8 Nights · Reef + Rainforest

8-Night Belize Reef and Rainforest Itinerary

4 Nights at Casa Al Mar + 4 Nights at Chan Chich Lodge

Two of Belize's most remarkable destinations in one trip. Begin your journey on the Caribbean Sea at Casa Al Mar on St. George's Caye, where your days revolve around the Belize Barrier Reef: snorkeling, fishing, island hopping, and chef-prepared meals. Then venture deep into the Maya Forest to Chan Chich Lodge, a wildlife-rich jungle retreat surrounded by 30,000 acres of private nature reserve.

Casa Al Mar is a private, fully-staffed island home taken by one group of 8 to 14. Arrival is short: 20 minutes from BZE to the Belize City dock, then 20 minutes by boat to the caye. The reef and the rainforest are linked by boat and road, so there is no domestic flight.

Days 1–4 · Casa Al Mar (St. George's Caye, Belize Barrier Reef)

Day 1: Welcome to the Island

Arrive at Belize's International Airport (BZE), where your host greets you and coordinates the short transfer to Belize City. From there, board your private boat for the 20-minute ride to St. George's Caye. After settling in, enjoy welcome cocktails and a short briefing with your host and chef to plan the final details of your week, then your first chef-prepared meal, a swim off the east dock, and your first Caribbean sunset.

Day 2: Snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef

Spend the morning exploring the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your captain and guide pick the snorkel sites by the day's weather and visibility, with many just a 15 to 20 minute boat ride from Casa Al Mar. Every outing includes water, drinks, and snacks while you're on the boat.

Return to Casa Al Mar for lunch, then an afternoon of kayaking or a hammock. The second evening is a good time for a full walk around the caye. Dinner is served family-style in the main dining room.

Day 3: Caye Caulker & Island Hopping

Cruise to nearby Caye Caulker, about a 35-minute boat ride from St. George's Caye, for a day of island exploration. Along the way, stop to snorkel coral gardens and swim with nurse sharks and rays, a highlight of the day. On the island there's time to wander, then to try your hand at feeding the tarpon on the west side, before the ride back to Casa Al Mar for sunset and dinner. It's a full day, and worth every minute.

Day 4: Fishing & Sandbars

Spend the day enjoying Belize at your own pace. Try drop fishing from the boat in the morning, then a visit to nearby sandbars to soak up the sun in shallow water. You can stay an hour or stay four. It's the most Caribbean afternoon of the week, and easy to come back to before the trip is over.

If luck is on your side, the chef can prepare your catch for lunch or dinner. On the sandbar, snacks and a bartender come out on the boat, so you don't have to get out of the water for anything.

Days 5–8 · Chan Chich Lodge (the Belize Maya Forest of Northwestern Belize)

Day 5: Journey Into the Jungle

After breakfast, return to the mainland by boat and transfer to Chan Chich Lodge by road, about 2.5 hours, as the lodge sits deep within one of Central America's largest remaining tropical forests. Flights to the lodge are available but not included in this rate; our team is happy to get an estimate if you'd rather fly.

Along the way, watch the landscape transform from Caribbean coastline to farmland, savannah, and jungle. On arrival, settle into your cabana and head out on your first guided wildlife excursion. Sunset at Laguna Verde is the one to catch.

Day 6: Wildlife & Ancient Maya

Begin the day with an optional birdwatching walk before breakfast. Later, explore the ancient Maya plaza located directly on the property and learn the history of the site. Spend the afternoon on a guided safari drive, searching for wildlife such as coatimundis, peccaries, monkeys, and possibly even Belize's elusive jaguar.

Day 7: Explore the Maya Forest

Choose from horseback riding, canoeing on Laguna Verde, hiking jungle trails, or additional wildlife safaris. This is your opportunity to experience the incredible biodiversity that makes Chan Chich one of Belize's richest wildlife destinations. As darkness falls, venture out on a night safari to discover the forest's nocturnal inhabitants before dinner.

Day 8: One Last Jungle Adventure

Enjoy a final morning immersed in nature. You might choose a sunrise birding excursion, or a leisurely breakfast overlooking the forest before spending the day on the trails and with the wildlife. Celebrate your final evening with dinner at Chan Chich Lodge and one of the lodge's trail-camera viewing sessions, after a week that has taken you from the world's second-largest barrier reef to one of Central America's most important wildlife reserves.

Day 9: Departure

After breakfast, transfer directly to Belize's International Airport for your flight home. Over nine days, you'll have experienced two completely different sides of Belize: the reef and the rainforest, the sea and the jungle, all without ever needing a domestic flight.

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Common Questions

How do you get from Casa Al Mar to Chan Chich Lodge?

By boat back to the mainland, then about 2.5 hours by road to the lodge, deep in the Belize Maya Forest. Flights to the lodge are available but not included in this rate; the team can get an estimate if you would rather fly.

Do you need a domestic flight for this trip?

No. The whole itinerary runs by boat and road, from the reef to the rainforest, with no domestic flight.

What is Chan Chich Lodge?

A wildlife-rich jungle lodge in northwestern Belize, surrounded by 30,000 acres of private nature reserve in the Belize Maya Forest, with an ancient Maya plaza on the property.

Can you see a jaguar at Chan Chich?

Jaguars live in the reserve and are sometimes seen on safari drives, but no sighting is guaranteed. Coatimundis, peccaries, monkeys, and a wide range of birds are far more commonly seen.

How many nights are at each place?

Four nights at Casa Al Mar on the reef, then four nights at Chan Chich Lodge in the rainforest, for eight nights in total.

Other Casa Al Mar Itineraries

Prefer one base? See the 7-night reef and Maya itinerary (Casa Al Mar only, with a Lamanai day)

5-night group itinerary

7-night scuba diving itinerary

Group vacation rental: rooming, rates, and how the house works