Belize: Caribbean Reefs & Mayan Culture

Rustic Pathways maintains a median of one staff member per 4.37 students (4.37:1), with no program exceeding 7 students per staff member (7:1).

New Program Leaders go through a four-month selection process, and every Program Leader holds current CPR and First Aid certification.

Belize is 2 hours behind New York in summer.

• After the final scheduled activity of the day, students have their phones.
• Routine help: call +1 440-975-9691, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.
• Emergencies: use the 24/7 number in your pre-departure materials.

If a student has an urgent, medical, or significant personal need during activities, a Program Leader helps them contact home.

Most students join on their own, and some join with friends or siblings. Roommate requests are accepted during enrollment for students coming together. Program Leaders run icebreakers on day one, and friendships form quickly.

Cancellations within 24 hours of enrollment receive a refund of all amounts paid to Rustic Pathways.

Cancellations before midnight ET on March 31, 2027, receive a full refund of the program tuition. The enrollment fee and any airfare already booked become non-refundable.

For cancellations after March 31, 2027, see the enrollment terms.

If your family experiences a serious, documented emergency, contact us. We review these situations on a case-by-case basis.

U.S. students can join a chaperoned group flight from Houston (IAH) to Belize City (BZE) with a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. Families can also book their own flights into and out of Belize City.

Program Leaders meet students who fly on their own at the airport and see them off at the end of the program. Flights, including the group flight, are not included in tuition.

Flying independently? See the arrival and departure dates below.

Whichever option you choose, Rustic Pathways staff meet every student at Belize City airport on the arrival date and see them off on the departure date.

Option 1: the chaperoned group flight

Cost: Chaperoned group flight fee, plus airfare.

• A Rustic Pathways chaperone meets students at Houston (IAH) and flies with the group to Belize City (BZE), and home from Belize City (BZE) to Houston (IAH) on the departure date.
• Getting to and from Houston (IAH): Rustic Pathways can book the connecting flights between your home airport and Houston (IAH), or your family can. Students fly that leg on their own, with an airline unaccompanied-minor service if the airline requires one.
• Every student on the group flight pays the chaperoned group flight fee, even if your family books the connecting flights.

Option 2: independent flights with support

Cost: Flight Support Fee, plus airfare.

• You choose the flights and Rustic Pathways books them, into and out of Belize City (BZE).
• Students fly on their own, and you get 24/7 travel support if plans change.

Option 3: book your own flights

Cost: No Rustic Pathways fee, just airfare (for students not on the group flight).

• Your family books and manages the flights, into and out of Belize City (BZE).
• Students fly on their own. Changes and rebooking are between your family and the airline.

Arrival and departure windows

Students who are not on the group flight land within the arrival window and leave within the departure window, about four hours each. Your Personal Travel Advisor shares the exact times before you book. Flights outside the windows carry an additional fee.

Dates on this page run from the day the group flight leaves Houston to the day the group leaves Belize. The group lands in Belize City the same day.

When your student flies independently, book flights that arrive and leave on these dates. Flight times can change, so contact your Personal Travel Advisor before you book.

At Belize City airport (BZE). The first four nights are at the research station in the Maya Mountains and the last three on Caye Caulker. On the last morning, the group takes an early water taxi back to Belize City for the airport.

U.S. citizens do not need a visa for Belize. Other passports may need one: check your nationality on Belize’s visa list. Every student also needs a notarized travel consent letter from their parents or guardians.

The enrollment fee is a one-time fee, separate from tuition, covering enrollment, pre-departure advising, and trip planning. It begins at $100 and increases closer to the departure date.

The enrollment fee is refundable for cancellations within 24 hours.

Yes. Rustic Pathways offers a 4-Pay payment plan that splits program tuition into four payments over six weeks. This plan is only available for enrollments more than 90 days before departure and only for U.S. bank accounts.

Need-based financial aid and merit scholarships are also available. Explore scholarships and financial aid.

Medical insurance with coverage in Belize is required. Travel insurance is strongly recommended, not required.

Neither is included in program tuition. Rustic Pathways recommends Arch RoamRight: get a quote.

$150 to $200 per week is recommended for shopping, snacks, or souvenirs. Meals, scheduled activities, and gratuities are included in program tuition.

Yes. Students room with same-gender peers at the research station and on Caye Caulker.

Everyone who goes in the water takes a water-competency test first. The reef days are snorkeling only; there is no scuba diving.

Personal Travel Advisors review all medical forms and plan with families to manage medication, allergies, and dietary requirements on the program.

Program Leaders are first-aid and CPR certified, and teams keep lists of medical facilities for every major program location.

Rustic Pathways Program Leaders supervise students from the moment staff meet them at Belize City airport until they depart for their flight home.

• A median student-to-staff ratio of 1 staff member for every 4.37 students, never exceeding 7:1.
• Program Leaders are housed on site and available overnight.
• Two-Deep Leadership: No staff member is ever alone one-on-one with a student.
• Each student has a personal check-in with a Program Leader within 24 hours of arrival.
• Families receive a Safe Arrival email within 12 hours of arrival in Belize.

Students do not have unsupervised time in public areas. Free time is structured, with Program Leaders always nearby. At night, students stay in their rooms with their roommates. Program Leaders are housed on site and conduct nightly room checks.

Rustic Pathways follows Trip Before Scroll: staff store phones and connected devices securely during daytime programming and hand them back after the final scheduled activity.

Students keep them overnight, subject to quiet-hours and lights-out rules. Travel-day, medical, and accessibility exceptions apply. At the research station, Wi-Fi is available only in the common space.

Rustic Pathways welcomes all students and works with families to provide appropriate support. Learn about Rustic Pathways’ inclusion policy.

Each session is limited to 18 students, ages 14 to 18. In 2026, 16 of the 20 students on the July session were 15 to 17.

Yes. Non-U.S. students can join this program. International students fly to Belize City to arrive within the designated arrival window for their session.

Rustic Pathways staff meet them at the airport and ensure safe departure within the designated window at the end of the program.

Visa requirements depend on the passport, so ask an advisor.

At the research station, students work alongside researchers: bird banding with mist nets, setting and reviewing camera traps to monitor mammals, and species identification.

Active. Expect several hours of activity a day in a warm, tropical climate, including hiking, early-morning fieldwork, and snorkeling.

At the research station, days mix fieldwork, guided walks, and cultural workshops, with evening talks, a night walk, and swims at a waterfall pool near the station when there is free time in the afternoon. On Caye Caulker, the days are on the water: an island tour, a full day of snorkeling and sailing on the reef, and free time.

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other diets, plus common food allergies can be accommodated. Dietary needs and allergy information are collected after enrollment and shared with meal providers and project partners in advance.

No. English is the official language of Belize.

Yes. The itinerary may change due to weather, safety concerns, transportation issues, or site availability. Program Leaders may adjust activities and schedules to keep students safe and ensure a positive program experience.