Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary

My husband and I recently contacted Patricia to design a very sentimental return trip to Belize. We had visited in 1978 while in grad school and finally decided to go back, but we wanted help in order to explore all the places and experiences that exist today.

Patricia totally embraced the spirit of this return trip and she designed a fabulous itinerary with time in the Cayo District and beach. Her hotel selection in Cayo was magical (Gaia Riverlodge) with the most stunning setting, staff, and service, and she matched us with a fantastic local guide (Brainard) who spent 5 days with us. He shepherded us through Mayan sites (Caracol and Xunantunich are not to be missed!), canoeing in caves, looking around San Ignacio for sites we would recognize from ‘78, and accompanying us to a memorable cooking experience with a local family. The three of us never stopped talking; he had info and answers on every topic—Mayan history, local culture and politics, farming, food, and forests.

Throughout the trip, Patricia and her team were in touch with us to make sure things were going smoothly. When we rather suddenly realized that going to a beach resort in the middle of Tropical Storm Sara was not our best move, and opted to fly out that morning, her team and Brainard smoothly got us back to the airport.

We had such a wonderful time—and were so charmed by Belize—that we’re already working with Patricia to return later this winter. There’s more to see, we’ll have our beach weekend after all, and we couldn’t be in better hands than with Patricia and her team.

Our Belize vacation exceeded all of our expectations. One thing we very much realized is that we never would have been able to experience Belize as fully as we did if we did not have the guidance from the experts recommended by Wendy. Every transfer from place to place was smooth, and we learned more from our guides than we could have imagined. The planning calls helped really hone in on the way we wanted to see the country, and the itinerary was responsive to what our specific interests. We so appreciate the recommendation to see Belize in the “green season!”

First, if you haven’t yet been to Belize, you must go! It is a beautiful country, with many different places to experience, and has some of the nicest people I have ever met in this world. Truly, I cannot wait to return, and soon! This was all made special because of Patricia, who did an outstanding job of asking the right questions about we wanted from the trip, closely listening to our likes/dislikes, and then making suggestions that were perfect for us. She was spot on, from booking us beautiful villas at Chaa Creek in the Cayo District, and then for the beach portion we wanted, Ray Caye, which was such an adventure. I loved that we were able to see Mayan ruins, explore and experience the jungle/rain forest, and then be at an island resort 17 miles off the shoreline. While at Ray Caye, I swam with large turtles, sharks and barracudas. It was a great experience!

On our last night at Chaa Creek, we were surprised by a wonderful WOW moment, which consisted of a wine tasting, done by a local company. The wines were delicious, the charcuterie plate amazing, and most of all, the people that conducted the training were so much fun! We ended up feeling as if we had made new friends, and will never forget that beautiful night.

Again, if you are considering Belize, go (!) and have Patricia and her team do your planning. I have now been to 42 countries outside of the US, and Belize is now one of my favorites!

Doug Nury's daughter Kate swimming under Butterfly Falls at Hidden Valley Inn, Belize.

Doug Nury’s daughter Kate swimming under Butterfly Falls.

My daughter and I have begun a tradition of taking a father/daughter adventure trip each summer. We started our planning late this year but fortunately, Julianie was able to pull off an action-packed week in short order. Our trip was a mix of mountains, ocean, and jungle.

Brainard met us at the airport and briefed us on Belizean history, local interest, and the area’s geography on our way to Hidden Valley Inn. Hidden Valley is a secluded eco-lodge on 7,200 acres in the central mountains. We quickly dropped our bags in our suite overlooking a verdant, green valley and were offered our first adventure of the trip, a hike to Butterfly Falls. The accommodating staff drove us within 30 minutes of the falls, where we hiked the rest of the way to a secluded, beautiful waterfall with a crystal pool at the bottom that beckoned us to take a dip. Refreshing!

The next day Brainard met us for spelunking at the famous ATM cave. River crossings and a hike through the jungle brought us to the mouth of the cave, where we dove into the stream that guards the entry. Brainard made us feel completely comfortable and taught us about ancient Mayan culture as we made our way past artifacts and actual remains of human sacrifices. It was an experience we will never forget.

The restaurant and bar at Hidden Valley are a real treat but the best culinary experience is the chocolate production class taught by Jose. If you go you must take a few hours to learn how chocolate is made, delicious!

After the mountains, Brainard drove us to the beautiful beaches at Turtle Inn in the little town of Placencia. On the way, we stopped to enjoy the best tamales in Belize at Miss Bertha’s. Our arrival at Turtle Inn was seamless as we were escorted to our bungalow, the Estrella Mar. The next day began our true adventure, scuba certification. Benji made our three-day class fun and kept us safe throughout the entire process. Before long we were diving to see sharks, rays, jellyfish, lionfish, and so much more. In the evening we took advantage of the complimentary shuttle into town. The driver, Mark, was spot-on with his recommendations for restaurants with local flavor.

The last day of the trip was a jungle adventure. We hiked high into the mountains to the top of Antelope Falls where we rappelled down a waterfall into the foliage below. On our return to the hotel, Wilder surprised us with the biggest Mayan lunch ever. The food was delicious and was served rapid-fire at a roadside stand.

Thank you again to Julianie for your help with this memorable father/daughter adventure!

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