Guided Lamanai Mayan Ruins Belize Tours with Lunch
Description
Our mission is to provide you with an unforgettable tour experience that's tailored to your interests and needs The Lamanai Adventure offers an exciting and immersive experience exploring the ancient Maya ruins of Lamanai. The tour typically includes a scenic riverboat ride along the New River. Once at Lamanai, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the impressive temples, including the High Temple, the Mask Temple, and the Jaguar Temple. The tour also features a buffet lunch with traditional Belizean dishes, providing a delightful break amidst your adventure1. Lamanai Belize Tours is known for its knowledgeable guides who share fascinating insights into the history and culture of the Maya civilization. This isn't just a tour; it's a journey through time, a celebration of nature, and a chance to connect with Belize's vibrant spirit. So pack your sense of adventure and prepare to be captivated by Lamanai's magic! Book your tour today.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Let's embark on a captivating journey to Lamanai, the ancient Maya city hidden within the lush Belizean jungle. **Scenic Drive and River Cruise:** Begin at Belize City port, where a comfy, air-conditioned van awaits. Cruise through bustling streets and onto the Northern Highway for a 1-hr drive, where your guide unravels the vibrant history of northern Belize. Swap the van for a boat as you reach Orange Walk (affectionately known as "Sugar City"). We sail for about an hour along the wild New River, spotting playful spider monkeys, sunbathing crocodiles, and colorful birds. The river becomes your gateway to a jungle wonderland. This isn't just a tour; it's a journey through time, a celebration of nature, and a chance to connect with Belize's vibrant spirit. So pack your sense of adventure and prepare to be captivated by Lamanai's magic! Duration: Going - Road 1-hr, River ride 1-hr Returning: Same Feel free to ask if you'd like more details or have any other questions!
**Lamanai: A Living Museum:** Perched on the New River Lagoon, Lamanai feels like stepping into history. Refuel with a mouthwatering Belizean buffet—think fluffy rice and beans, creamy potato salad, tangy coleslaw, and crispy fried plantains. Don't skip the fiery tomato habanero sauce! After lunch, it's time for a jungle expedition on foot. Listen for howler monkeys and watch for toucans as you explore lush forest paths. **Ancient Ruins and Whispers of Time:** The Mask Temple awaits—a testament to ancient rituals. Climb the High Temple via the original Mayan stairway for panoramic views of the lagoon and endless jungle. Discover the secrets of the Ball Court and wander through the residential area, imagining daily life in this ancient city. Finally, stand in awe of the Jaguar Temple, its intricate carvings telling tales of power and mystery.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Our guide will meet you at the airport, hotel lobby, AirBnB, water taxi terminal, cruise port terminal One. You will need to exit the GLASS DOOR where I will have a sign with the Guest Name and our Company Name. Ask for Elio.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not wheelchair accessible.
- Climbing up some structures is optional but there are many steps to consider.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately (rain jacket, and tennis shoes for walking on uneven foot paths and climbing structures recommended)
Reviews(167)
This was a wonderful tour of the Lamanai ruins! The van (driver: Elio) picked us up from the municipal airport (we were staying in San Pedro) and drove us the hour to the boat dock. On the ride, he told us a lot about the area, his town of Orange Walk (the most beautiful town in the world), and answered all of our questions. Then, the boat ride down the river with Ian and Julian was awesome. They pointed out all the different kinds of wildlife. It was a beautiful ride. They also timed our arrival at the ruins so that we wouldn't have to share with any of the cruise ships or other tours. They knew a ton about the area and let us explore while keeping us timed/on schedule to have the place to ourselves. Lunch prepared by Julian/Elio's mom was delicious! We had a great couple of hours and really enjoyed watching the monkeys play in the trees. Highly recommend!
The Lamanai guided tour and jungle river cruise was great experience. Our first guide Elio, was very knowledgeable and outgoing and made the long 2 hour drive from Belize City to the site of the river cruise go by quickly by answering our questions about Belize and sharing interesting information. The ride along the river was fun, however if you are hoping to see crocodiles and other wildlife, you might need to tame your expectations. There was no shortage of beautiful birds and our guides pointed them out and expertly identified each, but besides birds and iguanas we didn’t see much wildlife on the river. The Lamanai complex is an important Mayan memorial and is not to be missed if you are visiting Belize. Our guides told us stories about the significance of each temple, history of them, and rituals that took place during Mayan times. While on top of one of the temples, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a family of howler monkeys jumping from tree to tree and feeding on various fruits. At the end of the tour we were fed a yummy home made lunch. While it inevitably included rice and beans and chicken, as many native Belize meals do, it was fresh and flavorful and toped off with very original spicy coleslaw and plantains. I would recommend this experience with Lamanai Belize Tours.
Very good tour. There was a little confusion about the tour but Elio was a great guy and we worked it out. Percy was a wonderful driver, I very much enjoyed chatting with him.
We had the best experience with Julian for our adventure to Lamani. We were on a shared boat with a group that was 40 minutes late to the dock, but Julian got us into the boat and took us on a little tour of the river, while we waited for the other guests. We understand it's not the tour operators fault that people are late, and he did the best he could giving us the full experience. Julian was energetic and knowledgeable about the waterway, pointing out birds and crocodiles, and then inside Lamani when we arrived to the archeological site. He was very personable and funny, which we appreciate from a guide. We had a blast exploring the Temples. Then we had the most delicious home cooked lunch under a palapa after the tour that was prepared by his mom. We absolutely recommend Julian and the company, we hope to do more experiences with Julian while we're in Belize!
Did not get to go on this excursion as it was booked incorrectly by the agent that assisted me with booking I tried canceling multiple times!! I never got a response from Viator customer service and the travel company that offered it told me they cancelled it but did not and then asked me to pay them directly and when I did not they refused to cancel it
My gf and I had a great day with Julian. He was knowledgeable, kind, patient, safe, and had a great sense of humor. We plan to book with him when we have friends and family come to visit. Can’t wait to get back in the river with him.
Our guide Javier was extremely knowledgeable, funny and kind. The Belizean lunch at the end of the tour was amazing! Learning about the ruins and the Mayan culture was a treat. And the voyage to the top of the temples was an awesome workout!
Our tour guide was Ian, he was fantastic. Boat ride was smooth. Food was wonderful. Spotted many wildlife. Tour was educational and at a relaxed pace.
Elio and brother Julian are the best... wonderful guided boat tour of the birds and wildlife along the New River. Great tour of the 3 excavated temples and plenty of Mayan history and traditions explained at Lamanai with a traditional Belizean lunch which was delicious! Great hosts!
Ian and Julian were amazing. So about an hr drive to the country side. Then an exciting 1 hr ride on a boat up river. Then you emerge in the jungle to a dock and explore 3 pyramids and some other structures. Saw some howler monkeys and ate some real deal Belizean food buffet style. Then back on the boat for a jungle cruise and drive home. My wife and I had an incredible time and would recommend this trip. The staff was so friendly, told us about the local culture and were very informative about the ruins. Don't pass on this trip. It is a blast!
