Howler monkeyThe howling began before sunrise. Having stayed in jungle lodges in Costa Rica and Guatemala, we hoped that we would hear howler monkeys again. This time, it sounded like they were perched in the trees directly above our cabin. As it turned out, they probably were. The other-worldly sound of howler monkeys is hard to describe, a combination of wild animal and horror movie make-believe. During our 4 night stay at Lamanai, we saw and/or heard howlers every day, including a close-up encounter on our deck.
The Lamanai area has been protected for the past 30 years. While there is a village nearby, the lodge is situated on a large lagoon and feels very remote. There are only two ways in or out – via boat up the New River (our arrival) or via 4-seater Cessna (our departure).
The Lodge is located a short walk away from the ancient Mayan city of Lamanai, one of the longest occupied Mayan cities. Our guide Levy was both well-informed and passionate about the Mayan civilization and read aloud the temple inscriptions in the Mayan language. While not as spectacular as Tikal or Chichen Itza, it affords the unique experience of walking among and climbing temple ruins with no crowds. By the time we finished our exploration in the morning, the day trippers from the cruise ships were just beginning to arrive.
During our stay at Lamanai, we took dawn canoe trips and walks, sunset cocktail cruises on the lagoon, night walks and night spotlight safaris by boat where we saw crocodiles and nocturnal birds. There’s much to see and remember about Lamanai – the well-informed naturalist guides, the amazing moonrise over the lagoon, the stunning variety of birds in the marsh, and the unforgettable sound of the monkeys.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
7 hours ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
22 hours ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
5 days ago
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
6 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.