Belize Zoo

[shirko]

Anyone been to the zoo in Belize?????Also we're considering using SHORETRIPS.com as a tour guide anyone ever use them????????:)

[SmootyBoo]

Hi, we took the Belize Zoo tour that was offered from the ship. The zoo is very "simple", for example all the signs are hand written. A lot of the animals were not in visible areas & the tour guide didn't allow enough time for everyone to get a good look. On a scale of 1-10, I'd give it a 4.

[shirko]

Thanks........:)

[LauraS]

We were lucky enough to have our day in Belize extended on our recent Grand Princess cruise, so we choose to visit the Belize Zoo.

 

Stepping just outside the port area, we negotiated with a local guide to drive us there and back. We were thrilled when we found out he'd "guide" us through the zoo and he knew his stuff too. I have no idea how to contact him...sorry.

 

Anyway, the zoo was just WONDERFUL. It felt as if the zoo was carved out of the jungle.....created in the environment where the animals really lived. I've been to many zoos in the US (DC & San Diego come to mind) and they are great, but at the Belize Zoo you were so close to the animals. Example: Howler monkey's zipping directly over your head....you were close enough to the jaguar to touch him (if you were stupid enough). Toucans, parrots, monkeys...all animals you'd find in the rainforest....were close enough to see the iris of their eyes.

 

This zoo ranks up there with one of my favorite zoo visits. If you like animals and zoos, you'll like the Belize Zoo.

 

Laura

[jkrislc]

I recently got back from a tour of the zoo, and truly enjoyed it. The zoo is simple in the sense that it has chain link fenses, and or a simple electrical wire to keep the animals in their cages. It's not like a modern zoo that minimizes the enclosure to make it look open and accessible.

 

We saw every animal that was on display. The tour was excellent with the tour guide through the ship. While we considered a private tour, the cost was the same for two, so we opted to stick with the ship. I'm glad we did as RCI uses an excellent tour company for the zoo with an excellent guide by the name of Elise. It was one of the best tours we've done in eight cruises.

[edfox]

We will be traveling to children under the age of 2, more than likely will have strollers. How are the facilities there, is the walkways flat enough for a stroller. Is there food, vending area, that type of stuff? Do we need bug protection, I have seen so many postings on these boards about taking bug protection, just curious if I really need it?

[jkrislc]

We will be traveling to children under the age of 2, more than likely will have strollers. How are the facilities there, is the walkways flat enough for a stroller. Is there food, vending area, that type of stuff? Do we need bug protection, I have seen so many postings on these boards about taking bug protection, just curious if I really need it?

It's doable. The pathways are all dirt, but they're flat and solid, meaning that the stroller wont get bogged down. There are a few places where there are platforms for better viewing where you'll need to climb stairs if you choose, but you come right back down to where you started, so it's not like you can't leave the stroller and go back for it. And in most cases, a lot of the animals will be at stroller level, perfect for your child.

[chrly]

We did the Belize Zoo in May of 2005 with my 2 daughters ages 3 and 9. Both of them really enjoyed looking at the animals. There is a store where you can purchace drinks, post cards, and a few other novelties. Both of my children enjoyed it immensly. Make sure you carry a bottle of water with you at the start of the cruise as the zoo is inland and can get quite humid and hot. We put bug spray on before we left the ship so we did not encounter any problems with bugs. It was wonderful to see all the animals in their natural habitat.

[edfox]

Does anybody by chance have any pictures from the zoo they could share? We leave in 34 days............Can't wait.

[2112]

Does anybody by chance have any pictures from the zoo they could share? We leave in 34 days............Can't wait.

 

Take a look on my website at http://www.pbase.com/2112 and look in my Central America section (and then Belize). I really enjoyed the zoo as well.

[joshkathy]

Sounds like a great excursion for my 3 year old...which tour operators do it...or how long a cab ride is it from the pier?

[susyls]

We went out of the cruise terminal and hooked up with a great taxi driver named David Jones and he took us to the zoo, and acted as our tour guide for the afternoon as well. He was really educated and we really enjoyed the zoo. All the animals were in great shape and we saw everything up close. David was a native creole and was well versed in the animals of his country. The anteater licked our hands! It was great. We paid him 65.00 us plus admission to the zoo. (his admission was free)