Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve
4.5
About
This reserve was established to help protect the endangered jaguar and other species native to Belize.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
Features animals
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
331 reviews
Excellent
220
Very good
79
Average
27
Poor
3
Terrible
2
Sean S
18 contributions
Jul. 2023 • Family
Long drive up a gravel road was worth every bump. Family enjoyed a self-guided hike to Ben’s Bluff waterfall. Memories of swimming in jungle pool beneath the falls will last a lifetime.
Wear real shoes, a hat, and swim gear.
Wear real shoes, a hat, and swim gear.
Written July 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mira
8 contributions
Jan. 2023
Its incredible - lots of long trails - the animals can be hard to spot so fill your desire to see animals by going next door to Ya'axkin Butterfly Farm, a Myan owed business for the love of butterflies - even if butterflies aren't your thing - trust me - its a WOW
Written January 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Natalie B
7 contributions
Sep. 2022
Loved our hike to the waterfall! Bring old shoes/shoes you don't mind getting muddy, especially if it has been raining. The hike was beautiful and not very difficult. Cooled off in the waterfall at the end of the hike. No need for a tour guide. Double waterfall hike was closed due to heavy rainfall and we unfortunately did not see any wildlife.
Written October 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJBRJB
Godstone, UK497 contributions
May 2022
We stayed 3 nights in the park in a private cabin. The cabin was large and well equipped, one double bedroom and a second bedroom with a single bed and two bunk beds. The cabin had a small kitchen and dining area, bathroom with a shower with hot & cold water and an enclosed verandah sitting area. The cabin does not have air con or a fan so it can get very hot. The cabin is basic but it was clean and comfortable. We had our own guide for the 3 nights so we bought in our own water and we had really great food delivered from Aurora's place just off the main road on the road that leads to the reserve. Staying in the park allowed us to go trekking early morning, during the day and in the evening. We also did some night drives where we were lucky enough to spot an Ocelot. We didn't see any Jaguar's unfortunately but we did see various snakes, spiders, birds, bats & otters in the river when we were river tubing. The hikes were varied, the best hike is the hike to the viewpoint and waterfalls - the suggested distance is definitely wrong for some of the trails. The lady in the reception area is very helpful as were all the staff that work in the park. If you do stay in the park accommodation you will need to organise your own supplies. Having a guide with us made this very easy, we definitely got more out of our visit by having a guide with us. The accommodation where our guide stayed had shared facilities so do check if you want to book something more private.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
msbent3218
Fort Lauderdale, FL168 contributions
Mar. 2022
Nice hiking trails, but a little disappointed because the only wildlife we saw was an iguana. I guess it is hit and miss.
Written March 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BackRoadBruce
Florence, CO336 contributions
Feb. 2022
The hiking here is excellent. Tiger Fern and Ben's Bluff are somewhat challenging. The waterfalls are beautiful. The rangers were courteous and helpful. I enjoyed the park so much I spent an extra day.
Written February 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim Hampton
Colorado Springs, CO24 contributions
Dec. 2021
We didn't see much in the way of wildlife/birds as it was daytime in December, but the flora! We would love to go back in the spring when the parrots are more plentiful
Written December 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Malissa H
13 contributions
Nov. 2021 • Family
A beautiful lush jungle waiting to be explored. We traveled here with our two children (12 and 13) and hiked a few of the shorter trails. They were well makrked and maintained and we had a lot of fun exploring. Howler monkeys greeted us when we entered and exited the park. If you like birdwatching, go early as I am sure they are prolific if you don't have 2 loud adolescents with you. The river tubing also looks fun.
Written November 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brooke T
Memphis, TN209 contributions
Jun. 2021
This is a beautiful site that is great for bird watching. The river tubing was also fun. I did the waterfall hike, and it was lovely! Be sure to bring lots of water!
Written June 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Greta2516
Boise, ID59 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
While there are between 1000-1200 Jaguars in the reserve they are rarely seen. The reserve is teeming with many different varieties of birds, binoculars are a must. There are hiking trails that vary from easy to extremely strenuous. Of particular interest the Boat Billed Herons and the beautiful Agami Heron.
Written May 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much is it to just your the place ?
My family and I are wanting to go here and just want to your the place by ourselves. How much would it be because I’ve been researching a lot of places and they say 100+ Per person
jungleboywonder
New York City, NY135 contributions
Hello,
Do you know exactly where at in the park I am able to see the Macaws. I will be in the park next week looking to photograph toucans and macaws but not sure where to find then. Any information would be appreciated.
thanks,
greg
hrljw
Wayne, PA19 contributions
We're going in April. Is it better to go during the day or night? If during the day, is it better with or without a guide? If with a guide - from which tour company?
grzzz
Elk Grove Village, IL372 contributions
I would agree with the other answers about getting a guide if you want to see animals and the point on the main road. I would recommend going during the day.
My wife and I booked through our resort. They drove us there and we told them what time to pick us up. We did not book a guide. We were there 1/2 day and saw no animals, but many birds. I would imagine that a guide could help spot a few that we missed, but not that much. If you are interested in the different plants and trees, then the guide would be worth it.
A few other thing to consider:
* the place is big and there are long trails, so plan ahead on the trails you want to hike.
* the site of the airplane crash is worth seeing, but it is far from many of the trails. We asked our driver if he could drive us to the trail (which you pass on the way out) and wait 5 minutes for us. The plane is only about a 2 minute hike from the road. That worked out great for us, especially since we did it at the end of the day and we were too pooped to hoof it down the road to the trail. Ask if your driver can do that for you.
brockandsons
Hudson, NH2 contributions
Approx. how much time would you allow to hike to the top and also go to the waterfall? Thank you!
Ellen L
Chelem, Mexico34 contributions
There are two waterfalls. The closer one is 45 minutes each way. The double waterfall is about 3 hours round trip.
Caitlin Watts
2 contributions
Anyone have advice on how to get BACK from Cockscomb to Placencia, if we choose to get a taxi or car from our hotel there? We have read that many of the tours are large and loud, and reduce likelihood of seeing wildlife, and my husband and I are experienced hikers/backpackers. But this is our first trip to Belize, and we aren't sure what to expect when it comes to getting a car for the afternoon/day, etc. Anyone know how to go about it, and rough costs we should anticipate?
Diana
Tampa, FL9 contributions
Interested in staying for two nights in April and I haven't found many lodging reviews for the cabins/dorms. Would love some details/suggestions on which cabin to stay at. How are the kitchen facilities (fridge? range? kitchenware?)? Thank you.
Kamila
Gdynia, Poland68 contributions
We’ve stayed in „rustic cabin” which was basicaly a double room with twin beds - the rooms are „connected” by the common ceiling but when we were there there was only one more room talent. There’s only beds and a night stand, the light was very subtle so you need a headlamp or something (and to go to the toilet or kitchen when it’s dark outside. In the kitchen there is a stove for sure and some utensils etc. I cant say for sure there was a fridge because we didnt use it but i think there should be. The standards are pretty much foresty and you have to be aware of all the bugs, spiders and so on. Oh and there is only cold water but it shouldnt be a surprise :) also dont try to wąsy your clothes there because they wont get dry 😀
Stephanie A
Shingle Springs, California, United States
Hello! So you don't need to go on a guided tour here? Are the trails well groomed and marked? Thanks for your help!
Jenny F
11 contributions
I wasn’t aware they had guided trails. You definitely need transportation from the highway to the actual park which is 6 miles. That costed us $20US one way. Inside we just asked which trail had the most bang for the buck since we wanted to also tune down the river before heading back to our accommodation. We did Tiger’s eye which is marked by a small sign, and it’s a bit challenging so have plenty of water and snacks. You’ll get views of the entire Basin at the top and two lovely waterfalls if you keep following the signs once you’ve reached the top. It’s another 20 mins down to the water falls. Hope this helps!
Heather M
Houston, TX26 contributions
Hi There! I enjoyed reading your review on the Cockscomb Tour with Benedicto Choc. Do you have a way to contact him? We are also traveling as a family with 2 teenage boys would love to have him be our guide. Any advice on how to contact or request him would be great!
nextportofcall
Ottawa, Canada228 contributions
I have had great difficulty responding as the site does not allow for anything resembling an email address to be transmitted. Try contacting me at brucetate, then the at sign, then rogers, and the dot and com.
Katie D
Toronto, Canada1 contribution
I'm looking at booking a family trip to Belize, I would just like to know if some of these activities are doable with 2 young children 6 and 3.5. I saw one post mention that tubing has a height requirement of 40 inches. I'm just wondering is it reasonable to think we can do some of these hikes/ activities with the kids. I'm mostly interested in doing the hike to the waterfall/swimming hole, the monkey river tour (is it too long do you think, i saw something like 5 hours duration) and cave tubing or river tubing. Any thoughts or insight on if this is suitable for kids would be appreciated.
J A
Frederick, MD32 contributions
I wouldn’t recommend an overnight, necessarily, but a day in the park is doable for kids. They even have a kids visitor’s center with good information about the animals. Not sure about the height restrictions for tubing, but depending on when you go, the river will be higher and faster, especially during the rainy season.
Tiger fern is a fun hike with some swimming. There’s also the ben’s bluff trail....the swimming/waterfall stop is well before the hike gets strenuous. Kids could also do the plane wreck hike, and would probably like seeing the old, broken plane. I think there’s also the butterfly trail, which, if I remember correctly, is a quick & flat loop.
On your way up to Cockscomb, stop by Maya Center To learn about maya culture and get some chocolate...Julio enjoys when families and young visitors come through, and you won’t meet a family more welcoming!
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Claim your listingCOCKSCOMB BASIN WILDLIFE PRESERVE - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve:
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