Belize & Tikal

Tour Code: BLZ02

A 16-day holiday of varied, gentle neo-tropical birdwatching, amongst the untouched forests, magnificent ruins, pristine coral reefs and desert islands in the realm of the Maya.

16 days from
£6,495 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£5,895
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

Belize offers swathes of untouched rainforest, mangrove coastline and splendid coral reefs to explore. We begin this holiday with an overnight in the US (usually Houston or Atlanta). Once in Belize City, we proceed to Black Orchid at Burrell Boom, and then to Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary’s maze of waterways and lagoons in search of a wide variety of wetland species including the impressive Jabiru! After a boat trip in search of West Indian Manatees we travel north to the wonderful Lamanai Outpost Lodge and then south again to Jade Jungle Resort which has over 300 bird species recorded within an 8-km radius. The magnificent ancient Maya remains of Tikal are our next stop over the border in Guatemala, before heading back to Belize to explore the cayes and coral reefs at Pelican Beach, Dangriga for the final part of our tour.

  • Sungrebe, Jabiru & Mangrove Vireo in wetland areas of Crooked Tree
  • Enjoy hummingbirds, trogons, becards & manakins from lodge viewing platform
  • Mixed-species flocks including a wealth of woodcreepers, warblers & tanagers
  • Superb birding while relaxing in comfortable cabins!
  • Visit the ancient Maya city of Tikal in Guatemala, plus Maya remains in Belize
  • Ocellated Turkey, puffbirds, euphonias & honeycreepers at Tikal
  • Howler monkey chorus, turtles & Fish-eating Bats among other wildlife highlights
  • Chance to swim over coral reefs with myriad fish, corals and other marine-life
  • Led by expert local naturalist guides

Grading

Day walks only.

'If the world had any ends, [Belize] would certainly be one of them. It is not on the way from anywhere to anywhere else. It has no strategic value. It is all but uninhabited.’ Thus wrote Aldous Huxley back in 1934, when he was one of the few to ever visit what was at the time the most irrelevant corner of the British Empire. Belize’s sheer obscurity had been the country’s defining trait for centuries. By the 19th century, British Honduras (the name Belize was only adopted upon independence in 1981) had become the ultimate backwater, an English-speaking, largely black Creole outpost in Central America.

It is an irony that Huxley might well have appreciated, that centuries of underdevelopment have today given Belize its greatest resource: its magnificent and well-preserved natural history. Indeed, the country is now one of the world’s leading ecotourism destinations, offering swathes of untouched rainforest, endless savannah and mangrove coasts, and the most splendid coral reef in the western hemisphere, second only in size and grandeur to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Add to that over 900 ancient Maya ruins, the magnificent ruined Maya city of Tikal just over the Guatemalan border, and excellent, relatively easy Neotropical birdwatching, all located within a pleasantly manageable geographical area served by comfortable accommodation, and Belize’s popularity becomes evident.

It is still, however, not particularly easy to reach Belize, and to do so we must fly to the United States from where, after a good night’s sleep, we proceed to Belize City. An overnight stop at Black Orchid Resort in Burrell Boom will give us the opportunity to see Yucatan Black Howler Monkeys and to search for West Indian Manatees. From here we will drive north to Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Established in 1984, this maze of waterways and lagoons supports a wonderful variety of wetland species including several species of heron, five species of kingfisher, raptors, waders and such specialties as Sungrebe, Jabiru and, around the margins of the wetland, Mangrove Vireo and Prothonotary Warbler.

We next head north to Tower Hill and the New River. Cruising upstream on our motorised launches, we will again be concentrating on the proliferation of wetland species, together with a rich assortment of raptors. We arrive at the outstanding Lamanai Outpost Lodge, surrounded by bird-rich jungle and some of the most impressive Maya ruins in the country. Our time here will be spent mainly on foot, gently exploring the magnificent ruins and bird-rich trails. Night-time spotlighting on the lagoon after dinner will also be rewarding with common sightings of Morelet’s Crocodile and Hickatee, a large river turtle, along with potoos, Pauraques and Fish-eating Bats.

We now travel to Pook’s Hill, a small ecolodge in western Belize arranged around a restored Maya residential site in the heart of a 300-acre primary rainforest reserve, which serves as a buffer to the 6,700-acre Tapir Mountain Reserve. We have two full days here to explore the area. The birding is exceptional, with over 300 species recorded within a 5-mile radius including trogons, tityras, becards, manikins, woodcreepers, wrens, warblers, orioles and tanagers, to name just a few! All these, and many more, will be just yards from our cabins! Jaguar, Ocelot, Coatimundi, White-tailed Deer, Yucatan Black Howler Monkey, Kinkajou, Central American Agouti and other mammals, as well as many birds, all make their homes in the forest around the lodge and, while sightings of the larger mammals are uncommon, they are a possibility.

We then proceed over the Guatemalan border and on to Tikal, where the famous ancient remains of this great Maya city, lying in the midst of one of the largest tracts of undisturbed rainforest in Central America, provide an atmospheric backdrop to some superb birding. Ocellated Turkeys wander along the deserted trails at dawn, whilst a plethora of exciting Neotropical birds flit about in the treetops: flycatchers, hummingbirds, euphonias, puffbirds and honeycreepers, all to the chorus of Guatemalan Howler Monkeys roaring in the distance. Few who have visited Tikal would dispute that this is one of the best — and most atmospheric — birdwatching localities in the whole of Central America.

To end our tour we drive to the coastal village of Dangriga and the wonderful beachside accommodation at Pelican Beach. From here, there will be an opportunity to take a boat out to South Water Caye. This pristine island is surrounded by coral reefs and we will make the most of the excellent swimming and snorkelling opportunities along the reef. Alternatively, for those preferring a landbased excursion, nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve offers some of the best birding in Belize. Dangriga is a wonderful spot from which to swim, snorkel, birdwatch or to simply lie back and relax in the Caribbean breeze, and is a fitting end to our stay in the world of the Maya.


 

 

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Depart London
Day 2
Arrive Belize; transfer Black Orchid Resort
Day 3/4
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
Day 5/7
Lamanai Outpost Lodge
Day 8/10
Pooks Hill Lodge
Day 11/12
Tikal, Guatemala
Day 13/14
Pelican Beach, Dangriga
Day 15
Depart Belize
Day 16
Arrive UK
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What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation: Comfortable lodges and hotels throughout, all with private facilities.
  • Food: All included, except meals en route.
Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Sat 1st Feb – Sun 16th Feb FULL £6,495
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,895
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Peter Herrera

Tour Leader: Peter Herrera

Sun 16th Nov – Sun 30th Nov SPACES £6,695
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Peter Herrera

Tour Leader: Peter Herrera

2026

Departures Availability Cost
Sun 1st Feb – Mon 16th Feb SPACES £6,695
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£5,995
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
Tour Leader:
Please note that, whilst we assign leaders to particular tours well in advance, we reserve the right to make changes if necessary
Peter Herrera

Tour Leader: Peter Herrera 

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Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists


The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.


Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours


We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.


The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.

Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:



Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection


Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.


 




Our specialist recommends...






"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."

Byron Palacios - Tour Leader




  


 


All Birdwatching Tours

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!