Tikal Ruins  (Guatemala)

Tikal National Park is located within the 6,000 square mile Maya Biosphere in the northern part of Peten, Guatemala. Archaeologists tell us Tikal was the largest capitol of Maya Cities and at its height during its Classic period from 500AD and had a population of 50,000 to 100,000 persons. For reasons not yet clear Archaeologist believe that around 870AD, construction slowed and the city began to decline. It was completely deserted by the end of 900AD. Tikal has an estimated 3000 structures. The partially restored area consists of nine groups of courts and plazas. There are 5 large temples. One of the most impressive and tallest structures, Temple IV, is 229 ft. (70 mts. high. Tikals was a governing and religious center of the ruins and covers about 500 acres (200 hectares). The Ruins area contains about 24 sq. kms. About 80% are still unexcavated. The opening scene of the movie Star Wars 3 was filmed here (picture 2 below).

Belize Zoo  - The Best Little Zoo in the World  (including Spend a Night at the Zoo option!)

The Belize Zoo and The Belize Zoo Jungle Lodge located on teh mainland of Belize was started in 1983, as a last ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals which had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests. Today, The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is settled upon 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 125 animals all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals which were either orphaned, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals, or sent to The Belize Zoo as gifts from other zoological institutions. A visit to the zoo is the best way to get an introduction to the animals of Belize, and to understand why it is important to protect the habitats that sustain them.

Fishing

Belize is a mecca for those interested in fishing. The estuaries, inlets and mouths to the many rivers are known for their tarpon, snook and jacks. The lagoons and grass flats are known for the bonefish, permit and barracuda. The coral reefs support grouper, snapper, jacks and barracuda while the deeper waters off the drop off are home to sailfish, marlin, bonito and pompano.

Fly Fishing

  

Deep Sea Fishing

 

 Cave Tubing  (Xibalba)

Belize’s longest and most spectacular “River of Caves” is located on Belize's mainland and the cave tubing float covers more than 7 miles underground. Enter the exciting world of rivers disappearing into the underworld as you float on inner tubes with only your headlamp to light the way. Floating past side windows that filter the jungle light through the mist as you swirl around stalagmites jutting from the river and stalactites looming from above. Float past underground waterfalls then into the crystal cathedral, a spiritual center to the ancient Maya. Tubing has become Belize’s most popular adventure trip.

Diving

Belize has the amazing Belize coral reef system, the second largest in the world and this hemisphere's longest, running offshore, and many cayes (islands of coral sand) are surrounded by astounding reefs to snorkle or scuba dive. The reef lies one-half mile east of the Ambergris Caye shoreline and runs the entire 25 mile length of the island. This has made San Pedro Town the dive and water sports capital of Belize and Central America. The Great Blue Hole, Turneffe Islands, Shark Ray Alley, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Mexico Rocks, Lighthouse Reef, and many other diving areas are all only a short boat ride away from this coconut palm lined island.

Diving The Blue Hole!!

The Blue Hole is almost 1000 feet in diameter and over 450 feet deep. Its walls are almost perfectly vertical and fairly smooth, except at a few points where there are large ledges and overhangs. It is here that we find enormous stalactites (hanging down), stalagmites (building up) and columns (when stalactites and stalagmites meet) dating from the Pleistocene period. Due to an earthquake, some stalactites hang at a 12-degree angle, cluing scientists such an event happened since stalactites cannot form except in a perfectly perpendicular manner. Some formations that happened after the earthquake are indeed perpendicular, and in some of the stalactites that formed before the earthquake one can see the top parts being at an angle and their bottom parts, which kept forming afterwards, being perpendicular. Jacques Cousteau made the Blue Hole famous in 1972, when he took his famous research vessel, the Calypso, into Lighthouse Atoll and traced a route that is used by dive boats to this day.

Snorkeling

The three most-popular areas for snorkeling with Lisa's Kayaking near Ambergris Caye are Hol Chan Marine Reserve , Shark-Sting Ray Alley  and Mexico Rocks . Night snorkeling trips also are available. Night snorkelers may see lobster, eels, octopus and other creatures. For those who do not dive, and even if you have never snorkeled, the Hol Chan Reserve, Shark Ray Alley and other coral gardens can provide an equally euphoric experience. Snorkel in 3 ft. of water with brightly colored parrot fish or drift over 60 ft. of Caribbean Sea outside the reef and marvel at the whole other world this marine paradise presents. No previous experience necessary. Lessons and practice will be conducted in the pool prior to snorkeling on the reef.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Established in 1990 and world renowned for being the first jaguar reserve, the Sanctuary protects the headwaters of two major river systems and supports all five (5) of Belize’s cats: Jaguar, Puma, Margay, Jaguarundi and Ocelot. It is estimated that over 80 resident Jaguars are in the area. Belize’s national animal, the endangered Baird’s Tapir also inhabit the Basin and over 290 different species of birds have been recorded. Cockscomb Sanctuary is located on the mainland of Belize. 

Belize River

The guided boat trip down the Belize River found on Belize's mainland takes you to the ruins of Lamanai. Along the way,  it is easy to encounter hawks, kites and falcons. You may spot the dainty jacanas lightly walking on the lily pads, crocodiles basking in the morning sunlight, while howler monkeys swing through the branches.

Lamanai Mayan Ruins 

Lamanai (from Lama'an Ai, "submerged crocodile" in Yucatec Maya) is a Mesoamerican archaeological site, and was once a considerably sized city of the Maya civilization, located on the mainland in the north of Belize, in Orange Walk District. The site's name is pre-Columbian, recorded by early Spanish missionaries, and documented over a millennium earlier in Maya inscriptions as Lam'an'ain.

Butterfly Farm 

Located on the mainland in the Cayo district, between limestone hills covered with lush vegetation you will find "Green Hills", the Belize Butterfly Ranch and Botanical Collections. Flocks of butterflies, from brilliant blue to gorgeous orange, dazzling yellow to intriguing gray, fly freely in a 2,700 sq. ft., beautifully landscaped flight area: The largest live butterfly display in Belize. 

Manatee Tour

Belize's manatee population is estimated at between 500 and 1000 individuals. West Indian manatees, Trichechus manatus, inhabit rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and coastal areas of tropical and subtropical regions of the northwest Atlantic Ocean from southeastern USA to Brazil. These large, plant-eating marine mammals are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and as vulnerable to extinction by the World Conservation Union.  Scientists believe at least a thousand manatees ply Belize's coastal waters, which are protected by barrier reefs, dotted with mangrove islands, and sliced by narrow channels. And the sea grass-grazing mammals, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds (455 kilograms), have been protected in Belize since the 1930s. The combination has allowed the endangered species to maintain a relatively robust population there, even as manatee populations elsewhere in the world face pressure from coastal development,

Site Seeing

Altun Ha Mayan Ruins

Altun Ha is the name given ruins of an ancient Maya city in Belize, located in the Belize District about 30 miles (50 km) north of Belize City and about 6 miles (10 km) west of the shore of the Caribbean Sea. "Altun Ha" is a modern name in the Maya language, coined by translating the name of the nearby village of Rockstone Pond. The ancient name is at present unknown. The largest of Altun Ha's temple-pyramids, the "Temple of the Masonry Altars", is 54 feet (16 m) high. A drawing of this structure is the logo of Belize's leading brand of beer, "Belikin". The site covers an area of about 5 miles (8 km) square. The central square mile of the site has remains of some 500 structures.

Zip Line

Xunantunich Mayan Ruins

Xunantunich was a major ceremonial center during the Classic Period. The site, found on the mainland, is composed of six major plazas and surrounded by more than twenty-five temples and palaces. The most prominent structure located at the south end of the site is the pyramid "El Castillo" (The Castle) which rises 130 feet high above the plaza. "El Castillo" was the tallest man-made structure in all of Belize until the discovery of "Canaa" at Caracol. The most notable feature on "El Castillo" is the reconstructed frieze on the east side of the lower temple.

Placencia 

"Placencia Sidewalk" according to the Guiness Book of World Records, the narrowest main street in the world! Sixteen miles of natural sandy beach on the Southern end of Belize's mainland, a wilderness of coral-studded cayes, a virgin mangrove-fringed lagoon, nearby jungle rivers, pristine rainforest, Garifuna, Creole and Mayan cultures, and ancient Maya ruins make Placencia the ideal location for the adventurous traveler. Southern Belize is still relatively undeveloped, making it a paradise for the nature lover. Snorkel and dive our uncrowded pristine reef, fish our rivers, flats, lagoons and the open sea, kayak the mangroves in our lovely lagoon, see an abundance of wildlife on the Monkey River tour, hike the Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve, visit the Maya ruins of Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit, or just grab a hammock and relax on the beach!

Caracol Mayan Ruins

Caracol is the largest Maya archaeological site in Belize, Central America. In AD 650, the urban area of Caracol had a radius of approximately 10 kilometers around the site's epicenter. It covered an area much larger than present day Belize City (the largest metropolitan area in the country of Belize) and supported more than twice the modern city's population. Urban Caracol maintained a population of over 140,000 people through the creation of an immense agricultural field system and through elaborate city planning. Caracol is noted not only for its size during the Maya Classic era (A.D. 250-950), but also for its prowess in war; this includes an AD 562 defeat of Tikal (Guatemala) and a subsequent conquest of Naranjo (Guatemala) in AD 631. Caracol is located on the mainland.

Sailing

Sailing trips usually last the entire day and encompass a tour around Ambergris Caye as well as other nearby cayes such as Caye Chapel and Caye Caulker often with lunch being a beach barbecue. Sunset is one of the most spectacular times on the island as blue skies give way to a lavender backdrop of the island. Everyone from honeymooners to retirees can enjoy a mouth-watering dinner buffet, live music and drinks as they cruise along the east side of Ambergris Caye. By the time you return relaxed and rejuvenated you will be ready for the all that the nighttime has to offer.

San Ignacio and Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins

San Ignacio and sister-town, Santa Elena make up Belize's second largest urban area. Located on the Guatemalan border of the mainland, the two towns are separated by the Macal River and Belize's only suspension bridge, the one-lane Hawksworth Bridge (Built in 1949).San Ignacio is located along the Western Highway about 70 miles and 90 minutes drive time from Belize City. Teeming with Guatemala-bound travelers, archaeologists, peace corps workers, North American retirees and thrill seekers, "Cayo" is a unique blend of America's Old West and tropical backwater with frontier-like wooden shops on narrow streets.

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary 

Located 33 miles northwest of Belize City and just 2 miles off the Northern Highway of Belize's mainland, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary provides an opportunity to view some of Belize's magnificent wildlife. Established in 1984 for the protection of resident and migrant birds, the sanctuary consists of a network of inland lagoons, swamps and waterways. During the dry season, thousands of birds congregate here, taking advantage of the food resources, and migrants find a safe resting spot on their spring migration back to the north.

Monkey Bay Sanctuary

Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary on the mainland of Belize, is an environmental education center that offers experiential learning programs and training opportunities while serving as a model of conservation land Stewardship. Our vision is the possibility of a sustainable world. 

Baboon Sanctuary

Local landowners and the Bermudian Landing Village Council signed a voluntary management agreement in 1985, with technical support provided by R- Horwich of Community Conservation Consultants (TJSA). The reserve, located on the mainland of Belize, has expanded since, to 11520 acres in 1986 (about 60 land owners) as more landowners have joined the project and committed themselves to the land management practices which accommodate the Howler monkey (known as baboons in Creole). By March 1987, 6 other villages in the area were party to the agreement and there are now 70 land owners who have signed the voluntary pledge, and 30 others who cooperate with it. Through a grassroots effort, the villagers and landowners have committed to preserving the habitat necessary to insure a healthy population of Black Howler Monkeys.  

Water Taxi (including charters to a private island/caye)

If there's anything else, tell us your interests and we'll customize the perfect trip just for you.

lisaskayaking@gmail.com