Located on the Caribbean side of Central America, Belize is a small country with access to beautiful beaches, warm waters and wildlife-filled rainforests and coral reef. This is a fantastic destination to visit for nature lovers and there are many rainforest lodges in Belize to choose from.
From many of these, you can not only enjoy guided expeditions through the rainforest to find fantastic animals and plants, but a variety of other activities as well. These include visiting the different ruins of the Mayan civilization as you tour different temples and archaeological sites, horse riding, caving and snorkeling or diving experiences to explore the reef.
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The Lodge at Chaa Creek
Positioned in a private 365-acre forest reserve, Chaa Creek offers a variety of accommodation options, including some with private jacuzzis, plunge pools and garden views. From the lodge, you will also enjoy views of the Maya Mountains and Central American rainforest creating an incredible environment for a lodge. In the dining room, you will hear the sounds of birds in nearby trees as you enjoy fresh and delicious food. Most meals are made with ingredients from the lodge’s Maya organic farm. Homemade breads and pastries are then made in the lodge’s bakery.
To fully relax, you can also choose a massage or relaxation treatment in the Hilltop Spa at Chaa Creek. There is also the infinity swimming pool and butterfly exhibit when relaxing back at the lodge.
In addition to enjoying comfortable accommodation and delicious cuisine, you will also head out with your highly trained guide to find many different animals plants on the rainforest trails. The lodge also maintains a stable for you to enjoy horse riding the trails, which pass Mayan ruins. -
The Chan Chich Lodge
The Chan Chich Lodge sits in a private reserve of 30,000 acres. Surrounded by Belizean rainforest, choose from different accommodation types, which include the Luxury Cottages, Deluxe Cottages, Garden Cottages, and Pool Casitas. Each accommodation option was inspired by traditional Mayan architecture.
Most of the your meals at Chan Chich Lodge are created with ingredients from the lodge’s organic farm. Enjoy the indoor / outdoor restaurant and bar with views of the rainforest and garden.
In addition to the very comfortable accommodation and delicious cuisine, enjoy guided tours around the rainforest to find a diversity of wildlife and see some Mayan ruins. There are many different trails across a 9-mile trail network. As they are well maintained and clearly marked, guests can choose to explore these on their own or enjoy guided walks with one of the lodge’s naturalist guides.
There are many different animals and plants to find on the trails, especially if you head out with one of the naturalist guides. You can also enjoy the medicinal plant walk to see the plants once used by the Maya. There are also specialist birding guides who know the species in the region very well and can help you find many different birds.
In addition to the guided walks during the day, you can also head out at night to see a completely different set of animals. -
The Black Rock Lodge
Positioned on the banks of the Macal River in the Maya Mountains, the Black Rock Lodge offers a comfortable experience of Central America’s rainforest. Enjoy a choice of 20 different cabins with views of Black Rock Canyon, the Macal River, and the surrounding rainforest and wildlife. Each of the cabins provides en-suite bathrooms, screened windows, and comfortable beds. Enjoy guided tours in the surrounding rainforest to find iconic and rare animals and plants. Nature lovers and birdwatchers love walking the surrounding rainforest and you can see 200+ birds around the lodge. Enjoy walking with the lodge’s resident birding guides to find colorful tanagers, toucans, parakeets, macaws, king vultures and motmots.
Your meals are made with locally sourced ingredients with many of the fruits and vegetables grown organically on site. The meals will be accompanied with home-made breadYou can choose from a range of activities, including things for nature lovers and adventure seekers. Activities include canoeing, hiking, birdwatching, mountain biking, swimming, tubing and caving.
In addition to the on-site activities and rainforest walks, you can also enjoy tours to the many surrounding Mayan ruins, including Caracol, Xunantunich and Tikal. -
The Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge
The Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge offers a comfortable experience of the rainforest. Enjoy comfortable accommodation, different activities, guided exploration and the on-site spa to relax surrounded by pristine rainforest.
The resort offers 30 spacious rooms decorated with handcrafted furnishings. The lodge has combined luxury with nature to create a relaxing retreat in the rainforest. There are different accommodation options to choose from, including a two-bedroom River House, Mountain View Penthouse Suite, Mountain View Suites, Riverview Suites, and Riverview Rooms. All offer beautiful views, comfortable beds and some include a private plunge pool.
You will then enjoy delicious cuisine in the Grove House, which sits high in the trees providing some fantastic views. Enjoy farm-to-table dining with highly trained Belizean chefs creating some fantastic dishes. Juices are then prepared from the lodge’s own orchards.
In addition to comfortable accommodation and delicious meals, you can enjoy a variety of activities. These include hiking, abseiling, bird-watching and river-tubing.
When back at the lodge, you can also relax with a massage in the lodge spa and wellness center to enjoy a variety of treatments. -
The Mystic River Resort
The Mystic River Resort offers a comfortable experience of Belizean rainforest. Surrounded by rainforest, enjoy an incredible nature experience with the sound of the many different birds and Macal River below.
The comfortable one-bedroom suites are designed to offer the perfect balance of rainforest and river views. The two-bedroom suites offer fantastic river views. Enjoy waking up with the sound of surrounding wildlife and the flowing river. For the utmost luxury, there are also the 4 Cloud9 Suites with private plunge pools and private outdoor showers.
Your meals will be served in the Mystic River Resort’s dining room. From the in-house restaurant, La Ranita, enjoy farm-to-table cuisine with local Belizean dishes. Special diets can be accommodated with prior notice. Of an evening, relax with a drink at La Palapa Bar while enjoying rainforest views. See the river gently flowing below and spot the different reptiles and birds at the river’s edge. You can also see many different birds in the surrounding trees, such as toucans, parrots and mot-mots. From the lodge, enjoy tours to Mayan Ruins, guided nature walks, birding tours, horse riding, river tubing, cave exploration and more. Create your personalized adventure experience or choose from the package options available. -
The Table Rock Lodge
The Table Rock Lodge provides a comfortable experience in the rainforest of Belize. Positioned in the lodge’s own hundred-acre reserve, enjoy incredible experiences and many activities, including guided hikes, swimming, canoeing, birdwatching or simply relax listening to the sounds of the rainforest.
The lodge is located near the Macal River, which provides a relaxing sound to wake up to combined with the sounds of birds in surrounding rainforest. The lodge is also nearby the famous Mayan archaeological sitesThere are different accommodation option at the Table Rock Lodge. Choose from the Garden View Rooms overlooking the tropical flower garden, the larger Jungle View Cabañas with views of the rainforest, and the River Valley View Cabanas offer the beautiful views of the Macal River Valley. There are then the Rainforest Cabins offering more space with 2-bedrooms and a private veranda and the Shamrock Bluff House. This is a 3-bedroom, solar powered, two-story home with beautiful views of the Macal River.
In the lodge dining room, enjoy farm-to-table delicious cuisine to complement your rainforest experience. The open-air dining room itself offers a fantastic place to enjoy your meals, as you can watch the rainforest and different birds while you eat. To make the most of the experience, you can choose from the different Table Rock Lodge package tours. These allow you to focus on the different activities suited to how you wish to spend your stay, such as relaxation, adventure, nature or the ruins. Choose from the 3-night. 4-night, 5-night, family, honeymoon and wedding packages. -
The Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort
The Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort is an award-winning eco resort on the southern coast of Belize. The lodge provides the perfect base to enjoy wildlife-rich rainforest, the beautiful reef and the Mayan ruins.
There are different accommodation options you can choose at the Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, such as the beautiful Deluxe Treehouses. These are the most spacious of the accommodation options, however, there are a few others to choose from, including Treehouse Rooms, Beachfront Suites, Beachfront Rooms and more.
Enjoy both indoor and outdoor dining experiences at the lodge’s Singanga Restaurant where you will be served delicious farm-to-table cuisine. Enjoy both Belizean and international dishesIn addition to comfortable suites and delicious cuisine, you will then enjoy a diversity of different activities. Head out on guided rainforest walks to find many different animals and plants. In addition to day walks, head out on some evenings to see a completely different group of animals. You can then visit the Mayan ruins, explore the caves, visit waterfalls, visit local villages, or enjoy specific birdwatching tours. The lodge is also near a fantastic reef for incredible snorkeling experiences to see rays, dolphins and many colorful fish. -
The Sweet Songs Lodge
The Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge sits on the bank of the Macal River in San Ignacio, Belize. The lodge is surrounded by rainforest where you see colorful birds and even different monkeys and other animals.
The lodge itself is composed of 21 rooms, which include both private and family-style accommodation. The lodge is surrounded by 20 acres of lush tropical vegetation, which is next to the botanic gardens and 37 acres of tropical forest full of hiking trails. With the comfortable lodge, you can also enjoy delicious cuisine of Belizean and Caribbean dishes. In the package options, enjoy the accommodation, transfers, guided tours and meals all included to make the most of your experience. The lodge is a great option for families, couples, and groups wanting an active vacation with exciting activities or for nature loves to enjoy wildlife-rich rainforest.
Enjoy fantastic adventures, such as rainforest walks, riding horseback to ancient Mayan sites or cave tubing excursions. You can also choose a relaxing experience, including canoeing on the river or sunbathing on the beach. -
The Blancaneaux Lodge
The Blancaneaux Lodge sits in western Belize at a corner of the 107,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This is a luxury resort in the middle of the rainforest on the banks of the beautiful Privassion Creek. Enjoy wildlife-rich jungle, beautiful waterfalls and sparkling rivers surrounding the very comfortable lodge.
Enjoy a variety of accommodation options, such as the Garden View Cabañas with beautiful views, native arts and antiques, and comfortable queen-size bed or the Honeymoon Cabaña with a large private deck overlooking the Privassion Creek waterfall. There are other suite and room options to choose, which each offers their own charm and views.
Enjoy your meals of classic Italian cuisine at the Blancaneaux Lodge with most of the herbs and vegetables sourced from the lodge’s own organic gardens.
Your guided experiences in the rainforest include a variety of different hikes where you will enjoy spotting a diversity of animals and plants. Highly trained guides will be helping you follow jaguar tracks through the forest, see colorful birds, find the hundreds of delicate orchids and visit beautiful waterfalls. You will also learn about the many medicinal plants, which native groups used to treat a variety of ailments. In addition to nature, you will also enjoy guided excursions to see the incredible Mayan ruins, such as Caracol and Xunantunich. -
The Copal Tree Lodge
The Copal Tree Lodge is nestled in the rainforest of Belize and offers very comfortable accommodation accompanied by farm-to-table cuisine. Enjoy exploring the 12,000 acre nature reserve to find some fantastic wildlife and the sounds of the winding Rio Grande River.
You have a choice of accommodation options. These include the four Signature Canopy Suites, which offer incredible views of the Maya Mountains and access to the jungle-view infinity pool for exclusive access for guests at the suites. There are also the King Jungle Suites with one king bed and shower room with beautiful jungle views, Queen Jungle Suites and the Family Villa.
There are different relaxation areas where you can relax surrounded by the rainforest, such as the Copal Tree Rum Bar and central lounge complete with complimentary WiFi, books and games.
Your meals have influences from Mayan, East Indian, Creole, Garifuna, Latin and Indo-Caribbean cultures. Most of the ingredients are sourced from the lodge’s own farm or from local fisherman. Head out on different activities from the lodge, such as guided walks through the rainforest to find iguanas, monkeys, tropical birds and more. You can also enjoy kayaking, mountain biking and horse riding.
You can also choose different package options to make the most of your experience and shape your stay depending on if you’re interested in an active stay, relaxation or celebrating your honeymoon. -
The Cotton Tree Lodge
The Cotton Tree Lodge is a comfortable lodge to experience the rainforest of southern Belize. The lodge is located on 100 acres of land near the Moho River right at the foot of the beautiful Maya Mountains.
From the lodge, enjoy guided exploration of surrounding rainforest to find a diversity of animals and plants, such as different monkeys, toucan, macaws, delicate orchids and much more. Activities to enjoy from the lodge also include a visit with a Mayan cacao farmer, caving, and visiting ancient Mayan ruins. You can also enjoy birding, kayaking, swimming and relaxation in the lodge’s spa or hammocks.
Choose from a variety of accommodation options, such as the Deluxe Cabana with its spacious design and private balconies with hammocks, the two-story Family Cabana, Garden Vista Room with beautiful garden views and the Standard Cabanas.
Enjoy fresh and delicious meals in the lodge restaurant with most of the ingredients sourced onsite. You can then relax with a drink the lodge bar listening to the sounds of the rainforest. -
The Programme for Belize
The Programme for Belize operate two lodges in the rainforest of Belize and provides fantastic tours to see rainforest animals and plants. From the lodges, enjoy visiting the Rio Bravo Conservation, such as the largest single protected area in the country.
La Milpa Lodge is positioned deep in the rainforest and near one of the richest areas for ancient ruins and archaeology in the country. Choose from private thatched- roof cabanas with private baths or a comfortable dormitory with a shared bathroom.
Surrounding the lodge are many different hiking trails, which are fantastic for wildlife walks and birdwatching. To give an example of the wildlife, serious birders have been known to make a list of over 150 species of birds on a 3-day tour.
At Hill Bank Field Station, enjoy the beautiful lagoon and incredible wildlife in the surrounding rainforest. Not only a great place for a vacation, your tour helps protect the conservation of the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area.
Your meals at the lodge are served buffet style in the dining hall and include a mixture of Belizean and international favorites. All of the meals are served with fresh fruit juice. -
The Lamanai Outpost Lodge
The Lamanai Outpost Lodge is positioned on the banks of a beautiful spring fed lagoon and is surrounded by the ruins of an ancient Mayan city. Enjoy being surrounded by nature as the nearest full-service lodge or hotel is over 70 miles away.
The seclusion of the lodge means you can truly be in the middle of the rainforest. The lodge has also been careful to stay small and limited the number of cabanas to below 20 and keeping tour groups small.
This is also a favorite lodge for wildlife documentary crews because of the position and surrounding wildlife-rich rainforest. The lodge has so far been a base for the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and National Geographic Explorer among others.
Enjoy two activities a day including exploration of Mayan ruins, wildlife rainforest walks, canoe exploration, and night walks. To make the most of your experience, you can choose from different package tours to focus on your interests. There are also fantastic birding packages for serious birdwatchers with 400 species recorded in the surrounding rainforest. -
Ka’ana Resort and Spa
The Ka’ana Resort and Spa is a luxury getaway in the rainforest of western Belize. Enjoy the wildlife-rich rainforest, personalized service, delicious meals and comfortable accommodation. The lodge villas and suites have been carefully designed to provide a perfect balance of nature and luxury with a traditional influence.
Enjoy delicious farm to table cuisine at La Ceiba restaurant of local and international dishes. Most of the ingredients are sourced from the lodge’s on-site organic garden.
Activities to enjoy at Ka’ana Resort and Spa include exploring caves, touring the Mayan ruins, horse riding, rainforest tours, ziplining, bird watching and cultural exchanges.
To make the most of your experience, you can choose from a variety of package tours designed to give you the best experience of the rainforest depending on whether you’re mainly interested in wildlife, Mayan ruins, relaxation or a family adventure. -
The Black Orchid Resort
The Black Orchid Resort offers a comfortable experience at the edge of Burrell Boom Village. This is a great experience for a first time rainforest experience or for those who want to still have modern conveniences while having a taste of the rainforest.
The lodge is located only 15 minutes from the airport, which means it’s a great option if you only have a short amount of time available. Choose from 16 comfortable and air-conditioned rooms, including 7 luxury suites and 2 villas. In the lodge restaurant, enjoy a diverse menu of both local and international dishes. You can also relax in the lodge swimming pool, have a drink at the bar, browse the gift shop, and choose from many different activities. Enjoy caving tours, nature walks, tours of the Mayan ruins, and snorkeling or diving experiences.
The lodge offers different package options to help you make the most of the experience. Choose from the Belize and Guatemala Vacation Package, Honeymoon Package, and Jungle and Sea Package. You can also choose to customize the experience.
Ash
Tour Advisor at TourTheTropics.comAsh Card is a frequent visitor to the Tropics and has a passion for helping visitors get the best experiences from tropical locations. Ash is a contributor and tour advisor at TourTheTropics.com. Feel free to contact Ash for tour help in the tropics. When not helping tourists with tours and info, Ash can be found traveling, on wildlife tours or salsa dancing. Ash has completed a BSc in Biology, a Master’s degree in Zoology, and has undertaken a research scholarship at a world-class university on animal behavior. He has published scientific research in the Australian Journal of Zoology and the Journal of Behavioral Ecology. His goal is to help a global society live in balance with the natural world.