Discover Belize - Natural History Museum of Utah
Go Learn

Welcome to Belize! You’ll meet your fabulous trip leaders — Jason Cryan and Kiley Morgan from the Natural History Museum of Utah, and Belizean guide Nathan Forbes — and fellow travelers at the airport for a late afternoon transport to the magical Mystic River Resort. This 2 to 2.5-hour drive will be worth the effort as you’ll be delighted by the comfort and jungle elegance.

On arrival, we’ll gather in the hotel bar for a welcome cocktail, followed by a healthy local dinner on-site. Those looking to start their tropical adventure will have the opportunity to explore nocturnal biodiversity on a short nature walk before turning in for the evening.

Hotel: Mystic River Resort, San Ignacio  opens a new window
Activity Level: Low

We’ll start our first full day in Belize with an optional birding walk in the early morning, followed by a Mystic River Resort breakfast. After prepping our day packs with essentials, we’ll board our bus for a drive to the higher elevations of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve to experience the protected Belizean pine forest ecosystem. Along the way, we’ll make stops to explore the majestic Rio Frio Cave and, if time permits, the complete darkness of the Domingo Ruiz Cave. We’ll also stop for a quick, refreshing dip in the Rio On pools, natural pools formed by a series of cascading waterfalls. Next, we’ll lunch at the Blancaneaux Lodge, one of Francis Ford Coppola’s celebrated Belizean hideaways, and then return to our own tropical hideaway at Mystic River Resort for some downtime at the swimming pool or spa.

In the evening, we’ll be treated to a guest speaker discussing Belize’s diverse cultural landscape. Later, an optional nocturnal nature walk will get us ready to turn in for the night.

Hotel: Mystic River Resort, San Ignacio  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Moderate

Start the day with a morning bird walk, you may see toucans flying overhead, hummingbirds feeding at flowers, or kiskadees calling from a branch. After breakfast, we’ll make our way to Barton Creek Cave, a cathedral-like wet cave nestled in the mountainous jungle of the Cayo District. We’ll explore the cave by canoe, discovering the breathtaking, live mineral formations and learning about how ancient Mayans used the cave in years gone by. Listed as #3 of “9 of the World's Most Unusual Cave Destinations” by Treehugger.com, Barton Creek Cave is sure to inspire awe and wonder.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Belize Botanic Garden, just across the Macal River from the Mystic River Resort. The Garden encompasses 45 acres of native and exotic plants that educate visitors on the floral biodiversity of Belize. Our tour guide will lead us on a garden walk to learn about native botany and medicinal plants.

Hotel: Mystic River Resort, San Ignacio  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Low

After an early breakfast, we’ll pack up for full day tour across the border to Guatemala’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tikal.

Tikal National Park is a national and cultural pride of Guatemala and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. At more than 220 square miles in lush rainforest, Tikal is one of the largest Mayan sites and includes thousands of ruins. The Great Plaza is most impressive with two massive pyramids, stelae, carved altars, ceremonial buildings, and palaces. It’s believed that Tikal was first occupied around 400 AD and reached its peak in the Classic Period, around 200-900 BC, when it dominated much of the Maya region politically, economically, and militarily. At its height, Tikal was home to an estimated 100,000 people; however, it experienced a rapid decline about 100 years later and was eventually abandoned for unknown reasons. The opportunity to hop across the border and visit such a majestic site in Guatemala is a must-do!

The Tikal excursion will be an all-day activity, so upon return to Mystic River, we’ll dine and bid each other goodnight!

Hotel: Mystic River Resort, San Ignacio  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Moderate

After breakfast, we’ll bid a fond farewell to Mystic River Resort and board our bus to the Belize Zoo, the “Best Little Zoo in the World.” There, our zoo guides will treat us to up-close-and-personal experiences with many of Belize’s mammals, birds, and reptiles. All animals in the Belize Zoo are rescue animals who, for various reasons (some are orphaned, others injured), cannot be returned to the wild.

After lunch, we’ll continue to the Jaguar Reef Resort, just minutes from the coastal Garifuna fishing village of Hopkins. The Jaguar Reef is a tropical paradise and a laid-back beachfront retreat with sunny skies and panoramic views of the ocean.

After a few restful hours, we’ll gather for a cocktail hour and scientific presentation, then make our way to a Belizean-style, four-course gourmet dinner at Chef Rob’s.

Hotel: Jaguar Reef Resort opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Low

Following breakfast at the Jaguar Reef Resort, we’ll make our way into the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, a nature reserve in south-central Belize known as a premier site for the preservation of jaguars. The Cockscomb Sanctuary is home to 200 jaguars and a habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals, including margays, deer, ocelots, pumas, howler monkeys, tapirs, and about 330 species of native and migratory birds. In the Sanctuary, trip participants will have the choice between a moderately strenuous hike to a beautiful, hidden waterfall or an easy nature walk through the Sanctuary’s lowlands.

We’ll return to the Jaguar Reef Resort, where lunch and afternoon activities will be on your own. The resort offers free use of kayaks and paddleboards, and has a rich selection of other activities for a fee.

Dinner is at a favorite Hopkins restaurant, Ella’s Cool Spot, and we’ve arranged authentic Garifuna drummers to perform. Drums are an integral part of the Garifuna culture, used to connect with their ancestors and express their identity during spiritual practices.

Hotel: Jaguar Reef Resort opens a new window
Meals: B, D
Activity Level: Moderate

We’ll enjoy breakfast with fabulous views at Jaguar Reef, and then we’ll pack up and make our way to the nearby village of Maya Center. There, we’ll learn about how one of the world’s most divine foods—chocolate—is made! We’ll start with a tour of a cacao farm, followed by a chocolate-making demonstration at Che‘il Mayan Chocolate, where you eat what you make.

After some small shopping opportunities in Maya Center, we’ll board our bus for a short drive to the coastal Garifuna city of Dangriga and our next destination, Pelican Beach Resort. At the Dangriga Pelican Resort, we’ll enjoy lunch by the Caribbean followed by a cultural discussion with Garifuna Museum Director, Ms. Elijio.

We’ll then board a boat for our journey to Pelican Beach Resort’s second location on South Water Caye, and our private, tropical island getaway experience.

After getting settled, we’ll gather on one of South Water Caye’s private beaches to get comfortable with our snorkeling gear and then enjoy some Caribbean-style relaxation time before dinner. Kayaks and paddleboards are provided for free use.

Hotel: Pelican Beach Resort, South Water Caye  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Low

You’ll notice that our Belizean adventures take a more relaxed tone on South Water Caye, as we enjoy the Caribbean vibes. After breakfast, we’ll grab our snorkeling gear and make our way by boat to a nearby coral reef site to explore the underwater ecosystem of Belize’s barrier reef. Back on South Water Caye, we’ll lunch and then have free time to play in the water or relax on your own. An evening science discussion will lead us into another delicious dinner, and then you’ll have the opportunity to go night-snorkeling off the award-winning beach to discover nocturnal marine life.

Hotel: Pelican Beach Resort, South Water Caye  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Low to Moderate (swimming)

After an island breakfast, we’ll board a boat to Carrie Bow Cay, one of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute’s (STRI’s) field research stations. Carrie Bow is a tiny island with laboratory research space for marine scientists who work on the nearly pristine reef and mangrove habitats of the coastal Caribbean ecosystems.

After our tour of Carrie Bow Cay, we’ll hop back in the boat for another snorkeling adventure before making our way back to South Water Caye for lunch and our last afternoon of beach life.

Hotel: Pelican Beach Resort, South Water Caye  opens a new window
Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Low

After an early breakfast, we’ll say goodbye to South Water Caye and boat back to the mainland Pelican Beach Resort. From there, we’ll take a short walk to the Dangriga Airport and board our local Tropic Air flight for the flight back to the Belize City International Airport, in time for your afternoon flight back home, loaded with enriching and happy memories of this Go Learn Adventure.

Meals: B, L, D
Activity Level: Moderate

Dr. Jason Cryan is The Sarah B. George Executive Director of the Natural History Museum of Utah, the largest natural history museum in America’s intermountain west. Part of the University of Utah, NHMU serves the entire State of Utah with world-class exhibitions, educational programs, and offsite outreach initiatives.

Jason’s academic background includes degrees earned at the University of Vermont (B.A., Zoology) and at North Carolina State University (M.S. and Ph.D., Entomology). An evolutionary biologist, Jason specializes in the biodiversity and evolution of remarkably charismatic insects (treehoppers and their relatives) that are entomologically famous for having bizarre shapes, bright colors, and interesting behaviors. Jason’s research has taken him around the globe on expeditions to study insect biodiversity in approximately 25 tropical countries.

Jason has been a museum-based scientist and administrator for more than two decades. He began his museum career as a researcher at the New York State Museum (Albany, NY), where he directed research in the NYSM’s DNA sequencing laboratory from 2001-2012. Jason then moved to the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh, NC) where from 2012-2020 he held the dual roles of Deputy Museum Director and Director of Research & Collections. Jason joined NHMU in 2020 as its fourth executive director, and proudly works with the Museum’s leadership team to shape the vision for the museum’s future and the strategic priorities to help it get there. He represents NHMU in several national museum organizations and serves on the Boards of Directors for the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and the US National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM-US).

Jason has deep experience in leading groups to explore the Central American country of Belize. His first visit to Belize was in 1997 – a honeymoon trip with his new bride. He returned to Belize twice in subsequent years for his entomological field research. More recently, from 2013-2020, he led annual trips to Belize for groups of educators and museum members from North Carolina, helping participants discover the amazing biological and cultural diversity of this gem of a country.

Kiley Morgan is an outdoor enthusiast and the Manager of Philanthropy and Major Gifts member at the Natural History Museum of Utah. For nearly 10 years, she has worked at the Museum to design unforgettable experiences that connect people with the wonders of the natural world. She has planned and led group trips to destinations throughout the Intermountain West, as well as personalized travel with Museum scientists to global destinations like Patagonia, Argentina, Death Valley, and more. Growing up in Park City, Utah, Kiley developed an early love for exploring nature, which has helped guide her career. She studied Spanish and Communication Studies at the University of San Diego before returning to the mountains and Salt Lake City.

Belizean Nature Guide

Nathan Forbes was one of the first licensed guides in Belize, and served as leader, guide, and naturalist with Jason’s group trips each year. Nathan’s depth of knowledge of the diversity of Belizean animal and plant life is unparalleled, and his care and attentiveness to the needs of his tour groups assure a personalized – and amazing – experience.