Monkey River Tour (with transportation from Hopkins)

Hopkins, Belize

7 to 8 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Connect with Belize's nature and culture away from the crowds on a cruise down the Monkey River — a scenic yet little-known waterway that's home to howler monkeys, manatees, crocodiles, and even giant iguanas. Beyond the wildlife, you'll also get a glimpse into local fishing traditions and enjoy an authentic Belizean meal along the way.

Great way to see Belizean wildlife in a natural habitat
Gentle Monkey River cruise is suitable for all ages
Learn about daily river life from a guide
Includes convenient pickup at Hopkins hotels

What's Included

Lunch
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle

Gratuities
Towels

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Itinerary

Monkey River Town

3 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.6

based on 5 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Monkey Tour Review

Jeremy_M, Dec 2025

First, finding an actual itinerary of this tour is difficult, so I will make it easier for you. Expect a 25 minute speed boat ride.. bumpy and tough on the body because that’s what they are… to Monkey island. They keep telling you “this is where you’ll be for lunch”… but it’s only 9.00AM. But really what’s happening is that you’re PLACING YOUR ORDER for lunch. That phrase would have helped enormously. Then another 1.5 hours at NON-speedboat speeds on the river looking for things that move: Iguanas, birds, monkeys. Except you may not see any monkeys on the boat. To do that, at least in our case there are a few inlet stops. Then it’s a trek into the jungle, which in our case because it was raining like crazy the day before and even that day, was a muddy muddy mess. Fun to a degree, but also, most people don’t know their limits and likely shouldn’t do the hike. But, indeed, we did see howler monkeys in the trees high above. Tons of mosquitos in the jungle too. But expect it to likely be a muddy muddy mess and yes, some people slipped because of their inability and nobody got hurt. The guide was SUPER clear that the hike isnt for everyone and at your own risk, but still people made some poor choices. Then we took the boat back to monkey island for lunch around 12.00. Lunchtime was fish or chicken .. both excellent and the service was charming and a few things to buy from the locals at reasonable prices. Finally, we speed boated back via the route which we could maybe see manatees, but… I was doubtful, and we didn’t. They said it was rare not to see them though. The speed boat part at speed was very hard on the back, bang.. bang.. bang compressing… and we’re sore today from it, but your experience may vary. The GUIDE was good and entertaining (sorry I can’t remember his name). We also got picked up from Hopkins. I had to ask the tour operator three or four times over Viator before the actual event day ….if we could be picked up at our Hopkins hotel and not the Hopkins inn, which would have required us to get a taxi at 6.45 in the morning. Eventually, on the 3rd or 4th try asking, he finally said yes.. and pickup and Dropoff was excellent and handled by driver James. The day was raining on and off, which for me, was quite hard when the speed boat is speeding at speed with rain in your face, etc. We were back on the original dock around 1.15. All in all, we took a chance with the weather, and we knew what we were getting into. So, plan accordingly. In all, if it was less rainy it likely would have been better, but you can’t change the weather and we went on the tour knowing this. In short, the guides were good, food was good, but plan accordingly based upon these details I’m providing.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you for choosing Untame Belize and for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. We truly appreciate you outlining your experience so thoroughly, as this kind of feedback is incredibly helpful for future guests. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the guides, the wildlife experience (especially spotting the howler monkeys), and that you found the lunch and local hospitality at Monkey Island excellent. It’s also great to know that James provided smooth and reliable pickup and drop-off service from Hopkins. We understand your comments regarding the speedboat ride, weather conditions, and the clarity of the itinerary—especially around the lunch stop and the physical demands of the hike. Belize’s natural environment, river conditions, and weather can definitely add both adventure and challenge, and we appreciate your honest perspective about planning accordingly and knowing personal limits. Thank you again for choosing Untame Belize and for sharing insights that will help other travelers prepare for this excursion. We hope to welcome you back in the future, perhaps under sunnier skies, for another Belize adventure

Overall amazing trip

Gerald_Y, Jun 2021

All the tour guide was amazing and our driver was amazing also. Never had a tour as memorable as this one

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Hi Gerald, Thank you for choosing Untame Belize Tours and Transfers for your Belize Vacation. We are really glad you enjoyed your stay in Belize and that you were pleased with our adventures and our tour guide. So grateful we had the opportunity to showcase Belize to you.