Roatan 2023: Marine Biology Trip (example)

Roatán, Honduras

GE
191 reviews
Jan 7 - 14, 2023
Group size: 11 - 18
Roatan 2023: Marine Biology Trip (example)
Roatán, Honduras

191 reviews

Jan 7 - 14, 2023
Group size: 11 - 18

About this trip

Our home for the week is The Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) adjacent to Anthony's Key Dive Resort. This field station is ideally located on the northwest coast of Roatán where over 30 miles of fringing and barrier reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and shoreline are home to an astounding profusion of life. These diverse ecosystems provide a living laboratory for students to explore classroom concepts in the wild!


Students will see one of the most beautiful diving/snorkeling destinations in the world and travel with a purpose. This week-long trip is a combination of adventure, hands-on-research and investigation, student-centered learning, and participation in conservation programs within the RIMS program. 


Trip Highlights:

-2 dives (or snorkels for non-divers) per day in a variety of biologically diverse marine habitats.

-1 night dive (or snorkel for non-divers)

-Meet and swim with RIMS dolphins and learn about their unique marine mammal training program.

-Participate in the onsite coral restoration program.

-Explore Roatán from the treetops with a fun and educational zip-line tour.

-Meet sloths, iguanas, and monkeys at two different animal sanctuaries.

-Explore seaside towns and meet locals to learn more abut the culture of Roatán.

-Do the limbo to reggae at an island fiesta on Anthony's Key with the Garifuna Dancers.

-Take a day trip to Maya Key for a BBQ on the beach and visit the cultural museum to learn about the history of Roatán.


Science & Service

1) conduct R.E.E.F. fish surveys to as citizen scientists to assist with monitoring fish populations (service)

2) learn about the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences Coral Restoration Program and assist with cleaning/ repairing the coral “trees” (service)

3) learn about the RIMS Dolphin Research Project and the importance of their current research initiatives

4) learn how to identify species of coral and other invertebrates found in the Caribbean

5) participate in community outreach with the SOL Community Center for impoverished children (service)


General Inclusions:

2 boat dives/snorkels per day & one night dive 

One dolphin swim per student 

A 42-foot dive boat with captain, divemaster and UW naturalist 

Use of tanks, weights and belts 

Two half-day cultural or science related bus trips

Admittance to the Roatán Museum 

Use of kayaks and paddleboards 

Use of recreational services and facilities offered at Anthony’s Key Resort 

Lectures offered by RIMS staff on a variety of marine topics 

Use of dry and wet laboratories 

A large air-conditioned classroom with audio/video equipment 

Use of specimen collections and reference library

Waterproof marine identification guides 

Onsite clinic & decompression chamber with doctors on call 24-hours 

Escorted round-trip transfer from airport to RIMS 

Group Leader

This trip is being organized by:

TRIP LEADER 

email

phone


Package Price

Package Price: 

Estimated $3565 per person with 14 students 

Estimated $3365 per person with 22 students 


Deposit: $650 due by January 15, 2023

Installment plans from February 15-November 15, 2023


The package price includes a generous estimated $950 per person amount for roundtrip airfare from Chicago. Once tickets are reserved, the package price will be updated to reflect actual ticket price.  


Airline tickets are reserved by Ridgebrook Travel Agency in Deerfield, IL. Once ticketed, airline tickets are the property of the ticket holder. Tickets are non-refundable. Any changes or cancellations must be made with the airline directly. 

Room & Board

 Where do we stay?


Participants will stay at the Anthony's Key Dive Resort in Key Superior bungalows. These bungalows are perched right over the water and offer spectacular ocean views with the beach just outside your backdoor. Each bungalow has a deck over the water with hammocks, a private bathroom, air conditioning, and beds for 2-4 participants (2 queen beds, or 1 queen bed and 1 bunk bed, or 2 bunk beds).

What do we eat?

Participants will have a choice from a selection of American meals served from the Anthony's Key restaurant each day.  Three meals a day are provided during the program week. 

Travel & Dive Accident Insurance

All Participants:

Travel insurance, emergency medical insurance, and quarantine costs are not included in the package price. 


All participants must show proof of international medical travel insurance benefits to participate. It is a good idea to have quarantine benefits included in the unlikely event that a participant tests positive for COVID-19 before traveling back to the USA, and must quarantine, test negative or have a doctor's note to travel. 

Travel insurance can be found at www.greenedventures.com/travel-insurance


SCUBA Divers

Dive accident insurance is required and purchased separately. You will first purchase a DAN membership for $40 per year, then select your dive accident coverage.

DAN’s website does offer Travel Guard. If you book your Travel Guard insurance via the link above at our website, I will automatically get a copy of your Travel Guard policy. This will assist us in helping you should you need to make a claim.

https://dan.org/membership-insurance/dive-insurance/

What’s included

  • Airfare
    from Chicago O'hare
  • Room & Board
    Key Superior Bungalows with AC, 2-4 participants per room in their own beds.
  • Meals
    All meals are included from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day

What’s not included

  • Travel Insurance
    International Health Insurance Required a comprehensive plan is recommended.
  • DAN Insurance
    Required Insurance for SCUBA Divers
  • Personal Spending Money
  • Gratuity
    $150
  • Snorkeling/Diving Gear
    Available for rent onsite
  • COVID PCR or Rapid Tests
    If required.
  • Baggage Fees

Available Packages

Certified SCUBA Diver Package

You must be a certified SCUBA diver. Price Includes tanks & weights.


Does not include additional gear. You may bring your own gear or pay for rental gear onsite.


Prices for rental gear are in US Dollars and includes 15% tax. 

  • Mask, Fins & Snorkel: Weekly $57.50
  • BC Jacket: Weekly $92.00
  • Regulator w/Console and Alternate Air Source:  Weekly $92.00
  • Dive Computer: Weekly $69
  • Wet Suit (Full): Weekly $69
  • Wet Suit (Shorty): Weekly $57.50

   

$3,565
Deposit:$650
Snorkeling Package (Not SCUBA Diving)

Package price for snorkeling. 


 Does not include gear. You may bring your own gear or pay for rental gear onsite.

 Prices for rental gear are in US Dollars and includes 15% tax.

  • Mask, Fins & Snorkel: Weekly $57.50
  • Wet Suit (Full): Weekly $69
  • Wet  Suit (Shorty): Weekly $57.50
$3,565
Deposit:$650


Itinerary

Day 1
Welcome to Anthony's Key

Afternoon arrival

Check in to Anthony's Key Resort

Unpack and settle in

Enjoy kayaks or paddle boards from the beach of your Key

Dinner

Meet to assign daily trip report groups & discuss student research projects

Your Organizer


GE
Green Edventures Ecotours & Expeditions
191 reviews
Fun, active, and educational nature-based group eco-adventures for people to connect with wild places and animals in extraordinary environments. Specializing in women's adventure travel groups, and teacher-led student groups. Inquire about custom and co-ed trips.

Reviews

Overall, this trip is great. Tracey is outstanding. Americo and Guido are incredible. We couldn't have had three better people. Smart, caring, attendant, engaged, and funny. Killa Travel: Super treatment. Change needed for departures: Travelers should not be dropped at CUS more than two hours before domestic flights. You cannot check in until two hours before, and toilets are the only amenities offered. Sitting physically outside of the airport for hours (chair outside) with no access to food or WIFI (safety) was tricky. Killa would know the two-hour limit; whereas, travelers would not. Yes, we could have taken a taxi somewhere, but we would have had no idea of a destination, so we couldn't really leave. Consequently, other than a couple of mini protein bars, I had nothing to eat after breakfast until 15.30 - and that was a only a protein drink only because the Cusco airport only has candy, coffee, and snacks. The first proper meal Melanie and I had was 12 hours after breakfast at at the Lima - far too long for anyone to go without access to non-trail/junk food. Recommendation: Killa could/should return us to their offices from the Ollantaytambo ride, say "shop/eat lunch/whatever till X time, return to the office, and we will put you in a taxi to the airport." ***The point is not to "strand" folks at the airport before they can go through security at the two-hr mark.*** Food: We wasted a lot of the sack lunches/breakfasts packed for us either because it was just too much food for us or we were (varyingly) too ill to eat. I hated throwing out food. I do not know what the recommendation should be; I just hate throwing out food. Shaman day: On the one hand, I loved this day. On the other hand, I would have preferred it to be about two hours shorter (the shaman part, not the lunch part). We had a lot of down time where we didn't know what he was doing and were simply sitting around chatting (albeit we were in a gorgeous spot to be sitting around). That mountain lunch was one of my fav experiences. Cusco: I would like to have had more time in Cusco beyond the evenings when we were exhausted. If nothing else, a city tour by Guido before we headed to wherever. I would love to have gone to the Machu Picchu museum and the chocolate museum. , but we didn't learn much about the city itself except in bits and bobs. Granted, had I not been so sick upon arrival, perhaps I could have done some of that on my own. But, the itinerary could/should mention that to do on your own, so we could plan. On the Zoom call, Tracey and Tara really discouraged us from doing anything on the days we first arrived, though, so it is a bit tricky. I just know I would like to have seen/known about a bit more of Cusco. (Then again, maybe we did see everything worth seeing? I don't know.) Salt mine: LOVED this stop. Loved the two history/heritage days. Machu Picchu: 1. Don't give us an option for when to get the bus to the entrance (do it at 7/7.30/8am, painful as it is). 2. Book the latest train possible back to Ollantaytambo. Because we had to wait so long for the bus and because of our train time, we were at a slow sprint thru the ruins. Since I had to opt out of the Inca Trail hike and since we lost so much time because of the bus line, I feel I missed out on the whole point of my trip because I spent fewer than 2 hours at MP. I still loved it, but I am disappointed that I did not get to just stand and be quiet and let it all sink in for a nice chunk of time. Granted, the trail part is my own problem from being sick, but an earlier bus might have meant fewer people/less time in line and more time inside the park. Rainbow mountain day: Tracey and I talked about this, and no easy answer exists. That 8+ hours in the van is *tough* and makes a hard day harder. Maybe an upgraded (fancier/cushiony-er) van for that day (if such a thing exists in Cusco)? Aguas Calientes: The butterfly garden was super. You don't need much time there (an hour?). The baths, not so much. I would skip. It was really, really crowded when we visited and not the relaxing hot spring experience your N American customers might be used to. You cannot take a hotel towel, and the spa does not provide them. You rent them for 5 soles at several stalls right at the entrance to the baths. It wasn't a bad time, but before you go with another group, I would check it out yourself. You 100% need someone to sit with people's belongings while others are in the baths. The lockers were full, and it would not be worth assuming you'd have any available should you return. The baths had a bar on the second floor. It looked entertaining, but we did not go up to it. As we left, a load of school kids came in. That right there would turn me off. I wish we had got to do the waterfall hike, but it rained. Tracey took such good care of me - of all of us. She is fantastic. Other trips I have been on I can guarantee that I would not have been helped so much with feeling rotten. I cannot thank her enough. I will say to Tara what I said to Nyra about Guido and Americo: Pay Tracey whatever she asks for!
By Kristi N for Peru 2024: Women's Machu Picchu Inca Trail + Optional Lares Trek on Oct 10, 2024
Wonderful trip! As always Green Edventures has gone above and beyond to provide a once in a lifetime trip. Great guides, great leader, great experiences. I travelled solo but definitely not alone on this adventure and they made it very easy to do so.
By Melanie T for Peru 2024: Women's Machu Picchu Inca Trail + Optional Lares Trek on Oct 06, 2024
Five stars are not enough to rate this trip. The planning was perfect, the details spot-on. The local guide was knowledgeable and warm. She invited us into her home and life, even making us a traditional local meal in her kitchen. The addition of a local designer who is also a poet/philosopher added another dimension of local connection. This is a first-rate trip for anyone interested in learning about Iceland and the country’s history and current connection to textiles. This is not an adventure trip, but the trip is a fantastic adventure.
By Mary Ellen K for Iceland 2024: Magic Yarn Knitting & Northern Lights on Sep 19, 2024
Quality trip full of learning, adventure and creativity. The lodging, food and our guides were top notch. This trip is highly unique in that local flavor was the focus: tour guide and designer traveling with our group of amazing ladies, artisans and crafters from an Icelandic area most tourists don't roam and community sheep roundup. Priceless!
By Jana S for Iceland 2024: Magic Yarn Knitting & Northern Lights on Sep 18, 2024
CR
It was a sensational trip with 15 strong, capable and soul-searching women! Phenomenal outdoor experience in pristine wilderness that challenges your senses and creates an ethereal experience and bond with nature and great people. Highly recommend!
By Cyndi R for Idaho 2024: Main Salmon River Women’s River Rafting Trip on Sep 09, 2024
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References

I went on an amazing trip with Tara to Baja, Mexico in 2020. This was a dream trip for me being a wildlife lover. It was incredible to be able to swim with whale sharks and sea lions and get up close with gray whales. Camping on the beach was amazing. We had a great group of women and everyone vibed well and all of the tour guides including Tara, Alex and Chabello were so fun, friendly and helpful every step of the way. The food was great at the campsite and at the restaurants we got to try. When our trip plans initially got derailed waiting on a negative Covid test and we had to get a different flight, Tara did everything in her power to accommodate us and make sure we got to enjoy every part of the trip, including setting us up with another whale shark swimming tour after we had missed the initial one with the group, and she spent time waiting for us to finish before leaving for the airport. I definitely recommend Green Edventures, especially the Baja Mexico trip!
By Katie M on 14 Feb, 2022
I just returned from the Wisconsin Women's Tour and couldn't have asked for a better trip! For me, the amount and type of activity were perfect. Who know there was so much to discover practically in my own backyard?
By Cynthia Casey W on 22 Oct, 2020