2015's Great Belize Kayak Glovers Reef Adventure Itinerary

Belize Glover’s Reef Kayak & Mayan Mountains Adventure Itinerary

Selected as one of the top adventure trips by Outside Magazine”

“This trip was one of the best vacations (if not the best) I have ever had. Each day was filled with terrific fun, challenging activities and wonderful food. Our group of 14 was from all over North America and we had great rapport. The guides were so knowledgeable and clearly love their jobs.”

Patricia Evans Keansburg, NJ

Glovers Reef & River of Caves

Group Size: 6-22

Guides: 2-6

Accommodations: 3 Nights Bocawina Rainforest Lodge, 4 Nights Glovers Base Camp

Activities: Swimming, SUP, Paddleboard Sailing, Snorkeling, Sea Kayaking (Paddling) Sea Kayak (Sailing) Optional Scuba Diving (at extra cost) Photography, Rappelling / Abseiling, Hiking, Fishing, Birding, Zip Line, Natural History Interpretation, Yoga on select trip dates.

Please find PRICE and DATES Here (Belize Main Page)

The Adventure

The shallow waters offshore of Belize with their innumerable coral reefs, mangroves, and small islands were ideal waters for pirates and buccaneers to hide their raiding ships after plundering Spanish galleons laden with riches destined for the Old World.

Today, the attractions found within the atoll (20 miles long by seven miles wide) are the clarity of the water and the remarkable profusion of marine life.

In 1993 the atoll was declared a marine park and 25% of the area and lagoon was protected from fishing and harvesting.

To continue the conservation efforts to preserve this extraordinary environment the site was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

We travel and explore this area by sea-kayak, paddling and sailing the shallow 82 square mile lagoon. The reefs of Belize have long been known as the richest in the Caribbean and Glover’s Reef is the best in Belize!

The Setting

A Note About the Ecology…The Flora The Mesoamerican Coral reef stretches from Cancun, Mexico through Belize to Honduras. It is the largest reef in the western hemisphere and the second largest in the world. In Belize this reef is a well-formed wall and extends 185 miles (300 km) along the coastline.

Nineteen miles seaward from the eastern border of the Barrier Reef lies Belize’s most spectacular atoll – Glover’s Reef. The oval-shaped reef walls of the atoll climb from the ocean floor and surround a central lagoon. The surrounding reef is primarily made up of two kinds of coral, the hard hydro-coral (reef-forming coral), such as brain coral or elkhorn coral, and the soft corals, such as sea-fans and feather plumes.

The sheltered lagoon at Glover’s Reef harbors one of the world’s most diverse sea environments with an extensive community of fish, shellfish, and patch reefs. One mile off the eastern shore of the atoll the reef wall quickly drops 2600 feet to the ocean floor below. The interaction between the deeper open waters of the Caribbean Sea and the sheltered lagoons of the atoll results in diversity and abundance of marine life which is unsurpassed for sea kayaking, snorkeling, and diving.

The Fauna from our base on Southwest Cay, we will have the opportunity to view a diverse range of sea-life and tropical birds. While exploring and snorkeling the atoll and the many patch reefs, there are opportunities to see grouper, bonefish, angel and parrot fish, stingrays, eagle rays, conger, moray eels, goatfish, just to name a few.

Some of the bird-life includes osprey (the Billy hawk), sea gulls, brown-footed & white-footed boobies, frigate birds, hawks, mangrove warblers, and white-crowned pigeons.

Around the atoll and the barrier reef, there are nesting sites for loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles. If we’re lucky, we may see them while out snorkeling or kayaking. We will definitely have a chance to see and sample the main staple for Belizean fishermen, the queen conch and (in season) the spiny lobster.

Typical Daily Itinerary:

	Day 1: Accommodations: Bocawina Rainforest Lodge Meals: Dinner is included on this night. Upon arriving at the International Airport, connect for a scenic 20-minute flight to the coastal town of Dangriga and then by road to Bocawina Rainforest Lodge, the only lodge situated within a 7000 acre National Park. Tonight, we dine in the rainforest at the acclaimed Wild Fig restaurant.
	Day 2 – 3: Accommodations: Bocawina Rainforest Lodge Meals: B,L,D The rainforests of the Maya Mountains are a stunning backdrop for two days of incomparable adventure. This is your home now, we’ll take care of your every need! Stepping out your front door you have a kaleidoscope of adventures awaiting within what feels like our private 7000 acre National Park. We’ll hike to the top of Antelope Falls and take in majestic views of pristine rainforest stretching to the Caribbean Sea, zipline through the jungle canopy, rappel down a waterfall, visit a Spice Farm, or venture out on the jungle trails with our resident naturalists. We return to Bocawina for sunset, happy hour, and a delicious dinner.
	Day 4 – 7: Accommodation: Glover’s Reef Basecamp Meals: B,L,D Bid farewell to the rainforest and welcome the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Our motorboat charter takes us 36 miles offshore to the sun-drenched Cayes of Glovers Reef Atoll. We settle into our tent cabanas, then after lunch, guides provide professional instruction – teaching sea kayaking, snorkeling, and safety in tropical seas before heading out on the water. Each day is packed with activity choices. You can expect to be pampered by our staff with delicious food and perfect days of sun, turquoise clear waters, coral reefs, and a full range of adventure sports to choose from each day.
	Glover’s Reef is one of the most spectacular marine environments in Belize and offers the best kayaking, snorkeling, and diving in the Caribbean. Due to its isolation from the mainland, the waters are exceptionally clear with a rich reef ecosystem. Our itinerary is flexible in order to accommodate individual and group preferences. Activities include paddling, snorkeling the inner and outer walls of the reef, SUP, and learning to sail a kayak. In the mornings and evenings, we host informative sessions on a range of topics.--Read More-- This allows our guides to share their vast knowledge of Belize, its unique marine environments, and the local culture with you. Guests who prefer a more leisurely pace can always take time to kick back in a hammock and relax with a good book!
	Day 8: Accommodations: (N/A) Meals: Breakfast, Packed Lunch Many guests choose to wake up early on this final morning and enjoy a coffee on the dock for the last time. Watch the sunrise over the atoll before enjoying a hearty breakfast. Our boat charter departs mid morning to take you back to the mainland. Your trip finishes in the Garifuna town of Dangriga, where our logistics and support staff will coordinate your land or air connections. Note: All return flights on Sunday should be booked for departure after 3pm.

Travel note: For travelers who will be leaving Belize on Day 8, international connections out of the country require a departure after 3:00 pm.

To connect with Sunday afternoon departures from Belize a short domestic flight is required. This flight is from Dangriga to the Belize International Airport.

For guests who would like to spend an extra night in Belize, we offer a Flight & Hotel Package. Please note all itineraries are subject to change depending on weather or safety considerations. Flexibility as our guest and as an international traveler is the key to an awesome experience.

For those departing Belize the following day, we offer a Dangriga to Belize City Flight & Biltmore Hotel Package.

For those departing Belize the following day we offer a Dangriga to Belize City Flight & Biltmore Hotel Package. Package Cost: Single – $250 USD, Double – $180 USD per person, Triple – $160 USD per person, Quad – $145 USD per person.

Accommodations

On Nights 1 – 3:

Bocawina Rainforest Lodge – a picturesque lodge and the only lodge situated within a 7000 acre National Park. The rainforests of the Maya Mountains are a stunning backdrop for two days of incomparable adventure.

On Nights 4 – 7:

Glovers Reef, we are “base camping” in tent-walled cabanas. These spacious safari-style tents have ample headroom and are outfitted with wood floors and wood-framed beds. On the island, we have a fresh-water collection system for drinking water, access to fresh-water showers, modern composting toilets, a fully-equipped kitchen including refrigeration, with a large dining area complete with a resource library and a field marine lab including microscope and hand lenses.

Equipment…While at our base-camp on Half-moon Caye, our guests have unrestricted use of the following equipment: Double Kayaks (outfitted with special sails), Single Kayaks, Stand Up Paddle Boards, Complete Research Library, On the island, we are in communication with the mainland via satellite phone and VHF Marine radio.

1. Comprehensive pre-trip information package

2. All meals , accommodation, and transfers described in the itinerary

3. Unlimited use of our equipment and facilities

4. Professional guide and sports instruction

5. Government Fees & Taxes

1. Post-trip transfer to Belize International Airport

2. Gratuities

3. Fishing Licenses

4. Scuba Diving

5. International Flights and Airport Departure Tax

6. Extra costs due to late Arrivals, Lost Baggage and other circumstances beyond our control

Yoga

Trip dates and instructors are listed here

Fly-fishing… We will have new Fishing Kayaks available for your use at our Glover’s Reed Base Camp. The best fishing is done right from where we stay, particularly if there are accessible sand flats, mangroves, or abrupt drop-offs. When paddling or sailing your kayak you can troll a weight forward or sinking line. This is a good way to catch barracuda, grouper, or snapper. --Read More--

For bonefish, you want to have a 7, 8, or 9 weight rod, nine-foot or slightly longer depending on the size of the fish and the flies you are using. A 5 or 6 weight stream fishing rod will do for smaller bonefish and can be great fun, but you will wish you had heavier gear if you hook into a 3 or 4-pound fish. Effective bonefish flies are Crazy Charlies #4, #6, #8 in gold, tan & pink; Horror’s # 4, 6, 8 in orange, and Snapping Shrimp # 4, 6 in tan. A heavier tippet of 10-12 lb will hold up well in the shallow coral and rubble-strewn waters. The heavier rod weights will work for jacks and barracuda as well. If you plan to fish for tarpon we suggest 10, 11, or 12 weight rods.

Apart from matching the right reel to the type of fish, you are going after, the most important thing is a reel that can handle the harsh saltwater conditions. You need to be religious about washing your reel in freshwater each day, particularly if you are using the reel you bought for trout fishing at home. Many of the fish you will hook are fast and unbelievably strong, therefore your reel should hold a minimum of 150 yards of backing, and 20 to 30 pounds test or more for tarpon. A weight-forward tapered floating line is good for bonefish – you will want a sinking line as well for tarpon. If you are serious about your fly-fishing you should bring an extra line with you. Nine to twelve-foot leaders are fine – heavier and shorter leaders are easier to use within the difficult, windy conditions that are often encountered on the Belize reef. 2X & 4X for calm conditions in shallow waters and 1X, 0X, or 02X are also okay.

Barracuda, grouper, jacks, snapper, mackerel, and tarpon are some of the more prized fish we catch with spin-casting gear or simple bait-trolling rigs. Fly-fishing for bonefish is best at Glovers Reef. It is catch and release only and you will need to bring your own gear. Our Lighthouse Reef trips are not as well suited for flats fishing, as there is a 1-mile square “no fishing / no-take” zone on Halfmoon Caye. We do Belizean handline fishing at both basecamps, where to travel outside park boundaries to fish for the pot.

However, for people that love fishing, here are some suggestions on what to bring:

Tackle

The type of tackle that you bring with you will depend on what type of fish you want to catch and how serious you are about fishing. With many hundreds of miles of fishing grounds, Belize is a superb sport-fishing destination. In Belize, bonefish, tarpon, barracuda, jacks and king mackerel are most common. Permit are also a prime catch but can be very difficult to find.

If you are bringing your own equipment the following list of items may be useful:

Small spin-casting rod and reel (6-12 1b test)
100 yds of 20-50lb test fishing line for hand-line fishing
5-10 wire leaders
A small assortment of single hooks and a very large hook for trolling bait
Silver/pink/green trolling and casting spoons, large Rapalas, or Tomic plug.
A variety of weights

Scuba Divers…There are some great opportunities to scuba dive at Glover’s Reef. Optional diving is available for certified divers on certain days of the trip.

Scuba Diving Rates… average rate $75 USD – single dive, $125 USD – 2 dive package with BC and Reg, $165 USD – 3 dive package with BC and Reg,

Discover Scuba / Resort Course only at Glover’s, $300 USD – Scuba Referral Course – This is available for guests who have already completed the classroom and pool sections of their scuba diving course.

To finish their certification course, they need to go on 3 open water dives with a certified instructor and some guests opt to do this while on vacation. This is only available for our guests on the Glover’s Reef trips.

Single Traveler Pricing Many of our guests travel on their own. Our style of trip is ideal for single travelers combining the benefits of group camaraderie and group security with lots of individual flexibility in what you want to do each day. Single supplement options vary by trip style. Standard trip pricing is based on double occupancy. Solo guests can request either to share twin accommodations with another traveler or request single accommodations for an additional fee. If you are willing to share and we are able to match you up – no problem and no extra cost. If we cannot match you up then we have a simple, affordable $225 USD supplement fee for trips of 6 nights and longer. Please Note that the shared accommodation option is not available during Covid. Please see the Private Room Rare below.

Should you prefer private accommodations, we can provide you with your own room and the following charges apply:

Private Room: Glover’s Reef – $450 USD

NOTE: The number of single rooms available on most departures is limited, and may not be available at each location. If we are not able to provide your own room throughout the trip, we will pro-rate the supplement fee.

Recommended Tour-books:
Eltringham, Peter. 2002. Belize: The Rough Guide, London. Penguin Publishers. Perottet, Tony. 2000. Belize: Insight Guide Singapore. Houghton Mifflin Publishers. -Great photographs and written by a Belizean!

Recommended Reading:
Rabinowitz, Alan. 2000 Jaguar, One Man’s Struggle to Establish the First Jaguar Sanctuary New York. Island Press.

GETTING TO BELIZE

Direct Flights from Canada to Belize

Direct non-stop seasonal (Nov to Apr) flights to Belize are available with Air Canada from Toronto, and with WestJet from Toronto and Calgary.

Direct Flights from USA to Belize

Direct non-stop flights to Belize are available with United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Airlines.
Direct non-stop seasonal (Nov to Apr) flights to Belize are available with Sun Country Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

Direct Flights from Cancun to Belize

Tropic Air has 2 daily flights from Cancun to Belize International that offer good connecting opportunities.

Seamless Flight Connections from the UK and Europe to Belize

American Airlines also offers a flight that does not require an overnight connection. This flight departs London Heathrow and has a short connection in Miami before landing in Belize City.

Tips on Searching for the Best Flight Deals to Belize

Be sure of your flight dates. Call or email us to check trip availability and to confirm your arrival and departure dates. Being flexible within one to two days each way is often a good way to find the best prices.

The internet is the main place to find the best prices and routes for airfare. Google Flights is a great place to start, it is non bias and produces all available routes and prices. Online Travel Agents (OTAs) such as Expedia and Orbitz are also popular.

Airline Website Directly: We find that searching the airline websites directly will give you the best possible fare. Here are links to the major airlines that fly directly into Belize City (airport code BZE). All other cities route through these gateways.

Air Canada – Departs & Returns Toronto on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
WestJet – Departs & Returns Toronto on Wednesdays and Saturdays and weekly on Fridays from Calgary
American Airlines – daily via Miami, FL or Dallas, TX
United Airlines – daily via Houston, TX and Newark NJ
Delta Airlines – via Atlanta GA and weekly from Los Angeles CA
Southwest Airlines – via Houston Hobby TX, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Denver CO
Sun Country Airlines – via Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
Avianca Airlines – via San Salvador, El Salvador
Copa Airlines – via Panama City, PA
Tropic Air – via Cancun, Merida, Roatan, San Pedro Sula, Flores MX and Belize In-Country Flights
Maya Air – Belize In-Country Flights

We recommend you purchase flight cancellation insurance. Almost all flights purchased these days are considered non-changeable/non-cancellable so please consider coverage.

Still have questions? Please give us a call toll free in North America at: 1-866-383-9453 or email us at wildernessadventures1@gmail.com

Booking: The booking requires a 30% deposit by Visa or MasterCard with the balance due 60 days prior to trip departure.

The trip dates do sell out so please book early to get the trip dates you want.

Book This TripTop of Page

Belize Glover’s Reef Kayak & Mayan Caves Adventure : 8 Days / 7 Nights Itinerary

Belize Glover’s Reef Kayak & Mayan Mountains Adventure Itinerary