Jungle Tours
COCKSCOMB BASIN JAGUAR PRESERVE & MAYAN CHOCOLATE FARM
Cockscomb Basin is renowned for being the world’s first and only jaguar preserve with over 128,000 acres of lush tropical rainforest. In fact, Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve is home to all five of Belize’s large cats: jaguar, puma, margay, jaguarundi, and ocelot. Explore the jungle trails of this flora & fauna sanctuary with a naturalist tour guide. After your hike, tube or float down the South Stann Creek River for a unique, close-up look at the jungle.
Next, you’ll grab some brunch before heading over to a nearby cacao farm, Mayan Xocolatl. This part of the tour gives you a front row seat to the ancient practice of chocolate making. You’ll learn everything there is to know about chocolate, including its many healthy properties and how the ancient Mayan civilizations used the cacao beans as currency.
Bring: bug spray, sunscreen, hat, light long pants, swimsuit, towel, dry clothes, camera, binoculars, hiking shoes, souvenir cash
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Approximate Tour Time: 7:30AM – 3:30PM
NIGHT HIKE AT COCKSCOMB BASIN JAGUAR PRESERVE
The pristine rainforests of the world’s first and only jaguar preserve come alive at night - try hiking its trails just after dusk for a one of a kind experience! In addition to the elusive jaguar, you may also see pumas, ocelots and jaguarundis - Belize’s national animal. The Preserve is home to the endangered Baird’s Tapir and over 290 different species of birds. On most nights, the air is clear enough to see the majestic shape of Victoria Peak, the highest point in Belize, rising 3,675 feet about sea level. This tour is ideal for nature lovers and intrepid travelers alike.
In order to keep everyone safe, there is a strict 6 to 1 guest to guide ratio. We carry extra flashlights, batteries, machete and full first aid kit in the unlikely scenario where one is needed.
Bring: bug spray, hat, light long pants, camera, hiking shoes, souvenir cash
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Approximate Tour Time: 5:30PM – 10:30PM
RAINFOREST HORSEBACK RIDE & SWIM
Whether you’re an accomplished rider or a novice, you’ll enjoy this unique riding experience. The horses are well trained and carefully selected to make even the most timid rider look and feel like a professional! The ride will take you through pine ridges covered in magnificent ferns, then through the rainforest and its magnificent Cohune trees. After, the trail takes you to the Sittee River where you can choose to enjoy a cool, refreshing swim or simply relax on the river bank before heading back.
Bring: bug spray, closed-toe shoes, light long pants, sunscreen, hat, swimsuit, towel, camera, souvenir cash
Difficulty: Easy
Approximate Tour Time: 7:30AM – 12:30PM
ATM CAVE
(ACTUN TUNICHIL MUKNAL)
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave) is most famous as an ancient archaeological site, containing the skeletal remains of Maya human sacrifices, pottery, and other ancient artifacts. Visitors go bananas over the fully intact skeleton from around 700-900 AD that literally sparkles, thanks to time and science. You’ll hike to the location, wade across rushing rivers in waist-deep water, climb wet ladders inside a cave in just your socks, then enter a deep, dark hole in the side of a mountain because a tour guide told you to (and maybe pee yourself a little – but that’s okay!). This is one of the more difficult tours offered in Belize, but the effort is well-worth the experience. ***Warning: This is not a cave for young children, those not physically fit, with knee, hip or ankle problems or with problems with claustrophobia and or heights.
Bring: sunscreen, hat, swimsuit or wetsuit, sturdy shoes and socks, dry clothes, towel, souvenir cash
Time: Full Day
Difficulty: Difficult
ZIP LINE & RIVER TUBE
Experience the thrill of zipping high above the South Stann Creek River and rainforest canopy. Get a bird’s eye perspective of the river canyon and surrounding mountains! Panoramic vistas from 11 decks and 7 lines with views that were previously available only to birds in flight. Enjoy a snack and then hit the river in expedition-style tubes as you float below lush vegetation through jungle rapids. Here you could catch a glimpse of exotic tropical birds, including endangered scarlet macaws, iguanas, and other jungle wildlife that call the riverbanks home.
Bring: bug spray, towel, long pants, swimsuit, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, camera, souvenir cash
Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Tour Time: 7:00AM – 6:00PM
ST. HERMAN’S BLUE HOLE SWIMMING & CAVE TUBING
Spend your day enjoying the crystal blue waters of St. Herman’s! The National Park boasts two main attractions within its 575 acres: the St. Herman’s Cave and the Blue Hole, connected by an underground stream. A scenic drive through the heart of Belize’s citrus and banana farms will take you to St. Herman’s where you’ll start your day with a short 15-minute hike, led by a knowledgeable local guide. During the hike you’ll learn about the cave’s archaeology and about the geology of the surrounding Maya Mountain. Then it's time to settle in and spend the next two hours lazily floating through the “Mayan Underworld”.
After lunch, take a cool and refreshing afternoon swim in The Blue Hole, formed from the collapse of an underground limestone cave. The river that ran through the original cavern still flows through the cave system to form a sapphire-colored pool at the bottom of the cenote.
Bring: bug spray, towel, bathing suit, dry clothes, sun screen, cash for souvenirs, camera
Difficulty: Easy
Approximate Tour Time: 8:30AM – 4:30PM
XUNANTUNICH & CAVE TUBING OR BLUE HOLE SWIM
Enjoy the orange groves, banana farms, and a view of the Maya Mountains during the scenic drive through the Hummingbird Highway. Once you cross into Western Belize, your journey takes you across the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry to reach the ancient site of Xunantunich. The reward for climbing to the top of El Castillo is a spectacular view of both the Cayo District and Petén, Guatemala. After your climb, it's time for lunch at a local restaurant before heading to St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park. Here you can choose from an exhilarating cave-tubing experience through the intricate cave system or simply a refreshing dip at the inland Blue Hole.
Bring: bug spray, towel, bathing suit, dry clothes, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, camera, souvenir cash
Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate Tour Time: 7:00AM – 5:30PM