Nestled in a 29 acre sanctuary located only 30 miles west of Belize City, over 125 native Belize animals are helping to educate an audience of the necessity of preserving the natural habitat that has helped to place Belize at the top of the eco-tourism list. Begun in 1983 by Sharon Matola, the Belize City Zoo has gained international recognition for its efforts to teach future generations an attitude of respect and responsibility for the diverse natural habitats and species in Belize.
Visitors walk on a network of raised gravel paths through natural savannahs and transplanted rainforests to different exhibits complemented by humorous, hand-painted signs that call attention to the varying habitats and endangered status of each animal. Those desiring to see theses magnificent creatures including howler monkeys, jaguars, and toucans must be patient and have a keen eye since the thick cover of the vegetation in these large enclosures often makes spotting these animals a bit of a challenge. The interactive informational exhibits along the way and the innovative visitors’ center help inspire children and adults alike to learn about these native creatures and make this zoo one of the most kid-friendly attractions in Belize. A large attraction is the celebration of April the tapir’s birthday, in which kids from all over the country come to help feed her a cake made of vegetable mash!
The Belize Zoo, cooperating also with the Tropical Education and Research Center adjacent to the sanctuary, has experienced great success in raising environmental awareness in Belizeans and visitors alike to work towards respecting and restoring the deteriorating habitats that harbor these spectacular species of wildlife. A small gift shop is also open to the public and visitors will want to bring a hat for the hot midday sun and a bottle of water. The zoo operates daily and is open from 9 am to 5 pm.
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
5 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
6 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
1 week ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.