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Welcome to Belize, where turquoise waters meet ancient ruins and everyday life flows with the rhythm of the sea. Our adventure begins on the Paradise Islands, tucked within the southern stretch of Belize’s Barrier Reef—one of the most pristine and biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth.
We’ll spend our days kayaking over shallow, reef-strewn waters, snorkeling vibrant coral gardens, and soaking up the sun on white-sand beaches. Evenings bring ocean breezes, delicious local meals, and the soothing soundtrack of waves beneath star-filled skies. It’s active, immersive, and deeply restorative—an island rhythm you won’t want to leave.
But this journey isn’t over. We head inland to explore Belize’s rich culture and ecological heart—spotting wildlife in jungle sanctuaries, paddling peaceful lagoons, and walking in the footsteps of ancient civilizations at the Mayan site of Lamanai. Along the way, we’ll meet locals who carry forward traditions in a rapidly changing world, offering insight into Belize’s layered past and vibrant present.
Perfect for those with an appreciation for other cultures and a bit of paddling and snorkeling experience, this small-group adventure offers the best of Belize—above and below the surface.
Maximum group size: 12
Trip Info
This trip is designed for women in good condition who want an active vacation in a warm winter environment. Our days are full, although there is time to relax built into each one and also the option to opt out of some activities if you want more downtime. The kayaking and snorkeling on this trip are truly intertwined, as we will do most of our snorkeling from our kayaks. The most kayaking we do in one day is 6 miles, with 3-4 miles being more typical. You should have some prior kayaking experience and be comfortable on the water as you may be paddling in rough or windy conditions at times.
Rating: 1 [2] [3] 4 5
Curious about how we rate our trips and how to prepare for yours? Explore our AGC Fitness Guide for more details.
We'll kayak, snorkel, and swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean. The coral reefs of Belize are known for providing both an excellent snorkeling environment and (usually) tranquil water. Some kayak experience is required; your guides will teach you safety skills and basic boat handling and paddling strokes. The kayaks are primarily double kayaks, but you can talk with the guides while you are on the trip if you would like the opportunity to try a single kayak.
Towards the end of the trip, we will make our way to inland Belize where we will be able to go birding and wildlife viewing in a renowned birding location - Crooked Tree Sanctuary. We will also enjoy some cultural exploration- visiting a Mayan ruin and getting hands-on demonstrations of what has sustained the economy of the local Crooked Tree village over hundreds of years, including a rice and log dye presentation, and a museum tour.
Wondering what kind of gear works well for our trips? Our AGC Gear Guide highlights some of our go-to favorites.
One night will be spent at the Tropical Education Center in Belize City, adjacent to the Belize Zoo. The Center has rustic forest cabanas, each on a raised platform, fully screened and equipped with two twin size beds complete with linens. There is a shared shower and restroom facility outside the cabanas.
Two nights at Tobacco Caye Paradise is a small Belizean-style vacation property with six private "over the water" beach cabanas. All cabanas face north to the Belize Barrier Reef and have wonderful decks perched over turquoise tropical waters. Each deck has a hammock and an amazing view of the Caribbean Sea. The accommodations are clean, comfortable and charmingly rustic. Each cabana has a private bathroom and cool (unheated) rainwater-fed showers.
We'll spend three nights at IZE on South Water Caye. These rustic seaside cabanas are nestled in the mangroves on the eastern shoreline of the island to take advantage of the cooling trade winds. They are so close to the water's edge that you will awaken to a view of the barrier reef and the sound of waves gently lapping the shore beneath you. The cabanas have private bathrooms with hot water showers.
The last three nights will be at Bird's Eye View Lodge, a family owned lodge in standard rooms with two double beds and en-suite bathrooms. Located in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary, this is a birder's paradise!
Trip Resources
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
So much -the beautiful locations, fun activities, and most of all the guides. Israel was amazing! His extensive knowledge and love of his country made this trip wonderful. I learned so much about Belize. Hayle kept things running smoothly. When weather prevented our planned water activities one morning she and Israel organized a demonstration on coconuts including hands on experiences. If there were any other glitches I was unaware of them.
The trip leaders (Hailey and Isrea)l were excellent! You could not find a better team!!!!
Having Israel as our local guide made this trip for us. I would rate it Excellent on him alone, but other factors on the trip knock it down to Very Good (just Fair in some regards). Israel was a wealth of knowledge on everything Belize- from history to culture to food to animals, fishes, plants, vegetation...everything. He is brilliant! He totally made this trip. Haley was a wonderful AGC guide and did everything right and what I have come to expect from AGC guides.
local guide Isreal and AGC guide Haley
Kayaking and snorkeling
Night snorkeling was very nice and we saw lots of activity including moving 🐙. No drama, everyone was flexible and friendly, including the guides.
Beatiful scenery, fantastic guides, and a fun mix of activities
In general- Great people, great guides, fun and interesting activities!
The guides ! The snorkeling, kayaking and the beautiful surroundings. Happy hours were a hoot.
I was able to disconnect from work, hang out in beautiful locations, see amazing wildlife, and meet some nice women. The snorkeling and kayaking were wonderful!
A great mixture of adventure and culture.
Our Belizean guides made the trip because of their knowledge and encouragement. The group was wonderful too!
It was a great group of women, and the guides were excellent! The trip had a lot of variety, and I enjoyed both the cultural aspects and the active portions.
A super group of compatable travelers and guides who paid attention to what we were interested in doing. The destination was beautiful and allowed me to see more of a country than just one spot.
This was an excellent trip for a first time solo traveler. We kayaked, snorkeled, fished, stand up paddled, stargazed, saw Mayan temples, went birding, and learned about the diverse culture and history of this beautiful country. All of this, while being gently organized by a local and AGC guide.
Beautiful diverse location
All of the adventures on the water and what the guides had to do to make it all happen.
lots of snorkelling excellent local guide (Wilson Ascencio) rekindled my love of birding
I enjoyed the locations, the guides, and meeting new people! The Islands and snorkeling were my favorite!
Lainie was a great guide. She really made an effort for each person; whether to help arrange transport for those that needed to leave early, or for finding a way to do something that may not have been on the agenda. She spent time with each person to get to know them. Our local guides were also excellent. Belize had been on my list of places for many years so having the opportunity to see many aspects of it was great. And with Lainie’s encouragement, I went SCUBA diving for the first time. With our local guide Ben, I was able to stand up and paddle on the SUP. With Wilson, becoming a bit of a birder. The people we met and traveled with also made it such a good trip.
The guides, both AGC and the local guide, are incredibly knowledgeable about birds and other wildlife.
The other women in the group and all the help and knowledge from our two guides.
The trek across the barrier reef from Tobacco Caye to South Water Caye was amazing. The islands had a good vibe too - it is very special to get away from tourists in the Caribbean. The women were great too. Everyone seemed to get along with each other.
I loved the cabana at Tobacco Caye. It felt like a tropical escape- like being a beach bum. The zoo was better than I expected. Having the howler monkeys waiting for our boat at the Mayan temple was a great touch.
Israel our guide
New challenges, amazing array of interesting women, helpful and inclusive Excellent guides all over
The variety of changes in location/accommodations with rotating roommates was great. Excellent guides; Alexa, Israel, Bryon
The gentle support provided by the guides. The chance to meet other women from around the states.
Spending 5 days on Belize’s Barrier Reef snorkeling during the day and at night.
The guides showing us fish. The guide identified 63 species of birds. Loved learning to sail a kayak.
The location is magical to experience. Activities are well planned and just challenging enough to give you a thrill and a sense of accomplishment when you DID it!
The knowledge and competency of the guides; our AGC guide Linda and our cultural guides, Israel and Clint.
The variety of activities that were provided each day, if you chose to participate, were well organized and presented in a very welcoming and non threatening way. The islands were beautiful, laid back and comfortable. The knowledge of the guide brought the trip to another level.
This trip went above and beyond expectations. With Linda (our AGC guide) and Israel and Clint (our Belizian guides) our days we’re full of activity options. The island accommodations were not crowded with tourists. Our guides gave us thoughtful guidance and kept us safe while trying out new water sports.
The location, the activities, and most of all the guides!
The local guides - they were the best!!
Year | Departure Date | Availability | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2026 |
January 23 to February 01 |
FULL |
$5295.00 |
2026
January 23 to February 01, 2026
FULL
$5295.00
Turn any trip into a private experience for your group, or let us design a custom itinerary just for you! Whether it’s friends, family, or colleagues, we’ll make your journey unforgettable.