Belize Birds Nature Itinerary and onto Guatemala

I'd stay the last night at the Trek Stop between San Ignacio and the Guatemala border. You'll need to cross a few miles from there. Lots of photos and recommendations below if you're interested. Happy trails!

There's only one legal border crossing into Guatemala from Belize -- at Melchor de Mencos near Benque Viejo. The Trek Stop is a great choice.

You might think about adding time for the Programme for Belize lands in Orange Walk District. You can stay at the moderately priced La Milpa Field Station. It would be great to stay at Chan Chich Lodge, which has excellent birding, but it's expensive -- you could visit on a day trip. And you could also visit Lamanai and the New River Lagoon.

Also think about adding time for Toledo District (far southern Belize).

--Lan Sluder
http://www.belizefirst.com

John, thanks for reminding me to check out belizeaudubon.org. A place I had not read about was listed: Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary.

Lan, to go south and lets say stay in Punta Gorda and bird Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary would add three days to my trip (1/2 day to get there with a late afternoon of birding, a full day of birding, a morning of birding and then on to Placencia). Would you recommend this additional stop if I had to give up time somewhere else in Belize? Or should I make this an alternative and/or a stop for a different trip?

Lan, La Milpa Field Station appears to me more expensive than Birder's View. Money will most likely make the decision for me on this location.

Lan, you are confirming what little info I have found to date on crossing into Guatemala -- thanks.

Hopefulist: Trek Stop is the price range I am looking for. The reviews are less than great on Trip Advisor but as I noted above money will most likely make the decision for me on this location and therefore Trek Stop is an early looking winner. I like your photographs.

Thanks for everyone's input and Hopefulist have already read some of your postings in Guatemala.

Surprised at some of the reviews of Trek Stop on TripAdvisor. It is an inexpensive place (very inexpensive by Belize standards) -- not sure what people expected from it. The two American partners haven't been there in the last year or so due to health issues, and I imagine the Belizean partner, Tino, has had to handle a lot of extra stuff himself. Tino was very hospitable and helpful to me last summer. I still recommend it highly as an excellent value in a budget place, with a great location near Xunantunich. For meals, you can't beat Benny's Kitchen in Succotz village, just a walk away.

La Milpa probably is a little more expensive than Bird's Eye View in Crooked Tree. The two are quite far apart (by road). It would be a place to base in for visits to Lamanai and Chan Chich as well as around the La Milpa Maya site. VERY different from Crooked Tree village. In Crooked Tree you might also look at Crooked Tree Lodge, which reopened a couple of years ago and isn't in all the guidebooks yet. Maybe a little less than Bird's Eye View.

I'm not really sure about birding at Aguacaliente. I'm at most a casual birder. The thing about far southern Belize is that it has true rainforest, lush, with tons of rain, very different from most of central and northern Belize.

--Lan Sluder

I read through the newest reviews of the Trek Stop and I wouldn't let them put you off. I stopped by for a great meal and to see Tino and the butterflies last August and the place looked great. It is what it is - an eco-friendly budget place in a great location and setting (and yes, you'll hear birds in the mornings - part of what we loved!).