Belize Highlights - Cayo and Ambergris Caye Island Travel Vacation Package

Travel to Belize and experience its highlights with this 12 Day / 11 Night Travel Vacation Package and Tour that includes Cayo District, Barton Creek Cave, Caracol, Hill Garifuna Heritage, the famous Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine, Maya Village, Lubaantun Archaeological Park and the Ambergris Caye Island

Destinations Visited

Belize

Cayo, located in the western interior of Belize, is a 1500 square mile district that encompasses a large portion of the Maya Mountains and has more than its fair share of ancient Maya sites to visit and explore, such as Caracol, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech. The capital city of Belize, Belmopan, lies to the east, and to the far west lies San Ignacio, the main tourist town of the district. Cayo is home to forests teeming with wildlife, and immaculately beautiful tropical watersheds catered to by a variety of jungle and river lodges. Orange Walk, located in the northern part of the country, is a Belizean bonanza of natural wealth and archaeological wonder. Spectacular ancient cities, highlighted by the temples at Lamanai, evidence the ancient Maya's affinity for the area. With jungles, rainforests, coastal lagoons, and rivers, the region is home to an amazing array of animal and plant life that includes the jaguar and the manatee. Culturally the north is primarily Maya and Spanish with the Mennonite farmers adding their old world flavor to the mix. Placencia is home to white sand beaches, virgin mangrove-fringed lagoons, a wilderness of coral-studded cayes, nearby jungle rivers and Maya ruins, and pristine rainforest - as well as Garifuna, Creole and Mayan cultures. Spend your days in the water diving, fishing, snorkeling or just relaxing on the beach, and your nights at the many interesting restaurants and watering holes that feature local food, culture and live music. The Belize Cayes (pronounced "keys," meaning islands) are renowned for their beaches and proximity to the coral reef. From here you can indulge any wet adventure you can dream up; sport fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling and manatee watching are among the most popular. San Pedro, the hub of Ambergris Caye, offers any variety of accommodations, restaurants, bars and nightlife. For a change of pace and scenery, the bay side of the caye is a great place to get acquainted with Belizean bird life. Cayo Espanto is an exclusive and luxurious private-island retreat, located just minutes by boat from Ambergris Caye. Caye Chapel, also nearby, is a private-island golf resort.

Day-by-day Itinerary

Day 1: Cayo

Clients are met at the airport and transferre to their rainforest Lodge.
Overnight at Blancaneaux Lodge.

Day 2: Cayo

First guests drive through the Mountain Pine Ridge area and down to the central rainforest where the famous site of Caracol is situated. Then guests have a private guided tour if the site with entrances and picnic lunch included. On the way back, if there is time, guests can explore the Rio Frio Pools and Caves of the Mountain Pine Ridge area.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at Blancaneaux Lodge.

Day 3: Cayo

In the morning, guests enjoy a guided horse back riding tour of the Mountain Pine Ridge area of Belize. Picnic lunch is included. In the afternoon continue on a private guided canoe trip through the wet caves at Barton Creek. Their guide will expertly maneuver them through the cave system on a canoe being careful not to damage any of the beautiful formations. (Guests are not permitted to canoe themselves) Guests can also see ancient Maya remains from when the caves were used as ritual sites.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at Blancaneaux Lodge.

Day 4: Cayo

This most famous cave trip in Belize is a real adventure and requires a certain level of physical fitness. Guests first trek through the rainforest to the mouth of the cave and from here they explore the wet cave. Guests may have to swim and wade certain sections before climbing up onto the higher platforms to view the ancient Maya ritual sites where both pottery and human remains can be seen.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at Blancaneaux Lodge.

Day 5: Cayo / Ambergris Caye Island - Punta Gorda

Guests transfer today down the beautiful Hummingbird Highway to the more off the beaten track, southern area of Belize known as the Toledo District. Once at our lodge we can enjoy a canoe trip down the Rio Grande River and a jungle hike back to the lodge to enjoy some dusk wildlife spotting.
Breakfast included.
Overnight at El Pescador.

Day 6: Ambergris Caye Island - Punta Gorda

We start the day with a hike on Cerro Hill to visit local farms and enjoy a traditional Garifuna meal. Then in the afternoon we go on a bike tour of Punta Gorda town to learn about its history and explore the local sites.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at El Pescador.

Day 7: Ambergris Caye Island - Punta Gorda

We boat down the Rio Grande to the ocean and into the Port of Honduras protected area on the Caribbean coastline. Once out at sea we transfer to the reef and along the way we will see Caribbean marine life, inner coastal coral formations, possibly turtles and manatee. Here with
your guide you will enjoy snorkeling a picnic lunch on a small caye (island) and the opportunity to spot manatee in this beautiful marine reserve. All day you will be able to spot different species of rare birds and other animals both on land and amongst the coral reefs of the largest reef in the western hemisphere. When ready we make our way back the same way to the lodge.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at El Pescador.

Day 8: Ambergris Caye Island - Punta Gorda

We transfer a short distance to where we begin a walk on grassy trails through the local countryside for about 1hr until we arrive at the Maya site of Lubaantun. Here we take a tour of the small yet fascinating Lubaantun Archaeological Park. Lubaantun was built and occupied during the late Classic Period (a.d. 730 - 890). It is believed that as many as 20.000 people
lived in this trading centre. After the site visit we will set off to the Rio Blanco Falls National park and Santa Cruz Maya Village for jungle hike and swim in the cascading pools and off the side of the water fall. We will meet the locals and have lunch at a local family's house. After lunch we transfer back to the lodge.
Breakfast and Lunch included.
Overnight at El Pescador.

Day 9: Ambergris Caye Island - Punta Gorda / San Pedro

Guests transfer out today to Punta Gorda airport for a flight to Belize Municipal airport where they change planes and fly over to San Pedro town on Ambergris Island and transfer to their beach hotel.
Breakfast included.
Overnight at Victoria House.

Day 10: Ambergris Caye Island - San Pedro

Guests can enjoy a half day snorkel trip today to the Marine Reserve of Hol Chan and the famous Shark Ray Alley. Free afternoon. Guests can use the free kayaks and hobbie cats at the hotel and there is fabulous snorkeling at the reef just a short distance from the Hotel's beach.
Breakfast included.
Overnight at Victoria House.

Day 11: Ambergris Caye Island - San Pedro

Guests can enjoy a free day relaxing or taking part in activities at the hotel or can arrange another tour locally.
Breakfast included.
Overnight at Victoria House.

Day 12: Ambergris Caye Island - San Pedro

Today guests will be taken by boat to the San Pedro airport for their short flight over to Belize international in plenty of time to connect with their international flight out.
Breakfast included.