BELIZE AND HOPKINS ADVENTURE

Xunantunich

Your horseback riding tour begins at the stable where you get the best suitable horse for you. The ride starts on the savannah where you can observe the farm animals or the daily life of the farmers. A well-maintained trail will lead us to the river bank. We will ride on the river trail which heads to the village of San Jose Succotz. At the village, we will ride a hand-cranked ferry across the river and ride up to the site of Xunantunich. Here you will dismount and let your horses rest while we visit the site of Xunantunich. Home to the second-largest Mayan pyramid in Belize, Xunantunich is one of the most impressive Mayan sites in Belize. Xunantunich was a major ceremonial center during the classic period. Xunatunich (Maiden of the rock) is composed of six major plazas surrounded by more than 25 temples and palaces. The large pyramid, “El Castillo” rises 130 feet above the main plaza and offers an impressive panoramic view over the Mopan River valley.

Chocolate and Cooking Class

Spend time with a master chocolate maker who offers two-hour farm-to-factory tours including a trip to the cacao plantation. The full process is explained right through to the finished bar of dark chocolate. The Garifuna indigenous cultural and cooking class is guaranteed to be highly educational, entertaining, and interactive. Share the cultural value of the coconut trees engaging you in the interactive process of coconut harvesting, husking, tasting, grating, and milk extraction. Enter our traditional Garifuna kitchen where you can learn the cassava baking process and share many of our antique collection of artifacts with you. Fireheart cooking lessons are a unique experience where you get to prepare your own HUDUT traditional meal that is served for lunch or dinner. Culminate your Garifuna Immersion with sensational drum rolls learning the basic techniques of Garifuna drumming and music.

St Hermans Cave

St. Herman’s cave is an hour’s drive from Hopkins and less than two hours from Placencia. Cave tubing at St. Herman’s Cave starts with a 10-minute walk from the park to the cave entrance before you embark on your two-hour float in the cave. The experienced, licensed tour guide will provide interesting facts on the geology of the formations, the cave's history as well as the importance of caves in Maya culture. At the end of the cave tubing, you will walk back upstream, where once again you get a chance to see the cave and its spectacular formations. Before returning back to Hopkins, we can stop to visit the inland Blue Hole.

Monkey River Tour

The Monkey River adventure takes travelers deep into the land of howler monkeys, and other primates. This trip from Placencia to Monkey River village by boat passes through mangrove swamps and other exotic scenery that includes wild flowers, caimans, and manatees. This one-of-a-kind excursion is fascinating and fun for people of all ages. Learn more about life along a river bank that explodes with color and sounds. Birds, animals, and plants, all co-exist nicely here in southern Belize. Learn about medicinal plants native to the region and take a refreshing swim during your tour.

Hopkins

Traditionally a quiet, unassuming beach town, Hopkins in Belize has become a must-visit destination in the country. From its ideal location to many southern mainland tours, highly rated resorts, and authentic culture, to its proximity to Sittee River, Hopkins is a small, authentic Belizean village that is warm and welcoming. There is a large percentage of Garifuna settlers here, who have maintained their cultural traditions, such as drumming, which is a must-do in Hopkins. Directly adjacent to Hopkins is the Sittee River and “resort row”.

If you are looking to spend 8 days in Belize, then find out more about this Belize and Hopkins Adventure here!