Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Traveling along the Southern Highway, I decided to spend a night at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Operated by the Belize Audubon Society, many people refer to it simply as the jaguar reserve, since it was the world’s first. While I had planned to hike the five miles from the bus stop into the wildlife sanctuary headquarters, I didn’t have to walk the whole way. A man who was working on some of the orange groves near the entrance insisted on giving me a ride on his backhoe.

The unexpected lift meant I had enough time in the afternoon to enjoy some river tubing. While I didn’t see any jaguars during my stay, I thoroughly enjoyed the hummingbirds, waterfalls, butterflies, mountain views at sunrise, and tranquility – other than the park rangers, I was the only one staying in the dorms the night I was there.