SOUTHERN BELIZE
ITINERARY
From the moment you land, your journey begins. From Dangriga to Punta Gorda, experience Belize’s own Southern hospitality with this 4-day itinerary
DAY ONE
Arrive and transfer to Dangriga via Maya Island Air or Tropic Air from the International airport. Check in for your flight at the ticket counter located in the main terminal after you’ve cleared Belize Immigration and Customs.
Once in Dangriga, transfer to the sleepy fishing village called Hopkins. This coastal location offers a a lot of activities from a relaxing beach stay, to hikes into rain forest, Maya sites and day trips offshore for snorkeling, scuba diving or deep sea fishing.
Relax and enjoy village life, learn to beat the Garifuna drums, or choose from a variety of eclectic boutique resorts and condominiums spread out on the beach in both directions.
DAY TWO
Depart for a full-day tour at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Reserve. Originally established in 1984 to protect a large jaguar population as well as other resident wildlife, the sanctuary is one of the world’s only jaguar preserves. Resting in the shadows of the Maya Mountains, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary has over 100,000 acres of tropical forest that rises from 300 feet above sea level to approximately 3,675 ft. at the summit of Victoria Peak.
DAY THREE
Depart for the coastal town of Punta Gorda, located on the south end of the paved Southern Highway. Punta Gorda is a great blend of cultures and a few travelers passing through to Honduras and Guatemala via the small port. Colorful markets are filled with local produce and vendors with household goods and clothing from neighboring countries.
DAY FOUR
Depart for uniquely Belizean cultural experience in a Kekchi or Mopan Village – The Maya Homestay. This indigenous experience enables you to stay with a Maya family and enjoy a low-key, intimate, people-to-people cultural exchange. It’s a low cost, no frills, affordable, extraordinary hands- on program.
Continue on to a decadent chocolate experience and visit the Cacao Trail. Cacao (or cocoa as many of us know it), has played a dominant role in ancient Belizean culture when the Maya first discovered the “magical” process that transformed cocoa into chocolate, right through to modern day. The Southern District is home to the organic cacao orchards where the pods are grown, harvested, processed, and later transformed into the delicious Food of the Gods.