Itinerary

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DAY1 - SATURDAY: Arrive Belize City – Placencia

Arrive Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE), meet our representative who will escort you to the Tropic Air counter for your flight to Placencia. Upon arrival, get comfortable in our elegant hotel with ocean views and recuperate from your flight. Our rooms are each unique and decorated to enhance the sensory experience, and the peaceful village of Placencia is nearby if you wish to venture out and explore on your own. We will gather in the lobby in the early evening for a welcome drink to meet your tour manager and fellow travelers. We will proceed to the beachside restaurant for our delicious Belizean welcome dinner with Garifuna drumming and dancing, an Afro-Caribbean cultural heritage that is recognized internationally and under UNESCO protection. (B) 

 

DAY2 - SUNDAY: Placencia Day at Sea

This morning our adventure begins! We will embark on a speedboat that will take us around the many beautiful islands for a day of relaxation and exploration. We will have the day to swim and snorkel in the most pristine bays you can imagine and relax in the most beautiful beaches. We will enjoy lunch and sip our rum punch while we marvel at the sight of clear waters and dreamy islands scattered like shining jewels in the sea. We will return to our hotel in the afternoon with the rest of the day and evening at leisure. (B, L) 

 

DAY3 - MONDAY: Placencia – Garifuna Cultural Tour

Today we will be immersed in the Garifuna culture in the Hopkins Village where we will meet the locals and learn their way of life. We will dress ourselves in the traditional attire and learn how to cook a delicious dish, preparing it with homemade tools, the traditional way. We will enjoy this lunch and afterward have a drumming lesson and learn to play Garifuna rhythms from a passionate musician with more than 30 years of experience. Our last activity today will be swimming at the Mayan King waterfall, a lovely spot with sparkling fresh water. Contented with authentic experiences, we will return to our hotel with time at leisure to enjoy the beach or just sit back and relax. (B, L)  

 

DAY4 - TUESDAY: Placencia – Cayo District

After our last beachside breakfast, we will be whisked away to the adventure capital of Belize, the Cayo District. Our private flight will take us above the mountain ranges and lush rainforests and waterfalls to San Ignacio, only 5 minutes away from our amazing eco-lodge in the lush Belizean rainforest. This private 365-acre nature reserve is set along the banks of the Macal River in the foothills of the Maya Mountains and is home to a number of exotic jungle dwellers including peccaries, jaguars, monkeys and more than 300 species of tropical and migratory birds. After lunch you will have free time to enjoy this amazing property. In the evening we will gather again for dinner together. (B, L, D) 

 

DAY5 - WEDNESDAY: A Day Trip to Guatemala

Early this morning we will begin to learn about the ancient Mayan culture and people as we head toward the border with Guatemala. After crossing we will be welcomed by a licensed local guide who will stay with us through the day. We will pass through picturesque villages and beautiful lakeside areas. We will marvel at the view of rolling hills, rainforests and farms on our way to Tikal National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Tikal is one of the most impressive Mayan Pyramids sites in the region, with more than 3,000 structures dominated by five enormous, steeply sided granite temples that rise above the forest. The Temple of the Jaguar is sure to be the highlight of our day in Guatemala, with its stone walls reaching toward the sky, above the rainforest canopy, allowing us to have the most fascinating panoramic view of the surroundings. We will have lunch here in Guatemala before returning to Belize and our hotel in the late afternoon with the rest of the day at leisure. (B, L) 

 

DAY6 - THURSDAY: Explore the Cayo District

Today our immersion in Mayan heritage continues in the small village of San Antonio where we will get our hands dirty while we learn ancient pottery techniques with a group of local women. We will also learn about life in such a unique village and later on, enjoy a home cooked lunch that we will help prepare. After lunch we will bid farewell to our hosts in San Antonio and head to the Big Rock Falls where we will enjoy a leisurely hike alongside this gorgeous waterfall. Upon arrival at the bottom, we will admire this waterfall and enjoy a swim and natural massage in its pools. It will be refreshing and relaxing. We will return to our hotel in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free. (B, L) 

 

DAY7 - FRIDAY: Explore the Cayo District

This morning we embark on a journey of exploration of Xibalba, the mystical Mayan underworld at Barton Creek Cave. This is one of the oldest Mayan sites in Belize, placed in a cave, as the Mayan people believed that caves are portals that connect our world to the underworld. We will canoe upriver, through fascinating cathedral-like chambers once used as ceremonial sites. Mayan pottery and 2,000–year–old skeletal remains can still be found in this cave. On the way back toward our hotel we will pass through a Mennonite Village, a community often compared to the American Amish because of their way of life. When we arrive back at our hotel, we will have lunch together and the whole afternoon is free for you to explore the surroundings. There is a Natural History Center, a Butterfly farm, and many other activities available depending on your preferences. Tonight, we will head out together to San Ignacio for dinner and a walk. (B, L, D) 

 

DAY8 - SATURDAY: Cayo District – Belize city

Today we bid farewell to this tropical paradise and travel to Belize city. Upon arrival we will learn about this city during a panoramic tour. It is an exciting, typical Caribbean city, with colonial houses and the only remaining manual swing bridge in the world. We will enjoy a stop to view the oldest Anglican church in Central America, St. John Cathedral that was built from bricks brought from Europe onboard sailing ships. We will learn about the history, view the Government House and enjoy a walk with our local guide. After some time to freshen up, we will gather one last time to enjoy a fabulous Belizean farewell dinner in one of the local restaurants. (B, D) 

 

DAY9 - SUNDAY: Depart Belize city

Today you will be picked up at the hotel and transferred to the airport for your homebound flight. (B)