Belize
Lamanai by boat up the New River
Travel by boat up the New River to Lamanai, the "Submerged Crocodile", one of the longest-lived Maya cities.
Lamanai is one of the few Maya sites that still carries its original name, which means "Submerged Crocodile". It sits beside the New River Lagoon, and the classic way to arrive is by boat up the New River from Orange Walk, watching for birds, crocodiles and iguanas along the banks.
People lived here for thousands of years, and the town was still occupied when Spanish missionaries arrived in 1544. Besides its Maya temples, the reserve holds the remains of two Spanish contact-period churches and a 19th-century British sugar mill.
Pickup at your hotel in Belize City or Orange Walk.
Photos: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Guide language
- English · Spanish
- Pickup
- At your hotel in Belize (other areas on request)
What's included
- Private transport with hotel pickup
- Guide
Not included
- Entrance fees, meals, equipment and boat: to be confirmed when we reply to your request
Sample itinerary
- 1Pickup at your hotel
- 2Boat ride up the New River
- 3Guided visit of Lamanai
- 4Boat ride back down the river
- 5Return to your hotel
Good to know
When is Lamanai open?
NICH lists Lamanai as open daily, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, with last entry one hour before closing (checked September 2026).
What wildlife might we see from the boat?
The Belize Tourism Board mentions snail kites, jacanas, Morelet's crocodiles and iguanas along the river. Wildlife is never guaranteed.
