Rainforest, Belize

Half of Belize is covered by dense jungle, and eighty percent of its rainforest remains under government protection, much of it unexplored. These tropical forests provide habitats for a wide range of animals including jaguar, puma, ocelot, armadillo, tapir and crocodile. The country is also home to 4,000 species of tropical flowers, including 250 kinds of orchids. It harbors over 500 species of birds that soar through Belize's vine trailed jungles: fruit-loop keel-billed toucans (Belize's national bird); jabiru stork, the largest flying bird in the Americas; the rare agami heron; hummingbirds; neon-green-painted parrots; an abundance of macaws, heron and snowy egret that delight sharp-eyed eco-travelers.

Toledo, the southernmost district of Belize, has 1669 square miles of rainforest, mountains, rivers, and Maya Villages. Toledans often refer to their home as "the forgotten land" - it is the least visited destination in Belize. As the most sparsely populated and least developed region in the country, Toledo is certainly not for the ordinary tourist. However, for those with the spirit to venture off the beaten track, the natural and cultural diversity of Toledo makes a visit to a Southern Belize an unique adventure. The land is blanketed with some of the most pristine rainforest in Belize. The uplands to the Northwest, consist of the foothills of the Maya Mountains bordered by limestone outcrops - rugged, unexplored territory.