Sharks and Subs in the Yucatan Peninsula

Home Central America Sharks and Subs in the Mayan Heartlands

Explore the Yucatan Peninsula where you will leap into hidden cenotes, discover ancient Maya ruins and explore weathered colonial cities. In Belize, uncover the hidden depths of the Great Blue Hole, trek through dense jungle and dive the stunning Belize Barrier Reef. Finish this astonishing experience in Honduras where you can watch sleepy towns come to life with the sunset and enjoy a taste of the Caribbean.

When to go

January - May

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Chichen Itza & Maya Cenotes

After breakfast on board, helicopter inland for an experience perfect for any nature lover. Explore in-depth, one of the most stunning natural wonders of the Yucatán Peninsula, the Maya Cenotes. Derived from a Maya word, Cenote refers to any subterranean chamber that contains permanent water. These sacred spots were once a main source of fresh water and were believed to have had healing properties, even considered to be portals to the underworld.

Today, cenotes are a vital element in Yucatan’s ecosystems and culture. Spend your day discovering these stunning subterranean pools, diving through the crystal-clear waters, and unveiling secrets that lie beneath the earth’s surface. Enjoy a wild picnic lunch among the rugged cenotes and spend the afternoon learning about the unique ecosystems and the animals that they house. Return to your vessel for dinner on board, as you begin your overnight cruise towards Belize.

Ambergris Caye & Dive Hoi Chan

Cruise overnight towards Ambergris Caye in Belize. First inhabited by the Maya as early as 200 BC, it was the Maya who dug the canal on the north side of the Mexican peninsula creating the island of Amergris Caye. The caye is 25 miles long, making it the largest island lying off the coast of Belize. Finish your cruise over breakfast, anchoring to head inland to explore Bacalar Chico Marine National Park and Reserve. Here, on 11 miles of trails, you may encounter whitetail deer, ocelots, saltwater crocodiles, and maybe even pumas and jaguar. Discover at least nine ancient Maya sites located in this area, watching where you step as both loggerhead and green sea turtles nest here. Take to the water and dive or snorkel off Rocky Point, a stunning underwater site.

After a restorative lunch on board, tender out to the Hoi Chan Reserve to dive, snorkel and swim with the nurse sharks and stingrays that are plentiful in this area. This reserve is home to more than 160 species of fish as well as 40 species of coral and five kinds of sponges, not to mention the turtle species found here. You may even encounter a gentle manatee or dolphin as you explore this abundant marine reserve. Head out with a local guide to the only classic tarpon flats outside of South Florida. Here, take the chance to fly fish for bonefish, returning to the yacht with your catch for your world-class chef to prepare it. Enjoy your freshly-caught dinner on deck as the sun sets over the glistening water.

Jabiru Spotting & Lamanai

Whilst your yacht cruises towards Blue Hole, helicopter inland and spend the morning in the Crooked Tree Reserve, a sprawling mass of waterways, lagoons, gallery forest, and savannah lands home to over 300 species of bird. As you ride, tender or hike through the expanse of the park, spot one of the world’s largest flying birds, the Jabiru. The sanctuary is also home to howler monkeys, crocodiles, and freshwater turtles. Spend time learning about medicinal plants with a local chef and herbalist as you join them in their village. Enjoy lunch in the village with local people as you learn about their deep knowledge and unique perspective of the native flora and fauna.

Helicopter on to Lamanai, one of the biggest and best excavated Maya sites in northern Belize. These ruins have a particular characteristic that is different from most other Maya ruins, it is close to a body of water. Thanks to this, Lamanai had one of the longest occupation spans of any Maya site, spanning from the 16th century BC until the 17th century AD.

Investigate the iconic Jaguar Mask and High Temples with your guide, including one of the famous Maya calendars that predicted the end of the world in 2012. Keep your eyes peeled for crocodiles that lurk on the banks of the nearby waters. Trek through the surrounding jungles, comprised of giant Guanacaste and breadnut trees, allspice, and strangler fig as you hunt for the elusive and beautiful national flower of Belize – the Black Orchid. Helicopter back to your waiting yacht and enjoy sundowners and dinner on board.

Blue Hole & Half Moon Caye

Snorkel over the Emerald Forest Reef, the distinctive Elkhorn coral illuminated by the soft light of morning. Following this gentle ‘warm up’, move onto the extraordinary Blue Hole.

With special permissions gained by Pelorus, you’ll take a submersible to the bottom of one of the Discovery Channel’s “The 10 Most Amazing Places on Earth”. You’ll explore the very bottom with its conch shells lying amid human remains while watching out for the bull and whale sharks that gather here. You’ll also explore the vibrant coral gardens that ring the hole.

Take a tender to the national park and protected area of Half Moon Caye. You’ll reach a stunning viewing platform above the forest canopy offering a view over the western Caribbean’s only viable breeding colony of red-footed booby. As evening descends, enjoy a barbecue on the beach.

Placencia

Heli into the Belizean Rainforest and trek through dense jungle in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Wade across babbling streams and learn about the local flora and fauna of the jungle from an expert guide. Arrive at the Actun Tunichil Muknal, one of the most impressive caves in the Maya lowlands. This cave was a sacred place to the pre-Hispanic Mayas of Belize. The cave system consists of a series of chambers, ending in a huge 300m by 50m Cathedral where sacrificial ceremonies once took place. Travel into the Maya past and witness a living museum where human sacrifices and ancient artifacts can be viewed in their original context. You will swim, climb and cave through the complex before enjoying a remote picnic lunch at the surface.

Heli to Bocawina Park. Here, soar over the treetops on a 4km 14-platform zipline course and hike through tropical jungle, thriving with howler monkeys and more than 200 species of birds. Uncover some of the five hidden waterfalls and find unexcavated Maya ruins that have been reclaimed by nature. Covered in jungle creepers, these temples and homes have remained undiscovered for centuries and you will get the chance to be one of the first people to discover them. Get your adrenaline pumping with a 30m rappel down the face of scenic Bocawina Falls. At the bottom, dive into a refreshing emerald pool below the thundering falls before flying back to your yacht for dinner.

Bay Islands

Spend the day in the Bay Islands of Honduras, the most westerly point of the Caribbean, an area that is often overlooked by travellers to Central America. The islands are a real diving and snorkelling hub and virtually the entire island coastline is fringed by astonishingly diverse coral reef teeming with colourful, tropical fish. Whale sharks are seen here year-round and this area is protected giving you a high chance of an encounter either while snorkelling or diving. For something a little different, take a submersible along the tip of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-longest reef in the world. Here you will witness the unchartered depths in complete safety and comfort. Wrecks surround these islands, dive down to them, witnessing the astonishing power of nature as it reclaims these sunken ships. These wrecks lie on stunning reefs that offer diverse underwater topography from overhangs and cracks to canyons and ravines, in which shy fish and crustacean species hide.

On land, exquisite white sand beaches, pine-forested hills, and remote pirate hideouts beg to be explored. Hike through the mountainous interior as pine trees tower above you. Reach summits and stare out over the stunning landscape. Return to the beach where a castaway dinner awaits you. Lit by candles and sheltered by a stretching white canopy, enjoy a barefoot dinner on the beach accompanied only by the sounds of the ocean and the island’s wildlife.

Le Ceiba

Cruise into the mouth of Rio Cuero where local guides will meet you at the swim platform in motorised canoes. Venture into the Cero Y Salado Wildlife Refuge through the complex of estuaries and mangrove forests. Manatees, monkeys, alligators, and a variety of birds and are all part of the highlights of this protected and diverse habitat. Travelling through these mangroves in canoes allows you to get closer to the natural world and the chance to encounter wildlife.

After lunch, heli into the mountains, to the Rio Cangrejal, a world-class white water rafting, and kayaking destination. After a short climb down into the giant riverbed, you will board your raft with your guides and begin your adventure. First, you’ll float through a friendly rapid as a warm-up for exciting class III-IV rapids, including some steep drops and long wave-trains. During the trip, you’ll stop several times to jump from cliffs straight into the current or swim through a 100m rock gorge past rocks the size of houses. Fly back to your yacht for dinner onboard.

Copan Maya Ruins

Hop into a helicopter and fly to Copan archaeological site. Here you can embark on a privately guided journey through the site. Copan is well-known for its intricately carved stelae and incredible hieroglyphic stairway. Explore the on-site sculpture museum and two excavated tunnels under the ruins that provide insight into the early stages of Copan civilisation. This stunning site is the perfect place to learn more about the fascinating and unique history of this civilisation.

Move towards Tela to Lancetilla Botanical Garden, a stunning collection of flora and fauna set up in 1925 by the famous explorer and botanist Wilson Popenoe. Popenoe was given the task of creating an experimental garden where fruit trees and ornamentals from around the world could be cultivated and eventually brought to market by the United Fruit Company. With over 630 species of plants and has the world’s largest collection of Asian fruits. Enjoy a wild lunch surrounded by the lush beauty of the botanical gardens before exploring the depths of the garden with an expert botanist. Taste some of the lush exotic fruit and find stunning orchids and flowers in bloom. Explore the forest preserve that lies behind the gardens where trails lead to some of Honduras’ best birding opportunities. After an afternoon of hiking through this stunning and challenging forest terrain, head to the small port town of Tela for a sunset seafood dinner on the beach. Return to your yacht for your final night before heading to the airport and starting your journey home.