Belize Field Course

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Overnight Stay at The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center

• Arrive in Belize 
• Orientation Session on the Belize Field Course 
• Presentation on the history, people and geography of Belize
• Overnight at Tropical Education Center

Day 2: Birding, Tour of TEC, Zoo (day and night) and Canoe Float on Sibun River

• Birding at sunrise on the grounds of the Tropical Education Center
• Tour the Tropical Education Center, which is situated on 84 acres of tropical pine savannah habitat.
• Visit the ‘The Best Little Zoo In the world’. The Zoo has over 125 animal species on display, all of which are native to Belize.
• Travel to the “Jaguar Paw Area” for cave tubing adventure.
• Return to the Tropical Education Center for dinner and overnight.
• Following dinner, the group will return to the Zoo and observe some of the nocturnal animals of Belize. Overnight Tropical Education Center.

Day 3: Chaa Creek and Xunantunich

• Visit Chaa Creek’s Natural History Center & Butterly Farm, a guided tour here teaches about the life-cycle of the butterfly and their ecological significance.
• Lunch will be in San Ignacio Town at a local restaurant
• Following lunch, our group will depart for the Maya site of Xunantunich, the site is accessible only by a 19th century, hand-cranked ferry, which will take us across the Mopan River.
• The group will then hike for a mile into the heart of this remarkable site.
• Return to the Tropical Education Center for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Reserve Night Hike

• After breakfast, the group will depart to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Reserve.
• Hike and visit swimming holds in the reserve.
• After dinner, participants will have the opportunity to take a night hike in the rainforest
• Overnight at the reserve

Day 5: Dangriga and Tobacco Caye

• After breakfast, our group will have the opportunity to hike another one of the trail systems in the Cockscomb Basin
• After lunch, we will then travel to the Town of Dangriga, this community is dubbed the Cultural Capital of Belize, it is predominantly inhabited by the Garifuna people.
• Take a short boat ride from Dangriga to Tobacco Caye
• Dinner and overnight South Water Caye.

Day 6: Presentation on Sea Grass, Mangrove Ecology and Snorkeling

• Following an early breakfast, the group will begin today with a presentation on the importance of sea-grass and mangrove communities found in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve System.
• Snorkel the sea-grass beds, patch reefs and, numerous mangrove islands.
• Late in the afternoon, we will return to Tobacco Caye for dinner.
• Participants will have a chance to do a night-snorkel near the shores and off the boat dock at Tobacco Caye.

Day 7: Tobacco Caye, Blue Hole and TEC

• After breakfast, our group will depart Tobacco Caye for our final night at the Tropical Education Center.
• Visit Saint Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, The Blue Hole, a 25 ft deep pool provides a great opportunity for swimming and relaxation after your jungle hike.
• Arrive at the TEC in the late evening for Dinner and Overnight.

Day 8: Departure

After breakfast transfer to the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, for your return flight home.