.
Includes Breakfast.
Tour Accommodation
Pelican Beach Resort
Overview
One of only a handful of islands located on the edge of the Belize Barrier Reef (a World Heritage Site), the 15-acre island of South Water Cay is perhaps the most beautiful of all the inhabited reef cays and forms part of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Belize’s largest marine reserve covering an area of over 100,000 acres and considered to be one of the most biodiverse marine areas in the country.
Situated on the lovely southern end of the cay on a coral sand beach adorned with coconut palms, the hotel consists of a main wooden period building, Pelican’s Pouch (once a Convent for the Sisters of Mercy) with five rooms on top and a restaurant below plus five separate wooden cottages comprising eight units.
The accommodation is fairly simple and has been designed to have the lightest environmental footprint including solar power, captured rainwater and state of the art composting toilets.
There is excellent snorkelling right off the beach and diving can be arranged at a resort on the island or from the mainland: the reef drops off to 2000ft just thirty yards offshore allowing fabulous wall dives. The resort is owned by a prominent local family, the Bowmans, who once owned the entire island and others nearby; the food is excellent and the Belizean staff are very friendly and quietly efficient.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Five separate cabanas comprising eight units: Osprey’s Nest (two rooms, each with double and single beds, shared balcony) shared private dock, sea views; Heron’s Hideaway (for honeymooners, with dbl bed and sea views); Sandpiper Suites (duplex - one dbl, one dbl plus sgl, beach view); Egret’s Escape (first floor unit, dbl bed); Kingfisher Cottage (first floor unit with dbl bed, lagoon and beach views). All have composting loos and hot water showers. The main building, Pelican’s Pouch, has five large first-floor rooms, en suite toilet and basin, shared hot showers on ground floor, east facing verandah with hammocks, restaurant, bar, dining room with large deck. On the property are a boat dock, hammocks, canoes and Lazer sailboats for the use of guests.
Local Wildlife
Snorkelling for eagle rays, stingrays, nurse sharks, tarpon, corals, reef fish; Man ’O’ War Cay for large numbers of roosting magnificent frigatebirds and yellow-footed boobies. Around the island, pelicans dive constantly for fish, frigatebirds soar overhead and hermit crabs scurry along the beach, pure white and fringed by coconut palms. The island’s resident ospreys can be observed hunting for fish and tending their nest above the radio mast.
Optional Activities
Swimming, snorkelling (gear for hire), diving (no dive shop – tanks and gear can come from a mainland operator or nearby resort), canoeing, sailing, boating, birdwatching, bone fishing, drop-line fishing, kite surfing (bring your own gear), exploring the island (you can generally walk anywhere), visiting other islands, mangrove tour, relaxing in a hammock.
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
Air Conditioning
Rooms
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.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Flight Info:
Domestic flights within Belize included
Best Visited:
May to November
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.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
With budget firmly in mind we have based this tour on the entry level accommodation in each location. Should it be required, it might be possible to upgrade rooms: please ask for details.
As you must spend at least one night in Cancun, Mexico, or a city in the USA such as Miami en route to Belize, why not add an extra dimension to the trip by spending a few nights exploring another country before arriving in Belize.
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Really enjoyed eating traditional Belizian food and the variation between hotels. Every single member of staff we met was friendly, pleasant and helpful and we had a fabulous time. The holiday itinerary fulfilled out brief and our expectations – a big thank you for that.
