Un-Belize-able Belize with G Adventures

Smooth Arrivals & Jungle Welcome in Burrell Boom

I flew United Airlines with an easy layover in Houston to meet up with my traveling companion. Belize City is just a two-and-a-half-hour hop from Texas. Clearing Customs and Immigration at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) was remarkably fast because we had completed Belize’s official online iDeclare form in advance. This digital entry declaration is required for all non-Belize nationals, so having the QR confirmation ready on your mobile device saves considerable time at border control.

Our private transfer driver greeted us outside arrivals, and after picking up a second couple from our departure, we made the scenic 30-minute drive inland to the Black Orchid Resort in Burrell Boom. (The striking Black Orchid is the national flower of Belize.) After check-in, we strolled down to the open-air pool bar, toasted our arrival with a freshly shaken Belizean Rum Punch, and met our fellow adventurers before the evening orientation talk.

In G Adventures parlance, our guide is titled the CEO—Chief Experience Officer. Our CEO was Marlon, an enthusiastic Belizean naturalist whose local expertise and storytelling set the tone for the entire trip. Our group numbered 16 travelers—a delightfully cosmopolitan mix comprising two from Sweden, six from Canada, and eight from the United States. Everyone shared an infectious passion for active discovery.

New River Boat Safari & Lamanai Maya Ruins

Our first morning began with an exhilarating 4:00 AM wake-up call delivered by a wild troop of black howler monkeys calling across the jungle canopy. After breakfast, our private coach departed for the northern town of Orange Walk, where we boarded an open riverboat for a 26-mile wildlife safari up the New River into the ancient interior.

The biodiversity along the riverbanks was breathtaking. We spotted freshwater crocodiles basking on mud banks, river turtles sunning on submerged logs, vibrant green and orange iguanas clinging to overhead branches, snowy egrets, kingfishers, and the iconic Jabiru Stork—the largest flying bird in the Americas.

The river opens dramatically into the New River Lagoon at the foot of the Lamanai Archaeological Reserve (meaning “Submerged Crocodile” in Yucatec Maya). Lamanai was continuously inhabited for over three millennia, from 1500 BC through the Spanish colonial era.

Accompanied by our specialist archaeological guide, we explored the monumental Jaguar Temple, the royal burial tombs, and the grand ball court. Current archaeological consensus suggests the classic Maya abandonment here was accelerated by deforestation combined with the ritual heating of cinnabar (mercury sulfide) paint, which inadvertently contaminated local aquifers.

Community Baboon Sanctuary & Kriol Heritage

Heading west toward San Ignacio, our first stop was the Community Baboon Sanctuary, an innovative grassroots conservation project uniting eight local Creole (Kriol) villages along the Belize River. Our Kriol naturalist, Robert, explained how the sanctuary protects over 2,000 black howler monkeys (locally known as “baboons”) through voluntary farmer conservation agreements.

During our guided trek through the cohune palm forest, Robert pointed out medicinal gumbo-limbo trees and wild herbs still used in traditional folk medicine. Suddenly, our path intersected with a resident troop of seven howler monkeys lounging in the branches overhead, complete with an infant clutching its mother’s back. Robert imitated a territorial call, and the dominant male treated us to a deep, guttural roar that reverberated through the trees.

Planeterra Social Impact: San Antonio Women’s Cooperative

A hallmark of G Adventures’ National Geographic Journeys is direct partnership with Planeterra, the non-profit organization dedicated to empowering indigenous communities through travel. In the Maya Mountains, we visited the San Antonio Women’s Cooperative, established by nine Maya women to preserve ancestral artisan traditions and achieve economic independence.

Following a delightful lunch of handmade chicken tamales wrapped in plantain leaves and iced hibiscus juice, the cooperative members led us through a masterclass in the ancestral coil pottery technique. While our ceramic creations revealed we had much to learn, we found our groove during the traditional tortilla-making workshop.

They demonstrated the nixtamalization process—boiling corn kernels with culinary lime (calcium hydroxide) to soften the hull and unlock nutrients. We then took turns grinding the corn on volcanic rock metate y mano stones into silky masa dough. Hand-pressed and blistered over hot griddles with virgin coconut oil and sea salt, these were quite simply the most flavorful tortillas I have ever tasted.

Cayo District Adventures: Caves, Butterflies & Mayan Cacao

We established our base in the vibrant eco-hub of San Ignacio at the Midas Hotel, a peaceful retreat located just an easy stroll from the lively open-air market and town square.

National Geographic Journeys provides balanced free time for travelers to tailor their days. While several group members opted for a full-day border excursion to Tikal in Guatemala, five of us chose Cave Tubing at Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve. Equipped with helmets and headlamps, we drifted on inner tubes along a crystal-clear river winding through subterranean limestone caverns adorned with glittering stalactites and ancient Maya sacrificial altars.

In the afternoon, our group visited the Green Hills Butterfly Ranch, a private jungle sanctuary and research preserve. We sat mesmerized by dozens of hummingbirds zipping between flowering feeders before stepping inside the walk-in breeding flight house. Surrounded by fluttering Blue Morphos, Glasswings, and Malachites, we learned how fallen wings are donated to local artisans who create exquisite mosaic nature portraits that fund ongoing rainforest conservation.

Our cultural immersion concluded at AJAW Chocolate & Crafts in downtown San Ignacio. Here, we discovered how the ancient Maya revered raw cacao as “the food of the gods.” We roasted fermented cacao beans over an open hearth, ground them by hand, and sampled traditional unsweetened Mayan drinking chocolate flavored with wild allspice, chili, and raw honey.

Climbing Xunantunich & Crossing to Caye Caulker

On our journey back east toward the Caribbean, we made a pilgrimage to Xunantunich (“Stone Woman”), perched majestically atop a ridge overlooking the Mopan River. To reach the site, our vehicle boarded a historic hand-cranked cable ferry across the emerald river current.

Xunantunich was a major ceremonial center between 600 and 900 AD. The highlight is El Castillo, a towering 130-foot pyramid that remains the second tallest man-made structure in all of Belize. I began the ascent up the stone terraces to examine the breathtaking plaster friezes depicting the sun god and royal astronomical rituals. The view across the surrounding jungle canopy into neighboring Guatemala was breathtaking.

From the Cayo District, our coach conveyed us to the Belize City Water Taxi terminal. A smooth 45-minute catamaran cruise across calm barrier-reef waters brought us to Caye Caulker, a sun-bleached island governed by the national motto: “Go Slow.”

There are no automobiles on Caye Caulker; transportation is strictly by foot, bicycle, or electric golf cart. We checked into the comfortable Coral View Hotel & Resort, perfectly positioned on the island’s sunset side with panoramic rooftop vistas.

That afternoon featured our second Planeterra project: Bike with Purpose, operated in conjunction with Ocean Academy. Opened in 2008 as the first non-profit community high school on Caye Caulker, the academy provides secondary education where over 90% of students are the first generation in their family to attend high school. Twenty-five students serve as licensed apprentice tour leaders, offering travelers guided bicycle tours of the island while developing professional careers in sustainable eco-tourism.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley

Our full day on Caye Caulker was dedicated to an extraordinary catamaran sailing charter with Ragga Sailing Adventures into the UNESCO-protected Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Hol Chan represents the jewel of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second largest barrier reef system on Earth.

Led by our crew—Captain Shane, Mush, Kenny, and onboard chef Naz—we made three immersive snorkeling stops. Floating in lukewarm, crystal-clear turquoise shallows, we found ourselves surrounded by dozens of docile nurse sharks and graceful southern stingrays gliding inches away at Shark Ray Alley. We watched green sea turtles grazing on sea grass, schooling rainbow parrotfish, solitary barracudas, and curious moray eels weaving through brain coral canyons.

Back on the catamaran, Chef Naz treated us to a feast of fresh ceviche, grilled fish, rice, and cold rum punch as reggae tunes drifted across the Caribbean breeze.

We spent our final evening watching the sunset at The Split, the famous water channel separating northern and southern Caye Caulker formed during Hurricane Hattie in 1961. Brown pelicans and frigate birds skimmed across the glowing water as our group toasted an unforgettable week over dinner at Il Pellicano.

Departure Log & Travel Advisor Tips

On our final departure morning, six of us booked the 9:00 AM water taxi back to Belize City to catch early afternoon connections. During the final mangrove passage, our water taxi experienced a minor steering incident in a narrow cut-through. While everyone remained completely safe, it added a 20-minute delay while a relief vessel arrived to transfer our luggage. Thanks to our driver’s quick coordination on the mainland, we arrived at BZE with ample time.

Because Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) is compact with just 10 departure gates, clearing security and immigration took under 15 minutes. Note that Belize’s $39 USD departure fee is automatically included in most international airline ticket tariffs.

Thanks to G Adventures, CEO Marlon, and an exceptional group of fellow adventurers, this journey through Belize exceeded every expectation. It truly was an un-Belize-able week of exploration, community empowerment, and tropical wonder.