The Yucatec Maya word for Lamanai is La’man’ain, which means “submerged crocodile”. This majestic Mayan city was settled sometime around 1500 BC and abandoned in the post classic 1800 AD. Once a great city its ruins lay buried until the 1970s, when archaeologists started excavating the site.

Among all of Belize’s archaeological treasures, Lamanai is special because the journey to get there is just as thrilling as the destination. The tour will start early in the morning from our Lodge then drive through the morning mists, northward to Orange Walk also known locally as “Sugar City” and home of the best Tacos in Belize. You will board a comfortable boat right at the docks on the New River.

The tour features a boat tour up the historic New River all the way to the ancient Mayan city of Lamanai. You will pass Mennonite farmland, sugar cane plantations and you will have the opportunity to see a big variety of wildlife like tail iguanas, crocodiles and birds all thriving in their natural habitat.

The land is flat and navigating New River is an amazing experience. The river is a labyrinth of curves and forks and double-backs, finally arriving in a huge lagoon, where the top of High Temple peeks up over the jungle canopy.

After exploring the museum, your will get a guided tour of the temple site. On beautifully kept grounds, there are three majestic temples, each built during a different time period. The Mask Temple is famous for its enormous carved stone facades; the Jaguar Temple is a national icon that appears on the label of every Belikin’s beer in the country. But the High Temple affords the most breathtaking view—if you climb all the steps to the top, you can see over the jungle canopy to the entire river lagoon, and imagine what it must have been like as a busy port a thousand years ago. Because of its unique location, Lamanai is unlike any other Maya site in Belize. After the tour you will be served a traditional Belizean lunch.

You will have a boat ride back on the new river and have another chance to see all the incredible wildlife and nature. The tour guide will drive you from Orange Walk back to our Lodge where you will arrive around 5:30pm