Belize Glover’s Reef Kayak & Mayan Mountains Adventure Itinerary

Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Starts In: Belize City
Ends In: Dangriga
Group Size: 6-22
Guides: 2-6
Activities: Sea Kayaking, Kayak Sailing, Snorkelling, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Scuba Diving, Zip Line, Waterfall Rappelling, Fishing, Birding, Hiking, Swimming, Yoga, Photography, Natural & Cultural HistoryScuba diving is optional and not included in the trip fee.Yoga is offered on select departures.
Accommodation: Bocawina Rainforest Resort, Glover’s Reef Basecamp

Trip dates do sell out — please book early to get the dates you want.

“Selected as one of the top adventure trips by Outside Magazine.”

The shallow waters offshore of Belize with their innumerable coral reefs, mangroves, and small islands were ideal waters for pirates and buccaneers to hide their raiding ships after plundering Spanish galleons laden with riches destined for the Old World.

Today, the attractions found within the atoll (20 miles long by seven miles wide) are the clarity of the water and the remarkable profusion of marine life.

In 1993 the atoll was declared a marine park and 25% of the area and lagoon was protected from fishing and harvesting. To continue the conservation efforts to preserve this extraordinary environment the site was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

We travel and explore this area by sea-kayak, paddling and sailing the shallow 82 square mile lagoon. The reefs of Belize have long been known as the richest in the Caribbean and Glover’s Reef is the best in Belize!

Daily Itinerary

Day 1

Meals: Dinner is included on this night Stay: Bocawina Rainforest Resort

Upon arriving at the International Airport, connect for a scenic 20-minute flight to the coastal town of Dangriga and then by road to Bocawina Rainforest Lodge, the only lodge situated within a 7000 acre National Park. Tonight, we dine in the rainforest at the acclaimed Wild Fig restaurant.

Days 2-3

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Stay: Bocawina Rainforest Resort

The rainforests of the Maya Mountains are a stunning backdrop for two days of incomparable adventure. This is your home now, we’ll take care of your every need! Stepping out your front door you have a kaleidoscope of adventures awaiting within what feels like our private 7000 acre National Park. We’ll hike to the top of Antelope Falls and take in majestic views of pristine rainforest stretching to the Caribbean Sea, zipline through the jungle canopy, rappel down a waterfall, visit a Spice Farm, or venture out on the jungle trails with our resident naturalists. We return to Bocawina for sunset, happy hour, and a delicious dinner.

Days 4-7

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Stay: Glover’s Reef Basecamp

Bid farewell to the rainforest and welcome the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Our motorboat charter takes us 36 miles offshore to the sun-drenched cayes of Glovers Reef Atoll.

We settle into our tent cabanas, then after lunch, guides provide professional instruction – teaching sea kayaking, snorkeling, and safety in tropical seas before heading out on the water. Each day is packed with activity choices, as the day is split into morning and afternoon excursions. You can expect to be pampered by our staff with delicious food and perfect days of sun, turquoise clear waters, coral reefs. Learn about Belizean local culture, marine habitat and Garifuna history, or relax in a hammock with a good book!

Glover’s Reef is one of the most spectacular marine environments in Belize and offers the best kayaking, snorkeling, and diving in the Caribbean. Due to its isolation from the mainland, the waters are exceptionally clear with a rich reef ecosystem. Our itinerary is flexible in order to accommodate individual and group preferences. Activities include paddling, snorkeling the inner and outer walls of the reef, SUP, and learning to sail a kayak. Guests who prefer a more leisurely pace can always take time to kick back in a hammock and relax with a good book!

In the mornings and evenings, we host informative sessions on a range of topics. This allows our guides to share their vast knowledge of Belize, its unique marine environments, and the local culture with you.

Day 8

Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch

Our boat charter departs mid morning to take you back to the mainland.

Your trip finishes in the Garifuna town of Dangriga, where our logistics and support staff will coordinate your land or air connections.

Departing International flight reservations should be made for after 3:00 pm on the final day. ^‡

Where You Stay

Bocawina Rainforest Resort

A picturesque lodge and the only lodge situated within a 7000 acre National Park. The rainforests of the Maya Mountains are a stunning backdrop for incomparable adventure.

Glover’s Reef Basecamp

A low-impact, off-grid eco-camp located on Southwest Caye within the Glover’s Reef Atoll.

Basecamping

Here we are “Basecamping”, sleeping in tent-walled cabanas. These spacious safari-style tents have ample headroom to walk around and are on raised wooden floors with double or single beds, with all linen provided. On the island, we have a fully equipped kitchen, a fresh-water collection system for drinking water, fresh-water showers, and modern composting toilets. We also have a large dining area and resource library lounge.

While at our base-camp, guests have unrestricted use of the following equipment: Double Kayaks (outfitted with special sails), Single Kayaks, Stand Up Paddle Boards.

On the island, we are in communication with the mainland via satellite phone and VHF Marine radio.

What's Included

(Items that are covered in the cost of tour price)

Comprehensive pre-trip information package
All meals, accommodation, and transfers described in the itinerary
Unlimited use of our equipment and facilities
Professional guide and sports instruction
Government Fees & Taxes

What's Not Included

(Items that are NOT covered in the cost of tour price)

Post-trip transfer to Belize International Airport
Gratuities
Fishing Licences
Scuba Diving
International Flights and Airport Departure Tax
Extra costs due to late arrivals, lost baggage and other circumstances beyond our control

Good to Know

We recommend you purchase flight cancellation insurance. Almost all flights purchased these days are considered non-changeable/non-cancellable so please consider coverage.

Still have questions? Please give us a call toll free in North America at: 1-866-383-9453 or email us at wildernessadventures1@gmail.com

^‡ Travel Notes:

For those making connections home on this last day, international connections departing Belize should be booked after 3pm.

You will require a 20 minute flight from Dangriga to the International Airport and we are happy to make this reservation for you in advance. We will have a vehicle waiting to take you to the Dangriga airstrip. If you are unable to find a return flight after that time on the departure day, we have Flight & Hotel Packages available.

To connect with afternoon departures from Belize a short domestic flight is required. This flight is from Dangriga to the Belize International Airport.

For guests who would like to spend an extra night in Belize, we offer a Flight & Hotel Package. Please note all itineraries are subject to change depending on weather or safety considerations. Flexibility as our guest and as an international traveller is the key to an awesome experience.

For those departing Belize the following day

We offer a Dangriga to Belize City Flight & Biltmore Hotel Package. Package Cost: Single – $260 USD, Double – $190 USD per person, Triple – $170 USD per person, Quad – $155 USD per person.

Belize Biltmore Plaza

A comfortable hotel on the Northern Highway in Belize City. The rooms are clean, the showers are hot, and the restaurant on site is very good.

Single Traveller Policy

Many of our guests travel on their own. Our style of trip is ideal for single travellers, combining the benefits of group camaraderie and group security with lots of individual flexibility in what you want to do each day. Single supplement options vary by trip style.

Our standard trip pricing is based on double occupancy. Solo guests will be charged a Single Supplement fee and get private accommodations for the entire trip.

Private Room: Glover’s Reef – $475 USD

NOTE: The number of single rooms available on most departures is limited and may not be available at each location. If we are not able to provide your own room throughout the trip, we will pro-rate the supplement fee.

The Ecology of Glover's Reef

The Flora

The Mesoamerican Coral Reef stretches from Cancun, Mexico through Belize to Honduras.

It is the largest reef in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world. In Belize, this reef is a well-formed wall extending 185 miles (300 km) along the coastline.

Nineteen miles seaward from the eastern border of the Barrier Reef lies Belize’s most spectacular atoll – Glover’s Reef.

The Fauna

Snorkelling these waters and their patch reefs, there are opportunities to see grouper, bonefish, angel and parrotfish, stingrays, eagle rays, conger and moray eels, and goatfish, just to name a few. Trailing a line from our kayaks, we also may get a chance at a tug from barracuda, grouper, tarpon, or snapper.

In these waters and along the Barrier Reef there are nesting sites for loggerhead, green, and hawksbill turtles, and if we’re lucky, we may see them while out snorkelling or kayaking.

The Fauna on Southwest Caye

From our base on Southwest Caye, we will have the opportunity to see a diverse range of tropical birds. Some of the bird life includes osprey (the Billy hawk), sea gulls, brown-footed and white-footed boobies, frigate birds, hawks, mangrove warblers, and white-crowned pigeons.

We will definitely have a chance to see and sample the main staple for Belizean fishermen, the queen conch, and (in season) the spiny lobster.

Scuba Diving

There are some great opportunities to scuba dive on this trip. Optional diving is available for certified divers on certain days of the trip.

The Belize Barrier Reef offers great wall dives, as well as gentle slopes. Surrounding our island basecamps are wall dives, channel dives, wrecks and stunning marine life waiting to be discovered. Diving is available at Glover’s Reef, Lighthouse Reef, and at Tobacco Caye but is not operated by us and thus not always guaranteed on every departure. We work with different dive operators for each of our individual trips.

Please let us know in advance. The fee will depend on the number of divers and how many dives they wish to do. Tell your guide if you are interested in diving on this trip, and they’ll take it from there.

Diving equipment is available for rent through the operator or you can bring your own BC and regulator.

Scuba Divers, Please Come Prepared…

Dive cards are required by the operator; please bring them with you along with a credit card for payment.
BCD sizes need to be submitted to us ahead of time.
If a wetsuit rental is needed, sizes will need to be submitted ahead of time.
Guests should have their own snorkel & mask ready for the dive.
Diving costs will be paid directly to the dive operator. Our guides will facilitate this activity by connecting guests with the operator on arrival.

Fly-fishing

There is now a $25 BZ ($12.50 USD) fishing licence for fly-fishing within the reserve at Glover’s Reef. New regulations require that all fishing is catch and release and that anglers use barbless hooks. You can get your licence before arriving in Belize here. We will have new Fishing Kayaks available for your use at our Glover’s Reef Basecamp.

The best fishing is done right from where we stay, particularly if there are accessible sand flats, mangroves, or abrupt drop-offs. When paddling or sailing your kayak, you can troll a weight forward or a sinking line. This is a good way to catch barracuda, grouper, or snapper.

Tackle

The type of tackle that you bring with you will depend on what type of fish you want to catch and how serious you are about fishing. With many hundreds of miles of fishing grounds, Belize is a superb sport-fishing destination. In Belize, bonefish, tarpon, barracuda, jacks and king mackerel are most common. Permits are also a prime catch but can be very difficult to find.

If you are bringing your own equipment the following list of items may be useful:

Small spin-casting rod and reel (6-12 lb test)
100 yds of 20-50lb test fishing line for hand-line fishing
5-10 wire leaders
A small assortment of single hooks and a very large hook for trolling bait
Silver/pink/green trolling and casting spoons, large Rapalas, or Tomic plug.
A variety of weights

Getting There

Upon Arrival in Belize:

It is best to arrive before 3:00 PM. After passing through Customs, immediately exit the Airport building to your right and re-enter at the departures terminal, then look for the Maya Island Air desk. A flight will be pre-booked under your name from Belize International Airport to Dangriga; show your passport at the desk. After a short 20-minute flight, a company representative will meet you just outside the doors. Please be patient, as road conditions and late arrivals may cause slight delays.

Departure from Belize:

You will stay on the cayes for the last night of your trip. The following morning after breakfast, our charter boat will bring you back to the mainland – usually arriving before noon. On your return to Dangriga the group will be taken to our Operations Base. Here you can pick up the luggage, change, and then make your connections for further travel in Belize or your international flight home.

Getting to Belize

Direct Flights from Canada to Belize

Direct non-stop flights to Belize are available with Air Canada from Toronto and seasonally from Montreal. WestJet offers direct flights from Toronto, Calgary, and seasonally from Winnipeg.

Direct Flights from USA to Belize

Direct non-stop flights to Belize are available year-round or seasonally with United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
Direct non-stop seasonal flights to Belize are also available with Sun Country Airlines and BermudAir.

Direct Flights from Mexico & Central America to Belize

Tropic Air has daily flights from Cancun to Belize International that offer good connecting opportunities, as well as routes from Merida, Flores, Roatan, and San Pedro Sula.
TAG Airlines offers direct flights from Guatemala City.
Connecting flights through major Central American hubs are available via Copa Airlines (Panama City) and Avianca (San Salvador).

Seamless Flight Connections from the UK and Europe to Belize

American Airlines offers a flight that does not require an overnight connection. This flight departs London Heathrow and has a short connection in Miami before landing in Belize City.

Tips on Searching for the Best Flight Deals to Belize

Be sure of your flight dates. Call or email us to check trip availability and to confirm your arrival and departure dates. Being flexible within one to two days each way is often a good way to find the best prices.

The internet is the main place to find the best prices and routes for airfare. Google Flights is a great place to start; it is unbiased and produces all available routes and prices. Online Travel Agents (OTAs) such as Expedia and Orbitz are also popular.

Search Airline Websites Directly: We find that searching the airline websites directly will give you the best possible fare. Here are links to the major airlines that fly directly into Belize City (airport code BZE). All other cities route through these gateways:

Air Canada – via Toronto and Montreal
WestJet – via Toronto, Calgary, and Winnipeg
American Airlines – via Miami, Dallas, and Charlotte
United Airlines – via Houston, Newark, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco
Delta Airlines – via Atlanta and Minneapolis
Southwest Airlines – via Houston, Denver, and Baltimore
Alaska Airlines – via Los Angeles and Seattle
Sun Country Airlines – via Minneapolis-St. Paul
BermudAir – via Fort Lauderdale, Boston, St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Raleigh-Durham, and Orlando Sanford
Avianca Airlines – via San Salvador, El Salvador
Copa Airlines – via Panama City, Panama
TAG Airlines – via Guatemala City, Guatemala
Tropic Air – via Cancun, Merida, Roatan, San Pedro Sula, Flores, and Belize In-Country Flights
Maya Island Air – Belize In-Country Flights