Belize Tours - Adventure Life Testimonials and Reviews

Belize Explorer - Glovers Reef

Amanda Campbell (Belize Explorer - Glover's Reef, Feb 2006)
The guide from Pook's Hill was amazing. He was extremely knowledgeable about the Mayan culture and local wildlife, and he went out of his was - bent over backwards - to fit in extra time for bird watching with me.

All the folks at Glover's Reef were very accommodating and also knowledgeable. The dive master was skilled and a great naturalist. He was very good at making us feel comfortable and safe underwater. I went on a night dive with him and it was spectacular!

I was truly blown away by the phenomenal adventures on this trip!

Kathleen Nilles (Belize Explorer - Glover's Reef, Feb 2006)
The trip was an excellent combination of activities and sights.

Janie LaBree (Inca Pathways, Jan 2006)
I can't say enough about this experience. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done, but also one of the best trips I have ever taken. While it was a real test of my strength and endurance, it was also enlightening, fun, and a real bonding experience.

To those who feel adventuresome and reasonable fit - I highly recommend this trek. If I had unlimited time and money, and there weren't so many other places to go, I would repeat this trip in a heartbeat! Thank you Adventure Life for the experience of a lifetime. I feel very fortunate to have done this.

Ambergris Caye

Mary Ann Brueckner (Ambergris Caye + Belize Explorer, Feb 2011)
We liked Pook's Hill VERY much and would like to return. Loved the local food and communal tables at Pook's. We chatted with lots of interesting people. All the staff at Pook's and Xanadu were perfect. Our guides were excellent. Especially Mike, from Pook's Hill who accompanied us to Tikal and stayed with us for two days. We had to force him to leave us when we reached the airport at Flores! Xanadu is excellent and only lacks morning coffee/continental breakfast. Our expectations for San Pedro were low - the aerial views made it look crowded and too commercial. But we were charmed. It's like a funky, slightly rundown Key West. Very relaxing. We had never used a travel company before - always used to doing it on our own. Well, we've changed our minds. This trip was so effortless and enjoyable. Well done Adventure Life!

Rainforest and Ruins

Judy Ross (Rainforest and Ruins, Mar 2012)
Marissa had taken the trip already and was able to tell me exactly what to expect which was great! She answered all my questions and was a pleasure to deal with. The lodge was well situated and each cabin was placed to provide the guests with a good deal of privacy. The local staff were nice and helpful and the guides were very knowledgeable and helped make the trip terrific.

Thomas Wilusz (Beautiful Belize + Rainforest and Ruins, Feb 2011)
Marissa and Ashley were very helpful in setting this up. All in all a great trip. Wished weather would have cooperated a bit more so I could have done more bird photography around Pook's Hill. Pook's Hill local guides were excellent. I didn't really research Belize too much before I went. ATM cave was amazing and unexpected. Nice touch of stopping by the Belize Zoo on the way to Ambergris Cay flight as I arrived too late when I first got to Belize. Took a while to get to the Tides when I arrived. Had to waive down a cab to get to the airport on San Pedro when departing. But it's so laid back there and I could have actually walked so it wasn't a big deal. I was a bit worried of not getting a snorkel trip in at the Tides, but the owner arranged for two of his crew to take me out by myself as no other people were scheduled. That was actually pretty cool not having a group of snorklers around me - had the reef to myself!

Danielle Anna Bernard (Rainforest and Ruins, Mar 2008)
Excellent, Marissa Jensen and Monika Sundem were amazing! They were so supportive and helped me every step of the way. Without them my trip would not have been as wonderful as it was!

Both accommodations were wonderful! I was so happy with the service, the staff was excellent and the excursions were great!

I can't wait to book my next trip! The only problem is, with all the great choices its hard to choose which one to do next!

Lynda and Kurt Navratil (Rainforest and Ruins and Hamanasi Adventure, Aug 2007)
We loved the trip. We were able to get a great feel for the country and culture. All of the guides were wonderful - they put in long strenuous days and were so friendly. The food was excellent and all of our transportation was organized and on time. We had a great tour!

Michael and Afshin Andreas (Rainforest and Ruins + Glover's Reef, Apr 2006)
All of the people made us feel so at home. They are what made the trip!

Belize Explorer

Yvonne Macartney (Belize Explorer + Reefs & Cayes, Jan 2009)
Special mention to Marissa, who was very helpful and came up with the idea of Pooks Hill, Tikal & Flores. The flights were perfect, on super little planes that actually made flying fun again. Look forward to traveling with you again.

All were good, but a special mention for ''Mike'' from Pooks Hill (who also came with us into Guatemala and looked after us ..we expected to have to muddle through ourselves with our very limited Spanish) and Ian who cooked for us in Placencia.

Rebecca Scherz (Belize Explorer, Jan 2009)
Marissa was wonderfully responsive and helpful, especially regarding our particular issues with storing luggage in Belize and coordinating Becca flying in from Costa Rica.

We absolutely loved Pook's Hill and Vicky was extraordinarily helpful in rearranging our itinerary due to sickness of Jeff. The room in Tikal was lovely and the location was terrific. The Tides Resort was in a great spot and run by really great people.

It exceeded all of our expectations. Between the natural beauty of Belize and Tikal and the professionalism of the staff and guides we met along the way, it was truly a trip to remember.

Belize Adventure - Ambergris

Jennie Hansen (Belize Adventure, Jun 2012)
Marissa was a true joy to work with. She designed a holiday to perfectly suit my needs. Sullivan was terrific at putting the final touches on my trip. When I requested an upgraded hotel she reworked my trip to include a spectacular hotel and gave me the ability to dive instead of snorkel. The dive trip will be one of the most memorable moments of my life. Everyone in Belize was warm and welcoming but the guides and hotel/lodge staff were extraordinary. Prompt, courteous and willing to do whatever it took to make the trip more enjoyable.

Belize Explorer - Ambergris Caye

Luciana Castilla (Belize Explorer, Feb 2013)
It was a wonderful tour with my two girls (15 and 13yo) and my mother. It catered for all our needs and expectations. We were well served all the way. Really good food!!! Loved Pook's Hill and Blue Tang Inn. Jungle Lodge at Tikal is more impersonal but as good as you get on the location. People from Poo's Hill and Blue Tang were really professionals, caring and informative!!! Really good.

Allan Mowat (Belize Explorer, Jan 2012)
Many thanks for arranging such a great itinerary and for all the excellent arrangements, which worked out perfectly. The mixture of places and activities was ideal and your choices of accommodation, local guides etc were all excellent. I particularly enjoyed Pook's Hill and the excursions associated with it, as well as the visit to Tikal in Guatemala. Pook's Hill is a lovely place and the staff go out of their way to make you feel at home - a real gem and the excursions are excellent. The ATM cave is amazing - hard work though and I'm not sure we realized we'd be swimming for a fair part of the time! The Jungle Lodge in Tikal is perfectly located, but the food and staff weren't great. However it was very good to spend the night at Tikal and I appreciate there's not much choice there. I found Ambergris Caye less interesting, although the snorkeling trip was very enjoyable and it was good to have a couple of relaxing days after the busy time at the start of the tour. I had a wonderful time.

Wendy Prober (Belize Explorer, Dec 2011)
From start to finish, our trip was great. The local guides were friendly, personable and very knowledgeable. The accommodations at Pook's Hill were outstanding and really made the trip. We met fantastic people on the tour that we really enjoyed spending time with. The ATM cave was the absolute highlight of our trip and will last with me for the rest of my life. Hector was an amazing guide--knowledgeable and conscientious. The whole trip (Belize Explorer) was perfectly balanced with adventure, sightseeing and relaxing (despite the rain in Ambergris which prevented us from snorkeling--boo hoo!)

Wendy Prober (Belize Explorer, Dec 2011)
We LOVED our trip. Pook's Hill was amazing, the hospitality superb and really a magical setting. Whatever Vicki does there is great. I would definitely put a stay at Pook's Hill for at least 3 or more days. We could've spent another day there. Our favorite part was hands down the ATM cave. I've never gone caving before and now I can't wait to do it again. Combine that with the archaeological aspect and it was truly spectacular. Tikal was fantastic also. I've been wanting to go to Incan/Aztec/Mayan ruins and never had the opportunity (didn't feel safe to to Mexico City) so it was really special. Tikal was breathtaking and I learned so much. From what I heard from fellow travelers, Costa Rica is great, but doesn't have the rich history (I could be wrong) and so is great for the outdoorsy party. What made this trip so great is that it had adventure, sightseeing, and relaxation.

Beautiful Belize

Kelly Drake (Beautiful Belize, Nov 2012)
We had a great time. The activities, accommodations, food & guides were all great & I would definitely go again! Pook's hill was a very neat place, but obviously not for everyone. If you need a/c, wifi & a tv, then this might not be the place for you. I personally really enjoyed it--the bar/lounge/"lobby" area was beautiful & good for getting to know other travelers. The rooms were quite comfortable & clean. The blue tang inn was also very comfortable & very spacious. The kitchen was nice to have, although all of the food from pook's hill lodge was excellent!! I especially enjoyed the breakfast, but dinner was also very good with options for vegetarians also. They're also very accommodating with food allergies. We only had breakfast at the blue tang inn... which was not as good as pook's hill, but definitely did the trick. We did a fishing excursion in ambergris caye & had fresh fish, lobster & conch expertly prepared by the captain!

Anna Paquet (Beautiful Belize, Oct 2012)
I had an excellent time. The Mayan ruins, ATM cave and other tours were awesome. I wish I had booked a longer tour. I would have booked an extra day at pook's hill and done a zip line and cave tubing tour in addition to the other activities.

Russel Goettemoeller (Beautiful Belize, Aug 2012)
Enjoyed the entire trip! The weather was great and the Pooks Hill staff was fantastic. The food was homemade and was fantastic. The pooks hill staff was great. Very friendly and accommodating.

Deborah Attard (Beautiful Belize + Beaches and Rainforest, Jul 2012)
I was very happy with adventure life, the balance between planned activities and free time, the eco-friendly guest houses and accommodations, the balance between fun and relaxation. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly and fun to spend time with. This was felt mostly at Pook's Hill in Belize and Selva Bananito Lodge in Costa Rica but all guides in all activities were very helpful and friendly! Prior to our trip, Adventure Life's tips and advice helped a lot and we felt that before and during the trip there was always someone looking out for us. This was very helpful to us especially since we were two girls traveling alone in an unknown country. So, Thank you so much for your great service and we would consider your services in the future again!

Treasures of Belize

Angela Harteg (Treasures of Belize, Mar 2010)
I have included the emails we sent to our family and friends while we were on our trip. I think they tell it all. 1st e-mail: Hello from the jungle! We just came in on the boat (and I mean that quite literally)! This place is beautiful! The lodge looks like something out of Robinson Crusoe but the coconut cream pie is better than what he might have had! Angie: The boat ride is was a hour and half down a river. Just haley and I and our boat guide. It was so cool. He stopped and pointed out all kinds of wildlife on the way. Including bats hanging on the underside of a branch. The is apparantly a big draw for bird watchers. We have met several at the lodge. One very cute couple from England. Our room is a cabana in the jungle. It is open air(screened) with a thatched roof and ceiling fan. It has a wooden shower and toilet. Very cool. They have a safe in our room for us to store all our valuables( oops we forget to bring valuables)Haley: (and by safe we mean an old army shell box with a lock). Haley: The people here are all so friendly! Everyone has met us already! We miss you all and wish you were here! We are already signed up for a night jungle walk tonight and we are going to hold a tarantula!!!! And hopefully see bats and giant rodents! Tomorrow we are off to the Mayan ruins and after that who knows!!! Talk to you all later! For all the paladins happy ... Read All

Lynn Green (Treasures of Belize, Jan 2009)
The local guides were amazing and so knowledgeable!

I loved the lodge at Lamanai so much. The local guides made the world of the Mayas come alive for us, and they were great naturalists as well. On our local tours it was just John and me, and they really focused on what we were interested in seeing, and answered all our questions. The staff at the lodge made us feel very welcome.

Hamanasi Adventure

David Lawson (Hamanasi Adventure, Dec 2012)
I can't wait to go back and will use Adventure Life for all my planning!

Cyndi Craig (Hamanasi Adventure, Dec 2012)
It was wonderful!!!people; food; excursions and just waking up to the ocean views and the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.....couldn't have been better....like a place you read in about in a Hemmingway novel...... The guides and local staff were great! I didn't feel good one day and they were at my door asking what I needed and providing special assistance when I was feeling better but still didn't feel like eating what was offered on the menu....they prepared a broth soup and anything else that would make me more comfortable....I hadn't been drinking enough water and got a touch of heat stroke...they also provided me with electrolytes which led to a pretty fast recovery....a special thank to all of them!

John Daniels (Hamanasi Adventure, Nov 2012)
The treehouses were great- staff was amazing - they knew our names when we arrived and all the time we were there. Great food with variety.

Terry Hoffmann (Hamanasi Adventure, Nov 2012)
You have great trips and I will definitely travel with you again - hopefully soon. Traveling with Adventure Life has been great for me - I don't have to worry about anything and never had a single problem. I traveled with another adventure company once before and had some logistical problems where things did not go as planned - but I always know I can count on Adventure Life and your partners, which means I can just relax and enjoy the trip!

Beth Ares (Hamanasi Adventure, Jul 2012)
I think Hamanasi is doing it right. They have lots of smiling staff. The food is very good. I enjoyed all the activities I chose. The hike into the Jaguar Preserve was very neat and best of all after a sweaty hike you get to cool off in the falls. I loved the snorkeling, it was like swimming in an aquarium. We got to see rays, sharks, beautiful colorful fish and the coral was gorgeous. The trip to the Mayan ruins was very nice. There was lots of beautiful country side to see. Xuntunich nice large ruin and the large temple was beautiful. The view of the countryside was breathtaking. I liked Cahal Pech better. It was a smaller ruin and is still being worked on. Tourists weren't all over it and had a more intimate feel.

The trip seemed seamless to me. Waits at the Dangriga airport were not very long. Staff was always waiting after an excursions. Hamanasi staff is some of the best. Everyone smiles and greets you and tells you their name. I loved my adventures. All the guides were great and very helpful. I particularly liked Lorenzo, he was the guide in the Jaguar Preserve. Golden was excellent too. He was the guide with my Mayan tour. I give all I met at Hamanasi a five star.

Belize Adventure

Craig Depperschmidt (Belize Adventure, Jan 2013)
Great trip overall, excited to go back. Great guides! The weather could have been better, but the accommodation were great! Well planned out and organized, thanks!

Gail L'Esperance-Norris (Belize Adventure, Jun 2012)
We enjoyed ourselves immensely. I was looking for an adventure tour with my grandson and this was adventure. Before the Cave Drop, we had to sign a waiver stating 'Death May Occur'. I think this was the highlight of the trip for my grandson!! Everything about Pook's Hill was fantastic. The guides were very knowledgable and gave us the adventure of a lifetime. The food was wonderful, healthy, local, and all natural. We had home made bread every day! A real treat of the foods of Belize. Our room at Poo's Hill was in the middle of the jungle, so we woke each morning to the sounds of Howler monkeys, parrots, and all the wonderful jungle wildlife. Absolutely the best.

Carla Harker (Belize Adventure, Mar 2012)
Belize is my favorite country so far. The people were overall nice, the tours felt very safe, and the guides were extremely knowledgeable about their country. The managers of the lodge, Dave and Kat, did a great job of keeping things organized. I was never confused about when I needed to leave or what I needed to bring. One bit of advice for the easily-burned: bring twice as much sunscreen as you think you'll need and consider wearing long sleeves. That tropical sun is brutal.

Suzanne Arnold (Belize Adventure + Hamanasi Adventure, Nov 2011)
Marissa was great in helping plan the trip and made suggestions based on personal information. I really appreciated her help. Ashley was very responsive in later emails as we were getting ready to leave. Great customer service!! Our tour was more than I expected. It was truly spectacular. Francisco at Pooks Hill and Hector at ATM Cave were outstanding.

Regina Rector (Belize Adventure, Mar 2009)
My traveling group consisted of myself, my 14 y.o. nephew, my collegue travel partner who is 69 and her friend that is 73. WOW! We all did great, even the caving at Actun Tunichil Muknal. We tubed down the Caves Branch River and hiked all around Xunanchunich (sp?). We got bit by sand flies (even through all our deet), sunburned alittle, found scorpion in bed and wouldn't change anything. Priceless.

If questions came up I felt very comfortable calling or emailing to find out any answers.

Cooks were all great. I wish I had one at my house all the time.We looked forward to every meal. We didn't miss a one and we worked up quite and appetite hiking, snorkeling or kayaking around. I liked that a lot of it was traditional to the area, not too salty or oily. Everyone could find something that they liked and most of the time our plates were heaping.

The guides and other staff that we came across were all very knowledgable and friendly.

Reefs and Cayes Kayaking

Randy Benson (Reefs and Cayes Kayaking, May 2012)
I did enjoy the trip overall. We had plenty of snorkel time and it was excellent which was the objective of the trip. I wished we could have been a little more free in the snorkeling as we had to stay close to the guide mostly. There was more kayaking than I thought there would be. The accomodations on Tobacco Caye were excellent. I really liked the cabanas on the water and the hammock. Southwater Caye was also very good and acceptable.

Turneffe Atoll Adventure

Nancy Smith (Turneffe Atoll Adventure, Oct 2010)
The staff at Adventure Life make it easy to arrange - we have taken several trips through Adv. Life and sure we will be taking more in the future. All trip arrangements were very good.

La Ruta Maya

Amy Sonbuchner (La Ruta Maya, Nov 2012)
We had a fantastic time in Guatemala and Belize. We felt like we were able to see so many unique places in a fairly short amount of time. From caves to Mayan ruins to markets to canoeing on a lake and river we experienced the highlands and the jungles of Guatemala and Belize within the comfort of a private vehicle and with the knowledge shared from trusted guides.

Victoria House

John Strange (Victoria House, Feb 2011)
I want to give Adventure Life my highest praise. They are consistently outstanding at every level, from the office staff, to the lodges/hotels they choose, to the local guides that they use. The phone support is excellent. I had several pre-departure questions that were handled very well. This is my second trip with them and I can't wait to book my third trip. Keep up the great work.

The Inn at Robert's Grove

Robert Becker (The Inn at Robert's Grove, Dec 2010)
Our family has done a fair amount of traveling, and we found that the folks in Belize were overall the most friendly and helpful of ANYWHERE we've been. Placencia Village turned out to be a great place to ring in the New Year's. The Barefoot Bar and the Purple Space Monkey Restaurant were definitely up to the challenge- even to us jaded Californians.