Orange Walk

Day Trips

Wake up before sunrise and board a traditional dugout canoe for a serene New River boat trip toward the ancient Maya city of Lamanai. Feel the mist rise off the water as toucans and herons call from the treetops. Arrive at the site in time for a guided tour away from the crowds.

Explore the temples, plazas, and mask carvings with your guide as they bring Maya history to life through fascinating stories. Pause for a riverside picnic featuring local tamales and tropical fruits. Continue climbing the High Temple to enjoy panoramic jungle vistas.

Return downriver as the sun sets in a blaze of orange, highlighting the broad expanse of the rainforest. Enjoy a Belizean curry dinner at your jungle lodge under a canopy of stars. Drift to sleep to the sounds of night insects and distant howler monkeys.

Meet a local guide at the riverbank and learn basic paddling techniques for your wooden canoe. Glide silently through narrow channels flanked by mahogany and ceiba trees, watching for crocodiles basking on muddy banks. Pause on a sandbar to stretch and snack on fresh coconut water.

Continue your downstream journey, stopping at secluded lagoons to observe birds such as jabirus and kingfishers. Enjoy a riverside picnic prepared by your guide, sampling chiliak fish and cassava bread. Learn about traditional fishing methods from local Mayan descendants.

Return to Orange Walk Town and freshen up at your riverside guesthouse. Savor a dinner of stewed pork and plantains at a family-run restaurant, accompanied by live Garifuna drumming. Relax on your patio and plan tomorrow’s adventure.

Depart at dawn for Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, a vast wetland refuge teeming with wildlife. Glide in a canoe through open lagoons teeming with wading birds, including jabiru storks and roseate spoonbills. Land on a birdwatching tower to capture sweeping views of marsh and forest.

Hike the sanctuary’s trails under a cool canopy of mahogany and royal palms. Your guide will point out howler monkeys, peccaries, and hidden falcons roosting above. Enjoy a packed lunch beneath towering kapok trees.

Return to town for an early evening Siesta, sipping freshly brewed Belizean coffee. Head out to taste traditional rice and beans with stewed chicken at a local eatery. Retire early to rest for tomorrow’s ecotourism adventure.

Arrive at Waka Noh early to greet the resident tapirs and spider monkeys during feeding. Wander the center’s gardens, learning about reforestation projects and medicinal plants used by the Maya. Enjoy a farm-to-table breakfast featuring eggs, honey, and seasonal fruits.

Join a guided tour of the on-site wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facilities. Learn how the center cares for orphaned ocelots, howler monkeys, and threatened bird species before their release. Sip herbal tea infused with local leaves while observing colorful parrots.

Settle into your eco-lodge hammock overlooking the lagoon and watch the sun sink behind the forest. Dine on grilled fish and yucca chips under bamboo thatch roof. Fall asleep to gentle frog choruses echoing through the trees.

Begin the day with a sunrise yoga session on the lodge’s riverfront platform. Feel the mist rising off the water and birds singing as you flow through gentle sun salutations. Follow with a healthy breakfast of tropical smoothies and granola.

Indulge in a massage using local coconut oil and herbal compresses at the spa pavilion. Float downstream on an inner tube while soaking in the warm Belizean sun. Return for a cold-pressed juice and a talk about natural healing traditions.

Gather around a communal fire pit for a healthy fusion dinner featuring grilled vegetables and fish tacos. Engage in a drum circle under twinkling lights and learn Garifuna rhythms. Retreat to your private lodge room, lulled by the sound of the river.

Travel to a family-run cocoa plantation at the base of the Maya Mountains. Wander through fragrant groves of cacao trees as the farmer demonstrates harvesting techniques. Grind fresh beans by hand and sip warm cacao tea infused with cinnamon.

Participate in a hands-on chocolate workshop, learning traditional Maya methods of fermenting and roasting cocoa. Create your own artisanal dark chocolate bar with local honey and chilies. Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch featuring cocoa-rubbed chicken.

Return to Orange Walk to watch a demonstration of cacao-based beverages at a community hall. Sample mokha, a spiced chocolate drink, and mingle with local artisans. Head back to your lodge with a souvenir bag of bean-to-bar chocolates.

Embark early on an expedition into the Rio Bravo Conservation Area with experienced rangers. Hike ancient trails through primary rainforest alive with spider monkeys and toucans. Pause at hidden cenotes for a refreshing jungle swim.

Enjoy a picnic lunch beneath giant mahogany trees and learn about ongoing conservation and research efforts. Wade through shallow streams in search of freshwater turtles and tropical fish. Spot majestic jabiru storks feeding in nearby wetlands.

Camp out in a simple jungle cabin lit by hurricane lanterns and swathed in mosquito netting. Share stories around a crackling fire as nightjars and tree frogs serenade you. Drift to sleep under a blanket of constellations.

Drive to Barton Creek Cave and load into inflatable tubes under a canopy of dense rainforest. Drift silently into the cave’s mouth, flashlight in hand. Marvel at ancient Maya graffiti and stalactites overhead.

Float deeper into the labyrinth, watching emerald tree boas coil on damp ledges. Your guide will shine a light on hidden Maya altars carved into the rock walls. Exit the cave and enjoy a riverside picnic of fresh ceviche.

Return to Orange Walk for a sunset stroll along the river promenade. Sample Belizean street food like panades and garnaches from a sidewalk vendor. Conclude the evening with fresh coconut sorbet on a bench overlooking the water.

Rise early for a guided walk through the bustling Saturday market in central Orange Walk. Taste fresh tortillas, plantains, and local cheeses sold by friendly vendors. Shop for handmade woven baskets and colorful molas.

Visit Myrna’s Bakery to see how Belizean buns and pastries are made from scratch. Join in rolling dough and learn about the local flour, sugar, and spice blends. Sit down for lunch on the patio and sample their signature sweet rolls.

Attend an intimate cooking class at a local home focusing on Belizean specialties like conch fritters and cassava pone. Dine with the host family and hear stories of town life and traditions. Return to your guesthouse full of new recipes and memories.

Drive to Singing River Lodge at dawn for one of Belize’s prime birding hotspots. Walk quiet forest trails with a local ornithologist, spotting trogons, antbirds, and motmots. Peer through binoculars as finches flit amongst epiphyte-laden branches.

Relax on a screened porch overlooking a lily-pad–studded oxbow lake and sip homemade hibiscus iced tea. Visit the lodge’s private canopy tower for closer views of toucans, parrots, and scarlet macaws as they wheel overhead. Enjoy a light lunch of fresh salads and bread baked on-site.

Settle into a hammock by the water’s edge, listening to capuchin monkeys calling at dusk. Dine on grilled snapper and roasted seasonal vegetables in the open-air dining hall. Conclude your trip with a toast of Belizean rum as fireflies dance around you.