Belize birdwatching & wildlife tour

Belize International Airport - Jungle Jade Resort

Day 1: Arrival into Western Belize

Welcome to Belize! You will be met and greeted at the exit of Belize International Airport, where a hotel representative will be waiting for you holding a sign with your name on it. You will be taken to your accommodation in Western Belize, the Jungle Jade Resort, with a transfer time of approximately two hours.

Western Belize is the center of all jungle activities in the country. Here you can enjoy Mayan temples, cave adventures, zip-lining and other active pursuits, nature tours, and cultural and gastronomy tours. Eco-lodges dotted across the landscape offer great views, stunning relaxation areas, and many opportunities for birdwatching.

Jungle Jade Resort

Day 2: Take your first guided birding tour

Wake up to a delicious breakfast at the Jungle Jade Resort, and prepare for a day of birdwatching thrills. The resort is situated within a premier birding location known amongst serious birders from all over the world, who flock here in search of the country's most colorful winged residents.

The lodge's local guides have spotted 276 species of birds across the resort grounds, including many rare and migratory species. Enjoy the dawn chorus as you venture out on trails and swing bridges to reach bird-level. These quick yet striking creatures are everywhere, so take your time and enjoy soaking in the views!

Jungle Jade Resort - Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Day 3: Journey to Mountain Pine Ridge

Leaving the Jungle Jade Resort behind, take a private land transfer to Las Cuevas, located in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. You should expect a transfer time of approximately two to three hours, with the chance to enjoy birding opportunities along the way.

Welcome to Mountain Pine Ridge, a nature reserve estabilished in 1944 to protect the native pine forest in Belize! The reserve has a recorded bird count of 315 species (as of 2019), and is also home to the tallest Mayan temple in Belize, located within the Caracol Natural Monument Reservation.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Day 4: Take a boat tour through the forest reserve

After today's breakfast, set out from your accommodation to enjoy a lagoon boat tour with your birding guide. The highlight of this tour is without doubt the chance to view the nesting area of the magnificent scarlet macaw from afar. You'll begin with an included transfer to the lagoon, followed by a leisurely boat ride - sit back, soak in the tranquility, and marvel at all the different species you spot along the way, that call this area home.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve - Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary - Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Day 5: Wild adventures in Cockscomb Basin

Today you will be taken into southern Belize, down the scenic Hummingbird Highway towards your next accommodation. The journey should take between three and four hours, and en-route you could stop to tour the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary - a birder's paradise that's home to a wealth of species including the king vulture, the emerald toucanet, and a number of endangered species. It's also home to the world’s first jaguar reserve, and while these creatures are elusive and hard to spot, you'll nonetheless experience the thrills of an adventure in this sub-tropical rainforest - whether you're spending your time hiking, river tubing, or relaxing under a refreshing waterfall.

After a day of outdoor pursuits, you'll continue to your resort in the Mayflower Bocawina National Park, to finally unwind and rest for the evening.

Mayflower Bocawina National Park - Blue Hole National Park - Tropical Education Center

Day 6: Birdwatching in the Maya Mountains

Staying within the Mayflower Bocawina National Park, you'll have excellent wildlife-watching and birding opportunities right on your doorstep. The park forms part of the Maya Mountain Massif - an area of crucial importance to wildlife conservation, supporting the largest population of jaguars within Belize. You'll set out today on an early-morning birding tour within the park grounds, a wonderfully refreshing way to enjoy your natural surroundings.

Checking out of the resort, around mid-morning you'll transfer to your next accommodation at the Tropical Education Center, located eastbound and appoximately 1.5 hours away by car.

Tropical Education Center - Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Day 7: Explore a sprawling wildlife sanctuary

Today you'll wake up to an early-morning birding tour within the Tropical Education Center, before heading northbound to your last destination - the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sancatuary. Your transfer time will be approximately 1.5 hours, following which you'll check in and enjoy time to relax in your room.

This wildlife sanctuary is a world of wonder: explore the mosaic of wetland and terrestrial habitats, comprising 16,400 acres of lagoons, creeks, logwood swamps, broadleaf forest and pine savanna, in search of colorful birds such as the northern jacana and elusive sungrebe. The sanctuary protects globally endangered species including the Central American river turtle, Yucatán black howler monkey, and yellow-headed parrot.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Day 8: Watch the early-morning sunrise over a lagoon

Today, you'll wake up to another early-morning birding tour, this time heading to a lagoon for front-row seats to catch the sunrise! This lagoon tour will take you downstream to marvel at a variety of migratory and native birds that live on its banks. In the dry season, you may even spot the magestic jabiru stork - certainly a fond memory you'll carry with you forever.

Afterwards, enjoy a day of leisure at the resort, which offers many on-site hiking trails. You could also take this time to stroll into the local village; be sure to try one of the delicious cashewnut products made here.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary - Belize International Airport

Day 9: Say farewell to the birds of Belize

The hardest part of your trip has sadly arrived - that of leaving Belize! After checking out of your accommodation, you will take a land transfer to Belize International Airport, approximately an hour away, before continuing your onward journey.