Belize Tour with Adventure Life
Recently, my sister, brother-in-law, wife and I went on a tour of Belize with the award-winning travel company Adventure Life. Our goal was to spend a few days in the jungle and ultimately end up on the beach with cocktails in hand.Flying from Missoula, Montana is a pain no matter how you slice it. We had to leave a day early and overnight in Houston before catching an early morning flight to Belize City. When we arrived, the Adventure Life guide was there to great us with a big smile and nice van for transport.We loaded up and headed to our first destination, Pook's Hill Lodge, at the foothills of the Maya Mountains, bordering the Roaring River and Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Situated within a 300 acre Private Reserve, Pook's Hill is a perfect base to experience the wildlife of Belize.
After a two hour drive and lunch stop, we arrived at "Pook's". The lodge is built around an ancient Maya plaza with 11 thatched roof cabanas overlooking the forest canopy and creek below. The bar/veranda is ideal for birding or just relaxing in the tranquil setting. An open bar and delicious Caribbean-style cuisine makes you feel right at home. We even busted out the guitars night one!
Activities at the lodge include: birding, hiking, river tubing and swimming. Pook's is walking distance from Actun Tunichil Mucnal, the most adventurous caving expedition in Belize. Cave tubing and canoe tours on the Belize and Macal rivers or tours to Caracol, Tikal and Xunantunich are also offered.
During our three day say at the Belize jungle lodge, we explored the ATM cave and roaring river, zip-lined, hiked all around the grounds, and spent a lot of time sipping Belikin beers and soaking up the gorgeous jungle surroundings. A family of howler monkeys perched above our cabana kept us awake a few nights calling to another family across the jungle. It was awesome.
Pook's feels like home and I would recommend it without reservation. Vicki, the lodge owner, is amazingly hospitable, the food is fantastic, and the activities happen seamlessly. (Side note: We shaved my brother-in-law's massive beard one afternoon, which floored everybody at the lodge. In fact, nobody recognized him. Vicki actually came up and re-introduced herself only to quickly realize who she was talking to. Can you believe that's the same guy?!).
Next, we headed to Robert’s Grove, a beautiful beach hideaway in Placencia. Our 30 minute flight via Cessna was a bit bumpy, but once we arrived everything was perfect . We filled our days snorkeling, boating, and sipping more Belikin beers. Whether you are looking for an active Belize adventure or a relaxing holiday, this hacienda-style inn has everything to make your Belize vacation a memorable one.
We road bikes 4-miles to the town of Placencia one morning. The community offers a number of amazing bars, restaurants, shops and even dance clubs. Our favorite restaurant was Omar's. We had authentic creole cuisine that was absolutely delicious. Our group had a wonderful time on this authentic Belize holiday arranged by Adventure Life!