Guided tours explore the archaeological sites of Caracol (Belize’s largest Mayan site) and Xunantunich – guests can even head nearby to Guatemala to also visit Tikal. At the lodge, many staff members come from local Mayan villages and nods to Mayan culture are present throughout Blancaneaux, including traditional wood carvings and authentic Mayan dishes served at Guatemaltecqua Restaurant.

Vibrant organic gardens, pollinated by Blancaneaux’s resident native honeybees, span 3.5 acres and provide the vast majority of the lodge’s fruits and vegetables (the remainder comes from local farmers in nearby communities). Boasting some of Belize’s most celebrated organic gardens that serve as a model for the country, the lodge also supports organic gardening on-site education programs to share best practices with Belizean farmers. Guests can stroll through the plots with the head gardener, learning about organic farming while sipping cocktails infused with fresh garden ingredients.

Buildings made with natural materials such as thatch and bamboo blend into the surrounding Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, while screened doors and vaulted roofs provide natural air-conditioning. An on-site hydroelectric system from Privassion Creek provides renewable energy that powers the bulk of property operations – one of the first of its kind of renewable energy systems in Belize, it was installed on property more than 20 years ago, demonstrating Blancaneaux’s pioneering leadership in carbon emissions reduction and sustainability.

Blancaneaux provides academic scholarships and much-needed supplies like laptops to students in the nearby community of San Ignacio. It also helps fund the local Cornerstone Foundation to provide meals for children and elderly in need.

Blancaneaux partners with the Belize Wildlife & Referral Clinic and facilitates guest donations to further its work to protect local wildlife and promote animal welfare. Guests can also give back by planting pine and mahogany trees in the surrounding reserve.

An optional 5% fee applied to each guest folio is put toward the Belize Community Fund, to contribute to the Cornerstone Foundation, a community development organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and adults in San Ignacio and Santa Elena, Belize. Additionally, you are supporting the Belize Wildlife and Referral Clinic, which provides rescue, veterinary care, and rehabilitation to orphaned, injured, or otherwise imperiled wildlife.