Belize City

Travelers' Takes

Rates and Deals

Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve

More Photos
gandjwhite
gandjwhite
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
4
Photos
Editor Pick

Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve

  • January 26, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by gandjwhite from Rapid City, South Dakota
Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve

Going south past Dangriga you will come to Maya Center, a Mayan village and craft center. Hop off the bus and buy yourself a ticket to Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve ($5 in the craft center building). They can also get you a taxi. This is the tricky part: the taxi costs $12.50 one way into the park (which is 6 miles west of Maya Center). If you have time, you might try to hitch a ride into the park. If you have the energy, you could walk. It’s a nice, quiet walk along a private road.

Once in the park, register and choose your accommodations. There are campsites (which I wouldn’t recommend, even though I had a tent with me--$2.50-$5). I choose the next step up which is the rustic cabin ($7.50). Be sure you have a mosquito net. I set my tent up on the bunkbed. This is not a private room and if others are staying you will be sharing it. I had it all to myself. There is no electricity but they give you a candle to use. This kind of makes for a unique and very pleasant experience. There are showers and a bathroom outside which are also shared. They are cold but nice.
Cockscomb is a little more south; therefore it is more rainy. It rained a lot in the three days I was there. But, it was also very nice hiking in the rain. If you want to see wildlife, you’ve come to the right spot! There are many different trails to explore. I ran into a pack of koatimundi, a grey fox, many different kinds of tropical birds, some kind of snake, Jaguar tracks, lots of different neat bugs, and although I didn’t see a Jaguar, I did hear one growling not too far from the trail and heard what sounded like crunching on bones (I’m serious!).

I highly recommend making this a top priority on your trip to Belize. It was the highlight of my trip. Make sure to hike all the trails as they are all different. Try a night hike—but make sure you have a dependable headlamp or flashlight. Turn off the light when you get out there and see why this is so important! And most of all, ENJOY!!

From journal Belize--3 Weeks on a Budget

Compare Belize City Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

2. Select websites to compare rates

Each selected website will open a new window.

Belize City Travel Deals