Trip Description

Dolphins are extraordinary…intelligent, playful, social and complex. Learn about these amazing creatures up close as you track them through the beautiful offshore cayes of Belize. With expert researchers as your guides, observe dolphins in their natural habitats and gather data that contributes to ongoing research projects. Learn to identify individuals and analyze their behavior. Belize is the ideal place to study wild bottlenose dolphins because of the varied habitats of sea grass beds, mangroves and coral reefs to which dolphins are drawn. Our host, The Oceanic Society, has spent years identifying dolphin hot spots and cataloguing local resident dolphins. Your contributions to their research will help their efforts to protect these great creatures and create a marine sanctuary. When not searching for dolphins, scuba dive to discover Belize’s world famous reefs and extraordinary abundance of marine life.

• Itinerary & Country Map

• Day 1–7
  We start our adventure on picturesque Caye Caulker, which lies just off Belize’s barrier reef, the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Our sea kayaks provide a great vantage point for observing the island’s natural habitat. Get up close and personal with the creatures that inhabit the mangroves, including upside-down jellyfish, sea hares, bat fish and sea horses. Initial group discussions focus on the history and ecological wonders of Belize, as well as the nature of the marine environment that directly surrounds us. Put on your mask and fins and slip into the turquoise blue water to cool off and explore the underwater world. Sharpen your scuba skills or complete your PADI Scuba Certification at incredible sites like Grouper Hole, Black Beauty and Triple Anchors.

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  Day 8–13
  

  Travel by boat to Blackbird Caye and settle into beachfront cabanas at the Oceanic Society’s Belize Field Station. Resident researchers teach us about dolphin physiology and behavior, as well as ongoing conservation efforts to protect these majestic creatures and their habitat. Learn the sampling techniques used by marine biologists to study the marine environment and dolphins such as transect sampling, fin identification, and environmental and behavioral monitoring. Head out in small groups on skiffs to some of the local dolphin hot spots. Keep your eyes peeled! Once you spot dolphins, the data collection begins. “Quick, take photos! What’s the water’s temperature? Log the GPS coordinates. Which behaviors are they exhibiting?”

  Snorkel and dive to explore some of the Caribbean’s best reefs. Swim alongside rock beauties, queen triggerfish and midnight parrotfish, and watch them cruise through mazes of vibrant coral heads and tube sponges on the Turneffe Atoll. Spotted eagle rays, morays, nurse sharks and hawksbill turtles await your discovery on Calabash Wall. Back on land, strike up a game of beach volleyball. As night sets in, watch for the loggerhead turtles that return to Blackbird Caye every summer to lay eggs on the beach.

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  Day 14–15
  Take a break from dolphin research to explore a World Heritage site – Lighthouse Atoll. Snorkel the Blue Hole, an awe-inspiring geological wonder. On nearby Half Moon Caye, work alongside Audubon Society rangers on service projects aimed at the continued preservation of Belize’s oldest protected area. Camp under the stars on an overnight island excursion and fall asleep to the sound of waves lapping on the shore. When dawn comes, witness a spectacular sunrise as you’re awakened by the sounds of 4,000 red-footed booby birds.

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  Day 16–21
  Head into the jungle to float on the Sibun River through an ancient cave system and hear about the mythological underworld of the Mayan people. Ready to take your dolphin education mobile? Hop aboard our traditional wooden Belizean sailboat, and watch for dolphins and other marine life as you sail and snorkel along the barrier reef and beautiful, uninhabited cayes. Camp on tranquil, white sand beaches and catch fresh fish or lobster for dinner. Discuss the environmental and human threats to dolphin populations in Belize and around the world, as well as what you can do to help. Your classroom is a bunch of Crazy Creeks lined up along clear blue water beneath swaying palm trees. Paradise! We finish our adventure with unforgettable memories, a hands-on understanding of dolphin ecology and the knowledge that the data we have gathered will help researchers protect these remarkable creatures.

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