Practical Information

Visa

Belize

Holders of British, Australian, New Zealand, US, Canadian and most EU passports do not require visas for Belize. However, please note that if flying via the USA, you have to clear immigration during transit. In this case, you are required to get an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) – US$21 – prior to flying if travelling via the USA under the Visa Waiver Program. Please see US Visas for more information.

Travelling with children: Children aged 17 and under who are travelling on their own, or with an adult who is not their parent, must carry a notarised letter to prove parental responsibility, or consent to travel from the parent or guardian. Children travelling with one parent must also have a notarised letter of authority from the other parent giving consent for travel.  See: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/belize/entry-requirements

Guatemala

Holders of British, Australian, New Zealand, US, Canadian and most EU passports do not require visas for Guatemala for up to 90 days.

If you are travelling via the USA and are eligible to transit under the Visa Waiver Program, you are  required to register in advance for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). There is a US$21 charge, which is only payable online. Please see our US visas for further information.

Vaccinations and Health

Belize

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: typhoid, hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel health clinic for further advice.

Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

 

Guatemala

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

The above information can change at short notice; as we are not qualified to answer all your questions about travel health we strongly recommend you contact your Medical Professional or a Travel Health Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up‐to‐date information.

Local Time

Belize's time zone: America/Belize (UTC -06:00)

Guatemala's time zone: America/Guatemala (UTC -06:00)

Electricity

Belize's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), B (three pins: two flat, one round) and G (three rectangular pins) – 110V/220V, 60Hz

Guatemala's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), B (three pins: two flat, one round) - 120 Volts

Money

Belize's currency: Belize dollar (BZD)

Guatemala's currency: Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)

ATM Availability

There are ATMs at the airport, San Ignacio, Belize City & Caye Caulker.  Your Tour Leader will provide advice and assistance if needing ATM access.  Withdrawl currency is the Belizian dollar.  Check with your bank to ensure your card can be used in Belize & Guatemala and if any applicable use fees.

Credit cards (Visa & Mastercard) have become the most convenient and widely accepted method of payment in Belize & Guatemala by restaurants and shops for purchases over US$10.  Please note that small corner shops or markets may have a USD minimum purchase of US$10 (for example), so it is nice to have cash for smaller purchases.  Amex is not widely accepted.  Check with your card provider to ensure your card can be used in Belize and if any applicable use fees.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

The Belize dollar exchange rate is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of $2 Belize dollars to US$1. We recommend taking the majority of your spending money for the trip in US dollars cash, as this is the most convenient currency to exchange and rates are better than for other currencies. You can exchange currency at most banks and hotels.

When departing Guatemala to enter Belize there is a payable departure tax of US$20 ($40 Belize dollars) per person. There is also a departure tax from Belize of US$35.50 plus a US$0.75 security screening fee, however, the Belize departure fees are often included in your flight ticket, so you do not have to pay separately. Please check your flight ticket for confirmation.

For meals not included in the trip price, budget US$10-US$15 for lunch and US$15-US$20 for dinner in standard restaurants (not including drinks).

In the main tourist areas, it is possible to spend more than this, but it is also possible to find much cheaper places to eat. Beer generally costs approximately US$2‐US$3 and house wine is around US$4‐US$6 per glass. Soft drinks and mineral water are around US$1-US$2 per bottle.

Optional excursions

San Ignacio (all tours are shared)

• AJAW Chocolate tour (one hour). Chocolate-making process, education and sampling: US$15 per person
• Cahal Pech Maya site (on own). Explore the ruins of a Mayan royal family: US$5 per person (entrance fee paid on site)
• Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave tour (six hours). Adventure into a wet cave to view the Crystal Maiden and underworld remnants of the Mayan civilization.  Participating guests must be comfortable with maneuvering through caves, tight spaces, crawling and swimming/wading through water illuminated only by headlamp: US$125 per person (minimum: four people).  Note:  space on tour is limited, we recommend guests interested in the ATM tour pre purchase with us at the time of booking to ensure your space on the excursion.

Tipping

While tipping is not compulsory, it is a large part of the Latin American service culture. For the tour leader and main tour driver, we suggest around US$40-US$50 to be shared between them, in favour of the tour leader. Local certified guides will accompany us for destination specific activities and site visits, it is customary to tip them approximately US$3-US$4.

You may wish to form a ‘tip kitty’ with other group members to facilitate the distribution of tips to local guides/drivers.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible (approximately 37 percent of the Belize population depends on tourism).
• Our free days in San Ignacio and Caye Caulker allow us to meet the communities for a better understanding of traditions and daily life.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The trip includes visits to wildlife sanctuaries, marine reserves, nature reserves and archaeological sites that depend on tourism to continue their conversation efforts.
• Entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological zones generate income used to upkeep and develop these important sites.
• We rewild 1,075sqft (100sqm) per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Through our Planet Promise, we have pledged to halve the carbon footprint of our trips by 2030 and made rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• The Belize government approved a policy in July 2018 to phase out plastics and styrofoam, with the aim of transitioning to greener products and promote more sustainable alternatives.
• Our local partner is an active member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and sits on the board of advisors of the Oceanic Society. They are also involved in the World Travel & Tourism Council’sIllegal Wildlife Trade Working Group. This pioneering group helps to combat illegal wildlife trade and encourages responsible wildlife-based tourism by raising awareness among customers, staff and professional trade networks.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided on our vehicle where tap water is not drinkable. We also request guests bring sufficient toiletries to avoid single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Important Information

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.