birding tours in belize

with Paradise Expeditions

With an abundance of over 574 species of birds Belize has quickly become a favorite Central America birding spot among birders and nature lovers. Let us be your Bird guide in Belize to the fascinating world of Belize birds. See Belize bird checklist for a list of Belize birds you may see on one of your Belize birding trip. Let us show you the very best of birding in Belize. The best Belize bird guides are employed by our tour company. The preferred Belize tour Company when it comes to Birding in Belize.

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Central Belize and Caye Caulker Birding Package

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Crooked tree.

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Great Curassow

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Mountain Pine Ridge

Black-cowled Oriole

The Macal river

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Laguna Aguacate /Spanish Lookout

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Blue Hole national Park & St. Herman's Cave

birding tours in belize

Belize Jaguar Reserve (Cockscomb Basin)

Belize birdwatching hotspots.

Southern Belize

After a day of Belize Birding Adventure, sleep at night in comfort and wake up to the sound of birds.

Crystal Paradise Resort

birding tours in belize

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Birding in Belize

Destination leaders, kevin loughlin, gabriel lugo, russell graves, news & updates.

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About Belize

  • Birding in Belize is fun and easy
  • Belize is a small country with small population
  • English is official language
  • 600+ species of birds in Belize
  • 2 species of monkeys
  • Many Mayan ruins
  • Beautiful Caribbean coast
  • The Maya mountains’ highest peak is 4000 feet
  • Higher percentage of protected land area than any other Central American country!

Belize is the country that changed the life of Wildside’s owner, Kevin Loughlin. After Kevin’s visit  to go birding in Belize (and photographing, too, of course), Kevin returned home and started planning his first tour to Belize. He soon quit his job and founded Wildside Nature Tours!

Glenn Crawford, our Belizean tour leader, has been with Wildside since our very first tour in January 1994. Glenn is considered by many top birders to be one of the best birders they have ever met. I am sure, once you have done a trip with him, that you will agree!

What our guests say about our Belize tours

Once again we had a terrific birding trip with Wildside. Belize was a perfect tropical birding introduction for Pat and I. The accommodations and meals were great. The variety and numbers of birds was overwhelming. And I can’t say enough good things about Glenn our guide. He was SUPER!!!! We definitely will be doing another Glenn guided trip in the near future. Thanks again for a wonderful week!

How Glenn can find a stub tailed spadebill and white whiskered puffbird 10 feet in the woods and behind a tree is just amazing. Going boondocking thru the woods resulted in An Ornate Hawk Eagle mating. What more can a birder ask for!!!

BELIZE & TIKAL 13-Day: Tropical Birding Bonanza

Birds & wildlife, belize 9-day: intro to tropical birding, belize: birds and monkeys photo safari, photography.

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B elize Birding Tour Packages

Belize Birding Packages

Explore belize’s avian wonders.

Embark on an unforgettable avian adventure with our   Belize Birding Tour Packages . Immerse yourself in Belize’s breathtaking diversity of avian life, from vibrant tropical birds to rare   migratory species . Our expertly curated tours provide a unique opportunity to explore the rich birding habitats of Belize, making it a must-visit destination for bird enthusiasts worldwide.

Experience the Magic:   Discover the awe-inspiring beauty of Belize’s avian wonders as you embark on an adventure tailored to showcase the best of the country’s birdlife.

Explore Belize’s Avian Wonders:

  • Encounter a wide array of bird species in their natural habitat
  • Immerse yourself in the captivating sights and sounds of Belize’s diverse avifauna
  • Witness exciting bird species that call Belize home

Experiencing Avian Diversity in Rainforests

Explore Belize’s vibrant rainforests, home to a symphony of bird songs and species like the keel-billed toucan. Immerse yourself in the ancient, verdant landscapes teeming with avian life.

Discovering Mangrove Swamps

Navigate the unique ecosystem of Belize’s mangrove swamps. Spot elusive birds such as the mangrove warbler and yellow-crowned night heron in this tranquil coastal environment.

Belize Birding Tour Packages

Immerse in the lush rainforests and mangrove swamps, exploring the captivating diversity of avian life in these habitats.

Expert Guided Birding Tours

Join expert-led tours through Belize’s avian wonders. Gain insights into various bird species, suitable for both avid birders and beginners.

Tailored Birding Experiences

Customize your birdwatching journey. Whether your interest is photographing rare birds or observing migratory species, our tours cater to your unique preferences.

Responsible Birdwatching Practices

Our tours focus on responsible birdwatching, positively impacting Belize’s environment and bird species.

Sustainable Birdwatching Commitment

We prioritize environmentally friendly practices, supporting local conservation efforts to preserve Belize’s natural habitats and birdlife.

Preserving Avian Habitats

Our tours highlight the beauty of Belize’s birdlife and the critical importance of protecting these ecosystems for future generations, promoting ethical avitourism practices.

Belize Birdwatching Tour Packages

Discover the marvels of birdwatching in Belize through our thoughtfully designed tour packages. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of avian diversity as you explore lush rainforests and tranquil mangrove swamps. Our expert guides are dedicated to enhancing your birding experience, offering insightful commentary, and enriching your understanding of Belize’s rich avian heritage.

Experience responsible and sustainable birdwatching, knowing that our tours prioritize environmentally friendly practices and support local conservation efforts. Join us in promoting ethical and environmentally conscious avitourism while discovering the unparalleled beauty of Birdwatching Belize with our Belize Birding Tour Packages.

White-collared Manakin perched on a branch during the Birdwatching Belize Expedition

Belize Birding Adventure

Six-day luxury birding adventure at Chan Chich and Hidden Valley Inn, featuring neotropical birds and wildlife in lush gardens & reserves.

Black-collared-Hawk spotted during the Birdwatching Northern Belize Tour

Birding Northern Belize

Discover Northern Belize’s avian treasures on a 7-day birding tour, featuring La Milpa, Lamanai, and Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

Kell-billed motmot spotted during a Birding in the South of Belize

Southern Belize

8-day Birdwatching Adventure in South, Southeast, and West Belize, exploring diverse habitats home to exotic birds and natural wonders.

Vibrant Slaty-tailed Trogon on a Belize Birding Expedition: A stunning bird with iridescent plumage perched gracefully on a branch, showcasing its brilliant colors against the lush Belizean backdrop.

Belize Birding Expedition

Embark on a 9-Day Belize Birding Adventure: Explore Exotic Habitats & Tikal’s Wonders, a Birdwatcher’s Paradise Year-Round

Yutacan Flycatcher spotted in Belize at Corozal District's Best Birding Areas

Belize & Tikal

9-day Belize & Guatemala birding tour: Explore lush landscapes, rich culture, and UNESCO sites, all tailored to your tastes.

Olive-backed Euphonia perched on a branch during our Birdwatching Tour in Belize

Reef & Rainforest

Explore Belize’s inland wonders and Caye Caulker’s reef on a 10-day customizable tour, rich in diverse bird species and wildlife.

Birding in Belize with Paradise Expeditions

birding tours in belize

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birding tours in belize

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Birding in Belize with Paradise Expeditions - Everything to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala, C.A.

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Agami Heron

Belize Birding Tour

10 days birding package, all year round.

Belize Intl. Airport

10 days visiting 4 of the best birding destinations in Belize.

You will visit

  • La Milpa Forest Station where inhabit approximately 390 Species of birds, 75 percent are endemic of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula
  • Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary
  • Caye Caulker
  • Hidden Valley Inn & Reserve, within the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve

Day 1: Arrival – La Milpa Ecolodge and Research Center

Meet & greet at Belize international airports and depart to Rio Bravo conservation and management area.

A night walk for owls will be available for those interested.

Day 2: La Milpa Ecolodge and Research Center

Birding at La Milpa archaeological site, top location in Belize to find the rare Crested Eagle and other large raptors.

Spider monkeys play in the canopy and are a favorite meal for crested eagles.

Lodging at la milpa

Day 3: Rio Bravo Conservation Center

birding around Rio Bravo conservation and a management area for species such as Crane Hawk, Great Curassow, and the brightly colored Ocellated Turkey.

Day 4: Crooked Tree

Birding around blue creek rice fields for several migrant waders and ducks. After lunch, departure to the crooked tree.

Lodging at bird’s eye view lodge

Day 5: Crooked Tree

Crooked tree wildlife sanctuary tour on a boat searching for the Jabiru Stork, Snail Kites, Black-collared Hawk, and dozens of ducks, egrets, herons, and waders.

Day 6: Crooked Tree – Caye Caulker

Sunrise birding on the western lagoon and the edge of crooked tree village in search of typical savannah species such as the Yucatan Jay and Yellow-headed Parrot.

After lunch, we depart to Belize city and continue by collective boat to Caye Caulker.

Day 7: Caye Caulker

Birding around Caye Caulker forest reserve species such as Clapper Rail, Rufous-necked Wood-Rail , and Common Black Hawk.

Along the beachfront, we might find godwits and brown boobies, as well as waders skimming through for small crustaceans.

Day 8: Hidden Valley Inn

Departure from Caye Caulker in a collective boat to Belize city and head to mountain pine ridge with a stop at green hills butterfly ranch for about a dozen hummingbirds.

Hook-billed kites and Gray-headed Kitehave regularly been spotted at this spot too.

Day 9: Hidden Valley Inn

Birding around the hidden valley private reserve for rare raptors such as the Orange-breasted Falcon, King Vulture, Solitary Eagle, Stygian Owl, and Aplomado Falcon.

In the afternoon:

You will head to Rio Frio cave for encounters with Lesson’s Motmot, Orange-billed Sparrow, Golden-crowned Warblers. Montezuma Oropendolas, Rusty Sparrows, and Plumbeous Kites can also be seen along the way.

Day 10: Back Home

Breakfast and transfer to Belize international airport. End of our services

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Black Rock Lodge

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birding tours in belize

Birding Destination

THE IDEAL DESTINATION FOR DISCRIMINATING BIRDERS

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Birding in Belize

At Black Rock Lodge, we are passionate and literate about the flora and fauna that surrounds us, but we have a particular love for birds. Our commitment to birdwatching, bird conservation, and bird research make Black Rock the premier destination for birding in Belize. The lodge is surrounded by some of Belize’s most bird-rich habitats, including a 13,000-acre national park made up of luxurious rainforest that is the perfect habitat for hundreds of bird species to thrive. This scene provides a breathtaking viewscape from Black Rock Lodge’s famed open-air restaurant , complete with scopes, binoculars, and guides to help translate what you’re seeing.

Birding

#1 Belize Hot Spot

FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Don’t just take our word for it: eBird agrees! eBird is the world’s leading expert when it comes to bird data. The largest biodiversity-related citizen science project, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed each year by birders around the world, eBird is a collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and hundreds of thousands of users. eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Yes, when it comes to birds, Black Rock Lodge has it all.

Black Rock Lodge’s 242-acre location features over 1100 feet of elevation change from the Macal River to various mountain peaks and canyon ridges, the perfect environment for nearly 390 species of spectacular resident and migratory birds. The diversity of the lodge’s geological and ecological surroundings affords guests—be they veteran birders or first timers—the ability to easily see a vast variety of common and extremely rare species. When you combine our privileged forest location and our phenomenal expert guides in these local bird species, a magical birding experience awaits every single person who visits Black Rock Lodge.

Belize Birding - Emerald Toucanet

Located on the banks of the beautiful Macal River and surrounded by a lush tropical rainforest, Black Rock Lodge is the ideal destination for discriminating birders. I recently had the pleasure of staying there and, as always, was quite impressed with its exceptional bird diversity and the unsurpassed expertise and congeniality of its bird guides—not to mention its exquisite cuisine and luxurious accommodations. If you are a birder, there is no better place to exercise your binoculars than at Black Rock Lodge!

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Mid-day, siesta time for many birds, an astute observer can spot an enormous variety of raptors: Hawks, Hawk-eagles, Kites and Falcons in the airspace above the lodge and the Don Elijio Panti National Park. All viewable from the cabin patios or very nearby paths. Also close to home are the ever-present Tanagers, Trogons, Honeycreepers, Grosbeaks, and Orioles that complement the lush-green landscape with a dazzling array of colors; pastel blues and subtle lavenders to fire-engine red and sunburst orange. Iridescent Emeralds, Sabrewings, Fairys, and Scaly-breasted hummingbirds sparkle in the rays of sunlight that pierce the forest canopy as they dash about in search of nectaring flowers and tiny insects.

Black Rock Lodge Welcomes Birding Groups

For the past few years, we’ve proudly hosted the Mass Audubon Group and most recently, in 2018, VENT (Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours) joined us for a spectacular birding retreat.

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Belize Adventure

Easy-to-use travel guide for Belize

The Best Birding in Belize (Hotspots and Lodges)

November 18, 2023 By Lorenzo Gonzalez

Bird Walk at Crooked Tree Village

No matter what time of the year it is, Belize is always the perfect destination for birding. Of the over 590 birds that call Belize home, approximately 80 percent of these birds are local and the rest are migrant species that fly down from North America every winter. This means that if you’re into bird watching, a variety of colourful and exotic birds can be spotted year-round all over Belize.

Related:  Best Jungle Resorts in Belize and  Top Belize Rainforest Tours

Hopefully, this news entices you to plan your next trip to Belize. If that’s the case, follow this guide to visiting the top hotspots to go birding in Belize, including a few recommended birding lodges that will make your stay extra special.

Top 10 best Birding Sites in Belize

1. crooked tree wildlife sanctuary.

Great Blue Heron in Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Located in  Crooked Tree Village , the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best bird watching locations in Belize. In 1998, the Sanctuary was declared Belize’s first Ramsar site based on the wetland’s international significance for many migratory and non-migratory wetland bird species. Large numbers of wading birds flock into the lagoons during Belize’s dry season (February through May) when food is hard to find in other places.

2. Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Crimson-collared Tanager

Mountain Pine Ridge is a landscape of rolling pine forest spread over smooth, granite hillsides in the Cayo District.  Bird watching is a popular activity within the reserve; species include the rufous-capped warbler, crossbill, pine siskin, stygian owl and eastern bluebird. If you visit between autumn and spring, you may also see the hepatic tanager and chipping sparrow. Raptors cruise the valleys of the Pine Ridge and it is the most likely place in Belize to see the rare Orange-breasted Falcon.

3. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Laughing Falcon in Southern Belize

The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is most popularly known as the world’s only Jaguar Preserve. Although visitors rarely see a jaguar, the many ecosystems of Cockscomb support a rich and varied bird fauna – forest species, pine woodland and savanna species, species restricted to riverine areas, and birds associated with higher elevations.

4. Caracol Archaeological Reserve

Violaceous Trogon

Located in Mountain Pine Ridge, Caracol Mayan Ruins is one of the last outposts where the Keel-billed Motmot, a globally vulnerable species is relatively common. Other notable birds seen at Caracol include the Ocellated Turkey, the Crested Guan, and the Great Curassow. While admiring the largest Maya site in Belize, you will also likely see colorful toucans and trogons.

5. Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary

Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, Herons, Egrets, and Whistling Ducks take flight at Agua Caliente in Belize

The Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve in the Toledo District in Southern Belize. Aguacaliente protects important breeding colonies for many birds, in the grass and along the water’s edge, common sightings include cormorants, wood storks, great blue herons, little blue herons, tri-colored herons, great egrets, whistling ducks, sandpipers, stilts, swallows, flycatchers, and more.

6. Mayflower Bocawina National Park

White-collared Manakin

Adjacent to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the Mayflower Bocawina National Park has over 7000 acres of pristine lowland and highland rainforest. Along with offering tons of birding opportunities, the park is a great location for exploring mountains, waterfalls, walking trails, swimming holes, and Maya archeological remains.

7. St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park

Northern Emerald Toucanet in Belize

Located just 12 miles south of Belmopan City, along the Hummingbird Highway, St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park hosts 575 acres of jungle waiting to be explored. The park is known for the popular sapphire-coloured cenote and St. Herman’s Cave, however, less explored are the well-maintained trails that makes bird watching very accessible.

8. Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker

Red-bellied Woodpecker eating Sea Grape in Ambergris Caye

Of all the bird habitats in Belize, the littoral forests on Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are possibly the most endangered due to rapid tourism development. Caye littoral forests benefit the Black Catbird and White-crowned Pigeon, which are both listed as near-threatened species. The Mangrove habitat and the abundant sea grape trees also attract many other birds.

9. Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

Red-Footed Booby at Half Moon Caye

Declared a crown reserve bird sanctuary in 1928, Half Moon Caye is the oldest site for wildlife protection in Belize. On the caye, there is a colony of Red-footed Boobies, an estimated 4,000 birds, almost entirely made up of white morphs with black on the trailing edge of the wings.

10. Red Bank Village

Scarlet Macaw feeding near Red Bank Village in Stann Creek, Belize

From November or December to March, the magnificent Scarlet Macaw flocks to the small Maya Village of Red Bank in Stann Creek . As many as 100 wild parrots can gather near the village to feed on the sweet, ripe fruits of the ‘annatto’ and ‘pole wood’ trees. This region is also known for hosting flocks of other tropical birds year-round, such as the toucan, which is Belize’s national bird.

Best Time for Birding

The best time for birdwatching in Belize is all year round. Due to the warm weather, most native Belize birds can be spotted throughout the year. However, from December to April, local resident birds are joined by migratory birds that are escaping the North American winter, so it’s a good time to see both Central and North American birds on the same trip. And during Belize’s summer months, which can be rainy , other migratory birds come from South America.

The majority of bird watchers and birding group tours come to Belize from January to April, however, this may have more to do with the fact that it is the tourism high season (aka Belize’s dry season) than it being the best time for birding in Belize.

Where to Stay

Onsite birding at Hamanasi Resort

Birdwatchers visiting Belize don’t particularly need to stay at birding-specific resorts and lodges, however, staying at places that cater to birders ensures access to top bird guides, packaged tours, and on-site birding opportunities. A few resorts and lodges that I recommend include:

High-end Birding Resorts

Rainforest infinity pool and Manicured Grounds at Chaa Creek Eco Resort

  • The Lodge at Chaa Creek ‘s 400-acre nature reserve offers a wide range of exciting activities, including some of the best birding in Belize. To date, over 350 species of resident and migratory birds have been spotted onsite.
  • The secluded Chan Chich Lodge is a renowned destination for naturalists, birders, and for those seeking an authentic retreat deep in the Belizean jungle.

Budget-friendly Birding Resorts

Birds Eye View Lodge in Crooked Tree Village, Belize

  • Birds Eye View Lodge is one of the oldest and best-rated locations in Crooked Tree Village. The quaint lodge is located right next to the lake making it easy to spot birds.
  • For a “rugged” experience deep in the jungles of northwestern Belize,  Programme for Belize offers an extraordinary opportunity to spot wildlife and birds.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it so that others that are into birding can come across it.

Related posts:

Beyond the Barrier Reef Deep Sea Fishing in Belize

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Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, Belize

The Best of Belize, On & Offshore

birding tours in belize

Belizean Tropical Birding Tour

birding tours in belize

Attention birders! From Toucans to Parrots to Laughing Falcons, you will have the opportunity to view some of the 600 species of birds in Belize. Never gone birding before? No worries! Our guides will introduce birding to you and possibly make a birder out of you! Avid birder? Perfect! Belize has many species waiting to be added to your life list! Read More ⋁

birding tours in belize

More Information

Price

What to Bring:

Sturdy Shoes or Boots

Insect Repellent

Field guide

Other Information:

This adventure can be included in any of our packages. If you do not purchase a package, this tour may be booked a la carte for the listed price.

Intensity Key:

  • Challenging
  • Very Challenging

Everyday, Hamanasi offers a barrier reef excursion and an inland excursion based on a preset schedule. These scheduled tours are included in package rates. Tours beyond the daily scheduled tours are not included in package rates but can be booked at the listed cost. All tours are accompanied by a licensed Belizean tour guide and include any permits needed. A PADI professional accompanies all dive trips. More information about our tours is available on our rates and policies pages.

Related Links

  • All Rainforest Adventures
  • Cave & Jungle Adventure
  • Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve
  • Jungle River Canoeing
  • Jaguar Preserve Night Hike
  • Magical Maya History Tour
  • Mayflower Jungle & Waterfall Hike
  • Red Bank Birding (Seasonal)
  • Tropical Birding
  • Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave
  • Belize Zoo VIP Tour
  • Black Hole Drop
  • Cave Tubing
  • Che’il Chocolate Tour
  • Garifuna Cooking Class
  • Hopkins Village by Bike
  • Jungle Horseback Riding
  • Bocawina Jungle Ziplining
  • Monkey River Adventure
  • Bocawina Waterfall Rappelling Adventure
  • All Reef Adventures
  • Fishing With the Locals
  • Reef & Rainforest Packages

I’ve been to quite a few dive resorts. Hamanasi is hands down, the best so far. Thank you for a wonderful time.

We appreciate that Hamanasi is able to provide exceptional experience for visitors while working to maintain the wonder of Belize.

Hamanasi helped introduce my family to the Garifuna & Maya people of Belize. Everything is so close – the mountains, caves, waterfalls, animals, ruins – this is such a peaceful country with rich culture and a people that cares about the environment. What a hidden gem! Thank you!

Overall, great experience! Staff made you feel extremely welcome and tended to your every need. Tours gave you a taste of Belize and the resort gave you a taste of heaven!

This was the perfect getaway and reunion with best friends. The access to both Diving and Tours cannot be matched

Room beautifully decorated and clean! The entire staff was extremely helpful & courteous. Food was the best! Tour guides extremely knowledgeable!

Just keep doing what you’re doing… The Mayan tour history was incredible; the guide was extremely knowledgeable and profoundly connected to his heritage.

Wonderful stay, beautiful surroundings. The staff was unfailingly friendly and accommodating. Adventures were great and well organized!

This is my 6th Belize dive adventure in the past 18 years and my best ALL around experience.

Best dive experience we have ever had. Everyone top Notch. Best vacation ever!

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Belize: Green Season

July 20 - 27, 2024

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Why Summer Belize? Because the rainforest biodiversity is strongest in the wet or “green” season! While you may miss some winter migrants, you find the forest replete with life, as many fascinating large insects like katydids, beetles, mantids, and butterflies emerge. Birds respond to this abundance and are active, busy feeding on the flourish of insects. Yes, it will rain—you are in a rainforest. But between this season’s dramatic and often short showers the sun pops out and with it, life revs up. In-the-know birders watching their budget also know this is a great time for good savings. We offer Belize journeys throughout the year—it’s a close and exotic destination clients rave about. In just a few hours you are watching toucans and parrots fly, and hearing trogons alluring calls. From Lamanai Outpost Lodge we take several boat trips, finding endangered Morelet's Crocodile, iguanas, and basilisk lizards, up to five species of kingfishers, Boat-billed Heron, Gray-necked Wood-Rail, and occasionally a rarity like an Agami Heron. At night, with the aid of spotlights, we look for several species of bats, Yucatan Nightjar, Yucatan Poorwill, and Northern Potoo. At Black Rock Lodge we gaze out at pristine forest and down to the Macal River, keeping our eyes peeled for a pair of Orange-breasted Falcon that frequent here … you’ve arrived at a birding paradise. Join us to explore Belize’s biological treasures and cultural roots. We emphasize birding, but also examine natural history and Maya heritage while having some simple, relaxing fun. We enjoy extended time at each lodge to ease travel and soak in the special attributes that give them such fine reputations. Colorful resident birds make birding each day extraordinary and fun!

Gartered Trogon, Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Tour Highlights

  • Treat yourself to a real vacation at two of the best eco-lodges in the Neotropics
  • Enjoy three nights at the beautiful Lamanai Outpost Lodge, just a stroll away from impressive Maya ruins
  • Bird the forest canopy from above, atop two stunning Maya temples
  • Explore bird-rich lagoons by boat to find Snail Kite and colorful wading birds
  • Traverse the trails of Black Rock Lodge in search of trogons, parrots, toucans, and more
  • Wake to the noisy chorus of tinamous, forest-falcons, and motmots, right outside your door

King Vulture, Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Trip Itinerary

Itineraries are guidelines; variations in itinerary may occur to account for weather, road conditions, closures, etc. and to maximize your experience.

Sat., July 20 : Arrivals | Lamanai Outpost Lodge

Start your adventure with ease. The Belize City airport is small and welcoming, and you are greeted by tropical air and the smile of your guide. The transfer in to Lamanai Outpost Lodge is FUN and starts your trip with some great birding action. We first travel a short way by van and then switch to a boat. From the boat, we should see Mangrove Swallow, Amazon and Green Kingfishers, Limpkin, Northern Jacana, Plumbeous Kite, and, with luck, a Black-collared Hawk or a huge Jabiru. Be ready with a windbreaker, camera, and binoculars. We arrive in time for late-afternoon birding by the lodge, followed by dinner. Lamanai (Mayan for “submerged crocodile”), is located at the edge of a 28-mile spring-fed lagoon and offers rainforest, Maya ruins, pine savannahs, freshwater marshes, and open water habitats, all within walking distance. Over 400 species have been counted here, including Thicket Tinamou, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Jabiru Stork, King Vulture, Zone-tailed Hawk, Ruddy Crake, White-fronted Parrot, Squirrel Cuckoo, and Northern Bentbill. Also seen are otters, manatees, monkeys, and crocodiles. There is even the chance of seeing signs of Jaguar activity nearby. Forest trails and Maya ruins are easily accessed at Lamanai; birds and butterflies always seem to be at arm’s length. Lesson’s Motmot, Bat Falcon, and the tiny Tody Motmot all like this area. Just a short stroll from the lodge stands the Temple of the Jaguar and the High Temple, two of about 700 Maya structures at Lamanai that were hidden under a blanket of earth and vegetation until their excavation began in 1974. These ruins date back two millennia. Climbing the temples requires a bit of effort, but the reward is great: a bird’s-eye view over the forest canopy. Accommodations at Lamanai Outpost Lodge (D)

Sun., July 21 & Mon., July 22 : Two Full Days at Fabulous Lamanai Outpost Lodge

Whether you’re well-traveled in Central America or visiting for the first time, there is much to hold your attention at Lamanai. Birds and monkeys busy themselves around the cabins; nearly 200 species of butterflies flit through the area, colorful dragonflies and damselflies buzz by, lizards ranging in size from tiny geckoes to five-foot-long iguanas lounge around, and of course, numerous herbs, shrubs, and trees attract wild tropical wonder. One of the most interesting phenomena, and one we are likely to encounter at Lamanai and Black Rock Lodge, is an army ant march. Birds of many families attend these marches, eating the insects, frogs, lizards, and other organisms flushed by the foraging ants. Standing quietly at the margin of an ant swarm, we get close looks at faithful ant followers, including Gray-headed Tanager, Red-throated Ant-Tanager, and a number of woodcreepers, including Tawny-winged and Northern Barred. Other possibilities are White-whiskered Puffbird, several flycatchers, and more. Even birds of prey like the dainty Barred Forest-Falcon follow ant swarms—all so absorbed in the sea of insect life that they ignore our fascinated observation. Relax at meals, so delightful at Lamanai, where open-air dining lets you be immersed in nature; local foods and tropical fruits abound! Accommodations at Lamanai Outpost Lodge (B,L,D, both days)

Tues., July 23 : Lamanai Outpost Lodge | New River Boat Transfer | Black Rock Lodge

Enjoy a final morning with a birding option at the nearby village at Lamanai, where Squirrel Cuckoo and Boat-billed Flycatcher are often found. After a last, lovely breakfast we travel by boat back to the Lamanai office by the airport. Along our route birds at the water’s edge are familiar: Neotropic Cormorant, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and Purple Gallinule. Others, like White-collared Seedeater, Mangrove Vireo, Ruddy Crake, or the delightful American Pygmy Kingfisher remind you that you have left the United States. We meet our drivers from Black Rock Lodge late morning, and get to know them as we enjoy lunch at a fun local café. Next stop is the delightful Belize Zoo, where interpretive signs match the cultural style of Belize and you have a chance to see Tapir, Coatimundi, and other mammals at close range. Native birds are much at home around the enclosures and the stop lets us stretch our legs. It is about a 2.5 hour drive in total, the last seven miles on a country back road (yes bumps—that is what keeps the area pristine and wild!). Black Rock considers its style as casual, in keeping with the local culture. Its setting is dramatic, above the winding Macal River. Views from the dining area down to the river and out to extensive forested ridges of Don Elijio Panti National Park, a 13,000-acre swath of luxurious rainforest, are sublime. Settle in, scan the sky for raptors, and enjoy the relaxed vibe! Staff help to make you immediately feel at home. Accommodations at Black Rock Lodge (B,L,D)

Wed., July 24 : Local Birding | A Chance to Canoe | Belize Botanical Gardens

Join the lodge’s keen birding guide for an early morning bird walk starting at 6:30 AM. Guides and guests avidly note their sightings on eBird, contributing by citizen science effort knowledge of the region. We plan to participate too! Often greeting us in the morning are Crimson-collared and Yellow-winged Tanager, Black-headed and Grayish Saltators, Red-legged Honeycreeper, and other species of mixed flocks. Barred Antshrike and Spot-breasted Wren call as Rufous-tailed Hummingbird monitor nectar of the garden flowers. After taking advantage of the early super-charged bird activity on the grounds, we enjoy a full breakfast, choosing what you’d like to have from the breakfast menu, and never leaving the beautiful view as you dine. On the towering cliffs behind the lodge, a resident pair of Orange-breasted Falcon have occurred for many years. Vaux’s Swifts patrol the sky. After breakfast you can have a chance to continue birding the area; watch for some of the showy rainforest species such as Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, and parrots of several species including Red-lored, White-fronted, and Mealy. More secretive on trails through the forest we scan for Scaly-throated Leaftosser, Pheasant Cuckoo, Tody Motmot, Gartered and Black-headed Trogon, White-necked Puffbird, and more. The lodge has an extensive trail system. This afternoon have some fun, for those that wish, we take time to tube or canoe on the Macal River down to another lodge, from which we visit the Belize Botanical Garden. Located on the banks of the Macal River in the Maya Mountains, the gardens host 45 acres of tropical wonder. Orchids, palms, cycads, and edibles abound. Watch for Common Tody Flycatcher, Rose-throated Becard and both Sulphur-bellied and Royal Flycatchers. It’s a great place for birds and butterflies too! We return to watch sunset with a view and enjoy dinner. Accommodations at Black Rock Lodge (B,L,D)

Thurs., July 25 : Spanish Lookout | Aguacate Lagoon

We leave early at day-break for a full-day adventure, to return around 4:00 PM. We drive to the Mennonite village of Spanish Lookout. In this agricultural area we find Tropical Kingbird, Vermilion and Social Flycatchers, Great Kiskadee, Morelet’s Seedeater, and Tropical Mockingbird, and Black Vultures soaring overhead. Blue-gray and Yellow-winged Tanagers, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Blue Ground-Dove, Roadside Hawk, Olive-throated Parakeet, Red-lored Parrot, Blue Bunting, Barred Forest-Falcon, Rose-throated Becard, Squirrel Cuckoo, and Black-cowled Oriole are other possible species. Just twenty minutes down the road is one of the best birding hotspots in all of Belize, Aguacate Lagoon. This is a private wetland preserve of nearly 300 acres. We look for a variety of herons and egrets, resident Laughing Falcon, and other species. The lagoon is named for the many avocado trees that grow here now, planted in the early 1960s by Mennonite farmers. Throughout our day we hope for mammal sightings, too—possible are White-nosed Coatimundi, Kinkajou, Deppe’s Squirrel, and Yucatan Black Howler Monkey. Accommodations at Black Rock Lodge (B,L,D)

Fri., July 26 : Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve

Today we drive up into pine habitat, in search of Brown and Green Jays, orioles, and raucous groups of Plain Chachalaca which, alongside Acorn, Pale-billed and Golden-olive Woodpeckers forage in the nearby pines. With luck we also find Melodious Blackbird, Green Jay, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Masked Tityra, and Slaty-tailed Trogon as well as several hummingbirds, including Azure-crowned and White-necked Jacobin. While some of the United States’ Sky Island species breed to the north and return here to winter, we keep an eye out for lingering Greater Pewee, Grace’s Warbler, and Hepatic Tanager. Also possible are Rufous-capped Warbler, Yellow-faced Grassquit, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Yellow-bellied Elaenia, and Dusky-capped Flycatcher. Always we keep an eye to the sky for sightings of King Vulture overhead. Accommodations at Black Rock Lodge (B,L,D)

Sat., July 27 : Departures

After some final early birding (say good-bye to the Rufous-tailed Jacamar) and breakfast we head to the Belize City airport. Please plan flights out after 12:30 PM; we should arrive at the International airport by 10:30 AM. We may be able to send one vehicle out earlier if needed, but please check in if your flight is before noon. (B)

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Jabiru Stork

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Purple Gallinule

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Black Howler Monkey

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Lamanai Ruins

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Keel-billed Toucan

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Squirrel Cuckoo

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

River by Lamanai

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Red-legged Honeycreeper

Birding Belize, Bird Watching Belize, Bird Watching Central America, Neotropical Birds, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Wildlife Photography, Ecotourism, Specialty Birds, Endemic Birds, Birding Hotspot, Lamanai

Great Potoo

Ocelot, Belize, Central America, Naturalist Journeys, Wildlife Tour, Belize Wildlife

Ocelot by Don Cooper

Cost of the Journey

Cost of the tour is $3390 DBL / $3990 SGL; ground transportation within Belize; professional guide services; park, preserve, and other activity fees; lodge tips; and miscellaneous program expenses. Tour price does not include: roundtrip airfare to and from Belize City or items of a personal nature such as laundry, porterage, telephone charges, or alcoholic beverages. Gratuities for your local lodge guides in Belize are not included, these are at your discretion, but highly appreciated and recommended.

Please plan to make air travel plans only after the minimum group size has been met. We will send you a confirmation email as soon as the trip has been confirmed.

Arrival and Departure Airport: Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Belize City

Arrival Details:  Plan to arrive July 20, no later than 2:00 PM

Departure Details:  Plan July 27 flights after 12:30 PM

Travel Tip:  You may wish to arrive a day early and rest up from your travels. While there are a few things to do in Belize City, most attractions are located about an hour away and would require a taxi or hiring a guide. The Belize Zoo is home to only native wildlife that have been abandoned, orphaned, or injured. It’s a great way to see almost 50 species of native animals. Does exploring an ancient Mayan city seem appealing? Then head about 30 miles north of Belize City to Altun Ha, an important archaeological zone that covers about 5 square miles. If you’re looking for something right in town, you can explore the rich culture and history at the Museum of Belize.

Hotel Recommendations:  The Black Orchid Resort is about 20 minutes from the airport and they can arrange transfers. There is a restaurant on site and hotel staff can assist with booking outings. You can also relax on site and bird along the river. On the start date of the tour, drivers from the Black Rock Lodge can pick you up here so you do not have to go back to the airport. Another option in town is the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina.

Entry Requirements: US citizens do not require a visa for tourist visits of this length.

Browse below for trip reports and species lists from past versions of this and other tours from this destination.

  • Species List
  • Trip Report

Southern Belize

birding tours in belize

Andrew has birded all the southern coastal states, from South Carolina to Texas, and more diverse states and habitats from the mossy rainforests and mountains of Washington to the conifers and bogs of Minnesota to the winter seabirds of New York's Long Island. The dry and desert states of the Southwest have been favorites of Andrew's, from the furthest southwest point in the US to the high mountains and plains of Northern Colorado. Further afield, numerous visits to Mexico, 25+ trips to Central America and 17+ trips to northern South America including Guyana has enabled Andrew to become familiar with the birds of those regions. Some 15 tours to Greater Antilles places him in the top 20 eBirded species in the Greater Antilles. Andrew’s also birded and led tours to several other Caribbean Islands. In addition to Dauphin Island he also leads Naturalist Journeys tours in the Southeast US and Central/Southe America. His many trips to Southeast Asia, and of course a lifetime of experience in Australia and New Zealand round out his wildlife experiences.

Photo credit: Peg Abbott

Other trips with Andrew Haffenden

Tikal, Tikal, Guatemala, Guatemala Nature Tour, Guatemala Birding Tour, Birding Tikal, Naturalist Journeys

Essential Information +

This information is important for being prepared for your journey; we want you to have the best experience possible. If you only read one section, this one is key!

Ahead of your tour:

  • Make sure your passport is in good condition and will be valid at least three months AFTER the date of your scheduled return to the U.S. No Visas are required for U.S. citizens for stays less than 30 days in Belize. If you are from another country, please contact the Embassy of Belize’s website for guidelines.
  • Please check current CDC recommendations for travel to Belize and consult with your doctor about general travel vaccinations you should have as precaution for travel . See the “Health and Inoculations” section below.
  • Travel insurance in case of serious medical emergency is strongly recommended. Full health coverage and repatriation is available through Allianz Travel Insurance .
  • Plan your international flight reservations to arrive into and depart from Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE). Send a copy of your itinerary to the Naturalist Journeys office please.
  • Soft sided luggage/duffel bags are easiest for packing the vans. Pack essential medications in your carry- on luggage, as well as one day of clothing and optics in case of luggage delay.

Arrival into Belize City (BZE)

Please note. If you are delayed in travel, please FIRST call the number of our Belize operator. As a backup, contact our office (these numbers are on your emergency contact list).

We will coordinate your pick-ups close to your departure, and once we have all travelers completed travel information. Please make sure we have both your ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE information, so they can plan this. It is imperative that we have your correct TRAVEL information; we appreciate if you email us a copy of your flight reservation. They will check internet for your updated flight information.

Please plan to arrive into Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City no later than 2:00 pm. Upon arrival and entering the terminal building, you will come to Immigration and then Baggage Claim and then the Customs Area.

  • For Immigration, get into one of the lines for Visitors and have a copy of your hotel emergency contact list so when they ask where you are going, you have the data handy. Take a photo of this on your phone if easier for you ahead of the tour and know where you are going. After your passport has been stamped for entry, you will enter the luggage claim area.
  • For baggage, have your claim stubs handy, many countries want to see these as you exit.
  • For Customs, you will notice that there are two routes to exit through customs with your claimed luggage. For most of you, the exit marked “Green Line” will be your way out of the terminal. However, if you have anything to declare at customs, you must follow the “Red Line”. The “Green Line” bypasses the customs procedure to save you time. It is not always open; in which case you go through the normal “Red Line”.

Your guide will meet you upon arrival to baggage claim, and bring you to the first night hotel.

The local representative, or the front desk of your first night hotel, will have a packet with your itinerary, local information, and any schedule announcements you may need. Our guide for the journey will provide you with an overview of your trip at an orientation meeting the first night of the trip, or the first breakfast following, depending on client arrival times.Please make yourself at home at your first night hotel– the front desk staff will assist you.

Please check the Travel Details section of this tour for additional information and updates.

Departures from Belize City (BZE)

Plan your flight for after 12:30 pm.

We will provide transfers or arrange for taxis to the airport for all departures as needed for the departure day. The departure fee is now typically built into your airline fare.

Passports, Visas & Documents

You must have a passport that is in good condition and is valid for three months AFTER your scheduled return to the U.S. You should have at least one blank page per stamp. The blank pages need to say “Visas” at the top. Pages marked “Amendments and Endorsements” will not be accepted. If you are from another country, please contact the Belize embassy website for guidelines. Information for U.S. citizens can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Belize.html

At the time of writing, a tourist visa is not required for stays in Belize of this tour's duration, however, it is always wise to check for changes 60-90 days before your tour departs. You will need proof of a return ticket. The necessary documents will be distributed by your airline while in flight or provided for you upon arrival. We advise that you bring your eContact list of hotels for use at immigration as well.

As a precaution for lost or misplaced documents you carry on your person during travel, we highly recommend you keep hard and digital backup copies on your phone (either photo or PDF scan), as well as a hard copy left with your emergency contact at home. The recommended important documents to copy include, but are not limited to; your passport ID page, travel visa, the front and back of your credit card(s), the airline barcode on your luggage. This will greatly expedite getting new ones if necessary – we hope everyone will always keep travel documents close so that losing them will not be an issue.  

General Health & Inoculations Information - Be Prepared!

We will share your health information with your guide. This information will be kept confidential but is very important as we want to be best prepared in case of medical emergency. 

Anti-malarial drugs are not required for any area that you visit. There are occasional reports of Dengue Fever in lower elevation areas, for which there is no vaccine. Dengue fever, Zika, and other diseases are contacted by mosquito bites so be sure to use mosquito repellant containing DEET or Picaridin. At the time of writing, the risk of malaria is perceived to be low in Belize. The best precaution is to dress with long sleeves and spray up.

Vaccinations: The CDC recommends that all travelers be up to date with routine vaccinations and basic travel vaccines (such as Hepatitis A and Typhoid) before traveling to any destination. Please check with your doctor for recommendations at least 4- 6 weeks before departing on your trip. A helpful resource for planning is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC) website for Belize , or you may contact them by phone at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Prescriptions and Allergies: It is a good idea to pack any meds you take regularly in your carry-on luggage.   Bring an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses. Bring an adequate supply of any prescription medications you use, a copy of the prescription and a list of generic names of your medicines as “back-up” in case it is necessary to purchase drugs while abroad.  You’ll want to keep medications in their original, labeled containers.   It is also recommended to carry with you an up-to-date record of known allergies, chronic medical problems and Medic Alerts so that, if necessary, emergency treatment can be carried out without endangering your health.

Common Ailments: We recommend that you bring a travel-sized first aid kit and a supply of standard over-the-counter medications for common ailments (such as upset stomach, headache, motion sickness, diahhrea, minor scrapes, bug bites, etc.).  

Weather & Climate

The climate in Belize is tropical, and in general, the weather during your stay should be humid with warm to hot temperatures (75-90°F) in the lowlands, but can cool off into the high 50°Fs to mid-60°Fs in the early morning and evenings. The hot and rainy season ranges from June-October. 

Annoyances & Hazards

Mosquitoes can occur in the forests; therefore, a supply of insect repellent containing DEET is essential. At grassland or farm locations you will encounter chiggers, if so, spray your shoes with repellent, and tuck your pants into your socks, this helps a lot. When back, be sure to shower and air out your clothing. Chiggers are a part of lowland and mid-elevation habitats throughout Central and South America. Your guide should have a good read on if it has been wet enough that they are active. There can also be poisonous snakes and insects, though encountering them is rare. Do listen carefully to any advice given by your local guide. And remember the sun is strong and be prepared with proper protection.

Food & Drinks

Menus at lodges and restaurants are varied, sustainably based on the wonderful local ingredients available, and delightfully prepared in a sanitary environment. As with any case when traveling we urge you to consider what your body is used to before you eat something. Trust your common sense when consuming food and beverages. This is the best way to avoid any unwanted problems. Ask for referrals from your hotel or a guidebook such as Frommers. Meals reflect the contributions of American, European, Spanish, and local cuisines.

The CDC considers tap water in Belize not safe to drink. Bottled water will be available for field trips and drinking water is provided for you to refill a bottle. One of the many ways we strive to do our part for the environment is by trying to reduce our consumption of plastics; if convenient we appreciate if you can bring reusable water bottles.

Packing, Clothing & Laundry

Dress is very informal and laundry services are available for a fee at our lodges. While some people will change for dinner, it is usually just to a drier or cleaner version of what they wore during the day. Again, the climate is warm to hot, so you will be comfortable in lightweight clothing. Be sure to remember your rain gear, as the rain, at times, may be quite intense - a light rain jacket or poncho is good and YES do bring an umbrella. Boat tours when there is cloud cover can be cool. Your raincoat can double as a layer to combine with a light jacket possibly some evenings.

Please, pack light. We are serious about this – we move around a lot; you just do not need much to cope with tropical life! Please do not bring anything more than you must. Lay out your hopeful things to take and then do a serious paring down please! Hair dryers are available at most Lodges. And please do not pack any essential medications, or your vital optics, in your checked luggage!

TRAVEL TIP: Imagine NOT getting your suitcase. Wear your most important shoes for the field and have one day’s clothing change (including a change of underwear!). And please do not pack any essential medications, or your vital optics, in your checked luggage!

Spending Money

The official currency in Belize is the Belizean Dollar. We advise you carry a mix of different types of payments, such as cash, an ATM card, and a credit card. For the current exchange rate, please refer to an online converter tool like www.xe.com or your bank. U.S. dollars in good condition (no rips or tears) are taken as a form of payment but shopping for smaller handicrafts may necessitate using local currency. If you have U.S. dollars, then there is no need to exchange currency before your trip since it is accepted at almost any business. If you would like local currency, you won’t need to exchange much money since you can use U.S. dollars at most places. You will be able to change money after your arrival at banks or hotels, though ATM machines are available in Belize City at the airport. Out of the airport they are infrequently available.

When using the ATM to withdrawal cash, keep in mind it might only accept cards from local banks or not allow cash advances on credit cards. Many U.S. banks charge a fee of $1 - $5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a percentage of the amount you withdraw. Check with your bank before departure. You must become familiar with how to use your ATM card and PIN number ahead of the journey.

Major credit cards are accepted in Belize. We suggest you have more than one card available, if possible. You may want to bring more than one brand of card (VISA and Mastercard are commonly accepted; American Express is less common). You can use credit cards at lodges to pay your bar and gift tabs. Not every shop will accept every card. Some smaller shops and restaurants, or taxis require cash, so it is always a good idea to ask before making a purchase. Also, we recommend that you advise your bank or credit card company that you will be traveling abroad to avoid questions, card freezes, or charges. If you have a choice of cards, bring one with no foreign exchange fees.

Traveler’s checks are not widely accepted. They can be difficult to exchange. We do not advise you use them.

Tipping is optional and completely at your discretion. If you would like to show our appreciation to your guides, lodge and hotel staff or anyone associated with this tour, it is entirely appropriate. Know that they appreciate anything you care to give and of course you can do more if you wish! Lodges normally have a box for tips that the staff share, and hotels you would just tip the maids as you do at home. We hope that you will be pleased with all professional services.

Here is a standard suggestion for tipping on birding trips:

  • Birding tour guide: US $10.00 - $15.00 per day per guest Note: If there is more than one guide, this can be split among them, so that is a total, per person, per day
  • Tour driver if different from guide: US $5.00 - $7.00 per person/day
  • Lodge staff: US $6.00 - $10.00 per day per guest
  • Transfer (airport shuttle) driver: US $2.00 - $3.00 per person
  • Hotel & international airport bellmen: US $1.00 per suitcase

You may wish to bring small gifts for local people that you meet and enjoy (this is totally optional!). T-shirts, school supplies like pens and small notebooks, inexpensive watches and baseball caps are always popular. Your guides can pass along school supplies to a local school if you bring them. They also love any nature books/coloring books.

Cell Phones & Internet Service

If you plan on using your cell phone on this trip, please check with your wireless provider to see if your phone and service will work in your destination country. Ask for “international roaming” to be turn on your

phone. Or you can buy a local SIM card at the airport and insert this in your mobile phone (just make certain your phone can accept one). Renting an international phone may also be an option.

If your phone can connect to Wi-Fi, you may be able to make voice and video calls free of charge. Please contact your cell phone provider for further details. Another option if you have access to Wi-Fi, is to use smartphone apps like Skype, WhatsApp, or Viber to send text messages, and make voice calls, or video calls. Many smartphones, tablets, or laptops come with one of these apps pre-installed or you can download for free. If bringing a laptop or tablet, get a good dustcover to protect it at all times.

Make sure if you do NOT want to use your cell phone that you turn off your cellular data. You could incur huge charges if you are not on Wi-Fi. Putting your phone in airplane mode if you mainly use it for photos will save the battery as well.

Your hotels and most local restaurants provide Wi-Fi at least in their common areas. Although it is generally a reliable service, it can be affected by adverse weather conditions due to the remote location.

Please refrain from taking or making cell phone calls in the vehicles when traveling with other passengers, unless it appears to be an emergency. This disrupts other guests, plan on cell phone call use on your own time.

Electricity

The standard in Belize is the same as in the United States and Canada: 110 volts AC (60 cycles). Plugs are set up in the same style. However, three-pronged outlets can be scarce and existing three-prong outlets may feature even-sized flat blade plugs, so it's helpful to bring along adapters for both two- and three-prong outlets. For more information: www.power-plugs-socket.com.

Belize does not observe daylight savings time and is on the same time as our Central Zone in the U.S. A great website if you want to tell someone to check ahead of calling you is www.timeanddate.com.

Please contact Naturalist Journeys by email at clientservices@naturalistjourneys or telephone at our office: (520) 558-1146 or toll free: (866) 900-1146 if you have any questions. Many thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy your journey!

Pace & Protocols +

Pace of the tour & what to expect.

You will receive a Schedule-at-a-Glance and list of hotels (our eContact List) a few weeks before your departure. This will serve as an outline for each day and alert you to any recent changes made in the schedule or to our hotels, if needed.

Our journeys are set up to follow the rhythm of nature. Our focus is on birding and nature; we offer full, well-planned field days and often get up early for that magical time around dawn. We generally follow the published itinerary, but we stay flexible to the weather, wildlife opportunities and the interests of the group. Your guide will keep you apprised of the next day’s schedule at each evening meal, noting what to bring and what to prepare for. Questions and/or concerns are welcome.

The pace of our Naturalist Journeys tours is moderate; to fully participate you should be able to get in and out of vehicles several times a day, and walk 1-3 miles over uneven terrain.  It is important to participate with a flexible attitude as adjustments may be made in our schedule to make the most of our time in the field or for other purposes at your guide's discretion. We are not a “listing” bird company that drills down on target species, but at times we do wait for those special species unique to the places we visit. During the day, we take time to stop for photos and for educational opportunities to learn about conservation projects, landscapes, and geology. We appreciate other taxa as well as birds, with mammals often the biggest draw but plants and butterflies are also very popular. Our clients often lend their own expertise to the mix.

We like to make meals a fun and memorable part of the experience, too. Breakfasts are often at hotels, and we carry snacks, fruit, and water in the vans each day. Lunches are a mix of picnics in the field (weather dependent) and a chance to dine with locals at small cafes and restaurants. For dinner, we pride ourselves in our homework to keep up with the best choices for dining, choosing restaurants with atmosphere that specialize in local foods. On occasion we keep dinner simple to go back out in the field for sunset wildlife viewing or night walks. In some remote locations, our choices are limited. If you are tired, room service for dinner may be an option you can choose.

Naturalist Journeys International Trips: Guide Role

Naturalist Journeys supports ecotourism and the development of excellent local guides. Once we know our international partners and guides well, we can send out small groups working directly with these trusted partners, adding a Naturalist Journeys guide to assist the local expert when we have a group of 6-7 or more. This helps us keep your costs down while retaining tour quality. The local guide is your main guide. You can expect your Naturalist Journeys guide to be well-researched and often they are experienced in the destination, but their role is not to be primary, it is to help to organize logistics, help you find birds, mammals, and interesting other species in the field, keep reports, help facilitate group interactions, and to keep the trip within Naturalist Journeys' style. Local guides live in the countries we travel to, know the destinations intimately, and are often the strongest force for conservation in their countries. They open many doors for us to have a rich experience.

Smoking is not permitted in any vehicle or in any situation where the group is participating in an activity together, such as a vehicle excursion or a guided walk. Please respect all designated smoking areas at hotels and restaurants.

Transportation

As a courtesy to each other, we ask that all travelers please rotate seating. On international trips we may all be in one small bus, on some trips we are in vans, particularly the roomy Sprinter Vans when available. Some areas require us to be in smaller 4-wheel drive or safari vehicles. Rotation allows you to sit with different drivers and alternate front and back seating.

Photo Release & Sharing

We take many group photos and will share photos with the group. And after your tour, we will organize a chance to share photos via Dropbox or Google Photos. Please note that this is our policy and if you prefer to be excluded, we need to know ahead of your tour.

By registering for this tour, you agree to grant to Naturalist Journeys and its authorized representatives’ permission to record on photography film and/or video, pictures of my participation in the tour. You further agree that any or all of the material photographed may be used, in any form, as part of any future publications, brochure, or other printed materials used to promote Naturalist Journeys, and further that such use shall be without payment of fees, royalties, special credit or other compensation.

Travel Insurance

You are traveling in remote areas. Naturalist Journeys strongly recommends you have full medical and evacuation insurance from a company such as  Allianz , for all international travel. If you do not have medical coverage or evacuation coverage on your existing travel insurance policy or for some reason elected not to take that out, we advise getting an evacuation plan with Global Rescue ,  World Nomads , Medjet , Allianz (they can do evacuation only) or a similar company. These plans are typically $300-$400 for a year for multiple destinations. This coverage may be a part of a larger Travel Insurance policy but can also be purchased on its own.

Please contact Naturalist Journeys by email at [email protected] or telephone our office: (520) 558-1146 or toll free: (866) 900-1146 if you have any questions. Many thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy your journey.

Packing List +

Please pack lightly.

Soft luggage is much easier for us to pack than a more rigid hard sided piece, so if you have the choice, please use your soft luggage. Be sure your name and address are printed on the inside of the bag as well as on the luggage tag. Be sure to pack your personal medication, airline tickets, identification, binoculars, camera, and other essential items in your carry-on bag. Your carry-on bag must be able to fit under the seat, or it will be taken away by airline staff and put with the regular luggage. You will want a daypack for field trips, so this is the ideal carry-on. We recommend that you check with your airline a week or so before your departure regarding luggage weight and size restrictions.

In general, the weather during your stay should be warm to hot (75-90°F) in the lowlands, but at least 20° cooler in the early morning and evening. Check your favorite weather website closer to your departure to better predict what the weather will be on your adventure.

Dress is comfortable and informal throughout the trip. Dressing in layers is the best way to be comfortable. Lightweight long sleeve shirts and long pants make ideal field clothing as they are more protective from sun and vegetation.   But if you like to wear shorts, by all means bring some.   Also, choose clothing you don’t mind getting dirty or muddy and things that are easy to launder.  Loose clothing discourages insects and is very cool. A light jacket should be enough in the cooler evenings and on boat rides. Water shoes are great when on the boats.

Note on clothing colors and insect repellent: We recommend muted colors of tan, brown, khaki, grey or green, as they are spotted less easily than white or bright colors, though camouflage clothing is not recommended, and in some countries, not legal to wear. It is possible to purchase field clothing permeated with insect repellent such as the Craghoppers Insect Shield collection. Another approach is to purchase Permethrin spray (online or from REI) to treat your field clothing and socks before your departure.

Clothing & Gear

  • Lightweight long pants, 2 pair
  • Lightweight long sleeve shirts – 2 or 3
  • Shorts (optional)
  • T-shirts or equivalent (1 per every other day recommended – remember you may buy some there!)
  • Personal underclothing
  • Socks – lightweight and easy to wash and dry
  • Comfortable walking/hiking shoes such as tennis shoes
  • Lightweight hiking boots. Please note that forest trails will be on uneven terrain and may be muddy – good tread and support are essential!
  • Sandals for evenings, travel days, and for wearing on boats (optional, TEVA style are great)
  • Lightweight raincoat or poncho
  • Lightweight jacket, fleece fabric is ideal
  • Comfortable clothes for evening (a cleaner version of your field clothes or a skirt, sundress, etc.)
  • Bathing suit
  • Hat with broad brim
  • Bandana (optional, great for cooling off when you are hot and sweaty. They even make them with a gel inside for several hours of cooling)
  • Field vest (optional), a great source is Big Pockets

Equipment & Miscellaneous

  • Airline tickets or e-ticket verification
  • Passport, visa (if required), travel insurance info, money & credit cards.
  • A secure pouch to carry the items above on your person (such as a secure, under-clothing document pouch)
  • As a backup: copies of all the above (phone and/or paper) packed in a separate location than on your person, plus a set given to your emergency contact at home as a backup. For passport, copy of the  ID and entry stamp pages.
  • Small daypack or fanny pack for carrying your field gear
  • Umbrella – compact and not brightly colored
  • Walking stick – we find that many travelers appreciate a walking stick on trails, sporting goods stores carry collapsible models that pack easily in your suitcase (optional)
  • Small flashlight with fresh batteries. Please note that if you like to read at night, lighting in other countries is often poor in the rooms, and you may want to bring a booklight, headlamp, or flashlight for this purpose.
  • Alarm clock
  • Sunscreen/lip balm with SPF
  • Sunglasses with neck strap
  • Insect repellent (something containing DEET, and sulphur powder or other for chiggers (try a garden store)
  • Toiletry articles
  • Spotting scope and tripod (optional)
  • Camera and extra batteries, memory cards, lens cleaning supplies and your instruction manual (optional)
  • Water bottle (or plan to refill one bought on location)
  • Notebook or journal and pen (optional)
  • Field guides (optional)
  • Sink plug (often not available, a flat universal one is easiest to use)
  • Washcloth (again, available some places and not at others)
  • Laundry soap if you plan to do hand washing
  • Earplugs – in urban and even rural areas barking dogs and traffic noise can be annoying Rechargeable power bank (optional)
  • Snorkeling gear if at a beach lodge (available on sight as a rental, additional cost. If a regular snorkeler, you will want to bring your own mask and snorkel, perhaps rent fins)
  • Steri-Pen or other UV water tr eatment device to help cut down on the use of plastic bottles (optional)

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND TRAVELING WITH PRECIOUS OR VALUABLE JEWELRY – don’t tempt anyone and don’t bring things you’d regret losing - your mind will be at ease!

Medical & First Aid

  • Motion sickness preventatives if likely to be needed on bus, van, drives, etc.
  • Personal medication (and copy of vital prescriptions)
  • Personal first aid kit and medications for general ailments (Imodium or Lomotil, antihistamine cream or tablets, eye drops, etc.)
  • Copy of eyeglass prescription, copy of medical prescriptions, and any medical alerts
  • Heath insurance and vaccination information (kept in personal pouch with other travel documents)
  • Extra pair of eyeglasses or contacts
  • Band-aids, moleskin to protect against blisters
  • Antibacterial hand soap or hand sanitizer, small vial

Suggested Reading List +

These books are, of course, optional, but recommended to help you get the most out of your trip.

Birds of Belize

Merlin App – Belize Pack. A phone-based birding app from Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology. Before departing the U.S., download the app for free , then from within the app, download the “pack” for Belize

Lonely Planet Belize 8

General Reading

A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest

Maya Nature, an Introduction to the Ecosystems, Plants and Animals of the Mayan World

Field Guides

A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America

Birds of Mexico and Central America

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America

Birds of Central America: Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama

A Field Guide to the Mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico

A Swift Guide to the Butterflies of Mexico and Central America

A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Maya World: The Lowlands of Mexico, Northern

Wildlife & Nature

Belize: Reefs, Rainforests and Mayan Ruins

Belize and Northern Guatemala

Birds of Tropical America: A Watcher's Introduction to Behavior, Breeding, and Diversity

The New Neotropical Companion

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Tropics

Nature of the Rainforest: Costa Rica and Beyond

The High Frontier: Exploring the Tropical Rainforest Canopy

Life Above the Jungle Floor

History & Culture

Frommer’s Belize  

Moon Handbooks, Belize

Understanding Belize, a Historical Guide

Insight Guides, Belize

Guatemala, and Belize

Belize in Focus; A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture

Chilies to Chocolate: Foods the Americas Gave the World

The Lords of Tikal

Tikal, An Illustrated History of the Ancient Mayan Capital

Time Among the Maya

Lost Cities of the Maya

There is a good selection of books available for sale at visitors’ centers, and your guide will also have a selection of reference books and materials for participants to share. As an Amazon Associate, Naturalist Journeys earns from qualifying purchases, and may get commissions for purchases made through links on this page at no added cost to you.

Useful Links +

Encyclopedic Overviews

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize

Mennonites in Belize

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mennonites_in_Belize
  • Spanish Lookout: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Lookout
  • Aguacate Lagoon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aguacate_Lagoon

Nature, Wildlife & Biology

Belize Audubon Society

  • https://belizeaudubon.org/

Belize total country bird list with status

  • https://birdlist.org/belize.htm

Birds of Belize – iNaturalist

  • https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/8417-Birds-of-Belize

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve Sightings – eBird.org

  • https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1407747?yr=all&m=

Keel-billed Toucan (national bird of Belize) profile

  • https://www.belizezoo.org/the-animals/birds/toucan/

List of Butterfly species from Wikipedia

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_butterflies_of_Belize

Hummingbirds of Belize

  • https://birdwatchinghq.com/hummingbirds-of-belize/

Yucatán Black Howler Monkey

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucat%C3%A1n_black_howler

Jaguar Species profile by Belize Zoo

  • https://www.belizezoo.org/mammals/jaguar/

“The Struggle to Protect a Vital Jaguar Corridor” – Article, National Geographic

  • https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/protecting-jaguars-wildlife-corridor-belize

Conservation, Parks & Reserves

Belize Botanic Gardens

  • https://belizebotanic.org/

Belize Foundation for Research and Environmental Organization

  • https://www.bfreebz.org/

Convention on Biological Diversity – Belize

  • https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=bz
  • https://www.belizezoo.org/

Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve Fauna

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Pine_Ridge_Forest_Reserve#Fauna

Geology & Geography

Geology of Belize

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Belize#Geology

Geography of Belize

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Belize

Culture of Belize

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Belize

Belizean Cuisine

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belizean_cuisine

Maya Civilization

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_civilization

Lamanai - Mayan Archeological Site

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamanai

Lamanai - Jaguar Temple and High Temple

  • https://uncoveredhistory.com/belize/lamanai/lamanai-the-jaguar-temple-n10-9/
  • https://uncoveredhistory.com/belize/lamanai/lamanai-high-temple/

Helpful Travel Websites

Philip SW Goldson International Airport (BZE)

  • https://www.pgiabelize.com

National Passport Information Center

  • https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

Homeland Security Real ID Act

  • https://www.dhs.gov/real-id

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

  • https://www.tsa.gov

ATM Locator

  • https://www.visa.com/atmlocator/
  • https://www.mastercard.us/en-us/personal/get-support/find-nearest-atm.html

Foreign Exchange Rates

  • https://www.xe.com/

U.S. Department of State International Travel Information – Belize

  • https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Belize.html

Canada Travel Advice and Advisories - Belize

  • https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/belize

Travel Health Pro (UK) - Belize

  • https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/26/belize

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Belize

  • https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/belize?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001

Electricity and Plugs - Belize

  • https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/belize/

Date, Time, and Holidays - Belize

  • https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/belize
  • https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/belize/

Photo credits: Banner: Collared Aracari by Greg Smith; Keel-billed Toucan by Narca Moore-Craig; Red-legged Honeycreeper (NJ Stock), Howler Monkey (NJ Stock) Thumbnails: Gartered Trogon (NJ Stock), Blue-and-gray Tanager (NJ Stock), Emerald Toucanet (NJ Stock), Ocellated Turkey (Peg Abbott), King Vulture (NJ Stock), Ringed Kingfisher (NJ Stock), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (NJ Stock), Montezuma Oropendola (NJ Stock)

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Listing and Taxonomy

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American Birding Association Checklist Committee (CLC) Report, March 2024

books

ABA Area Field Guides

The American Birding Association Field Guides each include hundreds of species birders are most likely to see in their state or province. Illustrated with crisp, color photographs, they include descriptions of each bird along with tips of when and where to see them, and are written by local expert birders.

  • Welcome New Birders!
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Latest Podcast, Articles, & More…

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08-10: Protecting Plovers in NYC with Chris Allieri

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Peter Kaestner Breaks the 10,000 Bird Barrier!

Rare bird alert.

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Rare Bird Alert: March 8, 2024

Field ornithology.

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First Red-flanked Bluetail in the Eastern ABA Area

  • Book Reviews

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Destroy, Save, Repeat: A Conservation Story

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February 2024 Photo Quiz

How to know the birds.

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How to Know the Birds: No. 80, Rare Birds in Deep Time

Birds and....

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No. 25: Birds and Nests

  • Birding Magazine

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Birding Online: January 2024

North American Birds

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North American Birds: Vol. 74, No. 2

Section home pages.

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ABA Young Birder Program includes ABA Young Birder Camps, the ABA Young Birder Mentoring Program, and the young birder magazine, The Fledgling.

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When you travel with ABA, you help build a better future for birds, birders, and birding. We combine great field birding, amazing destinations, and cultural immersion, while supporting local communities.

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Birders’ Exchange provides birdwatching equipment and resources to organizations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean with an educational need.

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The American Birding Association is proud to partner with Thanksgiving Coffee Company to bring you Song Bird Coffee. Song Bird is grown on small farms that have been certified Bird-Friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the gold standard for shade-grown, organic coffees.

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birding tours in belize

Belize birding tour

March 22–31, 2024.

From vibrant rainforests to dry shrublands, lush pine forests to serene wetlands, Belize offers an array of habitats that nurture a rich diversity of bird species. Nestled at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, between Mexico and Guatemala and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, this tropical paradise forms a crucial part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Venture into Belize’s rainforests, shrublands, pine forests, and wetlands to witness the majestic Scarlet Macaw, elusive Agami Heron, raucous Yucatan Jay, and enigmatic Royal Flycatcher with the ABA and Authentic Travel Belize!

birding tours in belize

Brief itinerary

Specialty birds:.

Yucatan Jay, Yucatan Woodpecker, Black Catbird, White-crowned Pigeon, Rose-throated Tanager, Gray-throated Chat, White-bellied Wren, Orange Oriole, Northern Potoo, Yucatan Poorwill, Mottled Owl, Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yucatan Flycatcher, Caribbean Dove, Yellow-lored Parrot, Green-backed Sparrow, White-browed Gnatcatcher, Gray-collared Becard, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Reddish Egret, Yucatan Vireo, Black-throated Bobwhite, Ocellated Turkey, Little Tinamou, Thicket Tinamou, Gray-headed Kite Ruddy Quail-Dove, Gray-chested Dove, Lesson’s Motmot, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Northern Bentbill, Stub-tailed Spadebill, Royal Flycatcher, Tropical Pewee, Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing, Rufous Piha, Aplomado Falcon, Bat Falcon, White-tailed Hawk, Scarlet Macaw, Orange-billed Sparrow, Grace’s Warbler, Rusty Sparrow, Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Olive Sparrow, Boat-billed Heron, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Agami Heron, Black-collared Hawk, Snail Kite, Sungrebe, Jabiru, Striped Cuckoo, Yellow-headed Parrot, Green Jay, Mangrove Vireo, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Vermillion Flycatcher, Northern Jaçana…

Central American Agouti, Kinkajou, Coati…

Landscape, scenery, habitats:

lowland rainforest, pine forest, grassland, wetland, dry forest…

Culture, history:

Maya archeological site of Lamanai

Practical details

Dates : March 22-31, 2024

Number of days and nights:  10 days / 9 nights

Start and end point:

  • Starting: 22 March 2024, Belize City (BZE)
  • Finishing: 31 March 2024, Belize City (BZE)
  • La Milpa Ecolodge
  • Pine Ridge Lodge
  • Bird’s Eye View Lodge

Group size:

  • Minimum number of participants: 8
  • Maximum number of participants: 20

Guides and ABA staff:  1 Belizean lead guide and 1 ABA staff for up to 14 participants, 2 guides and 2 ABA staff for 14 to 20 participants

  • General wildlife
  • Culture & history

Birding pace:  Medium – High

Photography opportunities:  Medium (it is not specifically a photography tour!)

Physical difficulty:  Medium: Though not technically difficult, walks can last for several hours, sometimes on forest and mountain trails. This trip is not wheelchair accessible.

Price and booking

  • $4,200 per person in double occupancy (twin or double)
  • $400 single supplement
  • 9 hotel nights
  • 3 meals per day from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 10
  • All in-country private transportation to and from sites visited and transportation from airport to hotel and day 1 and from hotel to airport on day 10
  • All guiding fees for tour leaders and local guides
  • All entrance fees to sites mentioned in the itinerary
  • All activities as described in the itinerary

Not included:

  • Transportation to and from Belize (we start and end in BLZ)
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Purchases of personal nature, including (but not limited to) laundry service, room service, phone calls, toiletries, souvenirs etc.
  • No insurance is included. We do strongly recommend you get your own travel, cancellation, and medical insurance
  • Extensions of the trip due to circumstances out of our control
  • Any tips you would like to offer tour leaders, guides, drivers, porters, wait staff, housekeeping etc. for outstanding service

Optional add-ons:

If you want to arrive before March 22, 2024, or leave after March 31, 2024, we can book extra hotel nights in Belize City for you, at an additional fee. You can indicate this in your booking form.

Terms and conditions:

aba.org/terms-conditions

Booking and secure payment:

Detailed itinerary, 22 march 2024: arrival belize city airport.

Arrival at Philip Goldson International Airport, transfer to Shipstern with light birding along the way for Yucatan Jays and Yucatan Woodpecker. Before dinner, gather around the dining area for a full orientation while enjoying some refreshments. 

Night at Shipstern

23 March 2024: Shipstern Conservation Area and Sarteneja

Sunrise birding around CSFI grounds before breakfast. After, we visit Sarteneja Village and Airstrip Road for Black Catbird, White-crowned Pigeon, Rose-throated Tanager, Gray-throated Chat, White-bellied Wren and Orange Oriole. This is the best location for all these species, so we will spend most of the morning looking for them along several roads and trails. This area is part of the dry Yucatan Peninsula with low canopy forest and warm temperatures, so we will be sure to take a break and retreat to the cool room during the peak heat hours. In the afternoon, we will cover more trails nearby looking for Woodcreepers, Pigeons and Trogons. Owling will be available for species such as Northern Potoo, Yucatan Poorwill and Mottled Owl. 

Night at Shipstern.

24 March 2024: Shipstern Conservation Area

Sunrise birding around CSFI grounds. After breakfast we will bird along the Main Road, some forest Lagoons and nearby forest trails for Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Yucatan Flycatcher, Caribbean Dove, Yellow-lored Parrot and Green-backed Sparrow. In the late afternoon, we will bird the rest of the Shipstern Nature Reserve. Along these forest roads leading to the sea, we will be looking for White-browed Gnatcatcher, Gray-collared Becard, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Reddish Egret and Yucatan Vireo. After dinner, we have a second night drive. 

25 March 2024: Transfer to Rio Bravo Conservation Area

Early morning, we give our final attempt at any species we missed the prior days. After breakfast, we will pack and start heading to the Rio Bravo Conservation Area, a massive reserve which connects with Guatemala and Mexico to form the Selva Maya or Maya Forest, the largest tract of forest north of the Amazon. If time allows, we will stop along the Blue Creek Rice fields in search of Black-throated Bobwhite. The forest road leading to the eco-lodge is a good area for Ocellated Turkey. After checking in, we will take a short rest before walking around the grounds looking for Euphonias and Tanagers as well as several Woodcreepers. 

Night at La Milpa Eco-Lodge.

26 March 2024: Rio Bravo Conservation Area

Today we will roam the vast forest roads and trails of the reserve in search of Little Tinamou and Thicket Tinamou. This area is also a good area for Gray-headed Kite, Ruddy Quail-Dove, Gray-chested Dove and Lesson’s Motmot. Around the archaeological site, we will search for Ruddy Woodcreeper, Northern Bentbill, Stub-tailed Spadebill and Royal Flycatcher. Around the main grounds Tropical Pewee, Black-throated Shrike-Tanager, Green-backed Sparrow, Wedge-tailed Sabrewing and Rufous Piha are also possible. We will have a shorter day today for you to enjoy the grounds on your own in the afternoon.

Night at La Milpa Eco-Lodge . 

27 March 2024: Transfer to Mountain Pine Ridge

Sunrise bird walk around lodge grounds before breakfast. After breakfast, we will start heading south towards the Mountain Pine Ridge. We will traverse the southern portion of the Rio Bravo Reserve followed by the Belize Maya Forest. Upon exiting the Reserve, the open grasslands and farming areas also provide habitat for several species of Raptors such as Aplomado Falcon, White-tailed Hawk and Bat Falcon. We arrive late afternoon at Mountain Pine Ridge to spend the night. 

Night at Pine Ridge Lodge.

28 March 2024: Las Cuevas Research Station

Today we will have an early breakfast and head south towards Las Cuevas Research Station and the massive Chiquibul Forest. Here we explore the subtropical broadleaf forest, but also touch a bit of the subtropical pine forest of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Possibilities on this day include Scarlet Macaws and Orange-billed Sparrows, but also Grace’s Warbler and Rusty Sparrow among others. 

29 March 2024: Transfer to Crooked Tree

Early birding before breakfast. After breakfast we will pack and start heading to Crooked Tree. This massive wetland is a Ramsar site where thousands of waders and shorebirds gather to fuel up during their northbound migration. Along the way we will try for Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Grace’s Warbler, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, and Olive Sparrow. You will have some off time in the early afternoon, before boarding our skiff for a sunset birding by boat. On this boat ride we will be looking for Boat-billed Herons, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Agami Heron, Black-collared Hawk and Snail Kites, plus over a dozen waders, waterfowl and the elusive Sungrebe. As the sun sets, we enjoy a beer while the Jabirus and Wood storks look for a roosting spot. 

Night at Bird’s Eye View Lodge.

30 March 2024: Lamanai

Quick birding and breakfast before heading to the beautiful and mysterious Maya city of Lamanai. After a short ride, we board a boat on the New River which will take us upstream to this ancient city. Along the way, we keep vigilant for Jabirus, Snail Kites and Black-collared Hawk. Once at the archaeological site, we keep searching for Trogons, Toucans and Woodcreepers among the temples. We return on the same route back to Crooked Tree. 

31 March 2024: Departure from Belize City

We spend our last morning around the lodge and nearby trails looking for Rufous-breasted Spinetail, Yellow-headed Parrot, and Striped Cuckoo. The Savannahs and wetlands behind the village are excellent for Yucatan Jays, Green Jays, Mangrove Vireo, and an occasional Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. We will return to the lodge for breakfast and relax a bit before packing and getting ready to head back to the airport. On the way out, Vermilion Flycatchers and Northern Jacanas are still possible, and a Jabiru might still surprise us. 

Drop off at Belize City airport.

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birding tours in belize

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Bird's Eye View Lodge & Tours Logo

BIRDING ON A BUDGET IN AN EXOTIC WILDLIFE WONDERLAND

Belize Birding Tours For The Budget Conscious Traveler

Birds Eye View Budget Birding and Bird Photography Tours are focused on birds and bird photography but we don’t neglect the other wonders that Northern Belize has to offer – spectacular Mayan Ceremonial Sites, the rainforest, snorkeling in the Cayes, cave tubing and the rich historical side of Belize.

Plan your own travel schedule if you wish, go to our Rates and Reservations page and pick out what you would like to do.

Or choose one of our affordable Budget Birding Tours that we have designed to give you the best bird viewing and photography possible all the while making your touring experience an expansive and comfortable one. We work with a few carefully selected touring partners to make this possible.

Birds Eye View Tour Partners Reyes Boat Tours, Orange Walk Anwar Snorkel & Tours, Caye Caulker Tropical Nature Bird Walks, Caye Caulker Anchorage Resort, Caye Caulker Vega Inn and Gardens, Caye Caulker Midas Tropical Resort, San Ignacio Programme for Belize, La Milpa

Our tour rates include all destinations and activities as listed, entrance fees, government taxes, guides (except for optional activities), transportation, accommodations, all meals as stated and 10% service charge. We have priced our tours for groups of two and four persons. Groups of four are more economical because of the savings in transportation costs. Single travellers very welcome, select your own itinerary from our Reservations page. Yes, we can handle larger groups; please contact us with your needs when you begin making plans to assure that we have rooms, especially during the High Season.

Please Note: Day to Day schedules may be rearranged for transportation purposes. In the very rare instance of road closures due to flooding or other reasons, re-routing or other changes may be necessary. In such an event our staff will make every effort to provide you with equal or superior activities. Tours are shown starting at the International Airport but we will be happy to meet you at the Cruise Ship Terminal.

Bookings: Phone (from U.S.) 011-501-203-2040, 011-501-614-5071 WhatsApp: +501-615-0496  Email:  [email protected]

Belize Birding Tours

Belize Birding Tour Option #1

Birding northern belize with 2 mayan sites.

4 Nights, 5 Days

Tour Trips Included

Birding-by-Boat Tour at Crooked Tree Baboon Sanctuary Trip New River to Lamanai  Mayan Site Altun Ha Mayan Site Old Belize

birding tours in belize

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Lamanai Field Guides Birding Tours Belize

Tropical Birding, Short and Sweet

For those birders who've never before ventured south of the US border, or for those who prefer their tropical experiences to be short and super sweet, the small Central American country of Belize offers an ideal birding destination. With a diversity of species that includes many birds in families associated with the New World tropics, a rich assortment of habitats in which to search for them, plus minimal time spent traveling -- four nights at one lodge, three at the other, with a short charter flight between the two -- our revamped Belize tour offers a truly engaging tropical experience.

We'll begin the tour at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge, which has a simple, yet elegant, main building and comfortable thatched cabanas perched on the shores of Crab-catcher Lagoon, part of the largest body of fresh water in Belize. The Lodge sits less than a mile from the Mayan ruins of Lamanai, an extensive, largely unexcavated site that sprawls along the western shore of the lagoon; on several days, we'll take a quick boat trip along the lagoon to get to the site. The ruins house a rich assortment of birds typically found in the tropical hardwood forests of western Belize and the Peten region of Guatemala -- Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Pale-billed, Chestnut-colored, and Golden-olive woodpeckers, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Slaty-tailed, Black-headed and Gartered trogons, Yellow-bellied Tyrannulet, Black-cowled Oriole, Blue Bunting and the diminutive Tody Motmot are just a few of the many species we'll seek here.

The village of Indian Church lies just down the road from the lodge. Here, open milpas (agricultural fields) and second-growth scrub are home to an assortment of birds not found in the forest, including the attractive Black-throated (Yucatan) Bobwhite. Interspersed among these other habitats are tracts of savanna with a different set of interesting birds, including seldom-encountered Yellow-headed Parrots, White-tailed Hawk, Buff-bellied and Azure-crowned hummingbirds, Yucatan Woodpecker, Yucatan Flycatcher, Yucatan Jay, Gray-throated Chat, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Botteri's and Grasshopper sparrows, and the impressive Jabiru. And, of course, the lagoon and its tributaries are home to another suite of birds, including Limpkin, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Boat-billed and Agami herons, Sungrebe, and Black Catbird. Many of the species listed above are Northern Central American endemics confined to the Yucatan dry forest region.

Our trip takes on a somewhat new flavor when we transfer to our next base, Black Rock Lodge in the Cayo District of south-central Belize. Here limestone hills are carpeted with dense rainforest. Located along the banks of the Rio Macal, adjacent to the Don Elijio Panti Nature Reserve/National Park. Well over 300 species have been recorded here and the views are magnificent! We will venture one day to Mountain Pine Ridge where dry Caribbean Pine forest dominates. The pine forest is home to a group of birds perhaps unexpected in Belize—Rusty Sparrow, Grace’s Warbler, Cabanis’s Wren, and Acorn Woodpecker, to name a few. From viewpoints high above the adjacent countryside, we’ll scan cliffs for King Vulture and the rare Orange-breasted Falcon. The humid valley forests host a high diversity of species, many already mentioned above but including tinamous, forest-falcons, trogons, White-whiskered Puffbird, many flycatchers, Mayan Antthrush, Dusky Antbird, Gray-collared Becard, and more.

Select the KEY INFO tab or click here for our itinerary plus space requests, status, fees, limits, and guides for any departure.

ITINERARIES • TOUR STATUS • DETAILS • SPACE REQUESTS

  • 2024 sample (PDF)
  • 2025 (PDF expected May 2024)

DEPARTURES • We have 4 departures currently scheduled through 2026, with details including limits, guides, fees, and space available listed below.

Feb 8-15, 2025 Guided by: Chris Benesh & local guide Tour Manager: Nicole Cannon Tour Limit: 8 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4375 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Nov 22-29, 2025 Guided by: Chris Benesh & local guide Tour Manager: Nicole Cannon Tour Limit: 8 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4375 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Feb 7-14, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 8 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4375 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Nov 21-28, 2026 Guide: TBA Tour Manager: TBA Tour Limit: 8 Status: Open - Space is still available on this tour, and we are accepting provisional bookings. No deposit is required until you receive the itinerary. Click below to book space. Tour Fee: Fee TBD / 2024=$4375 REQUEST SPACE OR MORE INFO

Enjoy looking through the 7 most recent Field Guides triplists for this tour linked below!

  • 2023 (Feb departure guided by Marcelo Barreiros)
  • 2022 (Nov departure guided by Chris Benesh)
  • 2019 (Mar departure guided by Dave Stejskal)
  • 2018 (Mar departure guided by Megan Edwards Crewe)
  • 2017 (Apr departure guided by Megan Edwards Crewe)
  • 2013 (Feb departure guided by Peter Burke & John Coons)

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  • Aegithalidae – Bush Tits
  • Aegithinidae – Ioras
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  • Callaeidae – Kokako & Saddlebacks
  • Campephagidae – Cuckooshrikes, Cicadabirds, Trillers & Minivets
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  • Certhiidae – Treecreepers
  • Cettidae – Bush Warblers, Tesias & Allies
  • Chaetopidae – Rockjumpers
  • Chloropseidae – Leafbirds
  • Cinclidae – Dippers
  • Cisticolidae – Cisticolas, Prinia, Tailorbirds & Allies
  • Climacteridae – Australasian Treecreepers
  • Cnemophilidae – Satinbirds
  • Coerebidae – Bananaquit
  • Conopophagidae – Gnateaters
  • Corcoracidae – Australian Mudnesters
  • Corvidae – Crows, Jays, Magpies & Allies
  • Cotingidae – Cotingas, Fruiteaters & Allies
  • Dasyornithidae – Bristlebirds
  • Dicaeidae – Flowerpeckers
  • Dicruridae – Drongos
  • Donacobiidae – Donacobius
  • Dulidae – Palmchat
  • Elachuridae – Spotted Wren-babbler
  • Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows & Allies
  • Erythroceridae – Yellow Flycatchers
  • Estrildidae – Waxbills, Munias & Allies
  • Eulacestomatidae – Ploughbill
  • Eupetidae – Rail-Babbler
  • Eurylaimidae – Broadbills
  • Formicariidae – Antthrushes
  • Fringillidae – Finches, Seedeaters, Euphonias & Allies
  • Furnariidae – Ovenbirds
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  • Hirundinidae – Swallows & Martins
  • Hyliotidae – Hyliotas
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  • Icteridae – Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds & Allies
  • Ifritidae – Blue-capped Ifrit
  • Incertae Sedis – Uncertain Families
  • Irenidae – Fairy-bluebirds
  • Laniidae – Shrikes
  • Leiothrichidae – Turdoides Babblers, Laughingthrushes, Barwings & Sibias
  • Locustellidae – Grassbirds & Allies
  • Machaerirhynchidae – Boatbills
  • Macrosphenidae – Crombecs, Longbills & African Warblers
  • Malaconotidae – Bushshrikes, Tchagras, Puffbacks & Boubous
  • Maluridae – Australasian Wrens
  • Melampittidae – Melampittas
  • Melanocharitidae – Berrypeckers & Longbills
  • Melanopareiidae – Crescent-chests
  • Meliphagidae – Honeyeaters
  • Menuridae – Lyrebirds
  • Mimidae – Mockingbirds, Thrashers & Allies
  • Mohoidae – O’os
  • Mohouidae – Whitehead, Yellowhead & Brown Creeper
  • Monarchidae – Monarchs, Paradise Flycatchers & Allies
  • Motacillidae – Longclaws, Pipits & Wagtails
  • Muscicapidae – Old World Flycatchers
  • Nectariniidae – Sunbirds & Spiderhunters
  • Neosittidae – Sitellas
  • Nicatoridae – Nicators
  • Notiomystidae – Stitchbird
  • Oreoicidae – Australasian Bellbirds
  • Oriolidae – Old World Orioles, Pitohuis & Figbirds
  • Orthonychidae – Logrunners & Chowchilla
  • Pachycephalidae – Whistlers & Allies
  • Panuridae – Bearded Reedling
  • Paradisaeidae – Birds-of-paradise
  • Paramythiidae – Painted Berrypeckers
  • Pardalotidae – Pardalotes
  • Paridae – Tits & Chickadees
  • Parulidae – New World Warblers
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  • Pellorneidae – Fulvettas, Ground Babblers & Allies
  • Petroicidae – Australasian Robins
  • Peucedramidae – Olive Warbler
  • Philepittidae – Asities
  • Phylloscopidae – Leaf Warblers & Allies
  • Picathartidae – Rockfowl
  • Pipridae – Manakins
  • Pittidae – Pittas
  • Pityriaseidae – Bristlehead
  • Platysteiridae – Wattle-eyes & Batises
  • Ploceidae – Weavers, Widowbirds & Allies
  • Pnoepygidae – Wren-babblers
  • Polioptilidae – Gnatcatchers
  • Pomatostomidae – Australasian Babblers
  • Prionopidae – Helmetshrikes
  • Promeropidae – Sugarbirds
  • Prunellidae – Accentors
  • Psophodidae – Whipbirds, Jewel-babblers & Quail-thrushes
  • Ptilogonatidae – Silky-flycatchers
  • Ptilonorhynchidae – Bowerbirds & Catbirds
  • Pycnonotidae – Bulbuls
  • Regulidae – Goldcrests & Kinglets
  • Remizidae – Penduline Tits
  • Rhagologidae – Mottled Berryhunter
  • Rhinocryptidae – Tapaculos
  • Rhipiduridae – Fantails
  • Sapayoidae -Sapayoa
  • Scotocercidae – Streaked Scrub Warbler
  • Sittidae – Nuthatches
  • Stenostiridae – Fairy Flycatchers
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  • Sylviidae – Sylviid Babblers, Parrotbills & Fulvettas
  • Tephrodornithidae – Woodshrikes & Allies
  • Thamnophilidae – Antbirds
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  • Tichodromidae – Wallcreeper
  • Timaliidae – Babblers
  • Tityridae – Tityras, Becards & Allies
  • Troglodytidae – Wrens
  • Turdidae – Thrushes
  • Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers
  • Urocynchramidae – Przevalski’s Finch
  • Vangidae – Vangas
  • Viduidae – Indigobirds & Whydahs
  • Vireonidae – Vireos, Greenlets & Shrike-babblers
  • Zosteropidae – White-eyes, Yuhinas & Allies
  • Accipitridae – Kites, Hawks & Eagles
  • Aegothelidae – Owlet-nightjars
  • Alcedinidae – Kingfishers
  • Alcidae – Auks
  • Anatidae – Swans, Geese & Ducks
  • Anhimidae – Screamers
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  • Anseranatidae – Magpie Goose
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  • Apterygidae – Kiwis
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  • Balaenicipitidae – Shoebill
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  • Capitonidae – New World Barbets
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  • Cariamidae – Seriemas
  • Casuariidae – Cassowaries
  • Cathartidae – New World Vultures
  • Charadriidae – Plovers, Lapwings & Dotterels
  • Chionidae – Sheathbill
  • Ciconiidae – Storks
  • Coliidae – Mousebirds
  • Columbidae – Doves & Pigeons
  • Coraciidae – Rollers
  • Cracidae – Chachalacas, Curassows & Guans
  • Cuculidae – Old World Cuckoos
  • Diomedeidae – Albatrosses
  • Dromadidae – Crab Plover
  • Dromaiidae – Emu
  • Eurypygidae – Sunbittern
  • Falconidae – Falcons, Kestrels & Caracaras
  • Fregatidae – Frigatebirds
  • Galbulidae – Jacamars
  • Gaviidae – Divers or Loons
  • Glareolidae – Coursers & Pratincoles
  • Gruidae – Cranes
  • Haematopodidae – Oystercatchers
  • Heliornithidae – Finfoots & Sungrebe
  • Hemiprocnidae – Treeswifts
  • Hydrobatidae – Northern Storm Petrels
  • Ibidorhynchidae – Ibisbill
  • Indicatoridae – Honeyguides
  • Jacanidae – Jacanas
  • Laridae – Gulls, Terns & Skimmers
  • Leptosomatidae – Cuckoo Roller
  • Lybiidae – African Barbets
  • Megalimidae – Asian Barbets
  • Megapodiidae – Megapodes
  • Meropidae – Bee-eaters
  • Mesitornithidae – Mesites
  • Momotidae – Motmots
  • Musophagidae – Turacos, Plantain-eaters & Go-away-birds
  • Numididae – Guineafowl
  • Nyctibiidae – Potoos
  • Oceanitidae – Austral Storm Petrels
  • Odontophoridae – New World Quails
  • Opisthocomidae – Hoatzin
  • Otididae – Bustards, Floricans & Korhaans
  • Pandionidae – Ospreys
  • Pedionomidae – Plains Wanderer
  • Pelecanidae – Pelicans
  • Pelecanoididae – Diving Petrels
  • Phaethontidae – Tropicbirds
  • Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants & Shags
  • Phasianidae – Pheasants, Grouse, Partridges & Allies
  • Phoenicopteridae – Flamingos
  • Phoeniculidae – Wood Hoopoes & Scimitarbills
  • Picidae – Woodpeckers
  • Pluvianellidae – Magellanic Plover
  • Pluvianidae – Egyptian Plover
  • Podargidae – Frogmouths
  • Podicipedidae – Grebes
  • Procellariidae – Petrels, Diving Petrels & Shearwaters
  • Psittacidae – African & New World Parrots
  • Psittaculidae – Old World Parrots
  • Psophiidae – Trumpeters
  • Pteroclidae – Sandgrouse
  • Rallidae – Rails, Crakes, Gallinules & Coots etc.
  • Ramphastidae – Aracari, Toucans & Toucanets
  • Recurvirostridae – Avocets & Stilts
  • Rheidae – Rheas
  • Rhynochetidae – Kagu
  • Rostratulidae – Painted Snipe
  • Sagittariidae – Secretarybird
  • Sarothruridae – Flufftails
  • Scolopacidae – Woodcock, Snipe, Sandpipers & Allies
  • Scopidae – Hammerkop
  • Semnornithidae – Toucan Barbets
  • Spheniscidae – Penguins
  • Steatornithidae – Oilbird
  • Stercorariidae – Skuas or Jaegers
  • Strigidae – Owls
  • Strigopidae – New Zealand Parrots
  • Struthionidae – Ostriches
  • Sulidae – Gannets & Boobies
  • Thinocoridae – Seedsnipe
  • Threskiornithidae – Ibises & Spoonbills
  • Tinamidae – Tinamous
  • Todidae – Todies
  • Trochilidae – Hummingbirds
  • Trogonidae – Trogons & Quetzals
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birding tours in belize

Birding Belize

Belize, formerly British Honduras, is the only English-speaking country in Central America. With a land area about the size of Wales, or the state of Massachusetts, and a population of barely 300,000 it is also one of the least populated areas in the region. All of which is pretty good news for the birds and other animals of Belize and even better news for the increasing number of birders who are discovering the natural riches of Belize.

A large proportion (about 40%) of the land enjoys some form of protected status which is not to say that there are not pressures on the environment from farming, logging and occasional tropical storms. The jaguar population of Belize is the largest anywhere as a result of legislation to protect the animal and the land. Belize is also home to the second largest barrier reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef, with the reef extending from Ambergris Caye in the north down to the Sapodilla Cayes off the coast of Toledo.

The country includes a diverse range of landscapes and habitats from the coral reefs and cayes off the Caribbean coast, through the swamps, lagoons and pine savanna grasslands of the coastal plains to the broadleaf forests of the south and west and the plateau highlands in Cayo district which contain a mix of pine, oak and broadleaf forest. Each habitat contains its own distinctive species with Belize as a whole being home to around 600 bird species.

Being just 160 miles from north to south and no more than 70 miles from east to west nowhere in Belize is more than a five hour drive from the international airport in Belize City and the cayes and the coastal towns of Dangriga, Placencia and Punta Gorda are well served by the two domestic airlines. Most birding tours to Belize will stay at several different resorts and lodges to cover as many habitats as possible during the visit.

Birding highlights in the west of Belize, in what is known as the Mountain Pine Ridge, include the Stygian Owl, the rare Orange-Breasted Falcon and King Vulture Falls on the Hidden Valley estate where dozens of these creatures roost each night. Mayan archaeological sites can be good places to find birds and birdwatchers will often go to Caracol south of San Ignacio for the Keel-Billed Motmot which is also resident further south in Toledo close to the Guatemalan border.

Also in Toledo the Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary consists of almost 6000 acres around three large lagoons which are home to breeding colonies of American Woodstork and Boat-Billed Herons as well as five species of kingfisher, Black-Bellied Whistling Duck and many others. North of Belize City Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary comprises six lagoons in 16,000 acres with about 260 recorded species. Crooked Tree is run by the Belize Audubon Society.

In the north west of Belize the Rio Bravo Conservation Area (250,000 acres) is managed by the non-profit organization Programme for Belize with regular sightings of jaguar and flocks of keel-billed toucan this is a genuine sanctuary where hundreds of species flourish. Equally dramatic is the 130,000 acre Gallon jug Estate just south of Rio Bravo and in Stann Creek district the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve is another great birding location. Just a few miles further south at Red Bank village flocks of Scarlet Macaw spend the first three months of each year feeding on the Annatto (Bixa orellana) shrub whose seeds surrounded by orange-red pulp colour their magnificent tail-feathers.

Most birders are also nature lovers and besides the avifauna Belize has innumerable butterfly and moth species, insects, animals, orchids and bromeliads. It is a natural history adventure you will never forget.

This page is sponsored by Caligo Ventures Nature Tours & Travel

The Lodge at Big Falls, Punta Gorda, Toledo, Belize | [email protected]

Number of bird species: 603

Igoterra checklist.

birding tours in belize

A Birder's Guide to Belize

A field guide to the birds of mexico and adjacent areas: belize, guatemala and el salvador, annotated checklist of the birds of belize, belize field guides: birds, belize: birds, birds of belize, birds of central america, peterson field guide to birds of northern central america: belize, el salvador, guatemala, honduras.

birding tours in belize

Belize Birds Field Guide

Travel to belize, chaa creek natural history centre, las cuevas research station, belie bird conservancy, belize audubon society, belize bird rescue, protected areas conservation trust.

Abbreviations Key

BR The Halfmoon Rookery

Cma rio bravo, cma shipstern, fr caye caulker, fr chiquibul, fr mountain pine ridge, mr glover's reef, np bacalar chico, np chiquibul, np five blues lake, np guanacaste, np laughing bird caye, np mayflower bocawina, np payne's creek, np sarstoon-temash, np st. herman's blue hole, nr burdon canal, nr tapir mountain, national parks in belize, slate creek preserve, ws aguacaliente, ws cockscomb basin, ws crooked tree, ws spanish creek, birdwatching belize, caligo ventures, naturally belize, paradise expeditions - birding in belize, 2015 [04 april] - peter burke, 2015 [12 december] - david a showler - belize and tikal area, guatemala, 2016 [02 february] - geoff upton - guatemala & belize, 2017 [04 april] - megan edwards crewe, 2018 [02 february] - bob behrstock, 2018 [03 march] - bob meinke, 2019 [03 march] - bob meinke, 2019 [03 march] - pat lueders, 2020 [02 february] - dodie logue, 2020 [03 march] - martyn kenefick, 2021 [07 july] - robert gallard, 2021 [10 october] - james p smith, 2021 [11 november] - bob meinke, 2021 [12 december] - peg abbott, 2022 [01 january] - james p smith, 2022 [03 march] - dave mehlman, 2022 [11 november] - pat leuders, 2023 [02 february] - james p. smith, 2023 [03 march] - bryan calk, banana beach resort, belizean dreams resort, bocawina rainforest resort & adventures, caves branch jungle lodge, chaa creek natural history centre lodge, chabil mar resort, chan chich lodge, crystal paradise resort, duplooy's jungle lodge, howler monkey lodge, la casa del caballo blanco, lamanai outpost lodge, manatee lodge, mariposa lodge, mopan river resort, pook's hill, san ignacio hotel, the lodge at big falls, birding in belize, birds of belize, birds of ambergris caye, programme for belize, elbert greer - bubba's birding blog for birdwatching in belize, photographer - marie-france grenouellet, photographer - richard seaman.

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The best of the west since 1997

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  • BZ (011) 501-824-3070
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  • Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Tour
  • Crystal Cave & Inland Blue Hole
  • Cave Tubing
  • Barton Creek Cave
  • Caracol Archaeological Site & Rio On Pools & Rio Frio Cave
  • Tikal Ruins
  • Xunantunich Horseback Riding Tours
  • Cahal Pech Birdwatching Tours
  • Horseback Riding/Organic Farm
  • Inland Blue Hole Birdwatching
  • Belize Zoo & Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Tour
  • Black Rock and Macal River Area Birding Tour
  • Caves Branch & Blue Hole Birding Tour
  • Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Tour
  • El Pilar Maya Forest Birding Tour
  • Laguna Aguacate & Spanish Lookout Area Birding Tour
  • Mountain Pine Ridge and Bald Hills Birding Tour

Barton Creek Canoeing Tour

  • Mountain Pine Ridge & Rio On Pools & Rio Frio Cave
  • The Belize Zoo
  • Zip Lining Tours
  • Cultural Village Tour
  • Cacao Farm & Chocolate Making Demonstration
  • About Belize
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  • Location: San Ignacio
  • Shuttle Services
  • Cancellation Policy

I did 4 tours with these guys around San Ignacio. They were all great tours, well organized, on time, good transportation, good guides and good information on the tours in the office. The only thing I had to think of was to pay and then enjoy!

– Tripadvisor review

Maya Walk Cave Tours

ATM Cave Tour Crystal Cave Tour Cave Tubing Tour Barton Creek Cave Tour

Maya Walk Mayan Ruins Tours

Caracol Ruins & Rio on Pools & Rio Frio Cave Tour Guatemala Tikal Ruins Tour Xunantunich Horseback Riding Tour Cahal Pech Birdwatching Tour

Maya Walk Horseback Riding Tours

Organic Farm Horseback Riding Tour Xunantunich Horseback Riding Tour

Maya Walk Birding Tours

Inland Blue Hole Birdwatching Tour Cahal Pech Birdwatching Tour Belize Zoo & Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Birding Tour Black Rock and Macal River Area Birding Tour Caves Branch & Blue Hole Birding Tour Crooked Tree Wilflife Sanctuary Birding Tour El Pilar Maya Forest Birding Tour Laguna Aguacate & Spanish Lookout Area Birding Tour Mountain Pine Ridge and Bald Hills Birding Tour

Maya Walk Canoeing Tours

Mountain Pine Ridge & Rio on Pools & Rio Frio Cave Belize Zoo Tour

Maya Walk Zip Lining Tours

Zip Lining Tour

Maya Walk Cultural Tours

Maya & Mennonite Cultural Village Tour Cacao Farm & Chocolate Making Tour

Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence

Belize Birding Inland Blue Hole Tours

Inland blue hole birdwatching.

Belize is a birdwatcher’s paradise! As many as 587 birds have been recorded in Belize and, of these, approximately 20 percent are migrants from North America. Every year new species are being documented. Eight new records were accepted in 2007, including the Crested Caracara, Canada Goose, and Spot-breasted Oriole. For those interested in exploring the diversity and beauty of the avifauna of the diverse habitats MayaWalk expert birdwatching guides will point out tiny iridescent hummingbirds, impressive raptors, and various migratory and endemic songbirds. One of the best places to go on a Belize birding tour is St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, a beautiful protected area along the scenic Hummingbird Highway.

This small park covers 575 acres and has two natural features open for touring, St. Herman’s Cave: a beautiful crystalline cave in the limestone hills and the Blue Hole: a clear sinkhole filled with turquoise waters, perfect for a swim. A series of lovely hiking trails over various landscapes take visitors into the jungle where the foliage, tropical flowers, and rainforest canopy are the feeding and nesting grounds for hundreds of species of birds. For those interested in finding out more about the amazingly diverse avifauna of Belize we recommend purchasing Birds of Belize (University of Texas Press) by H. Lee Jones, illustrated by Dana Gardner– a must have for serious birders. Published in 2003, this is the first complete guide to the identification of all to the birds of Belize and it is beautifully illustrated and complete with habitat information. Our birding guides will be equipped with binoculars and a spotting scope to make the most of your birding experience. Enjoy the serene trails of the park and end the day with a lovely swim in the Blue Hole.

Belize Inland Blue Hole Birding Tour

Recommended Age:

No age restriction, 4 hours (approx.), what to bring/wear:.

  • Bring reusable water bottles
  • sturdy shoes
  • spotting scope

tour information

Maya Walk Tours recommends bringing reusable cups and bottles when coming in, to ensure responsible travel and consideration for our beautiful country’s environment. So bring your coffee loving cups for some coffee in the morning of your tours.

/per person

Privacy Overview

birding tours in belize

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Birding Tours

Belize birding tours.

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ON-SITE BIRDWATCHING

Found within a 17-acre private estate, San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers a playground for bird lovers. Take a stroll with our experienced guide through the jungle and enjoy the twitter and sweet sounds of our backyard friends. During this tour, you can witness colourful creatures including the Blue Tanager, Blue Crowned Mot Mot, Warblers, Woodpeckers, Aracari Toucan, and even rare sightings of our national bird, the Keel-Billed Toucan. Known as “the only jungle in town”, the property has been able to document a record of 119 species within the property. TIME : Available at 6:00am, 9:00am, 1:00pm DURATION : 1 ½ – 2 hours INTENSITY : Moderate MINIMUM : 2 People WHAT TO BRING : Comfortable attire and shoes, bug spray, sunblock, binoculars, camera ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED : Yes

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AGUACATE LAGOON BIRDWATCHING

Located in Spanish Lookout, the Aguacate Lagoon is a 284-acre reserve that offers birders a morning encounter at a remote private reserve. Aerial creatures such as the Scissor Tailed Fly Catcher, Olive Throated Parakeet, and the ever-friendly Great Kiskadee can often be spotted while on this Belize birding adventure. You may also be lucky to sight a few Howler Monkeys who have adopted the Lagoon surroundings as their residence. DURATION : 5 Hours INTENSITY : Easy WHAT TO BRING : Comfortable attire and shoes, bug spray, sunblock, binoculars, camera, water

Slide #1

Found within a 17-acre private estate, San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers a playground for bird lovers. Take a stroll with our experienced guide through the jungle and enjoy the twitter and sweet sounds of our backyard friends. During this tour, you can witness colourful creatures including the Blue Tanager, Blue Crowned Mot Mot, Warblers, Woodpeckers, Aracari Toucan, and even rare sightings of our national bird, the Keel-Billed Toucan. Known as “the only jungle in town”, the property has been able to document a record of 119 species within the property.

TIME:  Available at 6:00am, 9:00am, 1:00pm DURATION:  1 ½ – 2 hours INTENSITY:  Moderate MINIMUM:  2 People WHAT TO BRING:  Comfortable attire and shoes (preferable not white), bug spray, sunblock, binoculars, camera ADVANCE BOOKING REQUIRED:  Yes

BOOK THIS TOUR

Slide #1

Located in Spanish Lookout, the Aguacate Lagoon is a 284-acre reserve that offers birders a morning encounter at a remote private reserve. Aerial creatures such as the Scissor Tailed Fly Catcher, Olive Throated Parakeet, and the ever-friendly Great Kiskadee can often be spotted while on this Belize birding adventure. You may also be lucky to sight a few Howler Monkeys who have adopted the Lagoon surroundings as their residence.

  DURATION : 5 Hours INTENSITY : Easy WHAT TO BRING : Comfortable attire and shoes, bug spray, sunblock, binoculars, camera, water

Slide #1

CRESTED CARACARA PRIVATE RESERVE

Known as the only nesting ground for the Crested Caracara in the West, the Crested Caracara Private Reserve has a total of 200 acres with 11 miles of trails. This tour will take you through broad leaf lowland forests and open grasslands which are the habitat for several species of birds, including the elusive Crested Caracara.

DURATION:  3-4 hours INTENSITY:  Moderate WHAT TO BRING:  Comfortable attire and shoes, bug spray, sunblock, binoculars, camera

VIEW MORE TOURS:

On-Site Tours Water Adventures Ziplining Tours

We stayed at the San Ignacio resort for four nights as a base camp for our mainland Belize vacation. The hotel is right in town and about 2 blocks from San Ignacio's "Main Street". The hotel staff was always helpful in giving us advice, direction, and best wishes. The pool is nice and relaxing with a jungle canopy surrounding it. Birds chirping all day with Toucans in the mornings. The hotel also runs an Iguana reserve which is fun to see the personalities of iguanas. TripAdvisor User: Mike G
  • 18 Buena Vista Street
  • San Ignacio, Belize
  • Local: (501) 824-2034/2125
  • Toll Free: +1-855-494-6639

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Belize Bird Photography Tour

Birding tour specifically for photographers

Best photography guides in Belize

8 nights lodging at 4 gorgeous ecolodges

Capture the wonders of Belize with your camera

Enjoy the magic of Belize through the lens of a camera on this IndiGo Birding photography trip! Bird photography takes patience, knowledge, skill, and equipment and requires a different type of tour than our typical birding and culture trips. This 9-day, 8-night package incorporates day tours in search of spectacular tropical birds and moves at a relaxed pace that is ideal for photographers. In addition, most of our Belizean guides are excellent photographers themselves, which means that they know what it takes to get the perfect shot and can give tips and pointers as we go. Don’t miss out on this amazing travel opportunity!

Tour Highlights

Photograph over one hundred species of tropical birds

Learn from expert guides and bird photographers

Relax at beautiful ecolodges

Tour at a photographer’s pace

Indulge in delicious foods from different cultures

Connect with our wonderful Belizean hosts

Click the tabs below to find out more...

Trip details, good to know, frequently asked questions.

$2900/person double occupancy,

$400 single supplement

Departure Time

Meeting point.

Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), Ladyville, Belize

Availability

March 6-14, 2025

9 days, 8 nights

6 to 7 participants

Participation requirements

This tour is designed for the intermediate to skilled photographer

8 nights accommodations at four different eco-lodges, all meals and transportation, guided tours, and tips

Not included

Flights, drinks, trip insurance, souvenirs, personal services (massages, laundry, etc.), and cameras/lenses

What to bring

  • Camera equipment. 
  • Packing list will be provided for all participants.

Number & type of staff for tour

Birding guide David Rupp will host the group in Belize and assist in all aspects of the tour. At each location we stay, a local birding guide will lead us on our bird photography outings. Two of the guides–Eduardo Ruano and Isaias Morataya–are among the best bird photographers in Belize and will be guiding us the majority of the days and also giving photography tips and instruction.

What You’ll See & Do

One of the beautiful aspects of this trip is the variety of accommodations we use, particularly when it comes to each place’s setting. We will spend the first two nights at Bird’s Eye View Lodge (opens in a new tab) in the village of Crooked Tree, located about an hour from the airport and a great place to get started birding! We will then visit the spectacular Lamanai Outpost Lodge (opens in a new tab) for two nights, followed by two nights in the middle of the jungle at La Milpa Ecolodge (opens in a new tab) . Our final two nights will be spent at Black Rock Lodge (opens in a new tab) , an eco-lodge along the Macal River near the Guatemalan border. At each place, we will eat well, see beautiful birds, and relax in beautiful surroundings with comfortable accommodations.

Day 1 Arrival in Belize

Our meeting spot is in the connections lobby of the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) in Ladyville, Belize, preferably before 2:00 p.m. A driver from Bird’s Eye View Lodge will be there to transport us to the resort, located on the edge of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. We will enjoy the Vermilion Flycatchers, orioles, and other birds just outside our doors. After dinner in the restaurant and observing Common Parauques in the parking lot, we’ll get to bed to rest up for the big days ahead.

Day 2 Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

One of the highlights of any birding trip to Belize is the morning boat tour of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. This inland lagoon offers habitat to an amazing array of wetland birds and raptors, like the Black-collared Hawk and Snail Kite. This three-hour trip gives us up-close photography opportunities of charismatic species like the Northern Jacana, Bare-throated Tiger-heron, and maybe a Sungrebe. While there’s never a guarantee, we will try to find the Jabiru and the beautiful Agami Heron. The afternoon will allow time for personal photography exploration of the roads and trails near the lodge.

Day 3 Bird’s Eye to Lamanai

We start the day by birding the nearby pine savanna habitat that offers good chances at Yucatan Jay, Yucatan Woodpecker, Acorn Woodpecker, and Grace’s Warbler. We will then pack up for our trip to Lamanai, which includes a 20+ mile boat ride down the New River and gives a shot at seeing numerous kingfishers, hawks, and wading birds. After checking in at Lamanai Outpost Lodge, we’ll visit the nearby village of Spanish Church for more bird photography with Eduardo Ruano, one of the top photographers in Belize! Check out his photos here (opens in a new tab) .

Day 4 Mayan Magic

L amanai Outpost Lodge is located within a short walk or boat ride of the Lamanai Archaeological Site, one of the most spectacular of the Mayan sites in Belize. We’ll spend the morning touring the site and searching for Howler Monkeys and birds like toucans, motmots, and woodcreepers. After another delicious meal at Lamanai, we will take some time for R&R before heading out into nearby farmland for photo opps of Wood Storks, kites, and one of my favorites, the Fork-tailed Flycatcher. After dinner we will have a Spotlight Safari by boat in the lagoon. A day you’ll never forget!

Day 5 Lamanai to La Milpa

Early morning plans: a birding tour of the savannah habitat in search of Aplomado Falcons, Yellow-headed Parrots, and Black-throated Bobwhite. After a late breakfast at Lamanai, we’ll pack up and head by van through farm country to our next stop, La Milpa Ecolodge. La Milpa is home to numerous hummingbirds, Royal Flycatchers, and the endangered Ocellated Turkey. Great photo opportunities abound on the grounds, at the feeders, and on the nearby trails. 

Day 6 Remote Jungle Photography

La Milpa is a remote Mayan archaeological site that is largely undisturbed and subject to ongoing research. We will have a guided tour of the site, learning about the history of the area as we photograph warblers, woodcreepers, and more. Hang out by the pond in hopes of seeing the American Pygmy Kingfisher and wait for the Great Curassow to wander the grounds in the evening. Because this ecolodge is located in the Rio Bravo Reserve (opens in a new tab) , the bird possibilities are almost endless! 

Day 7 The Road Less Traveled

Guide and photographer extraordinaire Isaias Morataya will meet us this morning for a little more birding around La Milpa before driving us through the Rio Bravo Preserve towards Black Rock Lodge. Have your cameras at the ready, because Isaias has the “eye of the tiger” and will surely point out some awesome birds and other wildlife as we drive through one of the more remote parts of Belize. This is a section of Belize that I have never visited but am so excited for this opportunity! We will eventually drive through the town of San Ignacio and make our way to Black Rock Lodge, our amazing accommodations for the last two nights of the trip.

Day 8 Enjoying Black Rock

Today is a day of relaxation and bird photography as we enjoy the grounds of Black Rock Lodge. Birding guide Isaias Morataya (check out his photos (opens in a new tab) ) will offer several bird walks for us throughout the day on this remote property. We should be able to find honeycreepers, aracaris, hawk-eagles, and other tropical birds. Nestled in a river valley between spectacular cliffs, Black Rock offers a variety of habitats and good raptor viewing, even from the dining area. Enjoy a freshwater pool, hike the trails, or get a massage during your free time. The best of Belize! 

Day 9 Departure

Time to pack for home! After another amazing Belizean breakfast, we will load up the van for the 2+ hour drive to the airport. Schedule your flight home for early to mid-afternoon. On your way home, you’ll likely be thinking… “How soon can I come back?!?”

David serves as the travel operator and assistant guide throughout the tour. He will travel with the group to address  needs as they arise. Local guides will lead the tours and provide the instruction at each location.

Yes. All meals outside of the airport.

7 guests total

Guests must purchase flights to and from the BZE airport, then all transportation is provided from there.

Testimonials

Tripadvisor reviews.

David, as a guide, makes everyday a favorite day! His Belize trips are so well-planned. It was a perfect mix of habitats, birding, incredible eco-lodging, wonderful food, fun side trips to experience Cacao production, caves, Mayan Ruins, night boat “hunts” for wildlife sightings, and time to rest if necessary! I didn’t want to miss anything but never felt rushed. His choice of local guides was over the top. They were so knowledgeable about not only the birding, but other natural wonders, the culture and history of Belize. David’s personality and attention to detail made the trip so enjoyable and safe and fun! Well done IndiGo Birding Nature Tours! I have also gone along on some Indiana birding hikes and a couple kayak trips! He is an excellent birder and makes the trips so enjoyable by interweaving other natural history information along the way!

Just returned from IndiGo’s Belize birding and culture tour. A superbly organized trip with stays at memorable Eco-lodges. In the course of our week trip, we counted 182 different species, including some rare birds that had the veteran birders twittering. Stops at fascinating Mayan sites and vibrant villages. Highly recommended!

If you are interested in exploring the birdlife of Central America, we recommend David Rupp’s IndigoBirding tours in the strongest possible terms. The eco-lodges that David has selected are all of the highest quality, beautifully situated, with comfortable accommodations, fine food, and expert, gracious staff. Tour logistics—arrival and departure, transfers, etc.—are carefully and smoothly managed. David himself is not only a highly expert birder but a personable, engaging, and considerate tour director, closely attentive to participants’ interests and needs and unflappable in a crisis. The members of our group ranged from very experienced birders to absolute neophytes and all had an outstandingly good time.

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    March 22-31, 2024. From vibrant rainforests to dry shrublands, lush pine forests to serene wetlands, Belize offers an array of habitats that nurture a rich diversity of bird species. Nestled at the base of the Yucatan Peninsula, between Mexico and Guatemala and bordered by the Caribbean Sea, this tropical paradise forms a crucial part of the ...

  16. Belize Birding Tours

    In such an event our staff will make every effort to provide you with equal or superior activities. Tours are shown starting at the International Airport but we will be happy to meet you at the Cruise Ship Terminal. Bookings: Phone (from U.S.) 011-501-203-2040, 011-501-614-5071 WhatsApp: +501-615-0496 Email: [email protected].

  17. Belize Birding Tour with FIELD GUIDES: Lamanai & Hidden Valley

    We'll begin the tour at the Lamanai Outpost Lodge, which has a simple, yet elegant, main building and comfortable thatched cabanas perched on the shores of Crab-catcher Lagoon, part of the largest body of fresh water in Belize. The Lodge sits less than a mile from the Mayan ruins of Lamanai, an extensive, largely unexcavated site that sprawls ...

  18. Birds, Birding Trips and Birdwatching Tours in Belize

    Most birding tours to Belize will stay at several different resorts and lodges to cover as many habitats as possible during the visit. Birding highlights in the west of Belize, in what is known as the Mountain Pine Ridge, include the Stygian Owl, the rare Orange-Breasted Falcon and King Vulture Falls on the Hidden Valley estate where dozens of ...

  19. Belize Birding Tours

    INLAND BLUE HOLE BIRDWATCHING. Belize is a birdwatcher's paradise! As many as 587 birds have been recorded in Belize and, of these, approximately 20 percent are migrants from North America. Every year new species are being documented. Eight new records were accepted in 2007, including the Crested Caracara, Canada Goose, and Spot-breasted Oriole.

  20. Belize Birding Tours

    The pool is nice and relaxing with a jungle canopy surrounding it. Birds chirping all day with Toucans in the mornings. The hotel also runs an Iguana reserve which is fun to see the personalities of iguanas. San Ignacio Resort Hotel offers 3 spectacular Belize birding tours: Early Morning, Crested Caracara Private Reserve & Aguacate Lagoon ...

  21. Belize Bird Photography Tour

    Enjoy the magic of Belize through the lens of a camera on this IndiGo Birding photography trip! Bird photography takes patience, knowledge, skill, and equipment and requires a different type of tour than our typical birding and culture trips. This 9-day, 8-night package incorporates day tours in search of spectacular tropical birds and moves at ...