Off the Beaten Path Belize

Maya Ruins and Coral Reefs

Trip Details

Belize pier, boats and buildings

What’s Included? Everything you need, plus everything you want.

  • Exceptional snorkeling Experience some of the finest snorkeling in the world on a reef that is on-par with Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
  • Se habla English The official language of Belize is English, a vestige of its days as a British colony.
  • Proximity to Tikal Cross the border into Guatemala for a day exploring the remarkable Mayan ruins of Tikal.
  • Maya history Canoe a mile deep into a Maya ceremonial cave with stalactites, clay pots, and artifacts.

Off the Beaten Path Belize

Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel

Territory: Central America

Region: Belize

Trip Price: $5,280

Duration: 12 days/11 nights

Trip Begins/Ends: Belize City / Belize City

National Parklands:

Select Terms & Conditions

All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.

Energy Index

Energy Index Spectrum

No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities

Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration

High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun

Off the Beaten Path Belize

Off the Beaten Path Belize - Energy Index

The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process

How custom-made travel works at Off the Beaten Path

We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.

The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.

The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!

Itinerary

Days 1-4: Fly into Belize City, transfer to jungle lodge

Your lodge in the Orange Walk District is less than a mile from the spectacular Maya ruins of Lamanai, which are accessible by boat or dirt road. Lamanai (the accurate, original name translates as “submerged crocodile”) had an exceptionally long occupation, from about 1500 BC to 1680 AD. Spread across 950 acres, this is the one of the largest Maya ceremonial sites in Belize, with stunning buildings and carvings. Speaking of crocodiles, don’t miss the sunset croc-spotting cocktail cruise on the New River. 

Days 5-7: Transfer by riverboat and vehicle to your next jungle lodge

Settle into your next perfectly situated jungle ecolodge, this time in the Cayo District along the remote Macal River near the Guatemala border. Each day brings unique adventure. On your first day, explore a Maya ceremonial cave by canoe with a private guide. The next day brings exploration of another incredible Maya site, Actun Tunichil Muknal, which means “Cave of the Crystal Sepulcher.” The cave cradles a calcified human skeleton containing minerals that sparkle, leading to the name. Your guide will explain the significance of the site. On your last day in the area, cross the border into Guatemala for a private guided tour of the most famous Mayan ruins of all, Tikal. This ceremonial center in the heart of the jungle contains superb temples and palaces. 

Days 8-11: Fly to Ambergris Caye

Time to leave the jungle behind and soak up some sun on the Caribbean coast! Your luxury boutique hotel is set on the largest island in Belize’s extensive barrier reef, second largest in the world after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. You’re perfectly positioned for snorkeling, diving (the Great Blue Hole!), and fishing in these clear blue waters—and for relaxing on the beach and wandering the gardens. One of the best snorkeling sites in the world, renowned for its visibility and abundance of sea life, is a 10-minute boat ride away. You might see turtles, rays, nurse sharks, lobster, eels, corals, marine mammals, and lots of colorful fish!

Day 12: Belize City for departures home

Transfer to the regional airport for the 15-minute flight to Belize City for your international connections.  

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Lodging

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