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Our rainforest to reef expedition is, for many, the adventure of a lifetime. On this itinerary, we head inland to follow a river through the world renowned Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserves, then turn towards the sea and sail, paddle and snorkel our way along the wild southern Barrier Reef, camp on idyllic tropical islets and explore underwater coral reefs.

Photographic opportunities are exceptional as we journey from verdant rainforest of the Maya Mountains to the turquoise blues of the Caribbean. Hiking and paddling through Belize’s largest wildlife sanctuary, our Mayan guides teach us how to recognize the life that is all around us. Along the river, a citreoline trogon is a flash of brilliant color against the green foliage. What at first glance is a partially decayed leaf, on closer inspection, miraculously transforms into a butterfly, and not far from camp, a distinctive, musky odor tells us that a drove of wild peccary are close by.

On the river, our two-person inflatable kayaks combine the responsiveness and maneuverability of a kayak with the stability and comfort of a raft, enabling you and your paddling partner to easily captain your own boat (even with no previous paddling experience) as we follow the river through this spectacular rainforest wilderness.

We change from the rainforest, to the equally lush underwater world of the Belize Barrier Reef. We paddle among dolphins, sea turtles and eagle rays; raise sails to the northeasterly trades and feel the thrill as your kayak skims over the sea with the energy of the wind. And each day on our journey, we snorkel from our kayaks, exploring remote coral reefs where few people ever get to go; marvelling at brilliantly colored tropical fish and fantastic looking marine creatures. At times, we float quietly over sea grass beds with eyes peeled for the queen conch or swim along a reef wall and peer into holes and coral crevasses searching for spiny lobster. If we are lucky, there will be plenty of fresh lobster and conch for a seafood feast. At camp, after a delicious dinner, we listen as our Garifuna and Creole guides weave a tapestry of stories from their native Belize.

Begin from: Belize City
End in: Dangriga
Duration: 10 Days / 11 Nights
Trip Departures & Prices: See Trip Schedule at bottom of this page
Group Size: 6-12
Guides: 2-3 North American & Belizean Leaders.

Accommodations: Tropical Education Center, Maya Center Lodge, Camping, & Chaleanors Hotel.

Trip Route

This incredible journey affords us the unique opportunity to venture inland and explore the rivers of the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary combined with an epic paddle along the Southern Belizean Barrier Reef. We start our trip at the Belize Zoo, where we become part of the Captured Problem Jaguar Initiative. Here, we get face to face with one of Belize's newest programs designed to rehabilitate problem jaguars, that are normally destroyed. After a half-day at the zoo, we journey down the Hummingbird Highway to the village of Maya Center to a lodge managed by some of the villagers. From here, we then continue to the highlight of the inland portion of the trip; learning about and traveling through the Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Preserve. The Cockscomb Basin became a forest reserve in 1984, and the world's first and only Jaguar reserve in 1986. The area was protected because of the incredible diversity and profusion of wildlife and birds found within. The reserve supports the highest concentrations of jaguars (Felis onca) north of the Amazon Basin. Here we have a great opportunity to view wildlife as we travel along the river. Our exciting and challenging river-run is combined with a rich cultural experience, as we travel into the heartland of the Maya people with our Mayan Guides.

The Barrier Reef, which runs the full length of the Belizean coastline, is considered one of the richest marine ecosystems on earth. The reef, which is 185 miles long and runs from 10 to 25 miles offshore of the mainland, is the longest continuous reef in the Caribbean and one of the longest in the world. Along the barrier reef are over 225 cayes, ranging from small sand-fringed islands perched along the reef's edge, to larger islands of partially submerged land and mangroves found west of the main Barrier Reef and closer to the mainland. Teeming with brilliantly-colored fish, sea grass beds, and patch reefs, the reef systems here have not seen nearly the level of human impact as witnessed in Mexico to the north and Honduras to the south where large scale tourism and intense commercial fishing have damaged the marine habitat. It is in this region that we find the best sea kayaking and snorkeling.

   Day 0 :Arrive at the Belize International Airport where you will be met by an Island Expeditions representative and transferred to the Tropical Education Center, adjacent to the Belize Zoo. After settling into our forest cabanas we have a chance to meet our fellow travelers over dinner. At the Tropical Education Center, we have a chance to explore the surrounding savannah forest through their network of interpretative trails and wildlife viewing platforms. There is also an interpretative center, which details the diverse ecology of Belize, and is an ideal starting point for the adventure ahead. This day is your day to arrive before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers and acclimatize to your new tropical environment. Transfers from the airport, dinner and lodging are included.
  This day is your day to arrive before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers and acclimatize to your new tropical environment.
Accommodation: (Tropical Education Center)
Meals: Dinner

    Day 1 : After breakfast our guides take us on a morning walk along the wildlife viewing platforms at the center, and then we travel across the road to the Belize Zoo to participate in the Problem Jaguar Program. This has recently been setup by the Director of the Belize Zoo to address the growing number of Jaguars that are predating on cattle and pets on farms and in villages across Belize. The program live-captures Jaguars, exposes them to people as part of their rehabilitation, and gets them used to captivity. Eventually these animals will be available to high quality zoos around the world instead of being exterminated. This trip helps fund this new program, and gives people a once in a lifetime chance to spend time face to face with the master of the neo-tropical jungle.
After lunch at the TEC, we meander down one of Belize’s most spectacular drives, the Hummingbird Highway, into the Maya Village of Maya Center. Here we are greeted by a local Mayan family that hosts us for the night, and talks to us on how the village helps manage the park and about the life of the modern Maya. Here we enjoy a traditional Belizean dinner with our Belizean guide, discuss how to pack for the river portion of the trip, and talk details of the next days hike into the river.
Accommodation: (Lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Day 2, 3, 4: Early in the morning, we leave the lodge and head to the Cockscomb Park headquarters, where we tour the small interpretive center, load our backpacks, and begin our journey into the river put-in and our first camp in the Cockscomb. Stopping along the way to learn of the many plants and animals of the rainforest, we travel down a wide trail through the center of the park before veering off the main path into the Mexican Branch junction of the South Stann Creek River.

For this portion of the trip, we use two-person inflatable kayaks which combine the stability of a raft with the maneuverability of a kayak. We begin by traveling slowly, learning different paddle strokes and getting a feel for how the boats handle on the water. Traveling downriver we experience all the luxuriance and beauty of the tropical rainforest. Each bend in the river holds the promise of something new. As the trip progresses, we learn how to navigate through small rapids becoming proficient with reading the water and choosing the right channels. Arriving at our established bush-camps in the afternoon, we have time to explore and learn more about the plants and wildlife in the surrounding forest, and can take advantage of the afternoon light for photography. At night, we have the chance to go for a night-walk to try and see some of the nocturnal animals. This is the premier trip for encountering wildlife in the rainforests of Belize.
Accommodation: (Camping)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 : Enjoy our last day on the cays snorkeling paddling , fishing. In the afternoon we end our journey on an island along the inner channel of the barrier reef, and are transferred to the mainland by motor charter. Back in Dangriga, we settle into our accommodations, and have a chance to shower, dress and relax before our evening celebration at a local family’s house for dinner. Trip finishes in Dangriga the following day. Our office can help you make whatever travel arrangements you need from this point.
Accommodation: (Lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Special Note:
This trip takes place in a remote wilderness region of Belize. There is a 6 mile hike into the put-in point on the river. Participants are expected only to carry their personal gear into the river, and need to be ready for the unexpected. Weather conditions can greatly affect water levels and access into the river, and may increase the level of difficulty. We also believe that the remoteness and variability of conditions are what make this trip the best of its kind. Trip itineraries can vary significantly depending on water levels.

"I would like to say a big thank you for a well done trip. You have obviously spent a great deal of time to make sure that your trips are memorable experiences. Everything ran smoothly and the guides were great!!"

Wendy Benoit
Coral Jaguar Expedition
Feb 26, 2007

Accommodation...

On 'Day 0', we will be spending the night at the Tropical Education Center, spending one night in comfortable forest accommodations. The Education Center harbors Belize's largest collection of tropical animal specimens, a fantastic interpretative center, and has a network of trails on the property.

On Day 1’, We’ll be staying at a guest house in Maya Center a small Mayan village at the base of the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve. In the village we meet with our lead Mayan guides and learn about Mayan Culture.

While out on the cayes and also while on the river, we are practicing minimum impact camping, to ensure the pristine state of the wilderness remains for future visitors. We will be keeping our weight and volume to a minimum, carrying our gear in our kayaks from site to site. We will be staying in three-person MSR tents, which provide more than enough room for two people and gear. As we travel from caye to caye, we use pre-determined camping areas to minimize our impact on the islands and rainforest. However, we also give ourselves some flexibility to adjust our schedule to different conditions.

On the final night we will be staying in Dangriga. Our accommodation is at Chaleanor’s Hotel, a Belizean-style hotel in the town center.

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