Belize Inland Adventures

Depending on the length of your stay at Hamanasi, you can choose from the following excursions listed below.
  Belize's marine activities are so extensive and varied you could easily occupy your entire vacation on - or under - the water. But there is much to do onshore, as well! Mayan Ruins, virgin rainforests, caves with ancient artifacts, exotic plants and animals -- there is so much to explore on mainland Belize! Take a look at our inland trips to see what onshore adventures await you!

Please note that a licensed Belizean tour guide will accompany every inland excursion. Food is included in our onshore excursion prices. Below is our schedule of onshore adventures. If these adventures don't keep you busy there are plenty more things to do! Kayak in the sea. Take a bike along the Hopkins/Sittee Road passing through the sedge marsh teeming with birds. Swim in the ocean or our 50-foot freshwater pool. Or, simply stroll through the Garifuna fishing village of Hopkins. Between offshore and onshore activities, you will never have a dull moment -- unless, of course, you simply want to relax in a hammock on the beach!

Mondays : Mayflower Jungle & Waterfall Hike

Description : Just a short drive from Hamanasi are two thrilling hikes through the rainforest leading to waterfalls. The Antelope Falls hike is a rigorous, steep trek to a 100-foot waterfall with an incredible top view all the way to the ocean. The Three Sisters Falls hike is less difficult. These falls hurtle down the dense jungle mountain face into cool pools perfect for dipping. You can almost hear Mayan ancestors whispering in the mist! Nearby are the remains of the ancient Mayan city of Mayflower. Archaeologists are still excavating and piecing together the history of this modest Mayan ruin, which is grown over by the jungle. Orchids, birds and lush vegetation abound!

Departure time: 8:00 AM
Approx. return time: 3:00 PM
Food/Drinks: Light pack lunch, juice and water
What to bring: Sturdy shoes, long pants and shirt, bathing suit, towel, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars, field guide.

Tuesdays : Caves & Jungle Adventure

Attention cave lovers, hikers and birders! You won't want to miss this adventure! Traveling past citrus orchards on the gorgeous Hummingbird Highway you will reach Blue Hole National Park and/or Five Blues Lake National Park. The Blue Hole Park is in one of Belize's oldest jungles dense with large, hardwood trees.

The park's namesake is a large, sapphire blue, 30-foot wide sinkhole fed by crystal clear underground streams. Also featured is St. Herman's Cave, a mile long cave into which visitors may hike. A hike around a mountain lake while birding leads to a scenic overlook. Just down the road is Five Blues Lakes National Park, a 4,000-acre park named after a 7.4-acre cenote's apparent change of colors. This park boasts a wide variety of caves, forest trails and the large lake ideal for swimming. Both parks host many plant, animal and bird species. You'll have fun seeing how many you can identify!

Departure time: 8:00 AM
Approx. return time: 4:00 PM
Food/Drinks: Lunch, juice and water
What to bring: Sturdy shoes, long pants and shirt, bathing suit, towel, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars, flashlight, field guide.

Wednesdays : Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve

Description : Near Hamanasi is the world's only jaguar preserve, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Ringed on three sides by the Maya Mountains and towering Victoria's Peak, the Basin's 120,000 acres is also home to jaguarundi, margays, ocelots, pumas, deer, howler monkeys and tapirs. This trip begins with a stop at the traditional village of Maya Center where Mayan arts and crafts are for sale.

The park offers a wide variety of hikes, including to Ben's Bluff, which has a spectacular view of the entire Basin, and to a waterfall where you can dip in the refreshing waters. Our knowledgeable guides identify the numerous plants, birds and fauna of the pristine rainforest. You can take a short tubing trip down a jungle stream and river otters even may join you! With over 290 recorded species of birds this park is ideal for birders. As jaguars and other cats are nocturnal, it is unlikely that you will see them, but you can spot fresh tracks. Bring your binoculars -- as you trek through this rainforest you'll see a plethora of birds and perhaps an elusive jaguar!

Departure time: 8:00 AM
Approx. return time: 3:00 PM
Food/Drinks: Light lunch, juice, and water 
What to Bring: Sturdy shoes, long pants and shirt, bathing suit, towel, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars, field guide

Thursdays : Rainforest Birding / Sittee River Canoeing & Kayaking

Description : Hamanasi offers two excursions on Thursdays. In the morning, you can go birding. From toucans to parrots to white eagles, guests will have the opportunity to view some of the 500 species of birds in Belize. On the outskirts of a traditional Mayan village at the foothills of the Maya Mountains, guests will hike through the jungle viewing - and hearing - birds in their natural habitat. During December through March is the unique opportunity to see the endangered Scarlet Macaws that migrate to the Red Bank hills.

In the afternoon, take the river trip. From its origin deep within the Maya Mountains, the Sittee River snakes its way to the sea with its mouth just south of Hopkins. Our trip starts near the Creole village of Sittee River and slowly heads towards the ocean. You will have fun spotting green and orange iguanas lounging in trees and maybe a crocodile resting at the water's edge. Parrots, toucans, motmots, herons and egrets often can be seen -- and heard! We have seen sting rays, manatee and crocodiles far upriver. If you are adventuresome you can navigate up Boom Creek, a dense, vine draped tributary to Sittee River. As we get closer to the sea the dense jungle gives way to large mangrove forests.

Departure time: 7:00 AM (Birding) & 2:00 PM (Canoeing)
Approx. return time: 12:00 PM (Birding) & 6 PM (Canoeing)
Food/Drinks: cookies, juice and water
What to bring (birding): sturdy shoes, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars
What to bring (canoeing): Towel, water shoes, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars

Fridays : Magical Mayan History Tour

Description : If you ever wanted to learn a lot about the Maya here is your chance! We first explore the Mayan ruin of Xunantunich (pronounced Shu-nan-tu-nitch), or Stone Maiden. Located near the Guatemalan border, a hand-cranked ferry will take you across the river to this major ceremonial center situated high on a limestone ridge with a panoramic view of the Cayo District.

The main pyramid, El Castillo, has detailed stucco friezes. After a full lunch we make our way to Cahal Pech, or Place of the Ticks. Cahal Pech was the royal family's residence around the same time that Xunantunich was at its height of power. This medium-size Mayan center comprises 34 structures compacted in a small area covering slightly more than 2 acres. The site includes 7 plazas, 2 ball courts, 6 plain Stela and 1 alter, as well as temple pyramids. Moreover, it has the second oldest structure in the Mayan world. Cahal Pech was first developed during the Preclassic period (1000 BC to AD 200) and abandoned around 800 AD. This site offers a view over the city of San Ignacio on one side and over the Belize River valley on the other. By the end of the trip you'll be an expert on the Maya! (OK, almost!)

Departure time: 8:00 AM
Approx. return time: 5:00 PM
Food/Drinks: Lunch, juice and water
What to bring: Sturdy shoes, camera, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, binoculars, field guide.

Saturdays & Sundays : Exact excursions vary 

May include Mayflower Jungle & Waterfall Hike, Rainforest Birding/Sittee River Canoeing & Kayaking or Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve

These trips will be available on a as needed basis and are subject to change without notice. Trips to other destinations can be arranged upon request.