Lamanai Tours

About this tour

Lamanai Tours

Located on the banks of the New River Lagoon, is easist visited by boat river tour along the spectacular new river. The trip is a nature-lover’s heaven for numerous species of water birds live along this rich and diverse waterway. You may even be lucky enough to view iguanas and crocodiles as they sun themselves on the river banks. There are also interesting flora and fauna to be seen at the Lamanai reserve.

While the site was recorded by missionaries and also mentioned by Thomas Gann in the 1920’s, it was not until 1974 that formal excavations were carried out at the site by Dr. David Pendergast up until 1986. More recent work has been carried out by Dr. Elizabeth Graham.

Previous archaeological work has focused not only on the ancient Maya aspect of the site, but also the colonial era, with investigations into both the Spanish churches as well as the sugar mill.

Lamanai boasts the third tallest Maya structure in Belize, aptly called High Temple, which stands 33 meters tall. Perhaps the most iconic feature of Lamanai is the Mask Temple. The masks featured on this temple is 4.2 m high. It was built up of limestone blocks which were mortared together and then overlaid with a thin layer of lime plaster and a finishing coat of stucco.

This method of construction is unusual in the Maya area, where masks and friezes were usually built up and modelled with plaster on a stone block framework. Some blocks appear to be quite large; for example, the upper section of the face is one large block whereas on the sides of the face, the edges of smaller blocks can be seen. The nose, however, was made up of two pieces of stone either side; the nostrils and middle section were then infilled with mortar and smaller pieces of stone. Each ear flare is also carved from one single block of stone.

Links to top resources about Lamanai
Lamanai (Institute of Archaeology NICH)
World Archaeology
Complete list of ALL our tours available while you are in Belize on holiday

Your tour to Lamanai begins with pickup form your accommodation, AirBnB Water taxi or Municipal airstrip in Belize City. Form here we Journey north for one hour, 55 Miles, on the Philip Goldson Highway to the District of Orange Walk to the town of Carmelita on the banks of the New River.

Here at our docks we join other guests as we board our boat and set of on an amaizing one hour wildlife eco tour along the new river sighting bats, birds, crocodiles and even local fishermen who have hand fish the river for hundreds of years. As the new river opens out into the new river lagoon we get our first glimpse of the summit of the highest peak of the largest temple, the Majestic High Temple at Lamanai.

On arrival at the site of Lamanai, your guide will make your entrance fees payments while you use the bathroom Fascilites and its off on tour. Visitors will get a chance to visit the Jaguar Temple, Royal Complex, High Temple, Mask Temple, Stelae 9 Temple learning the history of an ancient people as they move from plaza to plaza.

After your complete tour of Lamanai, guests will journey enjoy a delicious local Belizean Lunch served buffet style on site at the lunch area.
After lunch we reboard the boat and return to the docks for your return journey to Belize City.

US$145 per person minimum 2 persons to book. All tours depart Belize City. We pick up at all hotels, airbnb, water taxi, municipal airstrip in and around Belize City at no additional costs.
Available for guests from San Pedro Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker – water taxi or local flights not included in our cost.