Southern Belize's Most
Immersive Eco Lodge
Toledo District sits in the deep south of Belize — greener, wilder, and less visited than anywhere else in the country. It’s home to the most culturally diverse communities in Belize: Garifuna villages, Mayan towns, East Indian farms, and Mennonite settlements, all within a short drive of each other. The Mayan ruins here — Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit — are spectacular, and you’re often the only visitor there.
Tanager Rainforest Lodge sits at the heart of all of it. We’re set inside a working rainforest on the banks of the Rio Grande at Big Falls Village — not near the rainforest, not next to it, but inside it. Birders wake up to tanagers and orioles outside their window. Guests step off their cabin porch straight onto jungle trails. And the river is always there for a swim when the afternoon heat gets serious.
We’re a lodge for people who want something real. Not a resort, not a package deal — an actual experience in a part of Belize that most travelers never find.
Rainforest, River & Mayan Ruins — All Within 30 Minutes
Staying at Tanager puts you at the center of Toledo’s best experiences. The birding starts on the property — our resident guide Steve has been leading bird walks here for years and has logged over 200 species just on the lodge grounds. Beyond the property fence, the district opens up into one of Central America’s most biodiverse pockets of jungle.
From our front door: the Lubaantun Mayan ruins are 10 minutes away. Rio Blanco waterfalls are 30 minutes. The entrance to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary — and its Scarlet Macaw feeding sites — is 45 minutes. There’s a warm natural spring at the river’s edge, river tubing through the forest, and cave systems to explore in season.
What we hear from guests most often is that they didn’t expect so much to be so close together. Toledo has a way of doing that.
Birding
Bird Watching in Southern Belize — 500+ Species Year-Round
Belize is home to more than 590 bird species
and Toledo District holds some of the best habitat in the country — lowland rainforest, river edges, and Maya Mountain foothills all within easy reach of the lodge. About 80 percent of Belize's birds are year-round residents; the rest are North American migrants that arrive between December and April, making winter the most spectacular season for lists.
The best time of the year for Birdwatching North American migratory birds in Southern Belize is between December and April.
The lodge is home to Tanagers, Orioles, Hummingbirds, Parrots and a few rare birds.
On site birding guide
dining
Authentic Belizean Cuisine, Fresh From the Source
What's Included at the Lodge
Fully Licensed Bar & Restaurant
Fully licensed.
Free WiFi (lodge building)
Around the admin lodge building.
On-Site Nature & Birding Library
With a core collection of books on birds, animals, insects and flora of Belize as well as travel guides and other titles.
Tropical Gardens with Orchids & Bromeliads
Our gardens offer a wide variety of flowering and ruiting trees and shrubs as well as fruiting trees with orchids and bromeliads.
On-Property Birding Trails
Swimming Pool
Excellent way to enjoy the sun and cool off after a day of outdoor activities.
Air-Conditioned Rooms
Activities
- Paddle Board
- Horse and mule riding
- Spa (massage by appointment)
- Buggy ride and birding on farm road
- Night hikes
- Birding (guided)
- Snorkeling
- Fishing reef
- Chocolate making tour
- Basket making tour
- Mayan home tour
- Riverside hikes
- Hikes to caves
- Local cuisine tour
- Monkey watching tour
- Blue Creek, Riverside hike, cave tour (in season) and Mayan experience
- Market tour
- Lubaantun Maya Ruins
- Nim Li Punit Maya Ruins
- Ethnobotany medicinal walk with a shaman
- Blue Creek, Riverside hike and Mayan experience
Recognized by
Proud Members of the Belize Hotel Association
2025–2026 Membership Year
Being part of the Belize Hotel Association means belonging to a community of hospitality professionals who genuinely care about the guest experience and the future of tourism in this country. For us, it's not just a membership — it's a standard we hold ourselves to every single day, right here in the heart of the Toledo District.
Learn More About the BHA →
As Featured in National Geographic Traveller — April 2024
In this captivating article, National Geographic Traveller delves into the unparalleled beauty and unique experiences offered at our lodge. From the lush rainforests teeming with exotic wildlife to the luxurious accommodations that blend seamlessly with nature, the article highlights what makes Tanager Rainforest Lodge a must-visit destination.