New River JUNGLE
RIVER
New River Traveling the New River by boat and visiting the Lamanai ruins is an experience you won't want to miss. We've made this trip every year because our guests rate it as one of the top 3 places to see in Belize. The narrow river winds through tropical jungles, providing a constant parade of birds and other wildlife. Limpkins and Snail Kites are commonplace, but we'll also watch and photograph Black-collared Hawks and Boat-billed Herons. We'll see dozens of kingfishers and could find all five Belizean species from the boat. A pair of Jabirus usually nests in a massive Ceiba tree near the river and the young can also be seen about the time of our trip. The hardest of birds to find, but the most rewarding, are Sungrebe - not a grebe and usually lurking in the shade of the overhanging mangroves - and the even rarer Agami Heron, the shyest of its taxonomic family.
Lamanai
Our boat will stop at the Lamanai dock and we'll have plenty of time to explore the ruins nestled in a thick jungle, listen to Yucatan Black Howler monkeys complain loudly from the tops of trees, and hike the jungle trails. Every year has brought a different experience at Lamanai. Last year we discovered an ant swarm and marveled at the birds it attracted. Here's an excerpt from that day's journal:
A half-hour of watching gives us excellent views of Tawny-winged, Ruddy and Ivory-billed woodcreepers, Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Kentucky Warbler, Gray-headed Tanager, Red-crowned Ant-tanager and, most amazingly, our second sighting of a Black-faced Antthrush, this time with extended views of its full body. Watching over this procession is a Blue-crowned Motmot, perched silently low on a fallen branch.
Hill Bank
Last year we worked out the logistics on how to make the New River
trip better than ever, so that year after lunch, we continued our river trip, heading deeper into the interior
of Belize. This year again we'll stop for the evening at the Hill Bank research
station at Rio Bravo Conservation Area. Hill Bank is so remote that it is
nearly unreachable by road, although in 2005 two of our SUV's followed the
unmarked two-wheel track through the jungle for hours and, remarkably, one of
them encountered a jaguar on the way back, observing it long enough to take
multiple photographs. 
Hill Bank is built on the shores of the New River. We'll have a local
guide lead us on the trails through the reserve, explaining the medicinal
plants and pointing out the exotic birds. We'll also have canoes available to
reach the shallower and narrower waterways where the best of birds often hide.
Accommodations We will be staying at the Hill Bank Field Station. Most of the accommodations are dormitory rooms - shown in the photo - with adjacent shared bathrooms and cold showers, although a couple of large cabanas with private baths and hot showers have just been completed. Considering the remoteness of this location, the facilities are remarkably good. A large dining room will serve our meal needs, especially with the admirably prepared Belizean meals.
Price depends on your choice of room. All choices include the complete package as described above. Note, if all guests sign up for this side-trip (and we expect they will as in the past), then some rooms will need be shared.