Chan Chich Lodge

We visited at the end of Feb for only two night. It is an incredible place if you like being off the beaten path and seeing wildlife and birds. We identified over 70 bird species, saw 2 puma (one up close on a hike), spider monkeys, peccaries and tracks of ocelots and maybe a margay. The guides are very dedicated to their work and on night drives Ruben is persistent in scanning with the spot light and excited to point out owls, foxes and a puma. Emil is not only a very attentive server but an expert birder and extremely knowledgeable about wildlife. The cabanas are comfortable but do expect bugs, low lighting and little airflow, the beds have netting and there is a floor and ceiling fan. We took ground transportation to the lodge which was nice to see the landscape and then flew out. We mostly walked the trails ourselves and enjoyed exploring. It had been raining so the trials were muddy and slippery. The food is amazing. Thank you for supporting Belize Bird Rescue!

Chan Chich Lodge is a true jungle paradise. Surrounded by nature and rich with history, the lodge offers incredible comfort, outstanding service, and gourmet meals that exceeded all expectations. The staff were warm, knowledgeable, and made every moment feel special. A perfect blend of adventure and luxury!l!

This was our second time at Chan Chich and it’s still as spectacular as it was in the late ‘80’s! The cabanas are comfortable, the food is very good having come from the Chan Chich property, the staff very solicitous, and the education about Belize and its wonders top-notch with the tours on the property and around Belize having very knowledgeable guides. Thank you for helping to make my education about Belize complete.

Wonderful experience - 4 night stay. Beautiful room, amazing food and plenty of walks and drives both night and day.|All the guides and staff were fantastic - attentive and informative. Chan Chich is in the jungle with only the estate farm nearby , roads are not always the best but adds to the fun.

The journey to the hotel was very uncomfortable and took four hours in a pick up truck. The road is very rough and bumpy which the truck seemed to exaggerate and luggage was loaded on the back seat of the passenger and therefore slid over the passenger in the back. If we had known this we would have flown to the lodge for the few extra hundred dollars. ||One of the attractions of stay in here was to see one of the Mayan sites but unfortunately this would have cost up an extra US$500 which we considered a rip off. The lodge offered various excursions around the lodge area which were not hugely interesting. However the guides are very attentive.||We stayed in the only cabin with AC which was very comfortable and well appointed. Other people were struggling with the lack of AC in the rooms. Also the other cabins had mesh windows. ||Food was good and friendly and chatty waiters. ||As one of us was recovering from a shattered elbow we managed to persuade the reception manager to take us to the airport in a transit people carrier which was much more acceptable.

My husband and I visited in late January, and though it is now March, I did not want to neglect giving credit to all at this beautiful resort in Belize. The location of Chan Chich is remote, but that truly adds to the adventure. Our weather was somewhat rainy, but if you come prepared with the proper gear, you will still have an enjoyable time. Our room was lovely, though a bit chilly at night due to the open-air screens, but it just felt part of an authentic jungle experience. Everyone working at the lodge is exceptionally knowledgeable, dedicated, and highly customer service-oriented. Luis, Reuben, and Emil were excellent- I apologize for not remembering more names, as all deserve credit. Because the location is remote, you will depend on the lodge-provided tours if you wish to make the best of your time there. I recorded 50 new species of birds, thanks to the help of the Chan Chich guides- absolutely incredible! The guides use a powerful free-standing scope to help the visitors get excellent views of the birds. We later traveled to the Caribbean side of Belize, where there was no comparison in terms of birding. Chan Chich is a true gem for birding enthusiasts.|The various types of hummingbirds that frequent the feeders at the lodge were so fun to watch during our meals. Speaking of meals, the food was delicious, healthy, and fresh from the farm. All types of alcoholic beverages are available upon request. Do not miss the farm tour- it is beautiful, fun, and educational. The night tours were also fun, and we did find an ocelot! We also stopped to do some stargazing- just incredible. While walking about the property on my final morning, I found a family of howler monkeys in the jungle near the pool area- an absolute joy! My husband and I signed up for the day trip to the Mayan ruins at Lamanai. Honestly, it was a lot-- hours in the car and a lengthy boat ride through the river on a very small boat to get to the site. The guide pointed out wildlife along the river, including birds, iguanas, bats, and even a crocodile. The guide provided us with a homemade lunch at a picnic area before the site tour, and he was also quite knowledgeable about the site, though I wished we would have had more time there. The site is magical, and we did not regret going, but be prepared for a long day if you select that tour. Overall, we absolutely loved our time at Chan Chich and are grateful to the very hard-working employees who made the time so special for us. Please don't neglect to tip your guides and all the workers as they are fabulous!

To properly review Chan Chich I have to reveal some things about myself. I'm a serious photographer. I only go where the wildlife and environment are ethically respected. I prefer locally-owned. I'm a foodie. I like comfort. I'm up there in years. And, I'm a safety freak. Chan Chich meets absolutely all my needs. This is in a fine list of favorite places for wildlife viewing. No doubt there are many a creature to be aware of in the rainforest, but with the local guides, I felt quite at home in this peaceful kingdom. I urge anyone interested in visiting to throughly read the history and ethics of Chan Chich on their website. To learn about the various animals flying, climbing, roaming and slithering in this pristine land. Your participation in spotting wildlife will only enhance your experience. And at the end of the day, an incredible meal is prepared from the farm on the estate. Afterwards you wander back to your cabana to find your bed turned down, a cookie and a story on the bedside table. Darkness falls quickly and the comfort of your bed welcomes you to slumber until you hear a loud roar outside during the wee hours. At breakfast, you find it wasn't a puma but territorial howler monkeys. Chan Chich is one of those places to visit when you truly need to get away from the craziness of man's world and reconnect with the real. All too soon the staff take you down the 7-mile track to the Gallon Jug airstrip and a Cessna single engine is waiting to take you back to BZE to head home fully refresh. Will I return? Do hummingbirds return when the cold wind blows? Of course, I will.

My friend and I stayed at Chan Chich Lodge for four nights. The estate is beautiful but our room wasn’t. We were in a basic room with two beds which was run down and freezing cold. We are not sure if this was down to our agent or the Lodge telling us it was the only room available. Unfortunately It was cold and raining when we were there, I asked for extra blankets and was given only one. There wasn’t anywhere for us to put our cases just a small cupboard which my friend used and I left my things inside my bag. When we left all our clothes and soft cases were damp including fact everything was damp including the beds and towels. When the weather is bad there isn’t a plan B so there isn’t anything to do except read. We did go on a couple of night drives and saw one Ocelot which was the highlight. We had a tour around the estate which was the most successful trip and we both really enjoyed. After the night drives we were freezing cold but unfortunately there isn’t an option to get a drink as the bar was permanently closed, there were on a few of us staying here so maybe no demand.|The food is delicious all homemade, we would have liked to try the sauces made on the estate but they weren’t on the table to try with meals.|Ruben and Luis were excellent guides but we didn’t see much wildlife because of the rain. We would have liked the opportunity to upgrade to a room with walls and air conditioning, also we would have rather arrived by plane instead of having to endure the road journey but this wasn’t offered to us.||A lovely estate but our shabby room let it down.