BELIZE FIELD COURSE for INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

LENGTH: 7 Days/6 Nights

FIXED DEPARTURE DATES: Jun 27-Jul 3.

*Please see our other BELIZE FIELD COURSES and our BELIZE FIELD COURSE for EDUCATORS at http://www.rainforestandreef.org or contact us for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*SEA-KAYAKING is now available in Belize. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*SCUBA DIVING is also available to Belize participants, but NOT PART of our BELIZE FIELD COURSE for INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. We will assist with arrangements, but all divers must break away from the group and be under supervision of the “dive-shop” handling these activities. There are fully-outfitted “dive-shops” on South Water Caye and in Placencia.

*FIELD COURSES for those with SPECIAL INTERESTS, such as BIRDING and GARDEN GROUPS are available upon request. Sample itineraries can be seen at http://www.birdingtours.org (being updated), http://www.gardentours.org (being updated) and also http://www.rainforestandreef.org. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

*An affordable extension to the famed MAYAN SITE of TIKAL in eastern Guatemala is available upon request before or after our BELIZE FIELD COURSE for INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. Description and pricing is included below.

FIELD COURSE COST: 1665.00USD per person. Based on a minimum of 15 full-paying participants. Cost is based on triple and quadruple occupancy. Double and single occupancy available upon request, usually at an extra cost.

Includes: All INSTRUCTION and GUIDE SERVICES; all MEALS and LODGING as stated in the itinerary; all GROUND and WATER TRANSPORTATION within Belize; all ENTRANCE FEES to NATIONAL PARKS and OTHER SITES.

Does Not Include: ROUND-TRIP INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE to Belize; INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX (35.00USD per person); GRATUITIES and PERSONAL ITEMS.

INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE: Rainforest and Reef uses consolidators/wholesalers for all of our GROUP and INDIVIDUAL airfares. We are therefore able to offer the LOWEST RATES available. Please contact Rainforest and Reef for details and pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

GROUP LEADER BIOS and CONTACT INFORMATION:

Group Leader: Elissa Jury, Rondout Valley High School, Accord, NY

Contact Information: ejury@att.net

Bio: Elissa Jury was raised in The Bronx, New York and Palo Alto, California and has traveled throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe. From pocketed sow bugs to her own dream horse, her love for every animal she found, captured or purchased is conveyed through her teaching and an innovative course she teaches called Science Research at Rondout Valley High School in Accord, NY, where she has been for 11 years. Mrs. Jury also teaches Biology. During her summers she has taken advantage of many workshops, but her favorites have included the Cornell College CIBT programs. At Cornell she has participated in Microbiology, Marine Biology, Molecular Biology and Organismal Biology programs every summer since 2001. Mrs. Jury is the recipient of teaching awards through Loyola University, MIT and Amherst College (see URL below). She looks forward to seeing Belize as an opportunity to enjoy students’ engagement in the natural world and contribute to understanding its need for preservation. Along with our Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center Guides, Mrs. Jury will help in making your visit to Belize a most enriching experience.

http://www.amherst.edu/~pubaff/news/news_releases/05/2006_05swifties.html

Group Leader: Lucinda Grovenburg, M.D.

Contact Information: luzlinda23@gmail.com

Bio: Dr. Grovenburg is a medical doctor, with a family practice in New York. She has spent a considerable part of her life living in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish. Aside from having traveled extensively, Dr. Grovenburg is an avid lover of nature and the outdoors.

ITINERARY:

MEAL CODES: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner

Note: On the MEDICAL INFORMATION FORM that you will be receiving shortly after registration, please make us aware of any special meal requests and/or dietary restrictions….vegan, vegetarian, etc., that you or members of your group may have. We will be pleased to fulfill your requests/needs.

DAY 1 ARRIVAL-BELIZE TROPICAL EDUCATION CENTER (TEC)-FIELD COURSE ORIENTATION-EVENING PRESENTATION on the HISTORY, PEOPLE and GEOGRAPHY of BELIZE. Following your arrival at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, outside of Belize City, you will be greeted by our Belize Field Course Staff and transferred to the Belize Tropical Education Center. After dinner, there will be an orientation session to our Belize Field Course for Independent High School Students and a presentation about the History, People and Geography of Belize. Overnight Tropical Education Center. B L D

Note: You will be met outside of Immigration and Customs by Rainforest and Reef Staff. They will be holding a sign that says:

DAY 2 TROPICAL EDUCATION CENTER-BELIZE ZOO-JAGUAR PAW RESERVE-CAVING and TUBING on the FIVE CAVES BRANCH RIVER. After breakfast, we will tour the TEC facilities, which are situated on 84 acres of tropical pine savannah habitat. The ecology of the savannah will be discussed, as we hike along some of the many trails here and observe resident birds and wildlife from an elevated "viewing platform". Participants will also hear about their green iguana breeding program and conservation projects involving the yellow-head parrot and manatee. Our group will then visit the very unique and popular Belize Zoo, which is adjacent to the TEC. The Zoo has over 125 animal species on display, all of which are native to Belize. This includes all 5 species of cats found here. It has been designed to display them in settings that closely match their natural habitats. The Zoo and TEC have a well deserved reputation for conservation of native wildlife, rehabilitation of injured animals and an outstanding public education program. After lunch, we will depart for Jaguar Paw Reserve. Located on 215 acres of jungle, Jaguar Paw will give us access to the Five Caves Branch River and the amazing system of caves that the river passes through. The remainder of the day will be spent tubing and hiking at Jaguar Paw. Late this we will return to the Tropical Education Center for dinner and overnight. B L D

DAY 3 GREEN HILLS BUTTERFLY FARM-MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE-RÍO ON-RÍO ON POOLS and RAPIDS-RÍO FRÍO CAVE-NATURAL HISTORY CENTER. Following breakfast, our group will depart for Green Hills Butterfly Farm. This will be a great opportunity for photographing some the beautiful butterflies of Belize. A Guided tour here teaches about the life-cycle of the butterfly and their ecological significance. We will be taken into several large greenhouses, where hundreds of butterfly species are raised and kept. Following lunch, we will depart for the Mountain Pine Ridge. This region is made up of 300 square miles of pristine forest reserve and famed for some of the most breath taking scenery in Belize. Our first stop will be the Río On, a tributary of the Macal River. It swirls and splashes through a maze of granite boulders, forming a number of warm, clear mountain pools. Some of these may be up to 15 feet deep and make an excellent spot to stop for lunch, a swim and to just enjoy the spectacular scenery found here. In the afternoon, we will continue on to Río Frío Cave and Nature Trail. A few miles past the village of Augustine, we will descend into an area of subtropical vegetation and one of Belize’s best known cave districts. Our hike along Río Frío Nature Trail will take us to the largest and most spectacular cave in this area, Río Frío Cave. Trees along the trail are labeled and wildlife is abundant. Río Frío Cave extends about 300 yards through a solid limestone mountain. This is considered to have been a Mayan ceremonial center centuries ago. The cave is characterized by enormous arched entryways at both ends, along with unusual colors and striations inside. Numerous stalactites can be seen hanging from the ceiling. Following our exploration of Río Frío Cave, we will travel to the Green Hills Butterfly Farm. A Guided tour here teaches about the life-cycle of the butterfly and their ecological importance. We will be taken into several large greenhouses, where hundreds of butterfly species are raised and kept. This is a great opportunity for photographing some of the beautiful butterflies of Belize. Our group will then return to Chaa Creek Safari Tent Camp and visit the nearby Natural History Center. It was designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the natural history and geography of Belize. Following dinner, overnight Chaa Creek Safari Tent Camp. B L D

DAY 4 MAYAN SITE of XUNANTUNICH-DANGRIGA-BOAT TRIP to SOUTH WATER CAYE-INTRODUCTION to SNORKELING and SAFETY PROCEDURES. Following breakfast, our group will depart for the Mayan site of Xunantunich, located near the village of San José Succotz, west of San Ignacio. These ruins date back some 1400 years and the name is translated by present day Mayans as the "maiden of the rock". The site is accessible only by a 19th century, hand-cranked ferry, which will take us across the Mopan River. We will then hike for a mile into the heart of this remarkable site. Once here, a climb to the top of the 130 foot high pyramid called "El Castillo" offers one of the most spectacular views in all of Belize. Lush jungle is seen to the east, the Guatemalan lowlands to the west and the beautiful Maya Mountains to the south. Xunantunich is presently under continued excavation by Belize's Department of Archaeology to further uncover its place in history. Following lunch, we will transfer to Dangriga, the largest Garifuna community in the Caribbean, for a short boat trip to South Water Caye (~30 min.) and begin the marine component of the Belize B Field Course. En route, there will be a stop at a popular craft and souvenir shop. After settling in at South Water Caye, participants will be given an introduction to snorkeling and water safety procedures. Dinner and overnight South Water Caye. B L D

Notes: Based on group size and availability, Calabash Caye or Glover’s Reef Atoll may also be used for the marine portion of our Belize B Field Course.

Snorkeling gear is available for rent on South Water Caye. We recommend that you bring your own. In salt-water, mask fit is extremely important. If you rent a mask, proper fit can’t be guaranteed.

DAY 5 PRESENTATION on SEA-GRASS and MANGROVE ECOLOGY-SNORKEL MANGROVE ISLANDS-NIGHT SNORKEL. Following an early breakfast, we will begin today with a presentation on the importance of sea-grass and mangrove communities found near South Water Caye. The water at South Water Caye, now a National Marine Reserve, is more crystalline than on reefs closer to the mainland, where higher turbidity is caused by run-off from rivers draining the mainland. Underwater visibility is often more than 100 feet in any direction. Aside from the sea-grass beds we will snorkel today, the pristine waters found inside the main “barrier reef” support a variety of other marine ecosystems, including patch reefs and numerous mangrove islands. The variety of marine-life found here is astounding….colorful sponges, countless species of coral, tunicates, anemones, starfish, spectacular fish, manatees and dolphins. After lunch, our group will travel to a number of mangrove islands, where we will have the opportunity to snorkel. Not only will participants observe a wide variety of colorful tropical fish, but also have a chance to take a close look at other fascinating marine life that inhabit mangrove roots. Mangroves are extremely important, in that they form a rich and vital breeding habitat for lobsters, fish, birds, manatees and numerous other forms of marine-life. Late in the afternoon, we will return to South Water Caye for dinner. This evening, participants will have a chance to do a night-snorkel near the shores and off the boat dock at South Water Caye. Just as in the rainforest, many animals become active only after the sun goes down. Overnight South Water Caye. B L D
Note: Bring several water-proof flashlights along with your group for the night-snorkels. They are not available on South Water Caye.



DAY 6 PRESENTATION on GENERAL CORAL REEF ECOLOGY-SNORKEL GREAT BARRIER REEF and PATCH REEFS-NIGHT SNORKEL. After breakfast, our group will have a presentation on general coral reef ecology. We will spend the morning snorkeling the fore-reef of Belize's Great Barrier Reef, second largest in the world and largest in the Western Hemisphere. Our skiffs will anchor outside the Barrier Reef, as we snorkel over the its crest and observe the classic "spur and groove" formations found here. This will be a great opportunity to get a first-hand look at "reef zonation". Aside from a countless number of beautifully colored marine fish, we will also observe massive coral heads that are a common here. After lunch, we will snorkel a variety of patch reef formations inside the main “barrier reef”. Following dinner, our group will have one last chance to do a night-snorkel. Overnight South Water Caye. B L D

DAY 7 SOUTH WATER CAYE-DANGRIGA-BELIZE CITY-DEPARTURE. After an early breakfast and farewells to your Belize B Field Course Staff, transfer to the Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, for your return flight home. B

Note: Due to weather conditions and circumstances beyond the control of our Field Course Staff, certain activities may be changed or done on different days in the best interests of the group.

EXTENSION: MAYAN SITE of TIKAL

Note: Overnight stays in Belize may be required prior to and/or following our TIKAL EXTENSION. If necessary, hotel reservations and transfers will be arranged through Rainforest and Reef and are not included in the cost.

LENGTH: 3 Days/2 Nights (overland) or 2 Days/1 Night (flight Belize City-Flores, Guatemala-Belize City)

AVAILABLE DATES: Before or after any of our Field Courses in Belize.

COST:

3 Days/2 Nights: Please contact Rainforest and Reef by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

2 Days/1 Night: Please contact Rainforest and Reef by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

Note: For individuals, families or groups of less than 10 full-paying participants, please contact Rainforest and Reef for pricing by e-mail: info@rainforestandreef.org or call toll-free: 1.877.255.3721.

Includes: All INSTRUCTION and BI-LINGUAL GUIDE SERVICES; all MEALS and LODGING as stated in the itinerary; all GROUND TRANSPORTATION within Belize and Guatemala; all ENTRANCE FEES to NATIONAL PARKS and OTHER SITES.

Note: INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE Belize City-Flores, Guatemala-Belize City is included in our 2 Day/1 Night option.

Does Not Include: ROUND-TRIP INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE to Belize; INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX (35.00USD per person); GRATUITIES and PERSONAL ITEMS.

ITINERARY:

MEAL CODES: B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner

DAY 1 BELIZE CITY-FLORES, GUATEMALA. Early this morning, we will depart by bus, for Flores, located in eastern Guatemala. Here will have time to shop and visit the local market. Dinner and overnight Flores. B L D

Note: Please advise Rainforest and Reef if there are any non-U.S./non-Canadian citizens in your group. If there are, they should check with the nearest Guatemalan Embassy to see if they will need a VISA to enter Guatemala.

DAY 2 MAYAN CITY OF TIKAL. Following an early breakfast, we will depart for the famed Mayan site of Tikal, located in the middle of Tikal National Park and surrounded by more than 200 square miles of El Petén jungle habitat. There is nothing quite like the experience of Tikal, as we go back more than 2000 years in time. Walking towards the awe inspiring Great Plaza, one sees the Temples of the Grand Jaguar and Masks towering over the surrounding landscape, you immediately feel the mystique that has made Tikal a "must see destination". It is estimated that it took over one million ancient Mayans, one thousand years to build all the structures found here. The central portion of Tikal alone, measures about 10 square miles. Here, the remains of 3000 buildings are found including Temple lV, which at a height of 212 feet is the tallest ancient structure in the New World. We will also visit the Lost World Complex, a group of recently discovered structures from the late Pre-Classic Period, older than Tikal itself. Presently, only a small portion of Tikal has been completely excavated. Following lunch, we will visit the Tikal Museum, which houses some of the many Pre-Columbian treasures found at Tikal. In addition to the spectacular Mayan city found here, the area teems with howler monkeys, almost 300 bird species and other wildlife. Following a memorable day, we will transfer back to our hotel for dinner and overnight. B L D

DAY 3 TIKAL-BELIZE CITY-DEPARTURE. After breakfast this morning, we will pack up and transfer from Tikal National Park to Belize’s Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport for your return flight home. B