We are going to AC in FEB and were wondering what the Jaguar Preserve was like, Is it worth the trip in? Any help is appreciated.

It would be a long day trip for one4 day, but the Preserve is very special and great for birders. You'd have to fly from SP to Municipal and then to Dangriga. I'd hire a guide out of Dangriga to drive you there and back and take you thru the preserve.

If it's jungle/wildlife you want but don't want to go thru all the effort to get to the JP in one day, take the day trip to Lamanai ruins. Much easier, less $ and very nice and interesting.

Katie Valk
Maya Travel Services

I wouldn't even think of doing it as a day trip from San Pedro, but if you're on the mainland and going south, it's a definite must-stop. Ideally you would spend the night there, in the basic facilities in the preserve (reserve through the Audubon Society in Belize City) or you could stay at one of the places at Maya Centre or in Hopkins or Dangriga.

There's not a terrible lot to see ... until you start looking around. It's a place you need some time to get grounded in, not a place that has a lot of top line attractions. There is a little visitor's center and you can do some easy hikes on cut trails, but overnight or longer you get a better feel for the place.

--Lan Sluder
Belize First Magazine http://www.turq.com/belizefirst/

I was there for the day a few years ago. Climbed up a mountain and fell on my ass in the mud! It was fun though...

But if your primary interest in going there is to actually see a jaguar in the wild, my advice is to spend a couple of days at Chan Chich, which has more jaguar sightings than anyplace in Belize. I was there for three days this week...didn't see a jaguar, darn it! But a couple of other guests did...and the employees see them often. We did see howler monkeys, spider monkeys, foxes, deer, a large troop of coatamundis, all kinds of birds and I even saw a jaguarundi (a small funny looking cat that doesn't really look a whole lot like a cat but is one....) It's a gorgeous place, expensive but worth it.

For info go to http://www.chanchich.com

Thanks for all the feedback!