"A 29-acre conservation-focused zoo that houses more than 150 native animals—many rehabilitated or rescued—including tapirs, jaguars, spider monkeys, toucans, and macaws; the facility offers accessible grounds and VIP guided tours for up-close education about local wildlife." - Patricia Doherty
Patricia Doherty
Patricia Doherty is a writer who specializes in covering destinations, resorts, and cruises for Travel + Leisure and other publications.
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"See the exotic animals you hear at night This zoo in incredible for a few reasons: obviously, primarily for the animals there. Being in Belize , there are jaguars, ocelots, scarlet macaws... everything you wish you could stumble upon when hiking in the rainforest (if only hiking boots were less noisy!). Most noteworthy perhaps are the scarlet macaws, which are endangered. If you like to research places before visiting, you MUST read, The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott: it tells about the Scarlet Macaw, Belize itself, and Sharon Matola- the woman who started the zoo and fought to save the macaws a while ago. If you're lucky, you might even be able to hold a boa constrictor (I did!) or meet Matola, who my friends ran into while touring the zoo. By Sarah Kollmorgen"
"See the exotic animals you hear at night This zoo in incredible for a few reasons: obviously, primarily for the animals there. Being in Belize , there are jaguars, ocelots, scarlet macaws... everything you wish you could stumble upon when hiking in the rainforest (if only hiking boots were less noisy!). Most noteworthy perhaps are the scarlet macaws, which are endangered. If you like to research places before visiting, you MUST read, The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott: it tells about the Scarlet Macaw, Belize itself, and Sharon Matola- the woman who started the zoo and fought to save the macaws a while ago. If you're lucky, you might even be able to hold a boa constrictor (I did!) or meet Matola, who my friends ran into while touring the zoo. By Sarah Kollmorgen"
"See the exotic animals you hear at night This zoo in incredible for a few reasons: obviously, primarily for the animals there. Being in Belize , there are jaguars, ocelots, scarlet macaws... everything you wish you could stumble upon when hiking in the rainforest (if only hiking boots were less noisy!). Most noteworthy perhaps are the scarlet macaws, which are endangered. If you like to research places before visiting, you MUST read, The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw by Bruce Barcott: it tells about the Scarlet Macaw, Belize itself, and Sharon Matola- the woman who started the zoo and fought to save the macaws a while ago. If you're lucky, you might even be able to hold a boa constrictor (I did!) or meet Matola, who my friends ran into while touring the zoo. By Sarah Kollmorgen"
Rainy season has its perks - we were two of the few people at the zoo and TEC. Our room was adequate, basic, and we were glad for the AC at night. Our dinner and breakfast were very good, and they catered to my daughter's dietary needs. The pristene pool was delightful for both afternoon and morning swims - and cool-downs. The zoo was very interesting, and we appreciate what they are doing for education, care, and rehab for Belizean animals. A lot of important work goes on behind the scenes. While we enjoyed our zoo visit during the afternoon, we LOVED the nocturnal tour to see, hear, and learn more about the night animals that weren't active during the day.
Deirdre Lind
Google
Incredible sanctuary that truly cares about the well-being of the animals and education. All the residents are native to Belize who came here for another chance. Many species of native birds, tapirs (they are huge!), native cats, and some lizards and agouti to round out the visit.
Small cafe and gift shop on site.
Melissa Smith
Google
This small zoo is a beautiful delight!! So many local creatures were easily visible!! I wish we could have heard the howler monkeys, but they were not vocal. The employees were extremely kind, too! You won't regret making this stop!! ❤️
mac nachlas
Google
Take the night tour. It's a zoo experience unlike any other. The cabanas are plain but comfortable. Most are located around a small pond it serves as feeding ground for birds and small animals. At dawn it's beautiful. Truly unique experience.....
Zambgar
Google
We loved staying here. We were slightly concerned about the lack of aircon, but the fans provided, coupled with the rooms being quite open (with complete mosquito shielding), actually made for a pleasant enough night's sleep and allows you to wake up to the beautiful sounds of the jungle. The best thing is that you are contributing to the very worthwhile upkeep of the Belize Zoo. All the staff were fantastic and friendly and provide a free shuttle service between the resort and the zoo (a couple of minutes drive). We did a nightime zoo tour whilst we were there, which we would recommend. All the staff care passionately about the animals. Dinner and breakfast at the resort was great and there are several trails at the resort which were fun to explore. Another big plus from me was that the rooms provide refrigerators and 5 gallon water containers to ensure you remain hydrated. Would really recommend visiting here to support a worthwhile cause and have a fun and unusual experience at a very reasonable price.
Monica Heredia
Google
We had a fantastic time at the Belize Zoo! We took part in the special experiences with the tapir and the scarlet macaw, and they were truly unforgettable. Even though the jaguars were deep in sleep, it didn’t take away from how amazing the visit was. Our zookeeper was outstanding—friendly, knowledgeable, and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. It was such a fun and educational morning learning about Belize’s incredible wildlife. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the country!
Trevor Hilton
Google
It's a very nice little zoo. I definitely recommend this if you are a zoo enthusiast. Most of the animals are rescued animals that were either injured, orphaned, or kept illegally as pets, then abandoned. They're in as close to their natural setting as you can get. Sometimes hard to find in all the jungle foliage.
Jonathan Bettle
Google
Highly recommend as first stop when entering Belize. Cafe was delicious as it was the first restaurant west of the airport along the George Price Highway that was clean and fresh made while accepting credit cards.
See and learn about many of the animals you’ll expect to see in the jungle.