About duPlooy's Jungle Lodge. A Bit About Belize - Welcome to the Jungle! You may find that Belize is a little different than home, providing changes in climate, language, culture, people and even insect size, to discover and in which to delight. Some will be unfazed by the sudden chortle of chachalacas outside the window or army ants in their deodorant stick, while others may run screaming from their room at the merest glimpse of a scorpion (no need; they are deaf!) We want to assure you that, to date, none of our guests have been eaten alive by bats, crocodiles or even albino fish... We can pick you up and bring you to duPlooy's from anywhere on Belize's Mainland. See Transfers in the. Buses also run regularly from Belize City and other towns to San Ignacio. To ride the bus, take a taxi from the airport to the bus station (about $25). From there, take a bus marked Benque (about $5) and get off at San Ignacio. From San Ignacio a taxi ride up to duPlooy's should cost you about $30.00 for 1-4 people. Renting a car? From Belize City get on the Western Highway and head west for about 72 miles. You will be slightly detoured driving through San Ignacio, but just ask directions to the Western Highway heading towards the Benque border. Once you are on the highway again look for the duPlooy's sign after about 5 miles. Turn left on to a dirt road and follow the signs for about 5 more miles. duPlooy's offers a variety of rooms to suit everyone! All accommodations have porches (with hammocks), hot water, ceiling fans and screened windows. Room prices include continental breakfast, use of canoes and inner tubes on site, complimentary coffee or tea and morning birding on the deck, plus unlimited entrance to Belize Botanic Gardens and self-guided tour booklet (feel free to take the booklet home, or recycle it at the office.). At certain times of year Belize gets very hot (we are in the tropics) and all visitors should note that we have no air conditioning at duPlooy's. While this is not a problem for most people, we do ask all those planning to visit to take this into consideration before booking. Remember: all rooms have fans and you can always cool off on our beautiful Macal River Beach or enjoy a cool drink at our canopy bar! Water The tap water comes from a 200' well and is perfectly fine, but if you prefer there is reverse-osmosis water available in the bar, kitchen and office. When you need to fill your water bottle, just ask one of our friendly staff members to help you. There are empty water bottles available in the office, but we do not sell bottled water (eco-tourism, y'know.). Electricity duPlooy's is powered by 110v current, the same as in the United States (with the same plug fittings). We switch to battery power at night, so there is 24-hour power to keep your fans and lights running and your cameras and other electronics charged. We do, however, request that all visitors try to minimize their electricity consumption by turning off lights, fans and other non-essential equipment when leaving their rooms. Food A continental breakfast is included with your room rates, and those on a will have all their meals provided. All other meals may be purchased from the a la carte menus. A variety of cooked breakfasts are available. Lunch can be taken in the dining room, on the bar deck or a comprehensive packed lunch can be ordered the previous evening. Dinners include an appetizer, soup or salad, a selection from our three nightly entree offerings, dessert and coffee or tea. Our entree options always include a meat dish, a seafood dish and a vegetarian choice, and one of them is usually a Belizean specialty. We do not serve beef: find out why in our. Let us know if you have special dietary needs and we will do our best to meet them. Tipping There is a service charge of 10% added to rooms and meals. This is divided amongst staff from groundskeepers to waiters (drivers/guides are not included). Additional tips are welcome and appreciated so if you had a positive experience and have some extra cash in your wallet, then you may want to tip with an amount that you feel good about. If not, just say 'thanks!'. Laundry A laundry service is available: US$7.50 per load, washed, dried and folded. In an effort to conserve energy, cut down on water waste, and lessen our impact on the environment, we ask guests to hang towels if they want to hold on to them and throw them on the floor when they are ready for new ones. If you need a night light, try the kerosene lamp found in your room. There is enough oil in it to last the night. Phone/Fax/Internet/Snail Mail You can make telephone calls from the bar using a SMART telephone card purchased at duPlooy's or anywhere in Belize, or from the office using a BTL card. You will not be able to use your international calling card. At the office you can send and receive faxes, use the internet and post letters. We have a wireless internet service but due to our remote location, it is limited to the area around the office. Return Guests We love it when we get return visitors to duPlooy's and we especially like it when you tell your friends about us. To encourage this duPlooy's would like to offer you a 10% discount if you should return, and for your friends and family we are offering a 5% discount when they mention your name...

Activities at duPlooy's. There are many activities to enjoy right on the property at duPlooy's; so if you'd rather not travel a long distance, stay with us for the day - and have just as much fun. Professional bird watchers are always coming to duPlooy's and telling us that we have the best location for bird watching in the area. Join our resident bird guide each morning on the deck for complimentary coffee and tea and you will see such exotic birds as: motmots, aracari (toucans), trogons, tanagers, parrots and many more. With over 300 bird species recorded within five miles of duPlooy's, it is worth getting up for, whether you are a dedicated birder adding to your life list, a beginner who's never seen a bird before, or just someone who enjoys the tropical scenery. Our Guided Bird Walks, starting at 6.30am, and Night Walks, starting at 7.30pm are fascinating wildlife experiences. The walks are for either one or two hours and should be booked in advance. For more info about birding at duPlooy's, in the Cayo district, and around Belize, see our comprehensive. Head down to the river and look out for a trail on your left, just before you get to the beach. This path will take you along the river and end in the Belize Botanic Gardens. From here either exit back to the hotel or backtrack along the river. If you are just using the botanic gardens to exit the trail you don't have to pay the (very reasonable) entrance fee, but if you enjoy any part of the walk out we encourage you to put it on your bill as it is a worthwhile conservation project that appreciates your help! While roaming you will definitely see birds but you might see other visitors as well. At the end of the canopy-walk several iguanas have taken up residence and you can watch them lounging on tree branches. Grey-foxes, armadillos or gibnuts can be spotted on an early morning or evening prowl on the grounds or in BBG. A tapir (Belize's national animal) was twice seen strolling by La Casita and a kinkajou (extremely cute animal), is often seen in the summer evenings evening right off the deck. Be sure to wander down to the beach for a gander at the cliffs and river (use steps in front of the kitchen). Swimming from the beach there is a wonderful way to spend some time. You can rent canoes or tubes until 3:00 at the office. Remember it is a river not a pool so if its been raining a lot or too dry it may not be the oasis you were looking for, use common sense precaution and do not swim if the current is very swift and/or trees are floating downstream with small mammals clinging to them. What better way to end the day or spend the day? After a day in the saddle or scaling Mayan ruins you may want to book a massage, facial or other body treatment in the office. Try to arrange the day before but if you forget or find yourself in urgent need we can sometimes arrange a massage with just a few hours notice. Go to the bar at the time of your massage and the masseuse will come and take you to the palapa. A sarong is the recommended attire but wear whatever is comfortable for you. While you are here, visit the garden. The (tiny) fee charged covers unlimited entrances during your stay and there isn't a lovelier place to stroll in the early evening or morning. Inside the garden is a Maya medicine trail, native orchid house, a bird blind on the pond, lots of tropical fruits and flowers, a rainforest walk, palms and lots more tropical splendor. The entrance to Belize Botanic Gardens (BBG) includes a map of the garden and all the plants are labeled but if you want more information there are a few ways to see the garden. We have self-guided tour booklets one is a Maya medicinal trail and the other is a general garden walk. You can take a guided walk, focusing on either of these subjects or you can let your guide know if you have a particular area of interest. All tours last about 1 - 2 hours depending on your interest. We don't carry on about the garden just for kicks. Botanic gardens are important resources for the preservation of biodiversity and excellent arenas for conservation education. Belize Botanic Gardens is no exception. As part of the Botanic Gardens for Conservation International (BGCI) and Caribbean Botanic Gardens for Conservation (CBGC) the BBG staff work to promote conservation and conservation education through many projects. Ken duPlooy, the garden founder, has been awarded international recognition for his contribution to biodiversity for creating Belize Botanic Gardens. To learn more about the Belize Botanic Gardens visit the official website at www.belizebotanic.org. Support our education program! Help a Belizean class take a field trip to Belize Botanic Gardens: it is a mere $2.00 a kid. Many Belizean schools are understaffed and overflowing and there isn't much money for transportation or field trip opportunities. You can also sponsor an educational presentation right at school for $65US, for kids that can't make it to the gardens.