How to make the most of Belize’s great outdoors

Easy-going Belize is Central America’s pint-sized paradise. This slim slice of land has a long Caribbean coast where gentle ocean currents flow around coral atolls and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef teems with underwater life. On any trip to Belize, you’ll want to visit the seaside – but for this Belize guide, we are heading inland to the sub-tropical forests, vibrant jungles, and precious wetland habitats of the interior. Here we’ll find ancient Mayan ruins draped in jungle vines, limestone cave systems to explore, and forests of every stripe bursting with wildlife. In this Belize nature guide, we dive straight into the heart of its great, green outdoors. 

Embark on a jungle boat trip to the Mayan site of Lamanai

First up in our Belize nature guide, deep in the jungle on the banks of the New River Lagoon, is Belize’s second-largest Mayan site – an ancient complex of carved structures and stepped pyramidal temples. Lamanai means Submerged Crocodile, and as you explore, you’ll come across carved depictions of crocs peeping out from the undergrowth. 

 The Great Temple area has been cleared, along with the Temple of the Masks, but much of the site remains under jungle rule. Who knows what other treasures wait to be uncovered? To reach Lamanai, hop on a boat in Orange Walk Town for an hour-long cruise along the river. 

See birdlife great and small at the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Northern Belize’s Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is a unique habitat of inland waterways, swamps and lagoons. It is a true treasure trove for the ornithologically-inclined, harbouring a vast array of birdlife. Here you’ll see jabiru storks, one of the Americas’ largest birds, picking their way amongst the reeds in their distinctive scarlet neckerchiefs. It is also home to hundreds of other species, including snowy egrets, snail kites, and tiny vermilion flycatchers that flit low across the waters. 

Walk the paths of the monumental Mayan city of Caracol

Belize’s largest Mayan archaeological site is Caracol in the Cayo District, not far from the border with Guatemala. This once-great city was founded around 900 BC, and in its heyday was home to some 150,000 people. These statistics make it larger in both area and population than present-day Belize City. At its centre, the Sky Palace rises 140ft from the jungle floor, while acres of agricultural field systems, smaller temples and palaces stretch out around it. 

Make like Indiana Jones on an expedition to the Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves 

The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave system (ATM for short) in the rainforest of Western Belize was once a sacred Mayan site. Thought to be a gateway to the underworld, it is a mysterious place of ritual and ceremony in the dark. Experiencing these fabled caverns involves a trek through the jungle, followed by being kitted out in full safety gear before stepping over the threshold.

Once inside, explorers will wade, swim and squeeze through small gaps to explore a network of caverns and tunnels that open up into a cathedral-like space deep underground. The caves are dotted with relics and macabre archaeological finds, including human skeletons. 

Hike and swim in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

As well as rainforest and lowland jungle, Central Belize is home to a large swathe of native pine forest. With its river valleys, waterfalls and steep, pine-clad ridges, this is a landscape and habitat that you might not expect to find in Central America. 

The hiking here is excellent and best punctuated with cooling swims in waterfall and river pools. The reserve is home to Belize’s highest waterfall, the Thousand Foot Falls, which plunges down some 1,600ft in a slim plume of crystalline water. 

Boat and float along the Caves Branch River

Out in the wilds beyond the city of Belmopan, flows the winding River of Caves. Meandering through a network of smooth, limestone cave systems interspersed with jungle terrain is quite a ride. Guided tours take visitors exploring by kayak or on floating rubber tubes. Drift calmly along as the current takes you through darkened caves, where you’ll encounter Mayan archaeological relics such as pottery, obsidian blades and jade artefacts. 

Fly through Belize’s treetops by zipline

Ziplining in Belize is practically essential, and there are canopy adventures to be had all over. Some of the best are to be found in the Cayo District of Western Belize, including in the Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch National Park. There are runs to suit different tastes, from tranquil glides through the treetops to adrenaline-inducing canyon swings. 

Learn about Mayan medicinal heritage on the Don Elijio Trail

In the early 80s, an American doctor moved to Belize with her family to study under the tutelage of Don Elijio, a traditional Mayan healer. With his deep knowledge of plants and their properties, Elijio was known as a master of natural healing. Visitors can visit the protected Elijio Panti National Park named in his honour. This is the land where he lived and worked, and it is fascinating to learn about the medicinal properties of Belize’s endemic flora in such a pristine natural environment. 

Canoe along the Mopan and Macal Rivers

No Belize nature guide would be complete without a mention of both the Mopan and Macal Rivers, which flow through gorgeous scenery in the Cayo District. Their banks are dotted with unexplored Mayan sites, lush greenery and small settlements. Both are excellent for relaxed canoe trips, spent soaking up the unspoilt surroundings. 

Hike the south-central Belizean national parks

From the eastern slopes of the Maya Mountains stretch great swathes of tropical forest dotted with Mayan ruins. Across this land, a patchwork of national parks and protected reserves has created a much-needed wildlife corridor. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest of these, a dedicated jaguar reserve supporting the endangered Central American population of this rare big cat. 

Home too to pumas, ocelots, armadillos, tapirs, and numerous bird and reptile species, the region is rich in biodiversity. Cockscomb is the most visited, while the nearby Mayflower Bocawina National Park offers quieter trails frequented by ever-noisy troupes of howler monkeys. 

Make it happen

Has our Belize nature guide inspired you to craft your own Central America adventure? Chat with a local expert in Belize and start planning a getaway to remember.