Chan Chich Lodge

If you want an authentic rain forest /birding experience, this is the place! In 3 days, we saw and photographed over 40 species of birds ( that does not include Boa constrictor, monkeys and Peccarys, or the other mammals we saw ) . The lodge setting itself had plenty of wildlife, but the outings were very special. There were organized activities from 6:30 AM till 9 PM. The staff was wonderful and amazingly knowledgable - always making sure no one felt rushed and could experience the wonderful wildlife. The food was great, as was the service in general. Even the vehicles they used for the driving tours ( day and night ) were top notch - Elevated rows of seats for optimal viewing, Bean bag camera perches, cofortable 4 wheel drives. They are thoughtful, protective of the animals and forest, and worked hard to minimize human impact. Rooms were nice. You are in the rain forest, not on the outskirts. I can't imagine anything more magical.

My friend and I stayed at Chan Chich Lodge for four nights. The estate is beautiful but our room wasn’t. We were in a basic room with two beds which was run down and freezing cold. We are not sure if this was down to our agent or the Lodge telling us it was the only room available. Unfortunately It was cold and raining when we were there, I asked for extra blankets and was given only one. There wasn’t anywhere for us to put our cases just a small cupboard which my friend used and I left my things inside my bag. When we left all our clothes and soft cases were damp including fact everything was damp including the beds and towels. When the weather is bad there isn’t a plan B so there isn’t anything to do except read. We did go on a couple of night drives and saw one Ocelot which was the highlight. We had a tour around the estate which was the most successful trip and we both really enjoyed. After the night drives we were freezing cold but unfortunately there isn’t an option to get a drink as the bar was permanently closed, there were on a few of us staying here so maybe no demand. The food is delicious all homemade, we would have liked to try the sauces made on the estate but they weren’t on the table to try with meals. Ruben and Luis were excellent guides but we didn’t see much wildlife because of the rain. We would have liked the opportunity to upgrade to a room with walls and air conditioning, also we would have rather arrived by plane instead of having to endure the road journey but this wasn’t offered to us. A lovely estate but our shabby room let it down.

We absolutely loved our time at Chan Chich. A place to truly escape from it all and be immersed in nature, Chan Chich is decidedly remarkable. While there was WiFi if needed, we loved how "off the grid" Chan Chich was...the chance to relax and recharge in a remote, wild place is a rare pleasure. We loved our daily howler monkey wake-up calls, birdwatching from our cabin's front porch, and appreciating the gorgeous, lush flora and diverse, fascinating fauna. Thanks to expert guides Luis and Reuben, we saw incredible wildlife (our first ocelot!) and I added an impressive number of dazzling bird species to my life list. Habitat for an incredible range of species, Chan Chich is a birder's paradise for certain. Special mention to the amazing folks who run Chan Chich's restaurant. The food was always delicious and the staff was warm and welcoming--the very essence of what hospitality should be. (Shout out to Cali, Shawn, and Emil...you guys are the best!) We can't recommend Chan Chich highly enough--wonderful Elijio and his staff have created an incredible ecolodge experience. We will always treasure our time here and definitely hope to return.

Don’t go to Belize without experiencing the rainforest! Chan Chich Lodge ( little bird in the Mayan language) is a gem! It’s a small cluster of buildings which blend into the landscape and allow you to see amazing birds, monkeys , peccaries, deer and if you’re lucky ocelots and jaguars. Each adorable unit has a large veranda to enjoy the outdoors, comfortable beds, nice bathrooms and a mini fridge. We were fortunate to stay in the villa which is outstanding, with two large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large sitting area and bar with stools and a screened porch as well as an open porch. There are a variety of units to choose from; some are fully screened with shutters which can be opened or closed instead of solid walls. What a wonderful way to really experience the jungle! There are walking paths, a lovely screened swimming pool and a restaurant/ bar which offers indoor and outdoor seating. The hummingbird feeders are busy all day long with at least 3 different species. You will also see wild turkeys with incredible plumage casually strolling around the property. The food and drink is very good as well. We really enjoyed the friendly staff who are happy to share stories of their amazing experiences growing up in Belize as well as their proud Mayan history. There are a variety of exciting excursions to choose. We chose a farm tour, which includes feeding chickens and ducks, the opportunity to pet a young bull whose favourite treat is molasses an you can also feed and pet the horses. This tour takes you to the green houses which raise all the vegetables served at the lodge and to the coffee plantation and roasting facilities which produce a really good coffee. We also went horseback riding, canoeing on a lake and on a night drive to enjoy nocturnal birds and animals including the cats. It really is a special experience to stay at Chan Chich Lodge. I highly recommend it for families of all ages. There were multi generational groups as well as many couples and single family units enjoying the lodge when we visited. It has something to offer for everyone.

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Chan Chich. The protected area on the property is extensive, and we were impressed with the density of the wildlife present there. While we didn’t see a jaguar during our four-day stay, we did see many other animals, including tayras, collared peccaries, foxes, toucans, and even a jaguarundi. We were also impressed with the farm-to-table food, which was incredibly fresh, varied, and delicious. Two staff members, Callie and Emil, went above and beyond to make our stay special. The accommodations, however, were a bit run down, and the amenities are not as described on the website. The pool in the villa is drained and non-functional, and the hot tub in the main pool area has a broken heater. A number of the mosquito screens are torn and need to be replaced. While the website advertises that they have rubber boots available for guests, there are actually only two pairs of boots for the entire lodge. Similarly, they only have four headlamps available for the night walks. So bring your own rubber boots and headlamps! If you book the all-inclusive package that includes activities, you’ll need to be prepared to proactively advocate for all of the activities you’re hoping to participate in, since the manager who was on duty during our stay tended not to offer all of them and tried several times to dissuade us from signing up for various activities. I’m assuming this was because of staffing challenges. Additionally, if you’re interested in visiting Tikal during your stay, I’d highly encourage you to arrange this yourself rather than booking through Chan Chich. The tour operator they used to conduct this tour for us, Mayawalk Tours out of San Ignacio, was fine in terms of logistics and transportation, but the tour guide (while nice) was woefully unknowledgeable about Tikal. If we had it to do over again, we would have stayed just three nights at Chan Chich and then stayed overnight near Tikal.