Shore Excursions In Guatamala And Belize

[lhaddon]

We are booked on the Norwegian Sun out of NOLA on 11/26/06. I was wondering if anybody who has just gotten back or has been before could recommend a good shore excursion for Guatamala and Belize. I've heard that you have to be very careful in Guatamala and am somewhat appreheisive about getting off the ship without something pre-planned. The same with Belize. There will be a group of about 15 people ranging in age from 6 to mid 50's so we need something appropriate for kids also. Thanks so much!

 

Lora

[newlywedcruisers]

We are booked on the Norwegian Sun out of NOLA on 11/26/06. I was wondering if anybody who has just gotten back or has been before could recommend a good shore excursion for Guatamala and Belize. I've heard that you have to be very careful in Guatamala and am somewhat appreheisive about getting off the ship without something pre-planned. The same with Belize. There will be a group of about 15 people ranging in age from 6 to mid 50's so we need something appropriate for kids also. Thanks so much!

 

Lora

You will be better off posting in the Guatamala and Belize port of call threads, but while you're here...

In Belize we did cave tubing w/ Yhonni, this was pretty entertaining (probably won't do it a second time, but it was worth it to do it once) at cave-tubing.com. It's 45/pp and takes a few hours.

[lhaddon]

Thanks for the replies. I looked in the Ports of Call section and didn't see Guatamala or Belize listed so I decided to post on the site for the cruise that has already taken place and hopefully get some good recommendations.

 

Lora

[tammlynn]

We are booked on the Norwegian Sun out of NOLA on 11/12/06. I have found a few private excursions and am contemplating trying a couple of them when my husband and I are in port (I will write a review when we return on whatever we decide to do).

I have done the cave tubing with Cavetubing.com and had a great time with an informative and hilarious guide who modified our excursion to be exactly what we wanted (we didn't want to eat at the restaurant and wanted a tour of downtown Belize City)!

If anyone has tried these tours I would really appreciate their opinions. Here are the tours I have found on the internet and the information I received when I e-mailed the companies.

 

Santo Tomas, Guatemala

 

 

El Delfin Tour Operator

 

Paseo Marcos Sanchez Diaz

Livingston, Izabal

http://posadaeldelfin.com

 

RIO DULCE -LIVINGSTON TOUR

 

9:30am Departure from Cruise Terminal to Livingston – 20 minutes - this short trip takes you along the shoreline were you will see the San Hill Mountain and the villas of the coast.

10:00 am – arriving at Posada el Delfin in Livingston were you will be taking your lunch order.

10:15 am. Departure to the hanging gardens of the canyon of Rio Dulce this is a lazy river with 300 feet walls full of jungle vegetation. While at the canyon we will visit the Water Springs and be able to see the “Cows Cave” and the “Pioneers Wall”.

11:00 pm. We will enter Rio Tatin Creek and visit the The Children’s School inside the jungle. We will see the Maya Indians manufacturing art crafts and you will interact with kids from the school that are learning about the tourist industry. A Maya Ketchi guide will take us into the jungle for a 5 minute tour to learn about medicinal plants from the area. ( if you don’t feel like walking into the jungle and visit the school, you will have time to swim in the crystal clear waters of Rio Tatin).

11:45 pm Departure Rio Tatin and visit the Hot water Springs and the “Lake of the Lilies” and the Children´s School.

1:30 pm Lunch at Posada El Delfin were you will be able to taste one of the following:

Catch of the Day, Sea Bass, Chicken or Steak

all with a complimentary soft drink, beer or a glass of wine.

2:15 pm –You will learn to dance “Punta” the Garifuna dance, and be entertained with Folkloric African music –when available-.

2:30 pm - We will take a “cititour” in the Village visiting the Fish Market, Main Street and the “Iguana Sanctuary”

3:30 pm - Back to the Cruise Terminal

4:00 pm - End of the tour. Until next time!

 

Tour Price: Adults $75.00

Kids under 12 $50.00

Or

 

Rio Dulce Tour

From Javier Putul at info@hotelcasarosada.com

"It is a pleasure to write back to you. Our tour is along the Rio Dulce

Area, which we recommend to do it, because is the most beautiful

environment we have here. Now i have the opportunity to work directly

at Santo Tomas de Castilla so we depart as soon as we meet at the

reception area at the port, go to Exotic Travel Agency Counter. I

would like to work more with small groups of visitors, because i

understand that no everybody like to go with a group of 20 or 30

people. Our price per person is US50.00 with a minimum of 6 people,

US300.00; it includes only the transportation from Santo Tomas de

Castilla to Livingston-Rio Dulce Trip-Livingston and Santo Tomas de

Castilla. For the moment i have no other request for this date, maybe

we can post an add at cruise-critic.com to get more people for that

date. Tomorow i will go to Santo Tomas, to try to get a boat trip to

rio dulce and after here i will let you know if i found another way to

get more people.

 

As soon as we pas by Livingston we begin to navigate throw the

impressive Canyon of the Rio Dulce, we make a stop at the Rio Tatin

where you will have the opportunity to buy handmade crafts from the

Local Queqchi people at the Aktenamit Project, we make a small walk to

the spring of the river (swim if is your desire), after here we head to

the lagoons area (water Lily's and mangrove environment) here we get in

to the networks of lagoons an small rivers. Then we visit the bird

island and we head to the other side of the park to visit more lagoons

and the beautiful Calix River.

 

If you like to have lunch our restaurant can serve local seafood: (Not

included)

You can choose between our Traditional Local Garifuna Soup calls

Tapado: soup based of coconut milk an spices with shrimp, fish, crab

and plantains.

Marinated Grilled Shrimp, served over rice and veggies

or Filet of Snook: served with rice and veggies.

 

Our meals start with a green salad, coconut bread and homemade dressing

and finish with dessert. If you would like to make a short walk into

town is also possible..

 

We planned to go back to Santo Tomas de Castilla between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m.

Hope to hear from you very soon, please let me know what you think if

you have more question, please send us more mails, kind regards,

 

Javier Putul."

 

In Belize

Horseback riding

 

I have outlined for you below how a normal day unfolds at Smugglers Run.

 

First either Cathy and/or myself will meet you and your husband as you step

off

your tender. Cathy will be holding up a Smugglers Run paddle sign with your

last name. We then move through the city up to Smugglers Run. Once there, we

match the rider with their horse, introduce you to the guides, and

proceed into the jungle for an approximate hour and a half ride. The ride

starts and finishes at the main Palapa building. Walking only is permitted

along the trails as there are prickles, vines etc. More experienced riders

can canter with the guides after the jungle ride in the open fields. 80

percent of the trail is covered under canopy so extreme heat and sun are not

too much of a concern.

 

After the ride we all sit down for lunch. You have a choice of either a

local Belizean fair of rice and beans, Belizean chicken, a vegetable or

potato salad or bar-b-que chicken with fresh hand made flour tortillas,

baked beans, and coleslaw. All lunches come with a desert, water, and fresh

juices. Beer, sodas, and mixed drinks are of course always available at

additional cost.

 

After lunch we normally take a ride to the back of the property where the

horses are kept. Young foals are presently being delievered. This is usually

a real special treat for young children and adults alike.

 

You will be riding through the jungle so you should plan or bringing or

wearing some sort of protective riding gear although we have had people show

up in sandals, swim suits, and sunscreen.

 

Afterwards we head back to the tourist village to get you back in time for

your tender and/or some shopping.

 

Riding Rates:

Price per rider including lunch runs $50.00 u.s per person for aprox. 1.5 -2

hour ride. We arrange all tranfers to and from the Tourism Village at a cost

of $15.00 u.s per person (round trip).

Payment can be by major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or

by direct wire to my account in Miami. Details of which I can send if you

prefer this method.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions. Look forward to seeing you and

your husband in Belize.

 

All the best....

 

J. Trevor Miles

Smugglers Run Plantation

Belize

 

Or

 

Ziplining

 

The canopy tour is $70 usd p/p included all fees and tax charges.

there more space for more people. We meet at the dock where the tender dock.

If you want to book this tour we meet at the dock where i will be with a sign that have your name clearly on a white paper that you can see. If you do not see me, go to terminal 4 where there is a both (k11) and ask for Margaret the both located as you pass Mamasita bar on the out side of the terminal near the water side almost on the pear.You can pay on arrival,

So please inform me if you want to do this tour.

any other informaton please feel free to ask.

Thanks Margaret.

 

Margret Tillett

 

Or

 

Canopy tour from

cyoung@jaguarpaw.com

The cost is $110.00 per person for both trips , lunch and

transport.

Cy Young

 

 

 

 

 

[tammlynn]

We did the following shore excursions in Guatemala and Belize!

 

Santo Tomas: We booked a tour portside from Exotic Travel. We boarded a boat with 10 others and the tour stopped in Livingston for 30 minutes and then drove down the Rio Dulce. Fascinating area and wild scenery. People live along the river and get around by using dugout canoes. A man and his son came up to us and proudly displayed their fish they had just caught! Our guide (I do not know his name since he never introduced himself) explained very little. A few of us did ask the guide questions in which he asked the boat captain and then gave us a brief translation of whatever the boat captain said. Sometimes he just ignored the questions. A few of us wanted to stop in Livingston on the return which he said was possible but that was ignored and we were brought promptly back to the ship by 2:15. We spent $100 on this tour and definitely did not feel it was worth the cost. We would not recommend Exotic Travel to future visitors. :confused:

Belize: We reserved a horse-back riding tour through a company called Smuggler’s Run.

We were met promptly by Melanie at the cruise ship port and she drove us about 30 minutes to her family plantation giving us an informative cultural and historical tour as we passed various sites. We had a great ride through the jungle and walked around the farm with Trevor, the owner who was very warm, funny, and hospitable and we loved hearing about his adventures. Afterwards, we dined under a palapa and had a fantastic Belizean meal before we were dropped off back at the terminal with plenty of time left to shop. We were truly treated like honored guests and the horses were well cared for and gentle. We would highly recommend this tour.

:)

[Twiinie]

We just got back from our cruise on NCL. We booked an excursion online through Belizeexcursions.com and did the Xstream cave tubing and zip line combo. I highly recommend it as it was the highlight of all the ports we visited. Our guide, Xavier, was very knowledgeable and informative as he talked to us on our way there (giving us a brief tour of Belize City) and also while walking through the jungle. Both the zip lining and cave tubing were SO much fun! The oldest member of our group was 69 and she enjoyed it also.

[papaglock]

Be very careful in the Caribbean port in Guatemala! I spent 15 days in the Highlands, but the person I was with has been living there for 30 years. There are go/don't go places that should be followed closely! I am talking about staying on one side of the street versus crossing! Go to the State Department or Google the port name + security.

 

Guatemala is a wonderful country, you just need to follow the rules of the road! Pick pockets and slash and dash crimes are rampant in areas with heavier walking population.

 

Tony

 

 

We are booked on the Norwegian Sun out of NOLA on 11/26/06. I was wondering if anybody who has just gotten back or has been before could recommend a good shore excursion for Guatamala and Belize. I've heard that you have to be very careful in Guatamala and am somewhat appreheisive about getting off the ship without something pre-planned. The same with Belize. There will be a group of about 15 people ranging in age from 6 to mid 50's so we need something appropriate for kids also. Thanks so much!

 

Lora