ECOLOGY Nature TOURS
Monkey River TourThis top rated tour is a great way to experience an abundance of wildlife sightings. The boat ride from Placencia to Monkey River takes approximately 30 minutes and takes you through beautiful mangrove canals. A local Monkey River guide leads the tour slowly up the river pointing out exciting creatures such as crocodiles, iguanas, bats, river turtles and many different species of tropical birds. The guide also leads a hike through nature trails where the howler monkeys are usually spotted. Here you also get a close up view and information on medicinal plants in the tropical rainforest. After the hike the tour then heads back down river to the village for lunch at a local restaurant. The tour then head back to Placencia but not before stopping to look for Manatees in some of their natural habitat.
Duration: 6 hours Cost: US$70 per person and includes conservation fee, lunch, guide. Minimum of 4pax Manatee WatchingBelize is home to a sub-species of the West Indian manatee, one of four living species of manatees. Manatees are primarily herbivorous and feeds on a wide variety of submerged, floating, and shoreline vegetation. They range in weight from 440 to 1,320 lbs and can reach length of up to 11.5 feet.
The Placencia Lagoon and nearby coastal habitats are some of the prime feeding grounds and home for this magnificent creature. This tour allows you to learn about threats and conservation effort for the sustainability of this endangered and threatened marine mammal. Duration: 2 hours Cost: US$40 per person which includes knowledgeable guide, drinking water and fresh fruits. Minimum of 4pax |
Placencia Lagoon/Mangrove Ecology Tour by KayakMangrove forests are an ecosystem of incredible biological diversity comprising hundreds of algae, mollusk, crustacean, fish, insect, reptile, bird, and mammal species. Saltwater crocodiles, pelicans, egrets, herons and boa constrictors are all residents of mangroves, just to name a few. The Placencia Lagoon is a natural habitat of all mangrove species found in Belize and is a great place to check out this amazing ecosystem. This tour is led by knowledgeable and experienced guides and can also be done in small boats.
Cost: US$35 per person for up to 2 hours. $10 for each additional hour. Cost includes drinking water, light snack and guide. Minimum of 2pax |
Jason led our Monkey River tour and it was amazing. The depth of knowledge he has about the wildlife and flora in the area is impressive. Not only did we see a lot of wildlife (crocs, monkeys, manatees, birds galore, bats, otters, etc), but we learned a ton too. It was a great way to spend a few hours, and we felt lucky to have Jason as our guide.
-Brooke