Imagine:

Crystal clear waters … fantastic coral formations … huge fish, stingrays, sharks … and you sharing the protected habitat of a national marine park … Mayan temples thrusting out of the forest … monkeys howling in the jungle canopy … orchids and toucans … the second largest cave system in the world … a 1,000 ft. waterfall … and cultures of the indigenous, African, and European traditions.

This is Belize!

Belize, a small Central American country nestled between Mexico, Guatemala, and the Caribbean sea, where wildlife outnumbers people, where 65% of the forest remains, and where the second largest barrier reef in the world is just off shore.

THE STUDY TOUR
The Belize study tour is unique, for nowhere else this close to home can students immerse themselves in such astonishing biological and cultural diversity. The group will be based at a jungle lodge for six days, venturing out to climb classic Mayan temples, float rivers, explore caves, hike jungle trails, and observe tropical wildlife unparalleled in the northern hemisphere. A day trip is planned to Guatemala to witness fabulous Tikal. All activities are led by experienced guides, educators, or researchers who teach students about Belize history, geology, flora and fauna, cultural traditions, and the remarkable conservation-first posture that guides Belize’s approach to sustainable development.

GOAL
The goal of the study tour is to increase each student’s appreciation of the importance of the conservation of diversity. Belize protects its lands, its wildlife, its marine environments. Yet how can this tiny nation, the size of Massachusetts, afford to devote resources to conservation when its people also struggle to survive?

BELIZE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
In Belize, conservation pays. It is by the very protection of Belize’s natural treasures that the government, private sector, and public together strive to achieve a balance between the needs of people and the needs of the ecosystem. Belize does not trade off one for the other. Each visitor to Belize is a witness to the special bond being created among all of nature’s beings.

Belize, Live the Adventure!