Lamanai Outpost Lodge

Lovely stay at Lamanai. Decided to stay for 4 nights then we could relax as well as participating in the activities. Collected promptly by Freddie who was very informative about Belize and taken to the boat departure where we were met by Eddy who was our guide during our stay. All guides friendly and enthusiastic like Eddy and Eduardo ,who is an absolute font of knowledge about birds and Mayan culture. Met with Blanca who seems passionate about the environment. Hospitality staff lovely especially ? Karen . There is the opportunity to meet with other travellers on some of the activities and at meal times and the overall ambience of the place is of a friendly relaxed lodge. On arrival we had not eaten since breakfast and enjoyed the food on the 1st evening and doubted that we would be asking for half portions however by the evening of day 2 I was also requesting smaller portions ( and I have a good appetite). The food was absolutely delicious and authentic thus I didn't want to miss out on the starters/ mains or deserts but certainly plentiful. Activities were good especially arriving in Lamanai before other tourists we were on our own in there for a significant amount of time. Great to see the stars on the spotlight safari and the sereneness of the area. Enjoyed swimming in the lagoon to refresh. It was very hot when we were there and air con is a useful addition. Room spacious and ample toiletries provided ,great view over the lagoon from our room and loved the gardens. Overall a fabulous stay not cheap but worth it. Note that whilst there are timings for collection and return we found that the lodge was very flexible with these.

Where do we start?! Our family loved this place. All the staff were super friendly, helpful, kind and knowledgeable. The activities were so memorable and made our holiday. The local Mayan temples, spotlight safari, sunset cocktail cruise, visiting the local village, and finally….the evening crocodile trip on an airboat! George, Danny and Geordin were superb on the trips and the staff at the lodge were so, so kind. Accommodation is great, food also great. And the lagoon every day was awesome! Thank you so much Lamanai Outpost Lodge. Our family will never forget this place - you made our memories!

We stayed here for 3 nights on our tour of Guatemala and Belize. Superb experience, comfortable cabin, great staff, lovely lodge - good food - great activities. Enjoyed all of the 6 included activities we manged to cram in. Yes - you can swim in the lake, but it is too warm to be really refreshing!

What a wonderfully special place. We came with parents, grandparents, and children ages 7 and 9 and all of us had a spectacular experience. Over three nights/two days we had six adventures, including a sunrise canoe trip, a nature hike and visits to the nearby Lamanai Archaeological Reserve. The Mayan ruins here are accessible and real with very few tourists--giving a different feel than you experience elsewhere. We added on a crocodile adventure which was a thrill for everyone. Our guide George was with us for the entire time and it was lovely to be able to share stories and get to know each other. All the guides seemed knowledgeable and kind and able to do everything. The dining room staff were warm and helpful and the homemade food was excellent (even for the picky eaters among us!) The accommodations are comfortable but not elegant and come only if you are excited by the idea of being in the jungle, in a lodge run by locals rather than a big company. We went afterwards to one of the fancier jungle lodges in Belize with an infinity pool and snazzy rooms--but I think all of us were more entranced by Lamanai.

If you're looking to experience nature as seen on TV, learn about the Mayan culture without hoards of visitor, experience authentic local villages and gentle adventures along the way this has to be your destination.|Lamanai had been suggested and we had read reviews but would it live up to our expectations? I have to say Lamani was probably the high point of our whole 3 weeks in Guatamala and Belize. We stayed 3 nights but it felt like a week with all the things we saw and experienced.| |From the incredible roar of howler monkeys as we strolled through the Mayan buildings. The crocodile research project that we took part in on a night time trip. Tarantula's, iguanas, humming birds, cane toads, and lots more. The derelict sugar cane mill from 1800's entwined by the jungle tree roots was like walking into a movie set! ||All the staff at Lamai have to be commended for their excellent customer care and attention to detail. Nothing is too much trouble! For example remembering at mealtimes that my husband was a vegetarian. |A special mention has to be made for George, our guide who was extremely knowledgeable in all areas of nature and Mayan history and really made our stay so much fun and interesting. We loved the boat rides especially our sunset cocktail cruise with George!||We enjoy seeing exotic birds but we aren't 'twitchers'. There were several serious birding groups and by the sound of their excitement, they weren't disappointed

The experience begins when you step on the boat that takes you to the lodge|The guides are excellent. we had Rubin and Edwardo they can spot birds deep in the trees by their sounds. The included tours are great, something for everyone . We especially liked the night light safari. Food was excellent, and the cabins were very comfortable. This was our second visit||

Lamanai is a unique experience. My husband and I had 3 nights here and it was extraordinary. The hour-long boat trip up the river and creeks to the lagoon was just the start of a magical few days and an incredible mix of jungle, water, Mayan ruins - the oldest we have ever seen worldwide. We were guided by Lucio who had extensive knowledge of both the fascinating history of the people Lamanai and its beautiful birds. He recognised every tweet, call and song of hundreds of birds and found them for us too. My only regret was I had not taken my big camera thinking it was just one extra piece to carry, which was a mistake. I have not included the bird photos taken with my iPhone, which are OK, but do not do justice to the stunning birds - toucans, parrots, humming birds, woodpeckers, mangrove swallows, nightsjars, kingfishers, flycatchers, euphonias, tanagers - just a few of over 400 species in the area. A bird watchers paradise. ||In addition to do not miss the spotlight safari. You go out in the pitch dark, we were guided by Abdul who used a spotlight and a brilliant laser to point out snakes, a nesting hummingbird who we did not disturb, certain small mammals of the night AND a crocodile below us in the water that I could have touched if I had been stupid enough to try! Then we floated on the water and with his laser we were shown the fullest night sky we have ever seen, from Venus to Mars to Saturn, and so many named stars in between + the Milky Way.||Every day we had a choice of two expeditions from sunrise canoeing, nature walks, jungle medicine and village life, a sunset trip across the lagoon - the banana colado had a serious amount of rum! All the guides were so knowledgable and had either lived in the area all their lives or had many years of experience there. ||In addition the big beds were comfortable, we were well fed, we could ask for something else if the set menu did not appeal - but it did every time - and eventually I remembered you could ask for a smaller portion as my waistline expanded.....and the Margaritas are enormous! All the staff were friendly, efficient, and fun.||What more could we have asked for? Thank you Lucio and Lamanai.||Andy and Karen Clark

Overall very good experience as per multiple other reviews. Amazing location, all the guides very knowledgeable, excellent food, nothing to say about the services provided which are of excellent quality. However a bit pricey in my opinion for what it is, given the rooms are very basic and all the activities take place on the grounds of the lodge or in the immediate proximity.