My family (kids ages 9 and 6) just spent 4 wonderful nights at Caves Branch. We stayed in one of the River tree houses, which had a beautiful view overlooking the river. The property itself is gorgeous and my family enjoyed the pool for afternoon and evening swims. The best part of staying at Caves Branch were the people who work there. Thomas, Angie, and Rafael took extra care to learn our names and make us feel welcome whenever we ate or passed through the restaurant. My son felt like a celebrity and was always happy to be greeted so kindly. Jose drove us for our airport transfers and to the Guatemalan border for our Tikal excursion. He always smiled and treated us with kindness. Lisa accompanied us on our Tikal tour and she felt like part of the family that day. The tours were awesome experiences and perfect for our children’s ages. Cristian was our guide for the river tubing tour. He was phenomenal with my energetic child and instilled confidence when one started to feel nervous climbing in the cave. As a family, we were truly in awe of the cave’s beauty and we enjoyed learning about the Mayans. Our guide Edgar for Tikal was full of information and we also enjoyed learning about the beauty of Guatemala from him. It was a long trip, but it was definitely worth it. Climbing the ruins was my son’s favorite activity. Arnold took us on the zoo/zip lining tour. We had to make an extra stop prior to the tour, and he was super accommodating. We felt like all of the guides were super engaging and attentive to our family. It does get very humid, and the sight of spiders scared the kids that first night (someone came to remove a spider the first night). Since the rooms are screened in, there is no A/C for the whole unit so we found the pool to be a necessity prior to dinner. A cool shower at night helped us to sleep comfortably. We adapted well to the jungle sounds. I would have loved to have more options that represented local cuisine, but the food was good and my kids ate well at each meal. Overall, it was totally worth it. I don’t know if there are many places that offer the thrill of adventures while being so accommodating for families.

We spent 3 great nights at the Caves Branch Adventure Lodge. Our stay in the double bedroom riverview treehouse was pure luxury, carefully embedded in the jungle setting. Every convenience, from air-conditioning right above our beds to timely laundry services, assured us that this place truly understands luxury. The views from the upper floor with its outdoor hot tub were incredible. The double bedroom treehouse comes with two double beds and a bunk bed, so comfortably sleeps 6. While the lodge's lovely swimming pool and table tennis facility were much appreciated, the real highlight for our kids was the jungle river. Its current offered a unique experience right in front of the lodge and we really enjoyed floating downstream, surrounded by jungle. My partner and I enjoyed walking through the botanical garden on-site, which was neatly labelled so we could learn more about many of the tropical plants at the lodge. Our days were filled with adventure, thanks to the offerings of the lodge. The cave tubing experience was nothing short of magical. Journeying deep into the Footprint Cave with the well-prepared guides from Caves Branch, we witnessed remarkable Mayan relics and navigated through inky darkness. Once we got deep into the caves, we all floated in the water and turned off our lights. I don't think I've ever experienced anything as pitch black before as that cave. The thoughtfully organised cavern picnic was a delicious bonus and I really appreciated the guides bringing all that food with them. Our last full day was packed with adrenaline - waterfall jumping and horse riding. The Caves Branch team meticulously organised the waterfall activity, guiding my partner and eldest son through the jungle to the waterfalls. Climbing and jumping off them into the pools below was an exhilarating experience. The horse riding at nearby Green Acres Ranch offered a different kind of thrill, letting us explore the jungle and river terrains on horseback, led by the friendly and helpful ranch owner. Though the food at the lodge was tasty, we felt it leaned heavily towards catering to US tastes. Dining was quite the event - every evening, in a communal setting, the menu was loudly announced by a member of staff, and guests would line up for their meals. It did, however, offer the fun experience of mingling with different families each night. A special mention has to go to the outdoor showers attached to each lodge. There's something magical about showering in the open, especially when you have a curious howler monkey observing from the trees! It's an experience I'm unlikely to forget. All in all, Caves Branch Adventure Lodge promises an exciting mix of luxury and adventure. It's a memorable place to stay, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone heading to Belize.

can't contain my excitement when it comes to Ian Anderson's Cave Branch in Belize! 🤩 This place is an absolute gem that deserves all the raving reviews it gets! First, let's talk about the tours – they are out of this world! From heart-pounding cave exploration to thrilling zip-lining, every adventure is an adrenaline rush. The variety of tours they offer ensures there's something for everyone, from nature enthusiasts to adventure seekers. My favourite was the overnight stay! It’s one of the best things I have EVER done! A truely magical experience that will stay with me a for a lifetime, made all the more special thanks to the awesome guides that felt more like old friends. Now, onto the buffet food – oh my taste buds were in heaven! The array of delicious dishes, bursting with flavours and local Belizean cuisine, was an absolute treat. It's a culinary experience that perfectly complements the exhilarating activities of the day. The tour guides deserve a standing ovation! 👏 Their expertise and passion for Belize's natural wonders truly shine through. They not only kept us safe during the tours but also entertained us with fascinating stories about the rainforest and its wildlife. They truely made this trip unforgettable. Speaking of the rainforest, the views are simply breathtaking! Waking up to the sights and sounds of nature was a dream come true. The lush greenery and the symphony of wildlife created an unforgettable ambiance, making me feel one with nature. And can we talk about the beautiful cabins? 🏡 They are like luxurious nests tucked away in the heart of the rainforest. The comfort and charm they offer made me feel pampered and relaxed, allowing me to fully enjoy every moment of my stay. In conclusion, Ian Anderson's Cave Branch in Belize is a paradise for adventure lovers and nature enthusiasts alike. The thrilling tours, delectable buffet food, knowledgeable tour guides, breathtaking rainforest views, and beautiful cabins make it a must-visit destination. I can't wait to return and create even more amazing memories! 🌿🌟

Arrived to Belize and was picked up about 15 minutes after getting through customs by Caves Branch. Our driver got a little bit of a fuss from the transit lead outside of the airport for “making us wait” but otherwise water in hand and air-conditioned van ride of about 1.5 hours we arrived to the jungle. You are dropped off at the welcome center to check-in and sign waivers. We spotted howler monkeys as we began our walk to the receive our welcome drinks before heading to the room. We stayed in one of the original treehouses with an actual tree going through it (19). Views were minimal but we were surrounded by beautiful foliage, sounds of wildlife or rain each night to fall asleep and a minimal walk to common areas such as dinner and the pools. Pros: Food- Enjoyed our meals included in the adventures package. Package also came with a choice of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). We didn’t have a problem with the selection of food. Even our pickiest eater tried a few new things. Staff- Staff were overall friendly and helpful. They were patient with our family ranging in age and ability. Adventures- Our adventures were mild compared to most other families but each tour guide practiced patience and gave us experiences we’d never forget. Amazing! Thank you Christian, Telma and Dora for taking time with our families. And a special thanks to the owners of the nearby ranch. What also makes the adventures truly amazing is the small group size. We basically had private excursion experiences each time. Day 1: Xunantunich & Cahel Pech Maya Ruins Day 2: the “River of Caves” Cave Tubing Day 3: Horseback Riding Cons: Souvenirs- We typically like to let the kids pick up a shirt or gift at the shop on-site. There were no shirts their sizes and limited availability. Heat- Okay, Caves Branch cannot control the weather but there is no relief until night. I will say it’s quite comfortable in the evening after a cool shower. And you sleep quite peacefully in the jungle if you aren’t awakened by howler monkeys. Bugs- Yes, you are going to encounter many and no amount of repellent prevents these mosquitoes from getting to you at some point. Tips: 1. Bring a charging bank if you have multiple devices (phone, watch, etc.) There was only one working outlet in the treehouse. 2. Get a massage if you have the time. It was a perfect way to relax. 3. Pack your medications from home for upset stomach, pain relief, etc. We had a later flight. Caves Branch arranged for us to stop to do a little shopping at the Art Box before arrival to the airport.

Highly recommend the tree house canopy! It's a lot of steps, but worth it! My son counted around 110-112 steps to the 2nd lowest tree house canopy. After a day of hiking, the steps can be tiring. I still recommend it. Staff deliver coffee and pastries to the tree house in the morning. We'd enjoy morning coffee while watching the howler monkeys in the trees! Air conditioning is not for the whole tree house so in June it's not the place to relax after a hike. The air conditioner unit is directly over the king size bed. We stayed cool at night, but my kids who stayed in the bunk beds were pretty hot the whole time. The tree house windows are screens, so bugs & lizards still do get in. This is a great resort for people who love adventure & nature! We booked the adventure package and I can't say enough about the guides! Excursions are small and if too many people sign up, it's split into 2 groups. Very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful guides! Only reason I'm not giving this a 5 star is because of the dinner cuisine. I had no problem with the quality of food, was hoping for more Belize dinners. For example, our first dinner was a full Thanksgiving meal: turkey, ham, carrots, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and pumpkin cake. Other dinner had an Italian theme. They did offer Belize soup, but when it's so hot and humid, I had to pass. One night they served a whole fish which was excellent. Was hoping for more dinner meals like that. Breakfast was good with omelet bar and sometimes fry jacks. Drinks also good. We stayed in San Pedro first and loved the local food! Our package was 5 nights, 3 excursions. We booked zip line for a 4th excursion. Recommend booking it directly with the zip line company if you opt for an extra excursion. Angel Falls is $85 per person. Caves Branch charged $120 per person. They provided transportation (about 20 min), but I still think that's a pretty steep surcharge.

AMAZING!!! From pick up from the airport, arrival in the resort, all the services and excursions in between, Caves Branch is amazing. We stayed in the tree houses and make no mistake, the hill to get to them is steep and depending where your cabin is, it could be a hike up a steep hill in the dark....don't forget a flashlight! The food and service were excellent as well. We did the all inclusive package and did 3 tours with the property. Food was delicious and fresh, service was impeccable and rooms were clean. I will warn you that bugs do get in your room even being super careful. We even had frogs in our indoor shower and gecos on the walls despite our efforts to keep critters out. You are definitely living WITH the jungle. The howler monkeys at night are so loud too so bring ear plugs. Also, the air conditioning that is supposed to keep the main bedroom cool doesn't work well considering the entire treehouse is a screened in unit. It gets warm to say the least even with the a/c running at low temp and the curtains drawn on the main bed. Despite those issues, we loved every minute of our stay. Just go in with an open mind and enjoy your location. The pool was super refreshing too and well worth the dip after excursions. And the excursions...they can be intense. Do not under estimate the "sweat ratings" given on their website. We did the Black Hole Drop and the hour hike in is all uphill and steep. The was the hardest part of the excursion but the 200+ ft decent was amazing and worth the sweat. We also did Tikal and although a 3 hours drive to get there and back ,it was worth it. Be prepared to do lots of stairs if you plan to climb the pyramids...we climbed all 5! We also did the Waterfall Cave expedition.....absolutely AMAZING! Clear, refreshing water and some times you duck walk in certain areas and other areas you are in a huge cavern that could fit buildings inside them. Waterfalls were not very slippery since nothing grows inside the cave and the guides really help you with hand and foot hold placements. Its another workout for sure and you will be walking on uneven rocks both in and out of water.

I loved the wildness of tbe grounds. It feels like going to camp. I saw a ton of wildlife and fell asleep to the howling monkeys. The bird tour on the grounds was also ama ing. I spotted several 35 different birds in tbe first 30 minutes. The only thing I didnot enjoy was the community seating. My introverted self did not like having small talk with strangers ovet diner. Overall agreat experience and I will go again. Be preapredfir an outdoor adventure resort.

We had considered a few options before settling on Caves Branch. In doing some research, it seemed that it was well established and a great place to ‘basecamp’ for different adventures in the time we had available. As it turns out, the place is little gem all in itself. The entire campus is integrated into the jungle and great care has been taken in order to do that. The botanical garden is a real treat, and a testament to their commitment on conservation and education. The staff are incredible and attentive to our every need. The buildings and grounds are well-maintained and clean and the architecture is marvelous. We booked the Tikal tour through Caves Branch, and it was fantastic. The journey was long but we ate breakfast and lunch at small shops in Guatemala, a real treat. The tour guides Edgar and Omar were great and I feel like we learned a great deal about the Mayans and Tikal as well as the local history. It was a great experience. On a whim, the two teenagers decided they wanted to do the Extreme Zipline. Caves Branch set it up and we were able to add to our adventures. But it was the staff that made it all the more special. Kudos to you!

Amazing adventures, staff and accommodations! Will return with friends! 5Stars! I highly recommend going here and taking some excursions in Belize so much amazing stuff to see, and do but never enough time. The food was great and the accommodations were way better than expected.

We (my wife and I) are both in our 60s and had some concerns about whether we would be able to fully enjoy the various tours offered in the all inclusive package. It was not a problem at all. We steered clear of the ones that were clearly too difficult and the lodge did a fantastic job accommodating our abilities and preferences. All of their guides were excellent and very personable. We learned a lot. As to the lodging experience itself, it was top notch. The lodge has been there for decades and most of the employees had been there for several years. It was really one of the best run hospitality operations I have ever seen. Very, very accommodating and welcoming. We found the food to great and plentiful. There were some unfamiliar dishes - kind of the point of traveling - and we liked almost every thing put in front of us. I suppose its a little bit rustic, but I think that is part of the definition of a "lodge." The device they use to cool the beds worked quite well, to the point of requiring adjustment in the middle of the night because it was too chilly. The place (the jungle itself) is awfully hot and humid. The pool area is very nice. We went just after the high season and occupancy was fairly low. I think that added to our enjoyment, as it created a very laid back atmosphere. We would defniitely go again.

Staff was friendly, helpful. Pool was clean, rooms were unique. A lot of great adventures to choose from on a daily basis! The rooms surround you in Jungle. Can get loud with "Jungle sounds" such as howler monkeys, but this was a feature!

The resort was beautiful with lots of plants and wildlife. Staff was very nice. The tours were amazing, largely due to their guides. Even the easier tours may be difficult for those who don’t move so well though. Our room was beautiful along with the treehouse view. Not having wifi is crazy to me though considering the cost. The stairs up to the room also should be lit at night but instead they are pitch black. The reason I’m giving this a 3 star is the food, which was just bad. Dinners are awkward and the food was very bland. No flavor at all. Very limited options and small windows you’re allowed to eat in. We didn’t have a single good meal here which is crazy because of how good the rest of the food we ate in Belize was. Not to mention hidden cost of bar snacks. There was a very limited drink menu that was included in the package. Food is such an important part of travel and this was the equivalent of cafeteria food. Very disappointed.

Friendly staff. Very attentive and professional. You have to stay atleast one night in a jungle tree house. Strongly recommend. Bring a good dry set of clothes to change afterwards. Bring a good set of water shoes.

We had more than cave adventures at Cave Branch. The 4 of us were picked up by Rudy at the Belize City Airport. He had waited 2 hours for our delayed flight. Rudy was an excellent guide and historian during the 1.5 hour ride south to Ian Anderson’s Cave Branch Resort. The welcome was kind, and our luggage was delivered up 140 steps to #22, the canopy tree/cliff house. The suite was wonderful with plenty of room for the four of us and our stuff. The tree top tiled shower, tub and balconies had spectacular views and cooling breezes. Our Visit to the under mountain caves was the best. We floated on inner tubes under the mountain for hours, stopping to explore Mayan sacred sites and have a tasty lunch under the mountain. I became ill the second night after dinner . The other 3 ladies with me did not. I required a transport to the local ER in Belmopan. The resort took care of everything for getting me there. The hotel manager, Ferman, drove me and my sister to to health care facility 40 minutes away. I don’t remember the trip. I am an RN and must say I received first rate appropriate care for the Bacterial intestinal bug a got. I spent about 12 hours there. The nurses, especially Esther, were amazing. Once I was stable I was bathed and my clothing washed and dried for me. Something no ER in the US would do. My bill for my care was less than our treetop room and. Credit card was accepted. I am grateful for my care at the St Luke’s Medical service and for the resort’s care of me also. Thank you, Ian Anderson for being there for me. I recommend this very unique and hospitable resort to anyone, even with kids. Thank you again, Ferman!!

This is a gorgeous resort in the jungle. The grounds are amazing, with the flora labelled and information about it abundant. Our second accomodation (Jungle Bungalow) was wonderful - large, open and well lit, with a beautiful bathroom as well as outdoor shower, two hammocks and easy chairs both inside and out. Queen size bed had lovely thick linens and was quite comfortable. The food is very good, with a different main dish each night. Lots of choice; always had fresh salads, fruits, home baked buns, pasta choice, chicken or pork dish, hot vegetables, rice or potato, as well as a carving station. Breakfast had equally as much choice, including a made to order omelett station. As with most "all inclusives" the spirits are quite watered down, which is understandable but know there is no wine included, and what is available for purchase is extremely limited. Downsides - there definitely were a few: 1. The Jungle Cabana had such poor lighting that we needed flashlights to see into our suitcases. Only two small lamps bedside, with no overhead lighting nor lights at the screened in end of the room made it very difficult. There was nowhere to put toiletries in the washroom - they could easily put a small table beside the washstand to accommodate this, or put shelves on the wall. There was nowhere to place suitcases - they were on the bottom bunk or on the floor. The room needs to be equipped the with suitcase butlers to get them off the ground and make them accessible. 2. There is only ONE outlet for all appliances in the rooms, for recharging cell phones, cameras, or other devices. (including none in the bathrooms) There needs to be at least one additional outlet in each unit. 3. The pool needs more chairs - all the guests arrive back from daily adventures at around the same time - not nearly enough pool-side seating. Full chaise-loungers are not needed - just some more chairs. There is a lot of waste space at what appears to be an unused pool-side bar which could be better utilized for this purpose. 4. While the transfers of guests to and from the airport and the adventures must be a very difficult puzzle for concierge to solve, it is understandable that there may be some wait time. However, we were quite upset that our transfer to the airport upon departure was a full hour prior to other guests who were on the same flight. (This was to accommodate the pick-up of new guests with no regard for our timing) We don't understand why the resort didn't just shuttle all 7 people who were on the same flight, together in a larger van at the appropriate time. (they changed our departure time at the last minute) As a result we were stuck at the airport for well over 3 hours, pre-departure. 5. Maybe, most importantly, the 'adventures' are truly for fit, agile people. We were unable to do the Cave Tube Expedition which was rated moderate, as it necessitated hands and knees climbing inside the cave. (not accessible for people with knee replacements) While the description on-line is accurate, as it was our last adventure we were very disappointed. The staff had recommended it knowing my knee limitations. Had we known, we would have chosen to go snorkelling instead. After much discussion, we were offered a partial refund for that tour. Thank-you. Ending on a positive note: the ENTIRE STAFF ARE SECOND TO NONE. They were kind, attentive, knowledgeable, and ready to help in any way needed. When we had to leave the Cave Expedition they were happy to come to get us, and did so very quickly. This is a family-friendly resort - perfect for many - it was just really sad our last day expedition and poorly timed departure, put a pall on the experience.