Belize Liveaboard and Safari

Join us on our diving safari to Belize, staying onboard The Aggressor IV liveaboard.

Belize is a paradise for diving with lively world-class reefs to explore. The country has the second longest barrier reef in the world spanning almost the entire length of the country, we've selected two of the regions premier locations to feature on this safari - Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef.

On our journey, we will encounter a huge diversity of marine life followed by topside excursions to Guatemala's famous Mayan ruins, Tikal, and some of Belize's wildlife sanctuaries and best know sights.

This small group tour on board the ‘Belize Aggressor IV Liveaboard’ offers seven days at sea combined with 4 days of land touring. We can expect to do around 27 dives while onboard. We will be travelling to the more remote reefs to dive the very best sites that the region has to offer, before heading inland to some of Belize's must-see Mayan ruins and wild life sanctuaries, as well as over the border into Guatemala for  day trip to the spectacular Tikal.

This is an exclusive diving trip onboard Belize Aggressor IV. On board we’ll cruise between Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef.

You will be met upon arrival in Belize City and transferred to the Belize Aggressor IV for the first part of this diving and land touring adventure.

Diving in Belize is quite stunning- combining fringing reefs, walls, crevices and sandy bottoms dotted with coral bommies. The reefs are adorned with gorgonian fans, enormous sponges and healthy soft corals – providing a perfect backdrop for the myriad of marine life on offer in the Caribbean Sea. Common sightings include eagle rays, nurse sharks, various eels, tarpon and turtles.

Turneffe Atoll

We start our diving at Turneffe Atoll. Located 32km (20 miles) east of Belize City and surrounded by deep oceanic waters, it is considered the largest and most biologically diverse coral atoll in Belize. The land and seascape consist of a network of reef flats, creeks, and lagoons dotted by more than 150 mangrove islands and higher cayes. Large expanses of sea grass habitat the shallows providing important refuge for reef fish, critters and a variety of other marine life.

The reefs are very colourful. with hard and soft corals in abundance – huge Gorgonian fans and elephant ear sponges sway in gentle currents, fish life ranges from large groupers, tarpons, eagle rays, jacks and reef sharks to schools of angel and butterfly fish. The barrel sponges are impressive in size- many taller than an average diver, and several wider too! Hopefully we will also get to spot the endemic white spotted toadfish here on one of our night dives.

From Turneffe we move east to Lighthouse Reef.

Lighthouse Reef

Lighthouse reef, best known for the great Blue Hole, which was made famous by Jacques-Yves Cousteau when he declared it one of the top ten dive sites in the world.  As you drop off the shallow sandy reef you are met with bottomless darkness (about 100m deep),  with the first shelf of the collapsed underground cavern beginning at about 30m with huge stalactite formations.

Other dive sites on this reef include walls, boulder formations and fields of hard corals. These sites provide great chances to see nurse and reef sharks, eagle rays, jacks, groupers and possible Spanish dancers! Hopefully we can spot some red-lipped batfish here too.

On the final day onboard, the yacht will return to Belize City, and after lunch, we will disembark and go to Altun Ha, one of Belize's famous Mayan ruins. The site is about an hour from the jetty, along quaint country roads, secondary rain forest and Creole villages. From in amongst the isolated farms rises the majestic ceremonial center that is Altun Ha (meaning rock stone water). After a guided tour of the Mayan site, we return back to the boat for a sunset farewell cocktail party with the crew, before we hop back ashore for a group dinner in a nearby restaurant. We spend the night on the boat.

The following morning we disembark by 8am to continue our exploration of Belize above water. We head to the Crooked Tree wild life sanctuary. This large area of wetland is home to a variety of birds including various egrets and herons, the Jabiru Stork and the Jacana. We also hope to see crocodiles and iguanas too.  We then proceed to the Community Baboon sanctuary, which is home to Black Howler monkeys. Here we will walk the trails of a nearby rain forest in search of the monkeys in their natural habitat. These are the loudest creatures in the rain forests of Belize, and their screams are unexpectedly loud and deep.

We will then travel to the hill top town of San Ignacio where we will send the next three nights.

The next morning, after breakfast, we take our passports and head north to Guatemala, where, just over the boarder, we will visit Tikal, the ruins of one of the largest Mayan cities in the world. This UNESCO Heritage site is really impressive- set in the tropical rain forest, surrounded by massive cedar trees and Kapok trees (scared to the Mayans), the ruins raise up well over 50m from the ground.  Our guide will explain some of the history and meaning behind the temples, residential areas and other buildings. This is a site to behold- straight out of Indiana Jones. We will return to the hotel in San Ignacio for dinner.

After breakfast the following morning, we have an exciting activity planned- cave tubing. The most popular and highly rated activity in Belize (diving aside), and for good reason- this adventure is lots of fun. After an easy walk in the jungle (dive booties or similar would be perfect), we enter the cave system, hop into our tubes, and slowly float down the gentle river enjoying the cave's stalagmites and stalactites, before returning to the starting point.

After lunch we proceed to Belmopan, the capital city of Belize, for a short city tour, before returning to our hotel to relax. before our last group dinner.

On our final morning, we are transferred back to Belize City to connect with our onward flights.

Belize Liveaboard and Safari Price:

£3450  per person (Twin/Double Share)

INCLUSIONS:

• Return airport transfers
• 7 nights’ accommodation on The Belize Aggressor IV, with all meals and snacks
• Complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks onboard the Belize Aggressor IV
• Services of dive guides and boat skiff for multiple dives each day (expected number of dives- 27)
• Three nights accommodation as the Cahal Pech Village resort in a standard room, full board.
• All land tours with local guide, including entrance fees.

EXCLUSIONS:

• International/Domestic flights
• Dive rental equipment
• Tips
• Travel and dive insurance
• Port and Park Fees (US$110 per person)
• Drinks when not onboard the Aggressor.

The Belize Aggressor IV is a 138ft world-class liveaboard yacht complete with 10 cabins which come equipped with private bathrooms, showers and air conditioning. The onboard menu features chef- prepared international cuisine catering for all dietary requirements, as well as offering complimentary soft drinks, beer and wine. All guests are welcome to bring a bottle of their favourite liquor too.

As well as a spacious lounge and dining area, the ship has a large sun deck, bar, grill and hot tub with internet service available through the satellite system (for your own account). At night presentations can be hosted in the lounge, as well as movies and games. A small library of books for exchange is also maintained onboard, along with lots of fish ID reference books.

The ship has crew of 7 on hand to ensure comfort and satisfaction for all. Most of our dives are made from the deck at the rear of the yacht and the tender is used for easy pickups from dive sites when needed. The tour will also be fully escorted and hosted by a member of our team.

Mastercard and Visa are both accepted onboard for any extras and port fees.

There are many flight options leaving from the UK to Belize's International Airport - Belize City (TZA) has flights routing indirectly via New York (JFK) and Atlanta (ATL) with an average travel time of 19-21 hours.