OK here it goes.. Our family did the Belize adventure week with Slickrock Adventures in April. This trip includes 4 nights at the Maya Mountain Lodge with 3 nights on Long Caye (Glover's Reef). My husband and I traveled with our 12 year old daughter. First I have to say that our guide Neri was AWESOME! We lucked out that he was our private guide for the jungle as no one else was along for this part of the trip. The first day we went to a cave called ATM-We all really enjoyed this and should be a must see. TIP-bring good water shoes-we have the New Balance 9-2-0. Day two was cave kayaking and the section that we were in is unique to Slickrock--also a must see. Day three was "white water rafting" which during our time was more of a gentle smooth water paddle. We could have done without this part of the trip as the water was filthy (think raw sewage and my daughter came down with dysentery) and there really wasn't any "whitewater". The accomodations at the Lodge were above average for the area. food was excellent and they served a vairety of Mayan, Mexican, and American dishes. The owners were also gracious hosts.
Day four began the not-so-great part of the trip. After the 2.5 hour boat ride we arrived at "the Island". I have to say it is a beautiful place. During our orientation the first stop was the laundry. As there is no running water you retrieve water in a bucket from "the well", which is nothing more than a hole in the ground about 3 ft. deep 20ft from shore. This is more like standard ocean water even though we were told it is drinkable--taste just like the sea. Nearby is the composting toilet, (we weren't prepared for this) which has separate openings for #1 and #2. We were told you can not mix them as it stops them from working correctly. Pee in hole 1, Poop in hole 2, toss in a cup of sawdust and viola! you've went to the bathroom. Traveling by the open air kitchen/dining hall (all meals were buffet style and mediocre) we arrived at our cabin. Very much like summer camp as a kid--but nice all the same. The single airbeds were comfy and the breeze made any lack of fans or A.C. unnecessary (some thought it was hot during the day but I thought it was just right. Showers are of the same water as the "well" so you never really did feel like you got clean. Rainwater is collected off of every roof surface for brushing your teeth, dishes and such. They have quite an assortment of well-kept water toys-surf kayaks, windsurfers (which were tons of fun), stand-up surf boards, regular surf boards and i'm sure I'm missing something. Snorkeling was quite a challenge as there really is no beach and just past the waterline it is quite rocky. You always need your water shoes-thank you New Balance! It is a trying swim for those not used to it just to get to any place to snorkel at. My husband did do the night snorkel and we understand that water conditions do not always permit this-again quite the swim just to get there and back. Water conditions were generally murky which made visibilty low. Guides are always available for lessons of anything you desire to do--all you have to do is ask. I have to admit that by day four the constant "orientations" for anything you wanted to do were getting really annoying but probably necessary for those not familiar with the gear. My daughter tried to occupy herself with catching hermit crabs for the big race. When the boat came to get us it was a sigh of relief--soon time for a fresh water shower at the Best Western Biltmore and a cold beer (something other than Belikin). Our family has travelled quite a bit to many 'beachy' destinations and as this overall was a good trip I was expecting a little more for the $6800.00 (no airfare yet). the Jungle part of the trip was great but the Beach part was so-so. Be aware that this trip is for the adventurous only and the island is more like a camping trip. Do not go if you are not in good physical shape and expect accomodations to be rustic.

Lucy,
I have never thanked you for organizing a wonderful vacation for us
in Belize last March. My friends Elizabeth, Grafton, Doryann and I on Slickrock's Adventure Week. We made a new young friend Mary Liz from Canada who spent adventure week with us. Our group consisted of five travelers instead of the usual twelve, so we felt less crowded. Our guide Neri was a tireless coach on the mainland of Western Belize and on the reef. He got us across rivers, swimming and kayaking through dark underground caves (water temperature in the 70°F range) to Mayan ruins. We walked through green jungles, and heard first hand tales of Belize history, a not always peaceful confluence of different cultures for the past 500 years. We made it from Belize City to Long Caye on Glover's Reef in a speedboat, hitting those blue water Caribbean swells pretty hard. The small private island offered the ambiance of beach, tropical breezes, coconut trees, a simple frond roofed bedroom overlooking the surf in beautiful natural harmony, was for me the highlight of the visit. We did our sports of kayaking, snorkeling and wind surfing to delightful exhaustion. Joelle took care of us. The food was delicious and plentiful. Mary made sure that we didn't get lost in Belize City. All the Slickrock people treated us with enthusiasm, laid back grace and charm.

To sample other parts of Belize, and to see tropical birds, Lucy Wallingford of Slickrock recommended Chaa Creek Resort and Crooked Tree Lodge. Chaa Creek was luxurious. We saw many birds like the chachalaca at the bar. We made a day trip to spectacular Tikal in Guatemala, set in a tropical forest also with many birds. Crooked tree was a birder's paradise, to say nothing of the night time crocodile hunt. My favorite part of the week was the all too short stay at Glover's reef. We will return. Thank you from all of us.
Bob

We just got back from a week with Slickrock Adventures on Long Caye Island in Belize. From the moment we were met by our guides, to the moment we said our goodbyes, we felt that we were well taken care of in every regard. The staff and guides, each and every one, made our experience special. They all went out of their way to be helpful and informative. Mark and Mario were top notch and were very thorough and safety conscious in their instructions of all the sports equipment. They also were very informative in their knowledge of the island, history and marine life.

We found the compost toilets and the showers very user friendly, and both were kept very clean at all times. If you've every camped, you won't have any problems with either of these.

The cabanas are rustic, as other reviewers have said, but we found them to be quite comfortable. We were worried we might find them too hot, but in fact we had quite strong breezes blowing each night and had to close the shutters at times. A few guests had problems with bugs the week we were there, but their issues were addressed by the staff adequately. In such a pristine, remote and natural setting, some bugs just come with the territory, and it's a small price to pay for the beauty all around you.

The food we had all week was delicious and plentiful. Aurora, our cook, was so amazing all week long. She just kept making up one batch of delicious food after another. You won't be hungry here, I assure you.

The sense of community, setting, activities, food and drink all added up to an unforgettable vacation experience. We would go back tomorrow in a heartbeat if we could. In fact we were planning how we could get back to the island as soon as our plane took off for home. If you love beautiful water and islands, water sports and good food, then you'll love Long Caye Island.

We just got back from a week at Glover's Reef with Slickrock. This is a private island off the coast of Belize and Slickrock has all the water toys! We had a great time. The snorkeling was beautiful - you can snorkel from the beach or kayak to a patch reef and snorkel out there. This is a coral atoll 35 miles off the coast and the fish are plentiful because this part of Glover's Atoll is a Marine Preserve and Long Caye is in the 'no-take zone'.

For the water sports: They have a wide range of kayaks so that you can get a good fit (singles of various brands and sizes, doubles; paddles in different lengths and configurations). There are also windsurfers in different sizes for different skill levels and body sizes. The surf kayaking was pretty good this time and surf-boards are also available. The new thing this year was stand-up surf boards - that was a fun new toy. They also have whitewater kayaks if you want to learn the eskimo roll. The guides are very skilled in all the sports offered and are great instructors. They are flexible with the activity schedule, so if you want something new, they can adjust. Or you can go play on your own.

If you want scuba, there is a sister resort on the same island that offers scuba. The Slickrock resort is on the eastern rim of Glover's Reef, so there is a 1000 ft "Wall" drop off just about 50 ft off-shore. It's very impressive - we went out to have a look just below the edge in our Discover Scuba beginners lesson.

The food is great and includes all the beer and pop that you want. The guides are fun, knowledgeable and are good instructors. And real nice people. We had a great time and are already planning to go back! If you are into eco-conscious active sport vacations, you should check them out at www.slickrock.com. (This is not a vacation for people who like night life and crowds. This is for people who want to be outdoors and playing hard out in the wild.)