Altun Ha Temple & Howler Monkey Sanctuary

This was an excellent guided trip. ASK for Tarik as your tour guide, seriously. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. He treated us to some local cashew fruit and custard apple, local cashew and blackberry wine tasting, and of course the Mayan Ruins and Howler monkeys. He also knows the best spot for lunch. Highly recommend.

We were staying at the Belize River Lodge and had a day off from fishing, and they coordinated this tour for us. Erolyn was our driver, and she was wonderful,in addition to being a great driver! We visited the Howler Monkey Santuary, and we were able to see and learn about the monkeys and other flora & fauna in that area. The Howler monkeys were definitely close enough to see and hear. We then traveled on to Altun Ha, and we're able to visit the Archeological Site at our own pace without the pressure of a large tour group. Erolyn was a font of information, answering our many questions. We enjoyed our day with her. It was spectacular.

I have to be honest, I thought our day was going to be miserable. It was raining all day, hard. The folks at UpClose Belize really came through. Angie checked in on us with the pick up point and quickly responded to every email sent along the way. Our tour guide Elvin made all the difference in the world with his vast knowledge of Belize and all of the towns and villages we drove through before arriving at the temples. He described each area with a knowledge and passion like no other. Informing us of how things came about, local customs, as well as the local people living there. Once we arrived at the site, his knowledge of the Mayans and their traditions was absolutely amazing. He did not at any time seem like he was reciting from a script. This young man never faltered in his descriptions or in his knowledge even though the rains were drenching him to his very core. He stood proud of his knowledge and proud of the ancient traditions he described. The howler monkey part of the tour was also amazing with the vast knowledge of the local forest and indigenous plant life. Dwayne was very knowledgeable with the plant life as well as the local area. At first the monkeys would not cooperate as it was down-pouring during this as well. Eventually they came out to great their guest. It was great to see a small section of forest acting as a reserve for the howler monkeys that the locals seem to respect immensely. I would definitely recommend this tour and definitely recommend you book with UpClose Belize.