Belize Reef & Ruins

I went in February, which was the perfect time to escape the cold weather back home. This tour struck a great balance between exploring ancient Mayan ruins, learning about local culture, and experiencing the incredible biodiversity of Belize. Walking through the ruins was like stepping back in time—truly awe-inspiring to see these structures that have endured for centuries. Our accommodation in Guatemala was conveniently located right next to Tikal, making it ideal for the sunrise hike since it was an early wake up. The final few days were spent on Caye Caulker, which was the perfect – true highlight of the tour, relaxing way to end the trip. We enjoyed the beautiful beach just steps from our lodging and had some unforgettable snorkeling experiences.

Spending a few days in Belize (Caye Caulker specifically) before the tour began allowed time to rest after the flights as well as time to acclimatize to the heat and humidity. Before this trip, Belize was a place on the map where I had never been. By the end of the trip, I came away with the feeling that "Belize was now in my blood and would always have a very special place in my heart". Every day and every place was absolutely alive with new learning opportunities. I would say this trip is very good value for money and would highly recommend.

Joined a group of six, delightful Brits and our extremely capable, watchful and kind guide Jorge for our adventure in Belize. Culturally this was a tour that gave us daily opportunities to enjoy and experience Belizian and Guatamalean history, Mayan civilization , natural beauty and current social/political/environmental environments. Our trip was 1/19-1/30. Just about perfect amount of time to explore with 3 home bases that lent well to the itinerary and our comfort. As a fit 69 and 78 year old couple we found the daily pace comfortable. Though speaking of comfort know that the daily transportation, across pot hole filled roads, is a 10 passenger van which is ok if you are slight of build but if you are over weight or taller than 5' 9" you will not be comfortable on the 2 to 3 hour drives. Climate Change - its here and its real both in the USA and Belize. Our trip was 1/19-1/30/25 and we had a lot of rain. Ones experience is best if you have packed for that wet weather and we did. Disappointed with lack of waste water treatment facilities at Caye Caulker. Several times during our visit we heard local references to the use of the Caribbean as one huge toilet. Snorkeling revealed strain on the coral. Due to flooding at Birds Eye View Lodge was closed to our group and instead we had accommodations at the Black Orchid which was lovely. Cahal Pech Location atop a hill overlooking San Ignacio makes for fantastic views. Walks to town never happened due to all day downpour on our free day.

A most enjoyable trip made excellent by our guide George (Jorge). I was not sure what to expect of Belize so everything was new and interesting. A good balance of nature, culture, history and tropic island. The people of Belize were very warm and friendly and helpful so nice to travel amongst them.

This trip is great if you don't want full-on culture. It covers three Mayan archaeological sites which enabled us to slowly build a picture of the ancient Mayans, how their civilisation grew and why they abandoned their cities. Alongside other aspects of Belizean culture, there's a lot of wildlife on show, mainly birds, but also bats, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, coatimundi, and of course an array of sealife at Caye Caulker. We saw lots of new bird species with the invaluable help of our guide, Jorge Estrella.