It is important to bring the following necessary personal items with you. Pack accordingly!

Required Items:

  • Medical insurance coverage
  • Valid passport (required to enter Belize)
  • U.S. cash or traveler's checks for personal expenses (at least $300, but you may want to bring closer to $500)
  • Bedding
    • 2 sets of sheets for single (twin) size mattress
    • A pillow
  • Mosquito net
    • one that can be upheld from two or four points or is self-supported
  • Personal toilet kit
    • 2 bath towels, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and other favorite or necessary personal toiletries
      • Because it is humid and you are sweaty, moisturizer isn’t as necessary in camp
  • Flashlight and batteries
    • Used for getting around after lights-out, small Mag-lite is a good size
    • replacement bulbs and 2-3 sets of batteries
    • you will use your flashlight every night
  • Canteen or water bottles (1 liter and 1 gallon plastic bottles may be purchased locally in Belize)
    • Wide-mouth is easy for mixing Gatorade and washing, but most anything will do
  • Sturdy, reusable laundry bag
  • Work/hiking boots, broken in.  Leather is nice; Gore-Tex or other waterproofing is nicer.
    • Waterproofing is nice when the rain comes
  • 8 ½ x 11 inch spiral-bound notebook
  • 3-5 inexpensive mechanical pencils, 2-3 BLACK ballpoint pens, 2-3 black Sharpies
  • Trowel (flat, pointed, bricklayer-type, Marshalltown brand 4 ½-inch or 5-inch is best…find these at a hardware /Home Depot-like store)
  • 3-meter or 5-meter tape measure
  • Line level
  • Root clippers/pruning shears
  • Plate compass (e.g., those made by Brunton, Silva, Suunto, etc.)
  • an inexpensive trigonometric calculator (sine, cosine, tangent)
  • Backpack ("day pack")
  • 5-gallon plastic bucket with lid (use as a carry-on for the flight to Belize)
  • Work clothes: (sturdy pants and long-sleeves shirts) 10 days’ worth.  Protection from bugs, thorns, and sun.  Beware dark colors, heavy fabrics, and polyester.  Check thrift stores, you may not want to bring all of these clothes back with you.
  • Town/travel clothes:  Please, no muscle shirts, short-shorts, halter-tops, dirty or ragged clothes for trips to public areas. The local population is conservative and we need to respect that

Recommended Items:

  • Tennis/running shoes
  • Work gloves --cotton or canvas work gloves dry quickly
  • Shower/swimming/sandals/thongs/flip-flops/in-camp shoe
  • Hat -- something that will protect you from rain and/or sun that can be stored in your backpack
  • Swimsuit --there are no swimming facilities at camp, but there may be opportunities to go swimming
  • Insect repellent: Deep Woods Off!™ or Off! Skintastic™ are commonly used - up to about 30%-35% DEET.
  • Pocket knife
  • Pens, pencils, paper, envelopes for any personal needs; postcards, stamps and aerograms may be purchased locally
    • Personal journal or notebook
  • A waterproof marker (e.g., Sharpie) to mark your laundry with your name
  • Garbage bags, at least six—to pack things in and keep them dry, including covering your day pack in the field
  • Poncho/rain gear
  • Medications and supplements
  • Prescriptions/medications and supplements must be in their original pharmacy containers only  - these should include the pharmacy label bearing your name (not anyone else's name).
    • Carrying a copy of your prescription is recommended.
    • Make sure you have enough for the duration of your stay. Keep in mind that some medications spoil quickly in hot humid climates, so a dessicant from your pharmacy should be included in the bottle with any tablets.
  • Consider the following:
    • Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, or your favorite anti-diarrheal medication
    • aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium
    • eye drops
    • electrolyte solution (Gatorade powder)
    • foot powder (for dryness)
    • disposable wet-wipes for field and camp
    • minor first aid kit
    • allergy medications
    • antibiotic cream or wash
  • Earplugs for swimming or sleeping
  • Reading material
  • Credit card (accepted at the airport, hotels, and most shops in Flores)
  • Snack foods
    •  granola bars, trail mix, anything that does not require heating or refrigeration
      • Beef Jerky if you like meat
      • Anything with lots of salt
      • Gum, toothpicks, something for field and travelling
  • Nylon string and clothespins
  • Camera and film (film is expensive in Belize)
  • Re-sealable container for your lunch, e.g., Rubbermaid
  • spare pair of eye glasses or contact lenses