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Lighthouse Reef Adventure

Belize

Starting From

$1,799/person

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Book this tour through our partner: Island Expeditions

This trip starts with an overnight inland adventure to Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, then takes you by boat to Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Lighthouse Reef is a tropical marine park and UN world heritage site fifty-five miles from the shore of the Belize mainland. It is abundant with marine life and offers unparalleled snorkeling and paddling. Spend six nights at this remote location in safari-style tent cabanas. Our all-inclusive Adventure Basecamp is located on Half Moon Caye, a protected island managed by the Belize Audubon Society and home to 4000 red-footed boobies! Enjoy a choice of daily guided reef activities, with snorkeling excursions to ‘the Aquarium’ and to Jacques Cousteau’s legendary Blue Hole. This itinerary is ideal for solo travellers, families or traveling companions of mixed abilities and interests.

Additional Information

Day 1
Accommodation: Bird’s Eye View Lodge
Meals: Dinner is included on this night
Arrive at the Belize International Airport where an Island Expeditions’ representative will meet you and welcome you to the country. You’ll be taken to the Bird’s Eye View Lodge in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. The Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, with its swamps, wetlands and four lagoons, provides an ideal resting place for thousands of migrating and resident birds.

After checking into your accommodations you’ll have a chance to meet your fellow travelers, enjoy a meal and if time permits, explore Crooked Tree Village. Crooked Tree Village is one of Belize’s oldest Creole Settlements. Airport transfers, dinner and lodging are included. Today is the day to meet your fellow travelers, and acclimatize to your new tropical environment.

Day 2
Accommodation: Half Moon Caye Basecamp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Coffee is served at sunrise. With your binoculars in hand you’ll enjoy the sounds and sights of the awakening wilderness. There are usually several hundred birds of many species feeding in front of the lodge along the shores of the Crooked Tree lagoons. After a healthy Belizean breakfast, you’ll embark by boat to explore the surrounding areas. Throughout this adventure, our aim is to provide you with tremendous birding and wildlife opportunities. Turtles, parrots, ibis, Morelet’s crocodiles, and Iguanas are frequently seen.

Your boat charter departs at 10 am and takes you through white sand cayes, mangrove ranges, and beyond the main Barrier Reef to Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Lighthouse Reef Atoll is located at the furthest edge of the Belizean Reef System. It is 55 miles offshore of the mainland. Upon reaching Half Moon Caye, your guide team will orient you to your new island setting and help you settle into your accommodations. You’ll then enjoy a late lunch and an afternoon snorkel or kayak around Half Moon Caye.

Days 3-5
Accommodation: Lighthouse Reef Basecamp on Half Moon Caye
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Due to its isolated location from the mainland, the waters of Lighthouse Reef Atoll are exceptionally clear, with inspiring scenery, and a fabulously rich reef system. This ecosystem offers some of the best kayaking, snorkeling, and diving in the Caribbean. To begin, our guides will provide professional instruction - teaching you the fundamentals of sea kayaking, snorkeling, and safety in the waters of the tropics.

Over the next few days, you’ll have many options to explore, including a shipwreck, which looms just north of the caye. In 1971, a ship named the Ermlund lost power during a storm and was deposited on the reef by a large wave. This 4000 ton wreck rests silently as a landmark, and is one of many shipwrecks in the area. It serves as a constant reminder of the navigational hazards in these waters. You’ll also have ample opportunities to learn from our guides about the marine reef ecology, the island’s mangrove, and the interior forest habitat. This area of the park consists of 45 acres. Many species of birds nest on the island, including a 4000 red-footed booby colony. The Audubon Society has built a series of viewing platforms to intimately observe the many nesting sites. And of course, we always give you the option of hanging out in a hammock with a good book and a cold beverage!

Day 6
Accommodation: Biltmore Plaza Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
For your last morning at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the choice is yours. Snorkel your favorite patch reefs, walk the island trails, swing in a hammock or beachcomb along the immaculate island beaches. After lunch a motor charter arrives, and you’ll begin to prepare for your trip back to the mainland. This return journey takes you through Turneffe atoll across the Great Barrier Reef, and you’ll arrive at the Belize Biltmore Hotel usually by late afternoon. You can enjoy a fresh shower and swim in the hotel’s pool. Your final evening is reserved for relaxing at the hotel or exploring the local area.  


Day 7
Accommodation: n/a
Meals: n/a
You can go home anytime on Day 7.

Travel Notes: Dinner on day 6, and breakfast and transportation to the airport on day 7 are not included. Due to the remote location of the Lighthouse Reef Basecamp, the activities on the reef portion of this trip are weather dependent.
This itinerary is a ‘guide’ and must remain flexible and open to changes at the trip leaders’ discretion. We hope you bring a spirit of adventure with you, we cannot direct the winds but we can adjust our sails.

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Starting From

$1,799/person

Book Now

Details

Duration

6 Days

Starts

Belize City

Ends

Belize City

Group Size

4-26

Difficulty

2/5

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