One Week Belize Itinerary: Jungle and Island Adventures
Belize is an awesome destination for a family adventure trip. Within a size similar to Massachusetts, you will find pristine jungles, ancient Mayan archaeological sites, offshore cayes, a 185-mile barrier reef, and more. Furthermore, Belize is easy to navigate with English as their official language, good road systems, inner-country flights, and no jet lag since we are also in the Central Standard Time Zone. Their currency is easy to understand as it is pegged to the US dollar at 1:2, but the US dollar is also widely accepted. Could it get any better? YES! The locals were incredibly friendly — and, oh yeah, they have a fondness for my Chicago Cubs!
Bonus: We had a four-hour direct flight from Chicago to Belize City — available only on select Saturdays.
The Unchartered Adventure show on the Weather Channel summed it up well: “If you are an adventure junkie, Belize deserves to be on your list!” I couldn’t agree more.
Planning your itinerary
Belize is small enough that you can easily experience both the jungle and a Caribbean island in one week. We chose the Cayo District for the jungle and Caye Caulker for a bit of island time. It was UN-BELIZABLE! (Sorry, I had to!) It really doesn’t matter what order you choose. However, lodging and transportation costs and availability may play into your decision so look at everything before making reservations.
These are my honest opinions and recommendations — I do not receive any compensation or discounts during our travel. This story does include some affiliate links for which I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please click the links to support my blog.
Lodging Recommendations
1 | San Ignacio, Cayo District (3 nights)
Your trip should include an eco jungle lodge — but first, save some money by staying in the lively little town of San Ignacio while doing your all-day tours. We had two rooms at the basic, but clean and comfortable, Cocopele Inn in Santa Elena. This inn is a little off of the beaten path, but an easy 5–10 minute walk across the bridge and into town. The manager was so kind and friendly. We paid about $10 for laundry service.
If you are looking for a nice boutique hotel experience, check out the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. This hotel is a quick five-minute walk from town with one steep hill.
2 | Jungle Lodge, Cayo District (1-2 nights)
You should absolutely stay in an eco lodge while in this area! There are many to choose from — with a wide range of prices and activities. We chose Black Rock Lodge based on its location near the Maya Flats Airport and the free on-site activities. You can read more about it in my review: Black Rock Lodge — A Beautiful Eco Lodge and More.
3 | Caye Caulker (2-3 nights)
Caye Caulker is a perfect little island to explore before or after visiting the Belize jungle. It is so small and laid back that you only need two days here. That is why it works well in a one-week vacation to Belize! Our Airbnb was just OK, so I am not going to recommend it. Concentrate your lodging search north of the soccer field and ferry dock if possible — activities and restaurants are on this end of the island.
ALTERNATIVE: Stay on the larger Ambergris Caye if you want more than a day or two relaxing on the island. And, if you are looking for resort-like activities and beaches.
Itinerary: One-Week Belize Adventure
DAY 1 | Stop at the Belize Zoo on your way to San Ignacio
Belize Zoo
The Belize Zoo’s lovely maze-like grounds host a variety of pretty amazing cats, monkeys, birds, tapirs, and more. Unfortunately, our visit was cut a little short because the power went out and they closed early — WELCOME TO BELIZE!
Timing? You should have enough time for this stop if your plane lands by 2:30 PM and you don’t check luggage. There is an on-site restaurant at the zoo in case you are starving! We arranged transportation for our family of five with Willam’s Belize Shuttle. ($140 + $35 USD to stop at the Belize Zoo).
San Ignacio
San Ignacio is not overly developed for tourism….yet. Exploring a new town is always fun, and San Ignacio was no exception. We liked getting to know the area, which was quiet at night but bustling during the day. I love the feeling of a little unease at the beginning, which changes to comfort and familiarity over a few days. It didn’t fit into our schedule, but consider taking a cooking class while in San Ignacio!
Restaurant reviews
- ERVA’S: Recommended to us, but it was full. Make a reservation.
- CENAIDA’S: Recommended for the inexpensive local fare, but it was closed.
- KO-OX HAN NAH: Inexpensive + our favorite dinner in San Ignacio. Also called “Hannah’s”.
- HODE’S PLACE: Good food and large open-air dining with TVs for watching sports.
- MIKE’S or POP’S: Tasty breakfast burritos and more.
- BAKERY: There is a nice little bakery near the Santa Elena social security office.
- OTHER: There are some finer dining options in San Ignacio, such as Crave and Guava Limb Cafe, but we did not visit those.
- FARMERS MARKET: Ask the vendor to pick out ripe fruit for you — sooooo good! Also, some souvenir stands.
A note about the small grocery stores in town: The sodas and beer were OK, but all of the snacks we purchased were stale or sticky. Instead, buy snacks at the bakery or gas station near the main bridge to Santa Elena. Or, go to a larger market on Western Highway if you have a car.
DAY 2 | ATM Cave Tour
We love a good adventure, and the ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) cave tour easily made my “experiences-of-a-lifetime” list. The adventure begins right away with swimming across a river while holding onto a rope so you don’t get swept downstream. The water isn’t always that high, but bring a dry bag just in case. I like this dry bag from Amazon — we have three! It’s a 45-minute hike plus a couple of easier river crossings to the ATM cave entrance. We were told to leave cameras in the van as they are not allowed in the cave system. However, I wish I had brought my little waterproof camera for the hike. You have to leave your bag at the cave entrance, so you do risk it getting stolen.
Once inside the cave, it feels like an Indiana Jones movie — minus the bad guys. The history and relics are a bonus to the exhilarating experience of swimming, climbing, squeezing, and crawling through this expansive cave system. I suggest close-toed shoes so you don’t tear out sandal straps. Follow the instructions to bring a pair of socks and a snack (bars work well). Unfortunately, I cannot show the “awesomeness” of this tour because photos and video are prohibited in order to preserve the cave.
We booked our tour ahead of time with Pacz Tours for $85 USD per person. Alternative: If you want something less intense, consider a cave tubing or canoeing tour.
FITZ BITS TIP: Do this tour early in your itinerary in case high water requires rescheduling the tour. You don’t want to miss this experience!
DAY 3 | Visit ancient Mayan ruins
I highly suggest you take time to tour + climb some ancient Mayan ruins while in Belize. Cahal Pech is right in San Ignacio or take a tour, taxi, or local bus to the nearby Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. Tikal, Guatemala is also within reach but it will take much more effort and time due to the border crossing.
What did we do? We booked an all-day tour to Caracol and the Pine Mountain Reserve. It is a bit of a trek, but it is one of the largest ancient Mayan sites in the world and a great off-the-beaten-path adventure in Belize. Getting there is a doozy of a two-hour drive from San Ignacio — both ways — with endless miles of unpaved road. I read that it may be paved soon to create an easier transit. Nonetheless, we made the journey in the rain and thankfully no one complained.
Worth the time and effort? Given the long journey, this tour may not be for everyone. And more likely not the effort if you have been to Tikal or Copan. But I am going to say an astounding “yes” if you love adventure, history, and off-the-beaten path adventure. Your guide will provide a lot of information along the way and best of all you can climb up these huge ancient structures. I have seen a couple of articles and TV documentaries on the Caracol site and feel lucky to have experienced this treasure with my family. National Geographic Travel named Caracol a “Hidden Gem” in their article: Explore these pristine, little-known Maya ruins.
Your guide will break up the return drive with stops in the Pine Mountain Reserve: Rio on Pools, the massive Rio Frio Cave, and Big Rock Falls.
We booked this tour ahead of time with Pacz Tours for $85 USD per person. ALTERNATIVE: Our innkeeper recommended Xunantunich Mayan Ruins if our tour was rained out (which luckily it was not). You can get to Xunantunich on your own, but hire a guide at the site to learn and engage more.
DAY 4 | Iguana experience and transfer to jungle lodge
Green Iguana Conservation Project
The Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort is a fun activity for the family. The tour was $10 USD per person and lasted less than an hour. This is an educational experience, but the photos alone were worth it! Our family of five were the only guests on our tour which made it even more special.
Black Rock Lodge on-site activities
We prearranged a transfer to Black Rock Lodge with William’s Belize Shuttle ($55 USD). Compare pricing with your hotel and Black Rock Lodge too. Our itinerary and budget only allowed for one night at a jungle lodge and it was so worth it. Try to arrive early so you have time for all of the on-site activities.
Grab a tube for the river tubing with fun falls at the end. There is a good chance you will get flipped from your tube, but you can exit before the falls if desired. Plan about an hour for this activity. Since you are already wet, return your tubes and head over to the river rope swing. Leave time to relax and watch the birds too!
The Farm to Dinner Table fixed-menu dinner was hearty and delicious. My boys even tried a couple of new things. This is also a nice time to meet some fellow travelers. Following dinner you may want to go on the Guided Night Hike (extra cost). Note: We had an afternoon downpour so there weren’t many critters to see on the tour. Consider the weather when booking this activity.
DAY 5 | Jungle lodge activities and hopper flight to Caye Caulker
Black Rock Lodge on-site activities, continued
I THINK I AM BECOMING A BIRDER! This area is known for its many birds so we did the early morning Guided Birding Tour (extra cost). The naturalist was great at pointing out and teaching you about the many colorful and curious birds.
If you enjoy a good hike like we do, be sure to do the self-guided Summit Hike (free!). It is a moderate two to three-hour hike with a fantastic summit view of the river and waterfalls. Is this Jurrasic Park or Belize? If you have time, take the short detour to the cave. My boys climbed through the small opening and explored the multiple caverns. I chose to wait outside after seeing scorpions and a tarantula on our Guided Night Hike. If you are short on time, skip the Loop Trail at the top.
Do you still have time for another tube ride and a couple of rope swings? I hope so!
If you are staying longer, enjoy other activities such as visiting the on-site farm and learning about the lodge’s sustainability operations. Also, check out the half-day guided Wildside Hike (extra cost).
Hopper flight to Caye Caulker
Black Rock Lodge is conveniently located about 20-minutes from the Maya Flats Airport. It is a quick hopper flight on Tropic Air out to Caye Caulker, in the Caribbean Sea. My boys took turns sitting in front next to the pilot since it was open. Note: If there are no flights from Maya Flats, you will have to transfer to Belmopan or Belize City for a hopper flight.
Caye Caulker
Hello Caye Caulker! This charming little island’s motto is “GO SLOW.” The roads are sand and everyone walks and rides bikes. Golf cart taxis meet planes at the airport and it’s a quick ride to any lodging ($2 USD per person). You can easily throw your luggage + a person or two on the golf cart while the rest of you walk.
Some food suggestions on Caye Caulker
- ERROLYNS HOUSE OF FRYJACKS: Yummy super cheap breakfast. It is worth the wait if there is a line!
- ICE N’ BEANS: Bubble waffles and smoothies and a fun swing seating area.
- MAGGIE’S SUNSET KITCHEN: Good casual outside dinner — our favorite.
- CHEF JUAN’S: Good casual dinner — recommended by many locals.
- IGUANA REEF INN: Great spot for the sunset even if you aren’t staying at this hotel. Two-for-one happy hour rum drinks at the bar!
- SIP N’ DIP: We only got drinks here — but they were good and the staff kindly kept our backpack behind the bar while we played in the water.
- THE LAZY LIZARD: Fun eating lunch at a table in the water.
DAY 6 | All-day snorkeling tour
This Snorkeling Tour is why we came to Caye Caulker. My boys aren’t certified to scuba dive (yet!) but they love to snorkel. The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest barrier reef in the world! We booked our tour with Caveman Snorkeling Tours. It was a great family-friendly tour lasting from 10:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Note: If you want something other than the traditional lunch meal you need to order it ahead of time.
This tour made FIVE snorkeling stops: 1) Sunken Barge, 2) Coral Gardens, 3) Chatos Area, 4) Shark Ray Alley, and 5) Hol Chan Marine Reserve. It was the end of manatee season but they still found one for us to snorkel with. LUCKY DAY! The tour concluded with looking through the pier at seahorses and adrenaline-pumping tarpon fish feeding. What a day!
DAY 7 | Relax and explore Caye Caulker
This is your day to chill on the island. However, if you are looking for more activities…
- You can rent bikes from the grocery store for $2.50 per hour. It’s a small island and you can pretty much see everything in an hour.
- Sip N Dips is a great place to hang out on the water swings and tires and play water basketball and volleyball.
- You can rent SUPs right next door ($10 USD each per hour).
- And you can’t miss the green jumping platform at the Split — let’s just say there was a football involved and countless jumps into the water.
Did you notice I said “ISLAND” and not “BEACH?” There is sand all over the island but no real beaches. Just wanted to clarify! How to Spend a Couple of Days on Caye Caulker.
DAY 8 | Ferry to Belize City for flight home
All good things must come to an end. It is very easy to take the ferry to the port in Belize City. From there you take a taxi to the airport. Hopper flights from Caye Caulker to Belize City Airport are also available.
We took the 10:30 AM ferry for a 2:30 PM flight home ($15 USD each one-way per person). You can pre-arrange a taxi from the Caye Caulker ferry dock to the airport ($40 USD). You pay the driver when arriving at the airport. Note: All of our transfers are a little more expensive because there are five of us.
A map of this itinerary….
Visited in November 2018
All noted prices are subject to change.
