BFREE Staff Adventure 2024!

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In recognition of a successful field season, fifteen BFREE and Crioco staff members participated in an exciting two-day trip. We chartered a bus, so that we could slowly wind our way along two of Belize’s beautiful highways – the Hummingbird and the Coastal. 

We  took our time as we searched for waterfalls, animals, caves, farms, delicious food including, of course, chocolate! 

Day One

Our first stop was at Billy Barquedier National Park where we hiked to the waterfall and had lunch.

Day One of our itinerary included a visit to Che’il Mayan Chocolate in the village of Maya Center followed by a hike to the waterfall at Billy Barquedier National Park. We then traveled on to St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park for a swim and cave exploration. That evening we stayed at the Tropical Education Center where we had a delicious dinner before taking a night tour of the Belize Zoo.

We visited Che’il Mayan Chocolate where we received a personalized tour from chocolate-maker and entrepreneur, Julio Saqui.

St. Herman’s Cave was a highlight for everyone. Most of us had never been inside a cave before!

The night tour of nocturnal wildlife at the Belize Zoo was a hit. We fed tapirs and got up close to Belize’s five species of wild cats!

Day Two

Day 2 had some last minute changes due to weather, so we drove south along the Coastal Highway where we stopped at Manatee Lodge at the tip of Gales Point. We then visited Corridgeree Farms for a tour of their vanilla farm followed by a chocolate tasting. We ended our adventure in Hopkins, where we enjoyed the beach and had a delicious lunch at Ella’s Restaurant.

We made an unscheduled stop at Corridgeree Belize where we took a tour of the vanilla farm and participated in a chocolate tasting.
Time together on the bus was a treat. We all enjoyed the air-conditioning, the snack stops, the play list, and each other’s company!

In Summary

“I had an amazing and fun time; I loved everything about the trip. I enjoyed the sight seeing, the chocolate experience and meeting passionate Belizeans working in the field of conservation.” Roxanna Chen, Advanced Cacao Fellow.

“This trip provided me with the opportunity to tour my own country and see places I’ve always passed by on the bus but never visited.” Barney Hall, Wildlife Fellow.

“I really enjoyed the adventure; it felt so good exploring the gems that our beautiful Belize has to offer. We created unforgettable memories.” Rocento Pau, BFREE Administrative Assistant.

“To me, this trip was better than our previous staff trips because we moved around and saw different parts of our own country. I am glad we explored and did a lot of walking in places I don’t normally go.” Ofelia Cus, Housekeeper.