Your Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and The Belize Zoo tour starts An hour northward out of Belize City, your disembarkation point, along quaint country roads, secondary rain forest, Creole villages and isolated farms, rises the majestic beauty of the Maya ceremonial center called Altun Ha (rock stone pond).

Royal priests ruled Altun Ha for many centuries, and traded with other Mayan centers in Meso America. Some 55 years ago, Dr. David Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, along with his excavation team, discovered a tomb of a priest in the Temple of the Masonry Altars, and in it, a nine and three quarter pound jade carving of the Sun God, Kinich Ahau – a world famous event! Climb prepared stone steps to the stars! Surround yourself with the aura of these ancient stargazers living in the rain-forests of Belize. After a delicious Belizean lunch, travel travel west to The Belize Zoo, the only zoo of its kind in the western hemisphere.

The Belize Zoo delicately combines all the fascination and appeal of a stereotypical zoo with a well monitored conservation effort which allows native wildlife to flourish within its unique natural habitat.

Certainly, the zoo’s most attractive feature is its user friendly layout consisting of a variety of well constructed walkways, spacious viewing platforms, and interactive exhibits which allow visitors to get up close and personal with the animals behind the safety barriers of carefully re-created habitats. Each exhibit is intricately tailored to the specific species which it showcases by the use of all indigenous shrubs and trees as well as the inclusion of well landscaped ponds and wetlands.

The over 40 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles include the country’s most revered national symbols particularly the colorful keel-billed toucan, the majestic tapir or “mountain cow”, and rare black orchid in addition to the towering jabiru stork, elusive black jaguar, and playful howler monkeys.

After your tour of the Belize Zoo re-board your van and return to Belize City, to your accommodation, water taxi or municipal airstrip.