Compare Belize Reef & Rainforest Experience by Great Value Vacations vs Belize: See & Experience it ALL in 10 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler
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4 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 8 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 4,335 | $ 2,856 |
| Price Per Day | $ 542 | $ 286 |
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| Trip Style | Self-guided tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Luxury |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
Lunches are included specifically on days 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9. Breakfasts and dinners are not included. We do our best to ensure you are being offered healthy and tasty local cuisine. |
| Description | Discover the lush rainforests and sparkling sea on this 7-night exploration of wonders old and new. See ancient Mayan cities and investigate centuries-old secrets hidden in mystical caves and underground rivers. Hike through the jungle, float your way through a network of caves on an inner-tube, snorkel with sharks and stingrays, and uncover the treasures waiting in Belize. |
You absolutely will not find another tour out there as packed with activities and attractions as this one, provided by CharlieTheTraveler. You will also not find another tour out there that offers it all ""FIRST CLASS,"" yet for a relatively low price. We have thousands of travelers taking this specific tour every year and that's because no competitor can beat us on quality, price and substance. Below are just some examples of what you will see and do on this tour:
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Day 1 Welcome to Belize City!
Land in Belize City and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel in the Cayo district. The rest of the day can be spent at your leisure. Rest up or venture into San Ignacio town to experience the array of bars, restaurants, and invigorating nightlife.
Day 2 San Ignacio
Venture into the ancient Mayan cities of Xunantunich, which means lady of stone, and Cahal Pech, which means place of tics. Cross the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry to get from Cahal Pech to Xunantunich and sample the local flavors with lunch in the village of Succotz. The rest of the evening can be spent at your leisure.
Day 3 San Ignacio
Venture into the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave system for a full day of discovery! To get there, you'll start with a short jungle hike, swim into a cave, then wade through an underground river. Once you're in, you'll get to see crystal formations, shards of pottery abandoned by fleeing Maya, and even skeletal remains.
Day 4 San Ignacio - San Pedro
Following breakfast, you will be taken to the Jaguar Paw area via private transfer and make a stop at the Nocho'een cave system. Here, you will hike to the Mayan caves where you will float through the caves on your own oversized inner tube while the guide teaches you about the cave and its history. After, you will continue to Belize City, where you will board a flight to San Pedro. Upon arrival, you'll check into your hotel and enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Day 5 San Pedro
Enjoy a day to yourself in the southern part of Ambergris Caye! Indulge in fresh seafood and an ice cold beer while you soak up the sun on this beautiful island. Spend a day at the beach or meander through town to find souvenirs.
Day 6 San Pedro
Snorkel the second largest barrier reef in the world in Hol Chan National Park today. Strap on a mask and hop into Shark Ray Alley, where you can swim among harmless nurse sharks and southern stingrays. Once your swim has come to an end, you can spend the evening at your leisure.
Day 7 San Pedro
Take advantage of another itinerary-free final day in beautiful San Pedro. Today's a great day to check off any bucket list items you have like sampling the chocolate at The Belize Chocolate Company, parasailing across the reef, sunning yourself on Secret Beach, or anything you want to check off the list before you head home!
Day 8 Depart Belize
After breakfast, you'll make the 20-minute flight back to the Belize City International Airport, then head home!
Day 1: An Island Where the Singer Madonna Fell in Love
Our tour starts on the island of Ambergris Caye. It can be reached from the capital Belize City via a 1.5-hour boat ride or a very short and cheap flight. We pick up most customers from the airport in Belize City. Some customers prefer being picked up at the airport in Ambergris Caye. It's your choice. Ambergris Caye is commonly referred to as ‘Isla Bonita’ (beautiful island) thanks to the singer Madonna, who made reference to this island and its turquoise seascapes in a 1987 hit. We explore the island with a tour guide/golf cart driver.
Day 2: A Great Blue Hole & a ‘Secret Beach’
Today we make a daytrip to the Great Blue Hole by boat.
In 2012, the Discovery Channel ranked the Great Blue Hole as number 1 on its list of ‘The 10 Most Amazing Places on Earth’. This giant marine sinkhole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which is a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
*Note that in the event the boat company cancels the tour to the Great Blue Hole, which happens on occasion due to bad weather, we would offer you a suitable alternative for the day. A popular option is a visit to Secret Beach, which is about a 45-minute drive away from downtown. Alternatively, if a plane ride over the Great Blue Hole is available and if you are interested in that, we could offer it to you at an upcharge. Included with this upcharge is a visit to Secret Beach.
Day 3: Swimming with Sharks & Stingrays, Feeding Tarpons & Entering ‘The Split’
Today we make a daytrip via a quick boat ride (4 miles/6.4 kilometers) to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and later a boat ride to Caye Caulker.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve gives us the opportunity to swim with sharks and stingrays. These creatures have a great tolerance for snorkelers and look forward to being fed scraps of food. Caye Caulker measures about 5 miles (8 kilometers) north to south by less than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) east to west. There are only 3 roads in town, all of which are sandy. Despite its size, there are over 50 hotels and a number of restaurants and shops. Caye Caulker is especially popular with backpackers. The highlights of our visit there are a tarpon handfeeding center and a beach called ‘The Split’. Our boat ride back to Ambergris Caye takes about 30 minutes.
Day 4: An Archaeological Site Occupied up to the 17th Century
Today we take a boat ride from Ambergris Caye to Belize City, only to check into our room and then immediately drive to a Mesoamerican archaeological site called Lamanai. We return to Belize City in the evening. Lamanai was once a major city of the Maya (indigenous) civilization. Lamanai is renowned for its exceptionally long occupation spanning three millennia. It continued to be occupied up to the 17th century AD.
Day 5: Cave Tubing, a Breathtaking Peninsula & 175 Animals in a Natural Habitat
Today we relocate to Placencia Peninsula’s main village. En route, we first visit the Belize Zoo. It is home to more than 175 animals of about 48 species, all native to Belize. The natural environment is left entirely intact within the zoo, with the animals living in their natural habitat. Next, we head to the Nohoch Cheʼen caves. There we go tubing. It is quite an adventurous experience. Before arriving in Placencia Village, we pass by Maya Beach and the beach in Seine Bight village.
Day 6: The Best Place in Belize to Go Snorkeling
Today we make a daytrip to the Silk Cayes Marine Reserve. It contains some of the healthiest parts of the country's reef system due to its elevation and good water quality. This is the best place in Belize to go snorkeling! Note that the Gladden Spit is included on today's tour only during whale season, which is usually March through June. A trip to Silk Cayes, however, is offered year-around.
Day 7: Canoeing Inside a Cave & an Ancient Ceremonial Center Bordering Guatemala
Today we relocate to the small town of San Ignacio. This is where we are based for the remainder of our trip. Nonetheless, there are some worthwhile stops en route. The first attraction this morning is the Sleeping Giant Rainforest. There we are provided with a guided tour to the top of the mountain, where a beautiful viewpoint awaits us. Next, we head to Barton Creek. There we are provided with a guided canoeing tour inside a cave. The final stop before reaching San Ignacio is an archaeological site called Xunantunich. It is located a mere 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) away from Guatemala. Xunantunich served as a Maya civic ceremonial center in the late and terminal classic periods. The first modern explorations of the site were conducted in the mid-1890s.
Day 8: A ‘Natural Museum’ Home to Ancient Skeletons, Ceramics & Stoneware
Today we make a daytrip to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (a.k.a. ATM) cave. There we climb, crawl and get wet as we check out ancient skeletons, ceramics and stoneware. Serving as an archaeological site and often called a ‘natural museum’ because of its fascinating limestone formations, the ATM cave is one of Belize’s top 2 most popular tourist destinations.
Day 9: Swimming Under Waterfalls & the Country’s Finest Archaeological Site
We make a daytrip first to Rio Frio Cave. There we see stalagmites and stalactites. Next, we head to an archaeological site called Caracol. It was once one of the most important regional political centers of the Maya lowlands during the classic period. After our guided tour there we have lunch, which is included on today’s tour. Lastly for today, we head to Big Rock Falls. There we have plenty of time to go swimming.
Day 10: Our Tour Ends This Morning
Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Belize City.
