BELIZE
WORLDSCHOOL HUB
Belize Pop-up Hub
08/04/24-08/16/24
WEEK 1
HOPKINS BEACH
8.4.24 - 8.9.24
A note about tour pricing below. I have gotten estimates from tour guides for each of these specific tours. I have also done my best to estimate your transportation costs. Tour prices may change slightly, but transportation costs can vary a good bit depending on how many people are sharing the van, cost of petrol, etc. If a cost is per person, it is noted pp. If there is no "pp," that is the cost for the whole tour or vehicle and will be split among everyone involved. I have given transportation options where practical. All transportation prices are round trip. I will be updating as I hear back from my favorite taxis. If you would like to know bus prices, let me know. Buses are very inexpensive but some of the places are not accessible by bus. I am also glad to help you find a car rental for all or part of your trip. All prices are in US $s. The vans are 15 passenger, which is 14 plus the driver.
Family Dinner at Maxim's 08.04
We will start off the pop-up with a big dinner on the beach! Maxim's has a nice variety of Belizean dishes and of course very fresh seafood! This meal is included in the price of the hub and will give us a chance to gather together and get acquainted. A wide variety of dietary restrictions can be accommodated. Please let us know ahead of time.
Tubing on the Swasey River or Lubantuun Maya Site 08.07
Hop on the inner tube and head down the river. There are a few small rapids on this mostly mellow float down the lovely Swasey. You get to see lots of birds and other wildlife along the way. They provide life vests as well as optional helmets. Or! Head to Lunantuun Maya Site. This Mayan site is in a beautiful park-like setting deep in southern Belize. If you've ever heard of Belize's famous Crystal Skull, it was "discovered" here. This area is still being excavated and is surrounded by lush tropical jungle and right next to the lovely community of San Pedro Columbia. You'll have a guide to show you around the complex and share Mayan history and some of the site's mysteries.
River tubing costs: $50 pp plus $20 pp for transportation.
Lubaantun costs: $5 pp entry, $50 guide, $300 van
Rappelling + zip line or hike to waterfall
08.05
We will all head to Bocawina Adventures and Wildlife Preserve. The more adventurous can do the zip line and/or rappel down the waterfall! If that's not your cup of tea, you can choose to go on a short hike to a beautiful waterfall and explore, swim, and relax.
Tour pricing: $75pp for zipline; $75 pp or $125 pp for rappelling (multiple options); $130 pp or $180 pp for zipline and rappelling combo.
~or~
For the short hike: $5 pp entry fee; optional $60 pp if you want a guided hike.
Transportation: $250 for van; $80 taxi
Cave Kayaking or Garifuna cooking and drumming experience 08.08
Pop on a headlamp and hop in a kayak to explore one of Belize's many caves. Much of Belize is limestone, so there are caves all over! Because the Maya people believed the caves were the entrance to Xibalba, the underworld of the gods, many caves contain artifacts indicative of ceremony. So you get to see both the stunning natural structure of the cave and ancient artifacts as well. This is an extensive kayak exploration of 7 miles of caves. If caves aren't your thing, you can learn to cook traditional Garifuna food from scratch, and I do mean all the way from scratch. After a scrumptious meal, you can watch our local drummers and even learn a few rhythms.
Kayaking costs: $155 pp includes transportation
Cooking and drumming: $70 - $80 pp (depending on number and age of participants) plus $20 taxi
Cockscomb Basin Hike or Che'il Chocolate experience 08.06
Head to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve to hike the beautiful Tiger Fern trail! This is a moderate to difficult hike, but you will be rewarded with two beautiful waterfalls. You will be accompanied by a guide who will point out plants, animals, and tracks along the way. If you aren't up for a hike, you can do the chocolate experience at Che'il chocolate. You will see the farm where the cacao grows and learn the whole chocolate making process from tree to chocolate bar! You even get to try grinding cacao beans the ancient Mayan way and taste a few times through the process. Either of these can also be paired with a special Mayan lunch at Che'il and/or a visit to the nearby Butterfly Pavilion to see some of Belize's beautiful butterflies. We will also have a bonfire in the evening, and someone will be available to supervise kids who want to hang out a bit later.
Tour pricing: $25 pp hike; $25 pp chocolate tour experience; $12.50 pp lunch buffet at Che'il Chocolate; $6 per adult, $3 per child Butterfly Pavillion.
Transportation: $250 van to Cockscomb hike; $60 taxi to Cockscomb or $50 taxi to Che'il
Cockscomb Basin night hike 08.09
Many of the interesting animals native to Belize are nocturnal so you have a better chance of getting a peak at them if you go on a night hike. Trained guides are good at hearing and spotting Belize's wildlife even in the dark. While there is no guarantees on what you will or won't see, it's bound to be an adventure. This is probably not a great tour for anyone genuinely afraid of snakes or spiders, as seeing those is fairly likely.
**Above image courtesy of Hopkins Uncut who also does family vacation photos!**
Costs: $100 pp includes transportation
WEEK 2
HOPKINS BEACH
08.12.24 - 08.16.24
Head to Belize's most famous cave. The ATM cave is a powerful place and an intense adventure. You need to be able to swim into the cave and will have to hike through in wet clothes and socks, so this tour isn't for everyone, but with a calcified full human skeleton and an abundance of beautiful geological features, it's definitely a profound experience. If the ATM is too intense, Barton Creek Cave is a great option. You can ride on a canoe with a guide into the cave and see beautiful stalactites and stalagmites as well as ceremonial artifacts. For those not interested in heading to the caves, Rio on Pools is a beautiful spot in the river with multiple pools of varying depths.
Costs: $100 pp ATM cave tour; $60 pp Barton Creek Cave; $5 pp entry to Rio on Pools
Transportation: $400 van
Out to the islands we go! We will hop on a boat for a short trip to a tiny caye called Bread and Butter. You can choose to do some snorkeling and a little fishing or just spend some time in the hammock, the water, or on the trampoline. Either way we will enjoy a delicious barbecue right there on the island. There is sand, sea, hammocks, and food. It's the good life.
Costs: $120 pp for fishing and snorkeling; $110 pp for island day. Both include lunch, water and snacks. Small taxi to the dock will depend on where you are coming from.
Monkey River jungle hike or Gales Point Kriol lunch and drumming experience 08.14
Drive to Placencia village early and hop on a boat for a beautiful boat ride through the mangroves and up the Monkey River to a trail where you are guaranteed to hear and likely see howler monkeys (also tons of birds, iguanas, and sometimes crocs, tapirs, tarantulas or wild cats). Incredibly knowledgable guides will point out plants, animals, and animal tracks. Then we will have lunch in the village and head back to Placencia, looking for manatees along the way. Or you can head to the village of Gales Point Manatee, a unique Kriol maroon village. You'll experience authentic kriol cooking, learn the fascinating history of a one-of-a-kind village, and listen to traditional drumming. You'll even get the chance to practice some rhythms, as well as your dance moves. We can also take a boat out into the lagoon to look for manatee.
We will have evening putt putt for the teens.
Cost: Monkey River Tour $70 pp, $35 pp for kids under 8, $300 van to Placencia; Gales Point: $300 drum show and lesson, $10 pp lunch, $250 van; Putt Putt: $4 pp
Xunantunich Maya Site or Belize Zoo followed by mountain swimming 08.15
Horseback Riding, Ice cream social, and dinner and drumming at Semeti Giffiti 08.16
The Xunantunich Mayan Site is well excavated and beautifully laid out and maintained. There have been some absolutely incredible discoveries here, and your guide will show you around and share the Mayan history, art, and culture. You can even climb all the way to the top of el castillo but only if you're not afraid of heights! If you'd rather see Belizean wildlife, you can check out the best little zoo in the world. The Belize Zoo only has animals indigenous to Belize who have been injured or imprinted on humans. A zoo employee will conduct your tour, teaching you all about the animals and their habitats. They will feed the animals along the way so you'll get to see them all up close. You can even help feed some of them. On the way home you can stop at either St Herman's Blue Hole (the inland cenote) or Billy Barqedier Waterfall for a nice, refreshing afternoon swim.
Costs: Xunantunich: $60 guide, $5 pp entry, St Herman's $4 pp entry, van $300
Zoo: $50 guide, $15 pp entry adults, $5 pp entry kids, $4 pp entry Billy Barqedier falls, $300 van
We bring our pop-up hub to a close with an optional horseback riding adventure through the jungle. Outback Adventures is just outside Hopkins and run by a lovely horse lady. These riding adventures can be tailored to beginners or experienced riders, and helmets are available. Afterward, a gathering for the teenagers at Nice Cream, some of the best and freshest ice cream you will ever have. Then we will all gather together for a traditional Garifuna dinner at one of Hopkins most authentic dinner spots. Live drumming and dancing on the beach after dinner is a great way to close out our time together. This dinner and drumming is included in the cost of the hub.
Costs: horseback riding costs vary depending on age, experience, and chosen trail but in the ballpark of $60 pp
OPTIONAL
CAMPING TRIP
08.10.24 - 08.11.24
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Bring or rent tents and sleeping pads. We will stop on the way to get snacks and food for all meals from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch and share the costs. Great campground with fun acvitities, including waterfalls, volleyball, football, and onsite bathrooms.
COST: $65 per adult and $45 per child for the weekend
