Educational Travel

Belize, described as "Mother Nature's best kept secret," offers exciting opportunities for scientists, educators, students and naturelovers to improve on your knowledge of the natural environment. You can learn more about butterflies, archaeological excavations on Maya Ruins, marine ecosystems, the effects of ecotourism, the living cultures of Belize, medicinal plants and much more.

Educational experiences in Belize usually fall under the following categories:

1. Learn as you go

Most visitors to Belize cannot help but learn about the natural environment of Belize as they take the multitude of tours offered around the country. Trained tour guides, carefully planned visitor centers and the growing selection of guide books, research and reference materials available can turn your day tour into a learning experience without any extensive planning.

2. Group travel

Several organizations, institutions and commercial operations provide learning experiences for adults. These include preset group itineraries for a week to 3 weeks that may cover a specific interest such as archaeology or birding, or may offer a combined experience of marine and tropical ecology, archaeology and living cultures. While similar itineraries may be offered to different age groups, the difference is usually in the logistics and not in the quality of the learning experience. Higher priced mature tour groups will offer the finer accommodations, meals, air-conditioned transportation and perhaps airplane flights to internal destinations. Meanwhile, student groups might have dormitory style accommodation, set meals, strict rules about alcohol consumption and partying depending upon the age of the group.

It is also possible to participate in trips that are targeted at a specific audience such as a teacher's workshop designed to increase your ability to teach tropical ecology when you return home or to qualify for continuing education requirements.

The intensity of the experience will be dependent upon:

The length of time - one week or a semester course

Whether the course /trip is taken for credit

In any of groups with a large enough group you will have some flexibility in designing your itinerary.

3. Service Learning Programs

There are a number of organizations, both local and international, which offer service learning programs for visitors. The programs involve joining an archaeological excavation group, assisting with a marine research project, joining a medical team or a community-minded group or coming to assist with the building of a school.

Maya Archaeology, Culture and Environment - An Introduction to Field Methods - This course covers survey techniques, mapping, excavation, architectural interpretation, recording, lab procedures and analysis as well as data interpretation in the form of field and laboratory instruction and lectures.

Natural History of Belize - This course involves lectures and documentaries on the natural history of the flora and fauna of Belize interspersed with visits to marine and terrestrial national parks.

Watershed Ecology - Explores and monitors the movement of water through Earth by taking participants out into the field to investigate watersheds from headwaters to reefs, ridge crests to main channels, surface waters to aquifers. This course also investigates the impact of man upon watersheds.

Tropical Forest/ Marine Ecology - A favorite of high school and tertiary level students during spring or summer break this course covers both ecological and management aspects of the forest as well as marine habitats. Activities include tours of nature trails, bird watching, island visits and projects on marine life.

Non profit organizations: Service oriented programs:

Belize Audubon Society

P.O. Box 1001

12 Fort Street

Belize City, Belize, C.A.

Tel: 501-223-5004/Fax: 501-223-4985

Email: base@btl.net

Website: http://www.belizeaudubon.org

Habitat For Humanity Belize

Booth 34, Commercial Center

Belize City, Belize, C.A.

Tel: 011-501-227-6818

Email: habelize@btl.net

Programme for Belize

1 Eyre Street

Belize City, Belize, C.A.

Tel: 011-501-227-5616/Fax: 011-501-227-5635

Website: http://www.pfbelize.org

Email: pfbel@btl.net

Marine Research Center of the University of Belize

University Drive

Belize City, Belize, C.A.

Tel: 011-501-223-2732 /Fax: 011-501-223-0255

Email: fchi@ucb.edu

Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center

P.O. Box 1787

Belize City, Belize, C.A.

Tel: 011-501-220-8003/ Fax: 011-501-820-2010

Website: http://www.belizezoo.org

Email: tec@btl.net

TIDE TOURS

P.O. Box 150

Punta Gorda Town

Toledo District

Belize, C.A.

Telephone: +501-722-2274

Fax: +501-722-2655

Email: tidetours@btl.net

Website: http://www.belizeecotours.org

Oceanic Society Expeditions

Fort Mason Center, Bldg. E, #230

San Francisco, CA 94123

Tel US & outside the US (415) 441-1106

Tel US only (800) 326-7491

Fax: (415) 474-3395

Email: office@oceanic-society.org

Website: www.oceanic-society.org Elderhostel

USA and Canada - toll free

Tel: 1-877-426-8056

Fax: 1-877-426-2166

outside the US and Canada

Tel: 1-978-323-4141

Fax: 1-617-426-0701

Website: http://www.elderhostel.org

Email: registration@elderhostel.org

Accommodations and amenities are varied depending upon your budget and the location and type of tour. Many of the more remote places including accommodations in protected areas will offer dormitory style accommodation. However, you will also be able to find a few cabins or cottages with private or shared bathroom facilities. Business and organizations that specialize in educational travel usually have small libraries and other resource materials.

The cost for educational courses depends on the level of the course being taken and the duration. Additional charges also depend on the complete package being offered.

Group bookings usually result in lower costs than following an itinerary on your own and the optimum size groups is dependent upon the size of your transportation. 12-25 participants seems to be the more manageable size.

Book as early as possible when you are dealing with a group - many large groups and organizations book a year in advance to ensure space and late bookings may necessitate re-working your itinerary to match available spaces.

Especially if you are leading a group with participants under the age of 18, be sure to have your tour organizer and accommodations know of any rules that your group is bound by:

e.g. no alcohol consumption,

use of the "buddy system" so that any exploration away from the group should be reported before leaving the group and should not be less than 2 people.

Have a master list of all group members with their emergency contact information, passport # and date and place of issue. (The latter is very helpful in filling in the check-in forms at hotels.)

Request information on the training and experience of your tour guides before booking services.

Ask about safety measures/equipment and emergency procedures that are available before booking.

Send around your proposed itinerary and needs to a variety of operators and accommodations to be able to compare costs and services.

Read up on your topic of interest before your trip.