Private, Family Tour - what sites to include?

[gbce08]

We are planning to take a private tour of Belize, because we have small children (6 months and 3 years) and need flexibility. My parents (62 years) are also coming. We would like to get some history, visit a few "must see" places, take a walk/splash on the beach and shop. This may be ambitious with our varied age group, but in any case, we would appreciate a few recommendations of some of the highlights the city and surrounding area has to offer. We would love to see Altun Ha, but aren't sure if it will be too far. Perhaps if there were other places to stop along the way, we could make it. (It's hard to keep the kids in the car for an hour straight.) Is the zoo anything special? We have a local zoo we go to all the time, so we would only do that if it's unique in some way. What is the best family beach nearby? Could you recommend one or two tour companies that can accommodate six, with air conditioned vehicle, knowledgeable guides, and flexible itinerary? I know this is asking a lot, but I think it's our best bet rather than a specific shore excursion with a long bus ride and no way off if one of the babies melts down. (I have read through the board some already, but have not seen much about this type of tour.) Thanks!!!!!

[driftwood]

. . . is about thirty miles from every other site. So you really do need an objective. Altun Ha (considered a "half-day" trip) is an excellent objective, for example, and it is the nearest major Mayan site to Belize City. There is a snake farm on the way to Altun Ha, and there is "Old Belize," a newly-built museum with some interesting exhibits combined with an artificial beach called "Cucumber Beach," which has many interesting and safe things for young children (perhaps not so amusing for a six-month-old, but it DOES have clean restrooms) on the way to or way back from Altun Ha. If I were attempting this excursion myself with a group like yours, I would contact Major Tom to see if he could help you. He has the most comfortable air-conditioned vans (Toyota) that I encountered in Belize: but if he is unable to take you himself, he knows every other tour guide in Belize and would I am sure be happy to arrange your tour with the most reliable of them.

 

If you would like to contact Major Tom but are unable to discern his website addresses from the other postings on Cruise Critic, write me directly at dreynolds@aol.com and I will be happy to provide you with them. I would not feel comfortable recommending anyone else without Major Tom's advice myself--he really is one of a kind!

 

Sadly the zoo, which contains only Belizean animals and is therefore quite fascinating, is thirty-five miles inland in another direction. It is quite a beautiful zoo, with a tapir, a jaguar, an ocelot, a sort of black jaguar, howler monkeys and a number of other animals--both kinds of native crocodile, for example--but it is a sort of "enlightened" zoo, built to please the animals, and I think your children might be too young to buy it. Nothing much is "in your face," except the jaguar, when he is in a mood, so you really need a guide along as a "spotter," or you might miss most of the animals yourself!

[Paumavista]

We just visit Belize last week with the Carnival Legend and met with a great guy (recommended here - Ivar) - he was super knowledgeable and offered to arrange any "tour" we wanted. We choose to go to an island and snorkling but next time I'm sure we'd leave it up to him.

 

If you'd like his email please let me know - I highly recommend him.....

Judy

Panamoka1958@yahoo.com

[gbce08]

Thank you both for the advice and input. We are still undecided about what to do. We are going to have a whirlwind day in Cozumel the day before and are contemplating a "wait and see" mode for Belize. In other words, we would wait until that day and decide how adventurous we feel. With this option, we would hire a private tour guide once we got into port and probably head to Altun Ha. What kind of risk are we talking about with malaria there? No one seems to talk about it much on these boards, but with such young kids, it's something for us to consider. Our other choice would be to take it easier and possibly do a carriage ride through the city then maybe shopping or the beach. I see that RCCL has a horse and carriage tour but I can't find anything online to hire one ourselves. Is it something you can just walk up, find one and hire it then and there? Or do we have to book the cruiseline's excursion to do that? For some reason, we're having a hard time quite figuring out the best approach for Belize. Thanks!!!

[driftwood]

. . . although a light coat of insect repellent will keep you from any discomfort.

 

If you do not see Major Tom or his son waiting at the Cruiseship Terminal--for they would be willing to advise you on the spot and perhaps personally arrange whatever you want--, you can walk two short blocks to the Radisson Taxi Drivers' Association bench outside the Radisson Fort George, and ask for Daniel Itzá, who is a licensed tour guide and an excellent taxi driver, with a dark blue Toyota van of his own. [it was he who took us on our tour of the Belize Zoo, so I do have a good idea of his personality and his driving skills.] Major Tom has told me that all of the RTDA members are dependable, and I believe that is true; but we have not driven with all of them ourselves, as we were usually with Major Tom.

 

As RDTA members are not ordinarily fighting for fares down by the Cruiseship Terminal itself, they are usually very low-key, available, and willing to take groups at a package rate WHICH IS MUCH LOWER THAN IF YOU BOOK WITH ONE OF THE "TOUR COMPANIES" WHICH HAVE DESKS INSIDE THE HOTELS. But of course you may make arrangements as you wish.

 

The carriage tour I have seen moving along at a festive clip with a very good-natured horse, but I could never quite piece out where it began or where one could book it. It should be possible to get that information at the Cruiseship Terminal, however. But Altun Ha is not a very strenuous place to visit, and if you have any energy left you should try to get there, as it is well worth seeing.

[cruises travel]

you can the zoo beach and shoping and you have alot of time .go to the zoo and went come back from yo stop a s part call old belize were there is a beach there and then you can http://www.belizetraveladventure.bravehost.comgo shop

belizetraveladventures@yahoo.com

[driftwood]

What I believe cruises travel is recommending in his inimitable style is a museum/"beach" [water park] combination called "Old Belize," which is located a short distance north of Belize City on the Northern Highway. Any cab driver would be happy to take you there, and it is really inexpensive for a family with children. You can read all about it at this website:

 

http://www.oldbelize.com/

 

The Belize Zoo of course is thirty miles inland on the Western Highway, a somewhat more expensive project best visited with a cab driver who is also a licensed tour guide; but there would very likely be time to "do" both locations if you wanted.

[Boo's Mom]

We booked a private tour for my family of four....

with this company:

 

http://www.experiencebelizetours.com

 

I can find the link to my review, if you are interested.

 

I highly recommend this company.