DAY 1 | Spanish Bay
Welcome to Belize! Your group will be met at the Belize International Airport and transferred to Belize City by van. From Belize City, you will travel by boat down the Belize River and across approximately 10 miles of the magnificent Caribbean Sea to Spanish Bay Resort. Your first evening will be relaxing and unwinding time; your only interruption a welcome greeting, orientation, and supper. Then be lulled to sleep by the intoxicating sound of the Caribbean Sea under your private Cabana while the most brilliant stars watch over you!
DAY 2 | Spanish Bay/Belize City
Enjoy an early light breakfast at Spanish Bay. Depart by boat for the market in Belize City (Tuesday and Friday only). Learn about local fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and seasonings; shop for the week's cooking lessons; return to Spanish Bay for lunch. The afternoon free; you may choose to rest and read either on your private veranda over the sea, walk along the paths cut through the mangrove swamp, snorkel among the seagrass beds and mangrove channels, swim off the dock, canoe, kayak, or just do nothing! Later in the afternoon you will experience the local fishing culture as you participate in towing and drop fishing. Finally, you will return to Spanish Bay and help prepare supper. [B,L,D]
DAY 3 | Cooking and Fishing at Spanish Bay
Early risers will help prepare breakfast. Learn to make tortillas, johnny cakes, or fry jack -- all local bread favorites! The morning will be spent checking fish and/or lobster traps and/or free diving for lobster and conch. Then, you'll return to Spanish Bay and help prepare lunch. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy Spanish Bay's natural wonders. After dinner, we'll have a question and answer period on Spanish Bay and Belize. [B,L,D]
DAY 4 | Snorkeling and Natural History
Spend the early morning swimming or snorkeling on the reef at Paunch or Sergeant's Caye. Then we'll return to Spanish Bay and prepare breakfast. The morning will be devoted to cooking lessons featuring local desserts. After lunch, we'll take a natural history tour: slow travel through Drowned Cayes Mangrove ecosystem searching for dolphins, manatees, spotted eagle rays, houndfish, and coastal birds. Then we'll visit nearby Saint George's Caye (Belize's first capital) for a walking tour and interaction with locals and expatriates. After that, we'll return to Spanish Bay and prepare supper. [B,L,D]
DAY 5 | San Ignacio and DuPlooy's
Time to head to San Ignacio. You will be transported from the cayas to Belize City where you will then meet your local transportation. Along the two hour ride you will stop at the Belize Zoo for a visit. Once in San Ignacio you will arrive at the DuPlooys?s Rainforest Lodge. Here we'll have the rest of the day to spend at the lodge. [B,L,D]
DAY 6 | Mayan Ruins
Today after a nice breakfast it will be time to head out to explore the Mayan Sites. We'll start by heading to Caracol, the best ruin this side of the border. It has giant temples from which you can gaze upon miles of protected Chiquibul forest. As a bonus you can often see real live archaeologists at work here. There has been reconstruction on the main temple to show you what the temple was thought to look like during the time of the Mayans. On the way back to the lodge, we'll have a swim in the Rio On Pools of the Mountain Pine Ridge. After a fun time exploring you will return to the lodge for a nice evening dinner. [B,L,D]
DAY 7 | Belize Botanic Gardens
After breakfast today, you will have a guided tour of the botanical garden. Your guided walk will go along the Maya medicine trail, native orchid house, a bird blind on the pond, lots of tropical fruits and flowers, a rainforest walk, palms and lots more tropical splendour, and you can let your guide know if you have a particular area of interest. If you want to see the place in style and out of the heat take a guided horse and buggy tour. The buggy tour covers all the garden highlights. All tours last about 1 - 2 hours depending on your interest. Then you'll have the rest of the day to enjoy the lodge. We don't carry on about the garden just for kicks. Botanic gardens are important resources for the preservation of biodiversity and excellent arenas for conservation education, and the Belize Botanic Gardens is no exception. As part of the Botanic Gardens for Conservation International and Caribbean Botanic Gardens for Conservation, the BBG staff works to promote conservation and conservation education through many projects. Ken duPlooy, the garden founder, has been awarded international recognition for his contribution to biodiversity for creating Belize Botanic Gardens. [B,L,D]
DAY 8 | Leave Belize
After 7 relaxing days viewing everything that Belize has to offer, from its breathtaking Caribbean beaches to the dense rainforest, it's time to head back to the airport for your trip home. [B]
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