Lamanai and Scenic Boat Ride Along the New River Lagoon
4.7
12 Ratings
Lamanai Archaeological Reserve

On your way to the Lamanai site, visitors can enjoy a scenic boat ride along the New River lagoon. Morelet’s crocodile and various species of birds, turtles and bats will be seen along on the way.

You will also get to see a local Mennonite community.

Most of all, you can enjoy being serenaded by Black Howler Monkeys!!

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Lamanai Archaeological Reserve - Lamanai Mayan site is one of Belize’s largest ceremonial centers. It is located on the banks of the 30 mile long New River Lagoon, in the Orange Walk District, north of Belize City.

The site of Lamanai includes eight major plazas, a ball court with the largest known ball court marker, a well-preserved mask of a Maya ruler emerging from a crocodile headdress, a 108 foot tall pyramid, one of the largest Pre-classic structures in the Maya area and an intricately carved Stela depicting the ruler Lord Smoking Shell.

These are the main focal points at the site. Found also at the site are remains of a Christian “Indian Church”, which revealed that in 1544 the Spaniards had built a church on top of a Maya temple.

This site has an excellent museum with pottery vessels, flints and figurines, many representations of crocodiles, indicating that the crocodile was very important to the people of Lamanai.

What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • Round-trip transfer
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information
  • Refunds will not be issued if tour/activity is missed due to late or non-arrival of cruise ship
  • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Location
Lamanai Archaeological Reserve
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(12 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Matthew
Feb 12, 2023
Top notch, highly recommended - Our tour guide coconut pete and Jr were awesome. Most friendly and knowledgeable. Willing to answer all questions and go out of there way to please.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Theresa_g
Apr 3, 2022
River boat trip to Lamanai - The moment we met our delightful driver, the General, there was no doubt that our day was going to be everything we anticipated and more. We appreciate him and the extraordinary tour staff for making this a most surreal experience - one we will talk about often and encourage others to book. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Todd
Dec 2, 2019
Great tour, each segment is special - I highly recommend this tour. Our 45 min bus ride out of the city and to the boat site was great. Our tour guide, I believe his name was Yuri, was a native Belizian and very knowledgeable. We went from city to country side, and all we saw was authentic to the area. Our speedboat ride to the ruins site was a blast, speeding along the edge of the river and lake. Upon arriving at the site, my wife and I were led, with our other travelers, thru the jungle and to 3 amazing sites, and along the way, many points of interest were highlighted and explained. The ruins are fantastic, and we were able to climb one via wooden stairs built up the side to protect the ruins. What a site from on top! We had ample time to explore and move on... We had enough time to visit the few vendors stationed near the end, and I found what I was looking for.... a Belizean glass bottle Coke and a Belize flag. Lunch at our boat ride was just fine, with attendants eager and friendly to help. IF you're mobility impaired, this might not be for you, since there is a good bit of walking involved. Otherwise, the whole experience is fantastic!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connig40
Jun 28, 2019
Amazing time at Lamanai - From our early morning pick-up to the final drop off, we felt pampered! Our driver, Ellsworth, was very knowledgeable about the country and the history of Belize. He kept us entertained throughout the drive. We arrived at the river boat camp early, so we were able to look around. It was delightful. We joined 6 others on an amazing guided tour up the river. Colin spent considerable time showing us wildlife and vegetation. We saw termite mounds, osprey, hawks, insect bats, Jesus Christ birds, Mennonite village, and enjoyed the complimentary "air conditioning" in the speed boat. Once we arrived at the site, the beauty and respect from everyone there was evident. We took a hike through the jungle, saw spider monkey mom and baby, howler monkeys and many native plant species. Each one had their own use! The ruins were spectacular. Only 5% is showing, but we had access to climb most of it. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the site and surroundings and also quite funny. Lunch in the picnic was delicious! We were given time to view the museum and shop before we returned. The speed boat ride back was great! Colin really knew the river. Upon our return, Ellsworth was waiting for us. He had the car cooled down and ready. On the ride back, we stopped to sample some local wine. The blackberry, cashew and sorrel wines were very good. We bought some for the week. We discussed local rum and we requested to stop by Travellers, the local rum distillery, for atour and tasting. Be careful of the tasting, they are generous in their pour and they over 25 items to taste! This was a bucket list item and I am so glad it was such a great experience. When we return to Belize, we will do another tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrew
Jun 13, 2019
A must in Belize - Incredible history, very knowledgeable guides. It's a full 8 hour day, but getting to and from the ruins is half the fun, lots of wildlife and a fun boat ride. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Markws6538xc
May 10, 2019
Recommended - Booked this experience based on recommendations and wasn’t disappointed. The speed boat ride up the river to the temples is really fun and you get to see many of the areas local inhabitants along the way. Once at the temples there is a bit of a walk through the woods but once you reach the temples it’s an amazing site. I’d recommend taking plenty of water even though they give you a complimentary bottle it’s not enough. If you in the area this is well worth a visit
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kcw2tx
Apr 6, 2019
Mayan Ruins - About a 45 minute SUV ride to the New River and then a high speed boat ride that zoomed through the mangroves and water Lillys. It qualified as a thrill ride itself! Stopped to look at crocodiles, ospreys and a tapir. Docked at Lamanai for lunch and explored 3 huge Mayan ruins. You can climb to the top of one via steps added behind (120 steps so be ready). Pretty incredible tour. Worth it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thirdeyemom
Mar 7, 2019
Loved this tour so much! A must do - We spent the day visiting the Lamanai ruins and it was the first of three Mayan ruins we saw in Belize and Guatemala. The day is quite the adventure! Getting there is half the fun as it involves a speedboat birdwatching tour on the hour ride to the ruins along the river. The ruins are very impressive and we had almost the entire place to ourselves when we went (no huge cruise ship passengers as we arrived in the early afternoon). I loved the tour and then we had a fabulous picnic lunch before heading back. A highlight of the trip to Belize for sure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Crb16
Apr 3, 2018
Great trip! - This excursion is listed on tripadvisor in a few different variations, so I'll post on each ... My husband and I went on our first cruise, and this was our favorite excursion. There are so many to choose from thanks to the ship's offers, so choose wisely! However, we learned that Belize has the second largest Barrier Reef. I would have loved to go snorkeling if I knew that! Anyways, the trip was long but worth it. It was mostly traveling between walking through the port, getting to our bus, traveling 1.5 hours to our destination, and then taking a quick speed boat ride to the ruins site. The bus ride gives you a chance to take a nap on your way back and goes pretty quickly if you sightsee out the window on the way there. The speedboat is pretty fun. When you return, you can quickly shop on your way back to the ship .. or more like tender since you have to take a boat to your cruise ship. The ruins were very interesting and definitely worth seeing. You get to climb the highest ruin on the site I believe. It was recommended to bring bug spray, and I certainly agree . However, I did get a tick so beware! Before you load the bus to return, you get to have a decent lunch at the speedboat stop. FYI there is wifi on the port. Also, wear comfortable clothes and SNEAKERS! I thought it was crazy that some people were in flip flops and sandals since it was very clear that we would be doing a lot of walking. You "hike" through the forest for a good 45 minutes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janine
Feb 14, 2018
Spectacular Tour of Wildlife and Mayan Ruins - We were awe-struck through the entire tour. Dorian met us at the Water Taxi and drove us to the riverboat launch and then back to Belize City after the tour. Our boat driver and tour guide expertly guided the craft through the winding river, cautiously approaching the wildlife so we could observe and photograph. We saw many birds, a crocodile, iguana resting, termite nest, and bats. Yes. Bats. It was a cloudy day, but when we arrived at Lamanai, the sun burst through the clouds to highlight the spectacular ruins. Our knowledgeable guide explained the temples and game courts and we could imagine what life was like when the Mayans ruled the jungle. We had a delightful lunch in a picnic pavilion.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Select Date and Tickets
minimum 2 guests
-
up to 15 guests
2
Adult
June 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today