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Glovers Reef & River of Caves
On arrival in Belize, before heading out to Glovers, we have an opportunity to experience the diversity of the rainforest and the rich Mayan culture of the interior. Working with guides from the Belize Tropical Education Center, our itinerary includes a rare chance to view the nocturnal wildlife of Belize, and then, in the jungle, we enjoy a leisurely float down a rainforest river with inner large tubes, exploring a fantastic limestone cave.
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Thirty six miles offshore of the Belize mainland lie a group of tropical islands cradled within a turquoise lagoon and surrounded by a living coral reef. Glover's Reef Atoll is considered to be one of the richest tropical marine environments in the entire Caribbean. Our private island base of over 13 acres is perched on the southern edge of the atoll with a dramatic view facing east over the main reef crest and the open Caribbean. Based from our comfortable field camp we are fully equipped to spend six and a half days sea kayaking and kayak sailing, snorkeling, diving, fishing and windsurfing. After our adventures each day we like to reward ourselves with a bounty of fresh seafood, island baking, tropical fruits and yes, even rich, decadent deserts! Glovers is ideal for those who wish to enjoy the comforts of a well-appointed field camp yet want an active and flexible day-to-day schedule. Exclusive to Glovers, is our underwater Sea-Breathe System (TM) which provides air for divers and non-divers to depths of 25 ft. Also available are optional Scuba certification courses, resort courses and equipment rentals. |
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| Price Includes |
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meals |
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accommodations |
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transfers |
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professional guiding services |
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use of specialized equipment |
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sports instruction |
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| Price Excludes |
alchohol
tips
international flights
transportation back to Belize City |
| Suitability / Level |
Class I-II (Easy Beginner) |
| Theme |
Small Group Travel
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Itinerary & Highlights
Day 0 : Arrive at the Belize International Airport where you will be met by an Island Expeditions representative and transferred to the Tropical Education Center, adjacent to the Belize Zoo. Here we are able to explore the surrounding savannah forest through their network of interpretative trails and wildlife viewing platforms. There is also a wonderful interpretative wildlife conservation center onsite. This is an ideal starting point for the adventure ahead. After settling into our forest cabanas, we have a chance to meet our fellow travelers over dinner. This day is your day to arrive before the trip starts, meet your fellow travelers and acclimatize to your new tropical environment. Transfers from the airport are included.
Accommodation: (forest cabanas)
Meals: Dinner is included on this Day
Day 1 : For early risers, the Tropical Education Center has a wonderful network of trails and wildlife viewing platforms for exploration. There are exceptional birding opportunities in the early hours of dawn as the pine savannah and rainforest awakens with a diversity of feeding birds, turtles and other creatures around the central lagoon. After a hearty breakfast, we travel along the Hummingbird Highway to our underground cave float. We take a short hike through the rainforest to the river put-in where we float on large inner tubes with our headlamps into the ancient limestone caves.
After our tour of the caves, we continue overland to Banana Bank Lodge. We settle into our accommodations, have lunch in the lodge, and then make a choice of horseback riding, a river float, or an interpretive birding walk for the afternoon. Banana Bank Lodge is a resort and an equestrian facility situated on over 4,000 acres along the banks of the historic Belize River. Our location is superb. For those who wish to stay behind and relax, there is a swimming pool, a greenhouse with over 50 varieties of orchids, and a night-sky observatory for our pleasure.
Accommodation: (Lodge)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 - 6 : We depart early in the morning by charter boat out past the main Barrier Reef to our private base-camp on Southwest Cay, at Glovers Reef Marine Reserve. We are introduced to our new environment and get settled into our accommodation. Once settled, the guides provide instruction, teaching the fundamentals of sea kayaking, snorkeling and safety in the tropics. Then, we paddle out to a nearby patch reef and start to explore some of the 700 sites that Glovers Atoll has to offer. Glovers is one of only four atolls in the Caribbean Sea, and is truly the most spectacular marine environment in Belize. Due to its isolation from the mainland, the waters are exceptionally clear with inspiring scenery and a fabulously rich reef system that offers the best kayaking, snorkeling and diving in the Caribbean. We spend the days exploring the atoll with both single and double kayaks (rigged for sailing). Our itinerary is flexible in order to respond to both group and individual desires and abilities.
Activities include: sea kayaking, snorkeling the inner and outer walls of the reef, learning to sail a kayak and windsurfing for both novices and experienced boarders. For experienced snorkelers, guides can provide full instruction with our Sea-Breathe Diving System: a free floating air pump designed to provide air by hookah lines down to 20-25 feet.
In the mornings and the evenings, we host informative sessions on a range of topics, providing an opportunity for guides to share their knowledge of Belize, the marine environments and local culture. Perhaps a high stakes game of Hermit Crab Racing to finish the day! If all this sounds a little too busy, you always have the choice of just kicking back in a hammock and relaxing with a good book and a cold drink.
Accommodation: (Tent-Walled Cabanas)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: For our last morning at Glover's, the choice is yours. We may choose to don mask, snorkel and fins for a last visit to your favorite coral reef, or work the flats with your most productive bonefish fly before our motor charter comes to pick us up for the return ride to Dangriga. Here we settle into our accommodations, have a chance to shower, then dress and relax before our evening celebration. From our roof-top site, with a view over the town of Dangriga, we celebrate with a barbecue and Dangriga musicians performing their traditional Garifuna drumming and dance.
Accommodation: (Hotel)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
Accommodation & Center
Details
On ' Day 0 ', we will be spending the night at the Tropical Education Center. The Education Center has comfortable, rustic accommodations in a beautiful pine savannah setting. The Center is right next to the Belize Zoo and has a interpretative center with Belize's largest collection of tropical animal specimens, and a network of trails and wildlife viewing platforms, perfect for exploring this unique tropical pine forest environment.
On Day 1 , we will be staying at Banana Bank Lodge, located at the gateway to the Cayo District. This spectacular resort is spread over 4,000 acres, and houses a restaurant, a main lodge, and a number of small cabanas. Our accommodations for the evening are beautifully furnished, thatched, roofed cabanas, outfitted with ceiling fans and hot water showers. On the premises, there is also an Orchadia which houses more than 50 varieties of orchids and bromeliads, a swimming pool, night sky observatory, a two-story birding platform overlooking the lagoon, as well as an art gallery.
On Day 2 to 6 at Southwest Cay, we are "base camping", 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. On the island, we have a large dining area with bar, resource library and lounge area, a freshwater collection system for drinking water, access to freshwater showers, modern composting toilets and a fully equipped kitchen.
On the Final Night we will be staying in Dangriga. Our accommodation is at Chaleanors Hotel, a Belizean-style hotel in the heart of town. On this final night, we have a Belizean dinner on a roof top terrace with Dangriga musicians who introduce us to traditional Garifuna drumming and dance.
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| Holiday Extras! |
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extras from Car Hire to Travel Insurance. |
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