Belize – Hike The Mountain Pine Ridge, Snorkel The Belize Barrier Reef & Explore The ATM Caves

Welcome to Belize! There will be an early evening ‘meet and greet’ at our joining hotel with your Vegan Adventure Holidays trip leader and other members of the group this evening before dinner—think perfectly cooked rice, tender black beans, lightly sauteed fresh veg and a warm breeze.

Drink up your tropical fruit smoothie because we’ve got a water taxi to catch, we’ll be heading over to the tropical island of Caye Caulker where a no shirts, no shoes, no problem rule governs the island — vegan sandals optional!

You’ll get to see why this car-free tiny island which meets the Belize barrier reef is known as being an affordable paradise.
After a quick boat ride from Belize City, we’ll be sailing off towards the Belize Barrier reef at 10:30 this morning for an OMG, excited squeals kind of experience!

First stop is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve where you can expect to see angelfish, blue-striped grunts, schoolmaster snappers and hundreds of other varieties, it’s also known for the green moray eels living in tiny caves along the wall.

The Shark and Ray Alley is another of our stops within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, this spot is known as the shark and stingray city of Belize! You’ll get the opportunity to swim with the harmless Nurse Sharks and Southern Stingrays, this is a spot not to be missed.

The Coral Gardens are two and a half miles southwest of Shark and Ray Alley and due to extraordinary clear water you’ll be able to see the rainbow-like hues of the coral below, it’s an extremely special place.

Last but not least, our sailboat ride home; this journey takes around an hour and a quarter and it’s at the best time of the day just before sunset. Corn tortilla chips and salsa, rum or fruit cocktails make it a magical end to one of the highlights of this trip.

Choose to relax and stroll down to the waterfront for a laid-back island breakfast or chose to do one of the action-packed optional excursions.

Dive or snorkel the world famous Great Blue Hole, one of the greatest geological wonders of the world. Just 43 miles off the mainland, the Belize Barrier Reef is home to the Great Blue Hole, an easily accessible day trip. A site for more experienced divers, a deep dive into the Great Blue Hole will unveil a whole new world full of rare fish and stalactites.

If you’d like your free day to be a little more laid back you can choose to do an island-paced vinyasa flow yoga class (suitable for all levels), kayak around the blue waters of the split or just hang under a palm tree, the choice is yours.

We’ll all meet up again tonight to watch the sun go down over Caye Caulker’s famous split, there will almost definitely be sundown cocktails and mocktails involved!

Time for a change of scenery, as we travel inland you’ll begin to notice that the country is made up of an impressive network of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries which provide a safe haven for wildlife. You can expect to see capuchin monkeys (so cute) and howler monkeys (so noisy) over the course of the next two weeks so keep a lookout!

On the way to San Ignacio we’re going to visit the wonderful Comunity Baboon Sanctuary which is home to more than 3500 howler monkeys and over 250 species of birds.

Spread over several Creole villages in the Belize River valley, it’s a community-run, grassroots conservation project which is managed by the Women’s Conservation Group.

More than 200 landowners in seven villages have signed pledges to preserve the monkey’s habitat by protecting forested areas along the river and in corridors that run along the borders of their property. The black howlers have made an amazing comeback here, and the monkeys now roam freely all around the surrounding area.

There are no real baboons Belize by the way! The Belizeans use that name for the Yucatán black howler monkey which is an endangered species that exists only in Belize, northern Guatemala and southern Mexico, it’s one of the largest (and noisiest) monkeys in the Americas!

This morning you’ll get to step inside a cave featured as the #1 sacred cave destination in the world by The National Geographic. The Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (also known as the ATM caves) are not only unique geologically, but historically; the ATM caves serve as a natural museum of ancient Mayan artefacts and sacred burial place.

You’ll hike 45-minutes through the jungle before taking a journey into the Mayan underworld, along with your local guide you’ll explore an extensive underground maze of tunnels, passageways and chambers, finishing in the ceremonial chamber where you’ll see stoneware, ceramics and the famed crystallized skeleton of the “Crystal Maiden.”

If today were a movie it would be where James bond meets David Attenborough in Planet Earth—mystery, action and conservation all rolled into one!

After checking to see if there’s really a Caiman in the lagoon next to the swimming pool you’ll sit down with your new friends for breakfast, feast on tropical fruits, sip on hot coffee and enjoy the calm before the action starts.

Remember to put your camera in your day bag before we set off because you’ll get to put everything you learned in the Members Club travel photography master class into action.

You’ll get outside today and start to see what Belize has to offer. The Mountain Pine Ridge reserve is made up of over 100,000 acres of pine and subtropical forests, wetlands, the Macal River valley—it’s an outdoor adventurers paradise!

This awesome and unique natural habitat is home to hundreds of birds and mammals. You’ll be hiking forest trails, swimming in deep clear pools below a 150-foot waterfall on Privassion Creek before sitting down for well deserved vegan-friendly picnic lunch.

After a farewell breakfast, this trip finishes with a transfer back to Belize City Airport (or hotel).

Wanting to come back as soon as possible thoughts and feelings are guaranteed, you can stay connected to your new friends in the members club and maybe plan some of your own adventures together!