“VIP Tour” at Belize Zoo was a priceless experience that everyone in our family (age 13 to 81) enjoyed! We cannot say enough positive things about the animal encounters that are part of this VIP Tour. Zoo Keeper Edward was our Guide and he was WONDERFUL; full of so much information about each animal. Belize is home to multiple species of wild cats (jaguar, puma, ocelot, jaguarundi) and the Belize Zoo is the rare place where you can see them up close.

I really wanted my kids to see the small and large cats of Belize. I think this zoo was the most effective way to achieve that goal. We hired a taxi driver/tour guide who got us to the zoo before anyone else once we got off a ferry from San Pedro. It was great to see all of the animals. I wish we could do a safari to see all of the Belize fauna in their natural habitat, but this seems like the next most humane way to see the animals. As others have noted, it's worth spending BZ$20 for some long-lasting bug spray before you arrive so you can use it before you enter the zoo. P.S. We came to the zoo a few weeks after Hurricane Alice, so some animals were off-exhibit and the staff were still doing repairs. Even with those limitations, all of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

This is a small zoo that takes about an hour to go through to see the animals...if we go slowly and take a lot of pictures. We saw a variety of local animals that live in Belize. The animals seem well cared for in this zoo. Children would love seeing these animals.

The day we went the Jaguar had been removed from his enclosure. All animals are in a natural environment. Monkeys were a blast. The zoo has a history of being a private rescue center before it became the Zoo. Very nice gift shop/canteen.

This zoo was amazing! People kept saying that it was messed up from a previous hurricane and I'm sure that was true at one point, but they really had fixed pretty much everything except the Toucan exhibit by the time we went... the animals they had were breathtaking! It was so fun also to stay at their education center overnight (you can go to their website to book it) and we had a private casita and they served the BEST dinner and breakfast we had while we were in Belize haha. The one big piece of advice I would give for the zoo is get there when they open around 8:30am and then just wait for the zookeepers to start feeding the animals and kinda follow them around, cause that's when the animals know to be out is when they are about to be fed. We got to see tons of great activity this way and I heard from others that they animals tend to hide more in the afternoon.

We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the zoo. A lot of detailed information on the various native animals. We learned about animals that we haven't heard of before. Friendly staff, and a nice little restaurant for a meal or a drink.

We really liked this place. Stopped on our way to San Ignacio after flying in. Cool way to see a lot of different animals right away that are mostly rescues animals. Storks were amazing. We had teenagers and adults.

An excellent experience this past week as the only animals in the zoo are those who are being rehabilitated or have been injured/saved from the wild. It is more like a teaching sanctuary than it is a zoo. A must stop for at least an hour or so - a lot of shade here with native plants as well.

Visited here for a couple hours during the afternoon before we headed down to San Ignacio. Totally worth a visit though probably best in the morning when the heat and humidity is less oppressive. They also offer private tours that leave at either 9:00 or 9:30 daily (must book in advance). These tours provide you some intimate animal experiences!!!

Especially if you are taking any transport to or from the airport to the jungle areas of the zoo, this is an ideal stop. It is an introduction to Belizean wildlife, as well as, the overall ecosystem of the country. Taking a conservationist lens, the zoo is a no frills experience that is attendant to preservation of endangered animals rather than the entertainment of us lurkers. Still, you will get to see some animals that you might not otherwise experience unless you are planning a deep trek into rural areas and/or the jungle such as tapirs and leopards. The zoo takes great pains to build understanding of the animals and how humans affect them with an unapologetic lens. It is refreshing and also reminds us to respect all the parts of Belize that feel untouched and are. Wear mosquito repellent if you can and avoid shady areas to avoid most bug bites. This is also, for what it's worth, a great stop for a bathroom break or simply to visit the cafe which has little snacks if you are hungry after a long days travel.