Viamigo

PACKAGE 5

Northern, Central, and Southern Belize (12 days, 11 nights)

Day 1

BELIZE CITY / ORANGE WALK

After clearing immigration and customs you are met by your guide and travel the Northern Highway to Orange walk town. There will be opportunities for birding along the way.

O/N St. Christopher's Hotel. (L)/ D

Day 2

LAMANAI ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE / CROOKED TREE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

Following breakfast we board our boat for the ride to the Mayan ruins of Lamanai. The leisurely boat ride takes us approximately 30 miles up the New River, where we have the opportunity to see many water birds such as Blue Crowned Night Herons, Purple Gallinule, and the chance to catch a glimpse of the rare Jabiru Stork. You may also see crocodiles and other wildlife along the way. After arriving at Lamanai we will have the chance to explore the ruins and have the opportunity to view birds such as Red-Lored Parrots, Blue-Crowned Motmots, Collared Aracari Toucans, Lineated and Pale-billed Woodpeckers, and Black-Headed and Violaceous Togons. In addition, Yucatan Black Howler Monkeys are usually seen or heard here. Following a picnic lunch we return to Orange Walk Town and drive to the town of Crooked Tree inside the wildlife sanctuary and check into your accommodations in time for dinner.

O/N Bird's Eye Lodge. B/L/D

Day 3

CROOKED TREE WILD LIFE SANCTUARY / BELIZE ZOO

We will do early morning birding by boat on the lagoon of Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. Water birds will be the main target with special emphasis on finding the Jabiru, Sungrebe and Agami herons. Depart for Crystal paradise after a late breakfast allowing a stop at the Belize Zoo and for lunch at one of the local restaurants. We check into our accommodations at Crystal Paradise.

O/N Crystal Paradise Resort. B/L/D

Day 4

CRYSTAL PARADISE

Morning bird-walk on the grounds at Crystal Paradise. Some of the birds we hope to see include Red-legged Honeycreepers, Tanagers, Tityras, and Parrots. Blue Crowned Motmots and the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are also a common sight. Easy day to hang out explore on your own.

Day 5

MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE

After an early breakfast we depart for the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. Here we have the opportunity to see yellow faced grassquits, Rufous-capped Warblers, Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-backed Orioles and Golden-hooded Tanagers. Black headed Siskins can often be seen flying in flocks. There is a strong possibility of seeing the orange-breasted falcons and king vultures by The 1,000 Ft. Falls (Hidden Valley).

O/N Crystal Paradise Resort. B/L/D

Day 6

El PILAR

We will make an afternoon visit to El Pilar, a Maya site and flora/fauna reserve. It is excellent for birding, hiking, and provides an insight to Belize's sub-tropical forests. We will make stops along the way to view such birds as the Collared Manakins and Honeycreepers an array of flycatchers etc. We will then return to our accommodations after witnessing a Belizean sunset.

O/N Crystal Paradise Resort. B/L/D

Day 7

MACAL RIVER CANOEING

Spend the day canoeing on the Macal River. While canoeing we have the chance to see Neotropic Cormorants, Mangrove Swallows, Kingfishers, Gray-necked Wood-rails and other wildlife that frequent the riverbanks such as iguanas sunning themselves on the rocks and trees.

O/N Crystal Paradise Resort. B/L/D

Day 8

BLUE HOLE NATIONAL PARK / MAYFLOWER BOCAWINA NATIONAL PARK

We will depart in the morning for a stop at the Blue Hole National Park. The Blue Hole has a number of trails to hike within the park. Some of the unusual birds known to this area include White Hawks, Spotted-Wood Quails, Crested Guans, Lovely Cotingas, Keel-Billed Toucans, Red-Legged Honey Creepers, and Slaty-tailed Trogons.

We then continue to Hopkins village. We check into our lodge accommodations, and spend the early evening birding in the area some of the birds we hope to see are Royal Terns, Caspian Terns. Whimbrels, Magnificent Frigatebird and more

O/N Hopkins Village, B/L/D

Day 9

MAYFLOWER BOCAWINA NATIONAL PARK

After an early breakfast we go on a short drive to the Mayflower Bocawina National Park consisting of over 7,000 acres. It is home to waterfalls, lush vegetation and a wide variety of interesting birds such as the Keel-billed and Tody Motmots, Black faced Ant-thrush, Pygmy kingfishers just to name a few. Almost 200 species of birds have been recorded here. We will spend of the day birding in the Park.

O/N Hopkins Village B/L/D

Day 10

Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve/ PLACENCIA

We will spend the morning birding in the Jaguar reserve, some of the birds we hope to see include crested Guans, Great Currasow, White-Collared Manakins, Passerinis Tanagers etc. We then depart for the Placencia Peninsula. Stop for lunch along the way.

After checking into your seaside accommodations, you are free to explore beach, lagoon and village of Placencia.

B/L

Day 11

SNORKEL TRIP/ PLACENCIA

Belize boasts the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. You will take a snorkeling trip to Laughing Bird Cay. Here you will view the spectacular sea life of the reef. Other trip options at additional cost may include; Diving the local reefs and river tour with a visits to Monkey River Village.

O/N Placencia.

Day 12

DEPARTURE

Morning transfer to the Placencia Airstrip for Tropic or Maya Air flight to Belize City or Int’l Airport..