The Hummingbird Highway is a 53 mile, two-lane, curvy road through dense jungle and mountains. Along this road there are villages, farms and many natural wonders to explore. There are jungle adventure lodges that run tours to the nearby national parks or you could rent a car and stay at an air bnb. As both of those options were out of my price range and because I wanted a more immersive experience, I decided to volunteer at an organic farm on mile 21 of the Hummingbird Highway. In my free time I took buses or hitchhiked to the places that interested me such as St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park and Billy Barquedier National Park.
Belmopan is the last city in the North before entering the Hummingbird Highway. Dangriga is the first city you will come to once you leave the Hummingbird Highway. Buses run between these two cities and beyond connecting Belize City with Punta Gorda in the South. When needing to catch a bus from the Hummingbird Highway you can expect one to pass you every hour (except for Sunday’s which is less frequent). The minimum bus fair is $2 BZD so if you need to go a small distance you are better off hitchhiking. Many trucks pass by the road and it isn’t hard to get a ride in the back of one.
St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park
Located 12 miles south of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway, this National Park is owned by the Belize Audubon Society which keeps the park in tip-top shape. There are a multitude of activities here including cave tubing, bird watching, hiking and swimming in the cenote. Cave tubing requires an advanced reservation and a guide but the rest you can do for the $8 BZD entrance fee. Bring a flashlight for hiking in the cave and a poncho in case it starts to rain on your jungle trek. The end of your hike will take you to the Blue Hole which has crystal clear water and an underwater cave you can explore if you’re brave enough.
Billy Barquedier National Park
Located at mile 17 of the Hummingbird Highway, this park is best known for its waterfall. The entry cost is $8 BZD and Anthony the Park ranger has such a beautiful soul you will love getting to know him as he explains the area. I would recommend going on the Tower hike which is about 45 minutes of vertical elevation as you climb stairs made into a mountain. Once you reach the top there is a wooden tower you can climb which gives a spectacular view of the region. After going down the mountain I took the ten minute trail along a creek bed to the waterfall. The waterfall has a deep swim area and tall rocky walls that shade the area making it the perfect place to cool off from the subtropic heat. Vines hung off of trees above the rock walls and dangled into the pool of water reminding me that I am in fact deep inside the Belizean jungle. It is such a calm, secluded and beautiful piece of nature to experience.
Cockscomb Basin Nature Reserve
Before the Hummingbird Highway (HH) enters Dangriga it intersects with the Southern Highway. The entry into Cockscomb Basin is on the Southern Highway 19 Miles south of Dangriga at a village called Maya Center. I took a bus from my lodging on the HH that continued South to Punta Gorda and was dropped off at Maya Center. The park entrance fee is $10 BZD and there is a shop in the village where you sign in and pay. There is a 6 mile road that leads into Cockscomb that I intended to hitchhike but as there were no cars that passed me I actually ended up walking the entire way in two hours. Alternatively, you could hire a taxi but it is $40 BZD each way. I’m actually glad I ended up walking the 6 miles into the park because the trails I chose were each only 2-3 hours and I had intended to spend a full day hiking anyways.
Tiger Fern Trail is 6.7 kilometers and leads to a stunning two tier waterfall. I feel like most of my hikes in Central America have been to cenotes or waterfalls and this was my favorite waterfall yet! The trail goes through a dense jungle where I saw a tarantula but was not lucky enough to spot a jaguar. The view point has a magnificent view of Victoria Peak which is shaped like a rooster’s head or cockscomb which is in fact the parks namesake.
The next day I did Ben’s Bluff which is a trail that goes past a waterfall and leads to a viewpoint. Unfortunately it didn’t compare to the waterfall or view of Tiger Fern Trail. However, the waterfall was an ideal way to cool down considering the workout and Belizean heat.
I camped at Cockscomb Park overnight and a camping permit is $20 BZD. I brought my Lawson Hammock, food and my Water-to-Go water bottle. The best part about having a water bottle with a filter is not having to carry all of the water I need on a long hike. The camping area had a bathroom with showers and a kitchen. I could use the water from the kitchen or fill up at the waterfalls to extremely reduce the weight I had to lug around on my long hikes.
I enjoyed all three of these wildlife adventures and I hope people traveling to Belize take the time to enjoy more than just the islands. When I was on Caye Caulker I was shocked to learn that the other backpackers were only stopping on that one island before continuing on to either Guatemala or Mexico. I, on the other hand, intended to take an entire month to explore Belize! Remember to buy bug spray before you leave Belmopan or Dangriga and enjoy your jungle getaway!
Chronicles of a Wandering Soul 