Belize provides a terrific introduction to neotropical birding. Belize has long enjoyed a reputation for unsurpassed natural beauty, with 570 bird species documented in a country just the size of Massachusetts. Two-thirds of Belize is covered in tropical forest, half of which is old growth primary forest, and home to howler monkeys, tapirs, anteaters, and the occasional lurking jaguar. The country is also full of mangrove communities, riparian lagoons, coral reefs, and outlying islands, home to bustling seabird colonies. And, it’s an easy destination to sample international travel. English speaking, rural and uncrowded, it’s also a quick flight from several USA hubs.

We are pleased to offer many Belize birding tours and Belize nature tours every year. If any of our Belize tours or other Central American birding tours pique your interest, please contact one of our travel planners.

Guided Group Tours

Group travel is rewarding and fun! With more eyes you see more species. Travel Planners of Naturalist Journeys have been creating memorable journeys for 40+ years. We offer you small-group birding and nature tours, limited to just 8-13 persons led by expert guides. Learn and explore with like-minded people, enjoy local food and culture, and immerse yourself in birding and nature.

Conservation Corner

We value conservation – it is at the heart of our work. All Naturalist Journeys’ tours support local conservation projects. Browse the links below to learn more about positive local work to save and conserve the wildlife and landscapes we visit.

Belize Audubon Society
Belize Audubon Society, the country’s foremost conservation organization, manages the permanently protected Blue Hole National Monument, part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site.

Toledo Maya Cultural Council
The Mayan Indians in the Toledo District of Belize seek to protect their cultural survival, their land, and traditional way of life from the threat of development. Through the Toledo Maya Cultural Council, a proposal has been made for a fully protected Mayan homeland.

Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team
Belize Audubon and the National Audubon Society partnered to monitor and protect Scarlet Macaw nests from poachers in a project known as the Scarlet Six Biomonitoring Team.

Chan Chich & the Rio Bravo Conservation Area
512,000 acres encompassing Chan Chich and the Rio Bravo Conservation Area are part of the tri-national Maya Forest (“La Selva Maya”) found in Belize, Guatemala (Maya Biosphere Reserve), and Mexico (Kalakmul Reserve). Collaborative multi-national conservation efforts are underway to protect the forest, create linking corridors, and create sustainable development — all goals of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, a regional conservation effort that seeks to link green areas throughout the region to promote biological and genetic diversity and healthy ecosystems.

Jaguars
The Belize government is committed to jaguar conservation, and jaguar are regularly seen in the Gallon Jug Area, including in Chan Chich. Panthera’s Jaguar Corridor Initiative works in Belize and across the jaguar’s entire 6-million kilometer range from northern Mexico to Argentina to protect and connect core populations, and thus preserve the genetic integrity of core populations.

Lamanai Research Arm
Lamanai Outpost Lodge is located in an ancient Mayan Center, continuously occupied for almost three thousand years. A wide variety of habitats include the New River Lagoon, the country’s largest inland body of fresh water. The Lamanai Field Research Center monitors crocodiles, wild cats, and the endangered Hicatee, a Central American river turtle which is collected for its meat, eggs, and shell.

Pine Ridge Reserve Area
The Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve is the oldest and largest protected forest area in Belize. Hunting was banned on the reserve in 1978, further protecting cougar, jaguar, ocelot, coati, and tapir, along with many bird species.

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