Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary: Complete Guide 2025

Spotting a wild jaguar might be on top of your Belize bucket list, and there’s no better place to try than Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary — the only jaguar preserve in the entire world.

As a local who has hiked every trail in this park (including the challenging 3-day trek), I’ll share insider tips on planning your visit, how to get here, and what to expect along the way.

Just 30 minutes from Hopkins, Cockscomb is one of the easiest reserves to explore on your own or with a guide. I highly recommend renting a car, as no public transportation runs directly to the park.

Here’s everything you need to know before heading into the jaguar reserve.

Visitor Essentials

Location

Stann Creek District

Opening Hours

8AM–4:30PM

Entrance Fee

$5.00 USD

Camping Fee

$10.00 USD

Essentials

Water, sunblock, hiking boots

Tour Guide

Mandatory for certain hikes

Amenities

Picnic shed, restroom facilities, parking

Lodging

Camping, dorms, cabins

Why It’s Worth Visiting

How To Get To Cockscomb Basin

The fastest and easiest way to get to Cockscomb Basin is by car rental. Upon reaching the cut-off point on the Southern Highway, you’ll drive 6 miles (10 km) along a dirt road before reaching the park entrance. You can also get there using a bus-and-taxi combo.

These are the three ways you can get here: 👇

1. Bus & taxi combo: assuming you're in Hopkins, get up early to catch a Hopkins bus to the Hopkins junction, Then catch another bus heading south toward Punta Gorda and get off at Maya Center. From here, find a taxi to take you to the park for roughly $20.00 USD. There are no public buses that travel directly to the reserve.
2. Hitchhike: catching a ride is very common in Hopkins. It requires patience and luck, but you can hitchhike from Maya Center since there are a few visitors getting to the reserve daily including the park rangers early in the morning.
3. Hike all the way: this is not a long trail at only 6 miles (10km) but you might be tired to walk the trails at the park after walking under the sun for so long. On a brighter note, if you're early, you might spot a jaguar.

Cockscomb Basin Insider Tips

1. ✅ Check the Visitor Center: there's a small information center at the park entrance with some facts about the park and the jaguars.
2. 🌑 Consider taking a night hike: a night hike tour gives you higher chances of seeing wild cats like the jaguar, puma, ocelots and jaguarundis.
3. 🌧️ Visit during rainy season: wildlife is more active during the rainy season particularly at the beginning – June & July.
4. ⛺️ Camp at the reserve: increase your chances of seeing a jaguar by camping at the reserve or staying in a cabin available on site.

When To Visit Cockscomb Basin

The best time to visit the reserve is the beginning of rainy season between June & July to get the perfect mix of dry trails and wildlife spotting.

Avoid Peak Rainy Season

Peak rainy season is October and November. During this time, the park may close since the river rises and current increases.

Avoid Peak Dry Season

Peak dry season is April & May. If you are interested in river tubing avoid this season since the river tends to dry up.

How To Spot A Jaguar In Belize

The chances of spotting a jaguar are very low (I don't know the number) but if you take a scientific approach, you can up those numbers. Having been a few times at the reserve and spotted a jaguar myself at the entrance of the reserve, these tips should help a ton.

1. 🏕️ Camp at the reserve - camping at the reserve allows you to spend over 24 hours in prime jaguar territory.
2. ☀️ Hike early in the morning - jaguars are nocturnal so the chances of seeing one at dusk is much higher.
3. 🥾 Take the night hike - the absolute best time to see jaguars is while they are hunting at night if you dare.
4. 📋 Look at the statistics - this might be surprising, but there's a jaguar-spotting log book at reserve's office.
5. 👨‍🏫 Ask the rangers for tips - the people that spend the most time at the reserve might recommend some jaguar hot spots.
6. 🌵 Visit during dry season - limited water sources means jaguars are more active along the rivers increasing your chances.

Fun Facts About Cockscomb Basin

1. 🌳 The sanctuary is located in Southern Belize and covers 150 square miles of tropical forest.
2. 🐓 The name Cockscomb derives from the appearance of the mountain ridge that resembles a rooster's comb.
3. 🏆 It is the world's first and only Jaguar Preserve.
4. 🏔️ The second-highest point in Belize, Victoria Peak at 3675ft (1120m) is found in this mountain range.
5. 🐆 The reserve is a protected environment for over 200 jaguars – the largest concentration in the world.

Cockscomb Basin Tours

There are two tours/activities available at the site:

River Tubing

After hiking the entire day, floating down the river on a river tube can be rejuvenating. The tubes can be rented at the Visitor Center for $7.50 USD. You will have to hike for about 15 minutes to get to the river.

Night Tour

Besides river tubing, a popular tour is hiking the trails on a night tour. Exploring the rainforest at night can be a captivating experience. Resorts offer tours at $100 USD per person, lasting four hours.

Cockscomb Basin Cabins

Accommodation at Cockscomb includes the option of private cabins, shared dorms and camping. New shared modern dorms have been built with shared bathrooms starting at $40 USD per person. After doing a hike recently in 2024, we stayed here and enjoyed the room and facilities.

Jaguar House Private Cabin

• Foreigners: $150 USD per cabin
• Locals: $60 USD per cabin
• Details: Kitchen with dining hall, bathroom with hot/cold shower, spacious porch, accommodates 5 persons

Shared Dorms Long Cabin

• Foreigners: $40 USD per dorm
• Locals: $20 USD per dorm
• Details: 3 bunks per room, separate shared men & women bathrooms, spacious porch

Rustic Cabin

• Foreigners: $30 USD per room
• Locals: $20 USD per room
• Details: four bedrooms with two single beds in each, has porch, outdoor bathroom

Cockscomb Basin Camping

Besides cabins, the reserve has a camping site where you can park your car or pitch your own tent. There is a small fee for camping which gives you use of a small shed for your tent, a picnic area, and access to bathrooms.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife

While spotting wildlife isn't guaranteed, you have the possibility of spotting these animals in the wild along with 300 species of birds.

Cockscomb Basin Hiking Trails

The trails are incredibly rich with flora and fauna including many bird species, howler monkeys, agoutis, and of course jaguars. However, it's very unlikely you'll spot one. They are nocturnal after all.

This list of Cockscomb Basin hiking trails is listed in order of popularity and is more reliable than the distances the park signs suggest.

Victoria Peak Hike

If you plan on hiking Victoria Peak, it is only possible during dry season (December–May) because heavy rainfall makes the trail muddy and extremely difficult to hike.

For up-to-date information, visit Belize Audubon Society, the group that manages the reserve and post updates on weather and events for the park. You can also book the expedition through them.

Helpful Information

Final Thoughts

Cockscomb Basin is more than just a wildlife sanctuary — it's a rare chance to see protected wildlife you won't see anywhere else in the world like the elusive Jaguar. Even if you don't spot one, the waterfalls, birds, and jungle trails are worth it for nature lovers.

If you're staying at Hopkins or Placencia, you should plan at least half a day here, bring good hiking shoes and a swimsuit for the waterfalls. This wild and natural park will complete your reef & rainforest experience while in Belize.

For the reef experiences, check out the top islands and beaches in Belize.

About Author

Everything written on this blog is based on first-hand experience or knowledge as a local living in Belize. No fluff, just honest information.