Lamanai and Scenic Boat Ride Along the New River Lagoon

4.7 (12 reviews)6 hBelize CityAdventureTight on a typical call
Cutting it close

Cutting it close: back about 3:15 pm, inside your 1 h safety margin. Only book a departure that starts by 8:45 am.

Safety margin
Ship in portGetting ashore (45 min, tender)Safety margin (1 h 30 min)All aboard 4:30 pm
  1. 8:00 am
    Ship anchors in Belize City45 min to get a tender and reach the pier
  2. 8:45 am
    Leave the pierThis tour meets at the pier
  3. 9:00 am
    Earliest tour startTour runs 6 h. Latest sensible start: 8:45 am.
  4. 3:00 pm
    Tour ends15 min back to the pier
  5. 3:15 pm
    Back at the tender pier45 min before the last tender
  6. 4:30 pm
    All aboardLast tender usually leaves about 4:00 pm

Estimates based on the tour's longest published duration, our researched travel times and typical pier queues. Confirm the departure time on the booking page and keep your watch on ship's time.

Our verdict

Cutting it close on a typical Belize City call (8:00 am–4:30 pm). The tour runs 6 h; with the trip from Fort Street Tourism Village (tender landing) and back you would reach the gangway around 3:15 pm, inside the 1 h safety margin we recommend. Book it only if your ship stays later than 4:45 pm, or if the operator confirms an earlier start.

The operator offers pickup, but the listed pickup points are hotels, not the cruise port. Choose "I will meet at the departure point" when booking and allow 15 min each way by taxi — that is what we counted above.

Among the 240 Belize City shore excursions we track, this is about average in length (the median runs 5 h); 57% of them fit a typical call. Belize City is a tender port: we add 45 minutes to get ashore and keep you back 30 minutes before all aboard for the last tender.

Computed from the tour's published duration, the distance from the cruise pier to its start point and the typical Belize City call. Adjust your ship's times above to recheck.

About this tour

This guide-led experience brings travelers together for a well-paced look at the places and activities in the itinerary. The route to Lamanai includes a scenic journey along the New River, where wildlife sightings are possible before you reach the temples and forest trails of the Maya site.

Allow about 6 hours for the full experience. This is a shared experience with a listed maximum of 15 travelers. bottled water and lunch are included. Travelers should have a moderate level of physical fitness. The experience is not wheelchair accessible. It is not recommended for pregnant travelers, travelers with back problems, and travelers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions.

Max 15 per group English, Spanish

What's included

  • Professional guide
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • Round-trip transfer

Not included

  • Gratuities

Itinerary

  1. 1
    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.
    6 hAdmission included

Meeting point and getting there

Start point
See booking page
From the cruise pier
Meets at the pier
Allow 45 min to tender ashore first. Taxi fares and pier details.
Returns
Back to the start point

Good to know

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • 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

Traveler reviews

4.7
12 traveler reviews
5
92%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
8%

Read all 12 reviews

Operated by Private Belize Adventure. Prices, availability and tour details come from the booking partner and can change; the booking page is authoritative.

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