Once in Belize, the quickest way to get around is by taking little hopper flights between destinations. Yes, you can drive or take water taxis if you are truly opposed to tiny planes, but why waste another few hours when you can knock out the journey with a 15-minute flight?
Tropic Air is the main local airline, and they were fantastic. Their check-in counter is about 30 steps from baggage claim (don’t let the overzealous airport porters make you feel Iike it is further...they got us!), and their staff is about as nice as can be. They checked us in and jokingly offered to send our kids along on another day (...I was tempted…). Our flight was not for another few hours, but they bumped us up, and we were loaded onto a tiny little plane about 15 minutes later!
It is tight quarters, and they are up and moving before you are even buckled in - but it was great!
A smooth ride with excellent views of the ocean and reefs, and then we were there! Up came the ladder, out came the bags, and we were off. They unload the luggage into an outdoor baggage claim area and then check your bag check tags and bring you your bags - nice and safe!
Then, you literally turn around, and taxis are lined up behind you!
On the way home, they have a tiny little terminal counter/gate area all in one.
They assign you to planes in order of your arrival at the airport, rather than by your set schedule. The boarding passes are plastic - similar to the old-fashioned “do not disturb” door signs from hotels - and they are color coded.
They hand out a dozen blue ones, then move on to red ones, then green and so on. As a plane is ready to go, they call a color, and everyone with that color boarding pass lines up at the door and walks out to the plane.
You hand them your pass as you get on, and they bring them back into the airport to use for the next group. Very simple and very effective!
Overall, Tropic Air gets two big thumbs up from me!
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.