stakerk

Any recommendations for a tour operator to plan our trip? We would like to visit ATM cave and do some other activity like canoeing. Would like to take a day trip to Tikal, Guatemala. We would then like to go to one of the Cayes for a few days. Any tour folk you would recommend to set this up for us? Considering Belize Explorer and Mayawalk so far.

Thanks

Kevin from California

hopefulist

Belize is the easiest Latin American country to plan your own trip to. Not only is it English speaking but it has an incredible internet presence. You'll need a tour company for some things but planning and scheming is half the fun of traveling for me. That said, check out www.pacztours.com , too. We used them for the ATM trip last summer and were pleased.

You can do a day trip to Tikal but if at all possible, plan to spend the night. It's incredibly different to be able to explore in the cooler evening and early morning hours when wildlife is abundant and you practically have the place to yourselves. As a day trip you're there for a few hours in the heat of the day (and it tends to be HOT) along with the crowds of day trippers from Guatemala as well as Belize. Probably still worth it if that's all the time you can muster - the place is amazing.

If you let us know how many days, when you're planning to travel, and your general budget for lodging lots of us would be happy to make recommendations. In the mean time check out my photos; there are travelogue and/or blog links on the main page of the collections. Tikal photos are in the Belize 2003, Guatemala 2007, and Guatemala 2009 collections. Happy trails!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections

ShellD

I'd agree with hopefulist about planning your own trip to Belize. Most of the hotels you'd stay at can help you with the excursions you want to do and you can plan them once you arrive.

We travelled to Belize for the first time last summer and loved it. We did plan our own trip, with help from here and some internet research.

We also used www.pacztours.com for the ATM tour and it was fabulous! They were the tour company our resort used (we stayed at Chaa Creek. We did a day trip to Tikal and sure a longer visit would have been great, but we did get to spend quite a bit of time there and it wasn't incredibly crowded. However we were there in August which is a very slow time of year. After Chaa Creek we went to Ambergris Caye and stayed at Portofino. The transfers were included in our package with Chaa Creek and Portofino arranged the transportation from Belize City to Ambergris Caye.

You can view my pictures at:

http://tripspicsandtales.blogspot.com/ in the September Archives.

If you need any help, the people here can offer great suggestions for pretty much any budget!

Patty

Hi Kevin! When are you going to Belize? We're headed back the first week of Jan staying at Duplooys and Thatch Caye.

stakerk

We would like to go January 16-25. I was wondering if it would be possible to fly into airport near Tikal (Flores?) in Guatemala. Rent a car to visit Tikal, the drive over the border into Belize and stay in maybe San Ignacio, see ATM and do some other things, then drive the car to Belize city and go and stay at Caye Caulker or some other Caye for a few days. Thoughts? I had thought about not using a tour operator. With the miracle of this internet, it is amazing how you can book you own trip now.

Kevin

hopefulist

You can fly into Flores but I'm quite sure you can't rent a car in Flores, cross the border into Belize, and leave it in Belize City. It's easy to arrange a shuttle to Tikal from Flores and from Tikal to San Ignacio and onward.

Patty

Looks like we'll just miss you! Have a great trip!

stakerk

We ended up booking our own trip. The key was we stayed at Chrystal Paradise Resort near San Ignacio (technically in Christo Rey). They are great. They had a shuttle pick us about at the Belize International Airport. They used their own tour guides or made arrangements with other operators for the day trips to Tikal, horseback riding, Caracol, ATM Cave (the best, WOW!). The cabana was OK, a good value. Their food was great. They were charming (a family run place).

One of the sons was our tour guide after we checked out. Drove us to do the cave tubing and zip line on the way towards Belize City. He then dropped us off at the water taxi terminal for Caye Caulker (he could have helped us a bit more there but OK).

Took the water taxi to Caye Caulker. Bobbi of Caye Caulker Accommodations met us at the wharf. Had a golf cart taxi for us. Checked us in at her office. Then took us to the Caye Reef condos, not cheap but well worth the money. We had a great time. Enjoyed dive instruction with Belize Diving Services. Then especially enjoyed a great day with Ash of French Angel Expedition (www.frenchangelexp.com) diving and snorkeling (highly recommend).

Took water taxi to City. Taxi for the four of us to the airport was about $30 US I believe.

A great trip!

Kevin from California

Patty

Glad you had a good trip! We rented a condo from Bobbi last year too.

hopefulist

Great - thanks for sharing!