Larry Liese came by his love for the outdoors at an early age. Raised in Vermont, he spent much of his youth backpacking and hiking....more
To read about Belize and the birds in the area see our reading lists.
A trip for all birders --- from beginners to the “obsessed” advanced! Our tour includes a sample of many of the diverse bioregions of Belize, from savannah to rainforest. Plus two outstanding Mayan ruins! Belize is one of the most exciting countries a birder can visit, with over 550 bird species and 350 bird species at Tikal in Guatemala alone.
Tinamous, Hawk-Eagles, Forest-Falcons, Crakes, Parrots and Parakeets, four kinds of Trogons, Puffbirds, Woodcreepers, Potoos, and Becards ...all of these and others await you there.
Belize teams with other wildlife as well including jaguars, pumas, tapirs, iguanas, and monkeys. We’ll be staying at comfortable inns and "jungle lodges" throughout the trip. We limit our group size to 12 participants with 2 guides to ensure that everyone enjoys the best possible wildlife viewing.
Day 1 – Pick up by 5 PM from the Belize airport. Transfer to Bird’s Eye View Lodge near Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, managed by the Belize Audubon Society. Good chance to see Jabiru Storks by the lagoon. Dinner at our lodge. The bird count-down begins!
Day 2- Early AM bird walk. After breakfast, we take an 1.5 hour boat ride on the New River through the jungle to visit the archaeological site of Lamanai where we’ll be guided by a local 
naturalist. There are 700 buildings in this complex that is believed to have supported at least 35,000 people at its peak around AD 200 to AD 900. Picnic lunch at Lamanai. We take the boat back up river to our pick up by bus. We then drive back to Crooked Tree Sanctuary to bird. Drive to lodge. Dinner will be at our lodge.
Day 3- After breakfast we will take a lagoon tour. Lunch will be back at the lodge, then we can enjoy some free time. There will be some afternoon birding with dinner at the lodge. Later if conditions are right we will do a night-time “spotlight safari”.
Day 4-
Early AM bird walk. After breakfast, we drive to the Belize Zoo to see Belize wildlife close-up. Lunch will be at a nearby restaurant. Then we are off to the remote Black Rock Lodge in San Ignacio, birding on the way, arriving in time for dinner at the lodge.
Day 5-
Breakfast at the lodge and an early morning canoe trip. After which we will visit Chaa Creek Butterfly farm. Lunch will be back at the lodge. In the afternoon we will bird as we walk to a nearby waterfall. Dinner is back at the lodge.
Day 6-
Early morning bird walk. After breakfast we are off to Mountain Pine Ridge where we will have a chance to see cave bats, possibly the Orange Breasted Falcon and 1,000 foot falls. Lunch is back at the lodge and then we leave for Tikal at 3 PM. Because it has been a well protected national park for many years, the wildlife we find there has become accustomed to human viewers and is easy to spot. We stop to shop for Guatemalan arts and crafts right across the border. Our lodge at Tikal is right outside the entrance to the ruins. It is quite comfortable and has a swimming pool.
Day 7 - 
This entire day will be devoted to touring Tikal with its amazing variety of birds and other wildlife. We will tour the site with a local naturalist versed in ornithology and archaeology. The archaeological site of Tikal was a powerful Mayan city occupied by large numbers of people between AD 250 and AD 900 and is the best embodiment of the extraordinary accomplishments of the Maya. Tikal was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 and is part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, the second largest neo-tropical rainforest in the world.
Day 8- Day 8 – Early AM bird walk. After breakfast we leave for the Flores City Airport to take a charter flight back to the Belize Airport and say goodbye.
Itinerary is subject to change, based on weather or other factors.
The price of this 8-day trip is $3499 based on double occupancy and a minimum of 6 people. The single supplement is $300. We will match you with a roommate of the same gender if you choose, but if this is not possible you will be charged the single supplement fee. The tour fee includes all accommodations, meals, guides, entrance fees, tips, and transportation from Belize City. It also includes trip insurance covering emergency medical services and emergency medical evacuation.
The following are not included: airfare to the starting place of the trip, alcoholic beverages, tips for the birding guides, immigration fees levied by Guatemala and Belize, and costs resulting from illness, injury, or emergency evacuation, program changes and delays beyond our control.
To register for this tour, contact Debra Tranberg at info@naturetreks.net or call(781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $400 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. Please send your checks to Nature Treks and Passages, P.O. Box 542, Bryantville, MA 02357. If you have any questions, please contact Debra Tranberg at(781) 789-8127 or info@naturetreks.net.
January 19-26th, 2011
Price - $3499
A US passport valid six months beyond your anticipated date of return to the US is required. Those with foreign passports should contact the Belize government.