Belize Family Week
Dolphins, Manatees, Monkeys & Snorkeling
This exciting and educational program offers guided snorkeling forays into outstanding coral reef habitats to explore Belize’s undersea wonders, and includes participation in Oceanic Society’s dolphin research project and more. This program is geared for children 10 and over with at least one adult parent/chaperone. Located on the Caribbean, just south of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, Belize is a small, English speaking country with an amazing variety of natural environments including the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, dense mangrove lagoons, and abundant interior pristine tropical forests. The first half of the program is headquartered at the Blackbird-Oceanic Society Field Station on Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Atoll. The field station offers easy access to pristine coral reefs and is open to the public offering comfortable lodging in beachfront cabanas. The site serves as a base for the Society’s research projects, and opportunities to meet with scientists and learn about research efforts are an additional benefit of the program. Our program begins with a 90-minute boat ride from Belize City to Blackbird Caye at Turneffe Atoll. The atoll is exceptional for its warm shallow water, which permits easy access snorkeling to an extraordinary underwater paradise. Because of the distance from the mainland, the waters are clear and the reefs are relatively pristine.
Midweek we transfer by boat back to Belize City and continue overland to visit the howler monkeys of the Community Baboon Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is the only one of its kind in the world. It consists neighboring villages along the Belize River which have all voluntarily pledged to conserve the natural habitat of the black howler monkey. Howler monkeys, known locally as baboons, live in troops of two to ten individuals and have been named for their distinctive roar which can be heard up to one mile away. The villagers live in harmony with these primates so the howlers have little fear of humans and can easily be observed. We enjoy a guided visit of the sanctuary and its small natural history museum. We stay at a comfortable resort on the Belize River for the balance of the trip. The next two days are dedicated to observing manatees, and depending on manatee sightings and weather, days are spent at Swallow Caye Manatee Sanctuary or Gales Point Lagoon. Both sites are known manatee resting and feeding grounds and offer the best manatee watching opportunities in Belize. We will be accompanied by a Belizean manatee researcher. Additional activities include snorkeling, and optional canoeing and kayaking. A guide will accompany the group throughout the program, in addition to guest biologists and researchers. 8-DAY ITINERARY
Day 1:
Days 2 thru 4:
Day 5:
Days 6 thru 7:
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Trip Leaders: Oceanic Society Guide plus research staff
Custom programs and additional dates available upon request.
Costs Include: Cost Does Not Include: Airfare and airport departure tax, gratuities Maximum group size: 14 Detailed Trip Information Information & Reservations Please fill out an APPLICATION to sign-up for this expedition. Send E-mail regarding this specific trip: Belize: Family Week
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Join Oceanic Society biologists and Belizean researchers for a family field study of Belizean wildlife including dolphins, manatees and monkeys.
The Turneffe Atoll serves as a feeding and resting area for dolphins and two days will be dedicated to accompanying the dolphin reseacher on dolphin surveys.
