The 5 best road trips in Belize

11.01.2024 - 07:59 / lonelyplanet.com

If there's such a thing as a perfect road trip country, Belize might be it.

In fact, renting a car and driving yourself is by far the best way to get around when there is so much to see within such short distances. You can stop when and where you want to admire the scenery and take as much time as you’d like at each destination.

Providing you drive carefully, the roads in Belize are generally safe. Speed bumps are plentiful, so take it slow and be aware that, in some areas, the rules of the road are seen as suggestions instead.

Slowing down gives you more opportunities to spot unusual road signs like tapir crossings, too – watch out for animals that may wander into the road.

Car hire isn’t too expensive in Belize – you can get deals for less than US$50 a day for economy cars. The five major highways are paved, and a regular economy car is sufficient on those.

However, the rest of Belize’s roads are mostly dirt or gravel that can get very muddy in the rainy season from around May to November and may only be accessible by 4WD.

Here are our picks for the five best road trips in Belize.

Best road trip for a mountain drive
Belmopan to Caracol Natural Monument Reservation via Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve; 103 km (64 miles)

It’s about 80km (50 miles) from Belize City to Belmopan along the George Price Highway, also known as the Western Highway. From Belize’s capital city, head west to Georgeville, where you’ll turn south. A 4WD is recommended for this road trip since road conditions can be rough once you turn off the highway.

This route will take you through Mountain Ridge Pine Forest Reserve, where the tropical jungle makes way for a rocky, pine-covered landscape.

Attractions along the way include Barton Creek Cave, Big Rock Falls, the Río On Pools and the Río Frio Cave. If you don’t stop en route, it will take you about 2½ hours to reach the Maya site of Caracol. However, make this at least a day trip so you can spend some time dipping your toes in the cool mountain streams.

Detour: If you’d like to see more Maya sites on this trip, turn west when you’re back in Georgeville and drive to San Ignacio, where you’ll find Cahal Pech. Then, continue on towards the Guatemalan border for the Xunantunich site. You can even pop across the border into Guatemala for the big one, Tikal. Just be sure to arrange this beforehand with the car rental agency so that the right paperwork can be prepared.

Best nature road trip in Belize
Belmopan to Dangriga; 87km (54 miles)

The Hummingbird Highway is a favorite among visitors and Belizeans alike and for good reason. This is arguably the most scenic road trip in Belize, meandering through countless little villages and farmland and across the Maya Mountains.

You can do it in less