Mother/daughter trip to Belize
Belize
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Jun 11 - Jun 19, 2024
![Amy](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/users/profile_photos/7445c109b0d71d921ee480163a3b5245995bb80c/original-2ba4c08a6348481b9a6df9d509e681d9.jpg)
Just returned from an exciting 9 day mother/daughter trip to Belize! This is the second tour that I've booked through kimkim in the past two years, and again, it proved to be a wise choice and an east platform to use. Our local expert, Alex Coronado, with Old Town Outfitters based in Guatemala, was very personable and fun to work with. He listened to my suggestions and concerns, and made appropriate changes to the itinerary as needed. He was then very approachable and helpful while we were en route, making restaurant suggestions along the way.
One of my biggest concerns in advance with this trip was that the ground transportation go smoothly. Alex booked our transfers through the Belize Airport Shuttle Service (BASS), which proved to be wonderful! Lilia, a local BASS representative, met us at the airport upon arrival with a friendly, reassuring face and a big hug. She introduced us to our first driver and went over the itinerary. She then kept in touch with me through Whatsapp to make sure all the pick-up times went smoothly. We loved all of our drivers!
Most of our tours while inland at San Ignacio were booked through MayaWalk tours. They were wonderful to work with, and we thoroughly enjoyed all of our drivers and guides. Our first guide, Richard, to Mountain Pine Ridge was particularly knowledgeable about local flora and animals. Our second tour was a day-trip to the Tikal ruins in Guatemala, which I highly recommend to anyone considering a Belize trip. It's an enticing glimpse into the beauty of Guatemala. On the second part of our trip, out on the island of Caye Caulker, we used Black Hawk Tours for a full-day snorkeling excursion. Those guys were an absolute blast, and managed to find not one, but an entire group of 4 manatees for us!
Finally, the hotels were lovely and exactly matched to our preferences. The Falling Leaves Lodge, our favorite, in San Ignacio, had lovely jungle grounds, and a very warm, welcoming staff. We ate most of our meals at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and enjoyed happy hour cocktails each day from their bar. They have a brand new, absolutely lovely, pool, which we had all to ourselves most evenings.
I will continue to recommend friends and family to the kimkim model, and will also consider another trip to Guatemala through Old Town Outfitters!
Hotel Reviews
Nice B&B for the final night in the country. Lovely, clean room, and a wonderful breakfast the following morning.
Loved the small hotel charm, and cute cabanas. Very warm and welcoming staff, particularly the guys running the bar. We loved the food at their restaurant, the Obsidian, and ate most of our meals there. The grounds were lovely and peaceful, especially early in the morning when the birds were waking up. The brand new pool was a delight, and we got to enjoy it by ourselves most evenings.
Activity Reviews
![Guided Tour of Mountain Pine Ridge - full day](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/aeae6590954fe2a58731672d15c2179e1ae20c10/original-9380ba773faa01b6e197296267204e9d.jpg)
Loved our guide, Richard. He stopped at a small road-side bakery on the way and we got freshly made plantain chips. He then told us stories about the Mayan gods en route, and provided excellent tidbits about local flora and animals all day. Lunch that day was one of our favorite meals.
![Explore Tikal National Park](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/da4c2da325b8770d8b6e43243515ee6a92333e8c/medium-6396a12f08f0fe70bfa63ffdcc01afdf.jpg)
Wonderful glimpse into Guatemala. The border crossing was easy and fun. The ruins are spectacular. We saw lots of wildlife and beautiful trees as a bonus. Lunch en route was very good.
![Transfer from San Ignacio to Belize City with Cave Tubing Tour en Route](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/0f6eb92331ba0d8ca4df72b5df1a78b7c61222c1/original-c5982627efea927e1df3d37762a11828.jpg)
Very nice way to break up the drive back to the coast from inland. The cave and the river that ran through it were a wonderful relief from the heat. The water was crystal clear and very inviting to swim in.
![Snorkeling Tour in the Belize Barrier Reef](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/images/f4bc595938bfd10df9fc4d52c738697c32306c17/medium-c7053474d7d6ec73860521ee2ee766f5.jpg)
The guys at Black Hawk were very fun and very skilled at finding wildlife in the ocean for us to see. We were very fortunate to get to see a group of 4 manatees.
![Alex](https://cdn.kimkim.com/files/a/users/profile_photos/899afb34038bce687e547f9c20cac7d5658cc346/original-7fc7442557118548ad575fda84cb1a29.jpg)
Oh my god, Amy, Thank you so much for your awesome feedback and pictures. I'm so happy you and Luna got to visit Belize and enjoy the wildlife. I spoke with our partners in Belize and they shared only good positive things about you and Luna. Thank you for making our job easier with your amazing energy, honest feedback, and clarity on what you were looking for.
I hope I get to meet you one day. (maybe in Guatemala) :) Once again thank you for your visit to Belize.
Big hug from Antigua.
Alex