Rediscover hidden temples and palaces that have stood in forested splendor for thousands of years… boat down a lazy river where the elusive crocodile floats among lily pads…sink your toes into the white sandy beach in the land of the Garifuna… travel with our archaeological specialist, who has intimate ties with the country and its people.
Far Horizons proudly offers our Belize archaeology tour – a colorful abundance of archaeology, culture, and natural history. During this special 9-day trip, explore lost Maya ceremonial centers concealed by jungle shadows and meet people from the country’s varied ethnic groups while seeing spectacular wildlife that is considered “endangered” in other countries.
Long thought to be a backwater of the ancient Maya civilization, archaeological work here has proven the opposite. Explore Caracol, conqueror of Tikal in the 6th century; Lamanai, an important commercial center for more than 3,000 years; Xunantunich, where recent excavations have uncovered the tomb of an important king; Altun Ha, a major center that controlled the Maya trade routes along the Caribbean coast; and the remote southern cities of Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit, where yet another inscribed stela has recently been found.
Keep reading to learn more about this incredible Belize archaeological tour, and please get in touch if you have any questions.
For even more travel options, browse our wider range of Tours of North and South America, including our Mexico Tour: In the Path of the Ancient Olmec.
Depart on a flight bound for Belize.
Upon arrival, we will drive north to the New River. From here, a river cruise through unspoiled lowlands takes us to our lodgings for the next two nights, the Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Along the way, we may see hawk-like snail kites, ospreys, gray-necked woodrails, and northern jacanas, locally known as Jesus Christ birds or “lily trotters” as they appear to walk on water.
Our accommodations at the lodge feature charming wooden casitas built on a bluff overlooking an uninhabited lagoon on the edge of Lamanai National Park. Join a sunset cocktail cruise before gathering for a special welcome dinner at the lodge. (D)
We spend today at Lamanai. Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site was occupied as early as 1500 BC. Maya were still living here in 1641 when Catholic priests attempted to convert them — there is evidence that the city had a continuous occupation for over 3,000 years.
One of the most intriguing pieces found here is Stela 9, a finely carved monument created in 625 to commemorate Lord Smoking Shell, who had died 17 years earlier. As we walk through the ruins, we may also visit the historic section of the site. Standing in front of the ruins of the church is an unpainted stela carried here by the 17th century Maya from the prehistoric part of the site. (B/L/D)
Today, we depart back downriver and drive to Altun Ha, the first archaeological site in Belize to be scientifically excavated. Occupied since 1000 BC, the site flourished throughout the Classic period before being abandoned around AD 900.
The site’s many pyramids cluster around two large plazas and many unusually rich tombs were discovered within them. One of these, nicknamed the “Sun God’s Tomb” contained the largest carved block of jade ever found in the Maya area, and was thought to portray the Sun God himself, K’inich Ahau.
You will overnight tonight in The Great House, a Belizean landmark located in the renowned Fort George area. Built in 1927, this magnificent four-story residence is probably the largest classic wooden home still in existence in Belize. Originally built as a family home, it is now a small hotel that will take us back to the early colonial times of Belize. (B/L/D)
The day begins at the Belize Museum, housed within a two-story brick fortress built in 1857 that was once Her Majesty’s Prison. Home to some of the most hardened criminals from Belize’s colonial period to shortly after Independence, today the transformed Museum of Belize provides visitors with a historical roadmap into Belize’s vibrant past while retaining mementos of the building’s former residents.
As we drive southwest from Belize City, we will stop at the Belize Zoo, dedicated to the preservation of Belize’s magnificent biodiversity. Here, Sharon Matola, the Founding Director of the zoo (and former lion tamer!), will meet with us to introduce us to the Belizean indigenous animals housed at the zoo. Overnight for three nights at Sweet Songs Lodge, a jungle lodge in western Belize’s Cayo District. (B/L/D)
Cahal Pech, situated along the west bank of the Macal River, offers a commanding view of the Maya Mountains to the south and the fertile valleys of the Belize River below. The city’s late Preclassic temples and two separate ball courts display fine examples of Maya craftsmanship, suggesting this site was a royal hilltop residence. We will meet with the project director of this site for a private tour.
After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to Xunantunich, reached only by hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River and a mile hike on the other side. The tallest pyramid at this site, towering over the surrounding countryside, displays a splendid 30-foot-long stucco frieze dating to 800-900 AD, at a time when much of the rest of the Maya world was collapsing. If available, Dr. Jaime Awe, the project director, will join us to talk about the discovery of a royal tomb in 2016 that suggests tantalizing connections to the Snake Dynasty. (B/L/D)
Hidden deep within the Maya Mountains lies the remote Maya city of Caracol, one of the largest of the ancient American cities and the largest in Belize. It is noted not only for its size but also for its prowess in the Snake Kingdom war which includes the defeat of Tikal in 562 AD and subsequent conquest of Naranjo in 631 AD.
In 1986, a ball court marker was found that recorded the military victory of Yajawte’ K’inich of Caracol and his allies over the warlords of Tikal. This magnificent city was built in an area without a natural water source, but the ancient Maya constructed a reservoir system that is an engineering masterpiece that still functions today.
There will be time to walk through the canopy deck to observe the animals that appear after dark. (B/L/D)
Our drive along the Hummingbird Highway takes us to the town of Dangriga, home to the Garifuna, a unique Belize ethnic group. The Gulisi Garifuna Museum will be our first stop to see the displays about Garifuna history and culture.
Lunch will be at the Pelican Beach Resort, with views beyond the white sand beach to the sparkling azure sea beyond. We will then continue south across river after river to Punta Gorda and the Cotton Tree Lodge, a resort that is a Jungle Lodge, organic farm, and a 12,000-acre nature reserve. This is our home for the next two nights. (B/L/D)
Today’s all-day tour takes us through the spectacular jungle-shrouded Maya Mountains to two archaeological sites. Lubaantun was a late Classic ceremonial center noted for its unusual style of construction, distinctive for southern Belize. Shadowed by the jungle canopy and standing on stone terraces are large temples made of dressed stone blocks with no mortar binding them together.
Nim Li Punit was an important city during the Late Classic Period and may have held a special relationship with nearby Lubaantun. Of the more than 25 stone monuments found at the site, at least eight are carved. One of them is 32 feet long and is the tallest inscribed stela in Belize. Nim Li Punit means “Big Hat” in the local Maya language and is named for the impressive headdress worn by the ruler depicted on the monolith. Enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B/L/D)
Fly from Punta Gorda to Belize City in time for our flights back home. (B)
