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Our Remarkable Journey of Chaa Creek From Jungle Farm to Eco-Luxury Icon

The story of The Lodge at Chaa Creek begins in 1977, when adventurous young travelers Mick and Lucy Fleming stumbled upon an overgrown 140-acre farm along Belize’s Macal River. With no road access and only a dugout canoe to reach nearby San Ignacio, they began a humble life off the grid growing vegetables, making yogurt, raising animals, and eventually welcoming their first guests into what would become Belize’s first jungle lodge.

 

From those pioneering days, till now Chaa Creek blossomed into a world-renowned eco-luxury destination. The Chaa Creek Cottages opened in 1981, setting the standard for sustainable tourism in Belize. Over the decades, additions such as a dining room, nature trails, horseback riding facilities, a Natural History Centre, and a private nature reserve spanning over 500 acres have made Chaa Creek a flagship for conservation-minded travel.

Key milestones include:

  • Electrification in 1987 introduced modern comforts to the jungle.
  • The Macal River Camp was established in 1997 for students and budget travelers.
  • The Spa, Conference Centre, and Tree Top Jacuzzi Suites by 2002.
  • The award-winning Guava Limb Café was established in 2012 as an artisan bakery.
  • And most recently, the stunning Ix Chel Luxury Villas, complete with private plunge pools, jacuzzis, and personalized butler service.

 

Chaa Creek’s evolution reflects a deep commitment to sustainable tourism, local empowerment, and conservation. From humble beginnings to becoming one of Central America’s leading eco-resorts, the Chaa Creek journey is a testament to vision, resilience, and harmony with nature.

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Chaa Creek's
pillars

A legacy built in harmony with the land

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1977
1977 Mick and Lucy arrive in Belize and meet up with Hugh Clifford at Central Farm. Rent an apartment under Don Emilio's barber shop in San Ignacio Town, meet Jack Garden at Belleview, and contract the rental of 137 acres of bush land. Begin to farm, transporting produce by rented dugout canoe and horseback.
1978
Bryony Fleming born
1979 Purchased tractor from England
chaacreek belize story bryony born
chaacreek belize story purchase ford truck
1980
1980 Purchased Ford Pick Up
1981 Purchased 137 Freehold Acres Built First (dirt floor/stick wall) Chaa Creek Cottage (Rooms 5 & 6.) 1982 Built 2nd Chaa Creek Cottage (Rooms 1 & 2.) Piers Francis Fleming Born
1983 Built Two A Frame Cottages (Rooms 7 & 8.) Built Dining Room Constructed New Chaa Creek Road
chaacreek belize story purchase ford truck
chaacreek belize story purchase new canoe
1984
1984 Remodeled Cottages 1 & 2 to replace bush sticks with stucco walls.

1985 Built Cottage #5 (Arch Windows.)

1986 Built 2 more Cottages #6 & #7 (Rooms 9, 10, 11, 12.)
Constructed Gift Shop
Constructed General Shed Infrastructure
Purchased Land Rover from England
Purchased Canoes and Trailer
chaacreek belize story purchase new canoe
chaacreek belize story replaced wooden sticks
1987
1987 Built ferros Cement Kitchen Store Room, built garage and work shed. Electrified Chaa Creek Kitchen.

1988 Built 2 more cottages #8 & #9 (Rooms 13, 14, 15, 16.) Built Gate house (3 Rooms.)
Built Bar, Front desk office, store rooms
Tiled floors in all rooms, Dining Room and bar Remodeled Dining Room, replaced Stick walls with cement Block Stucco.
Installed Hot Water in all rooms Electrified Kitchen, Bar, Office
chaacreek belize story replaced wooden sticks
chaacreek belize story bar deck
1989
1989 Built Bar deck Built 2 more cattle grids.
1977 Purchased Pickup Truck (4-Cylinder) Replaced and upgraded furniture & mattresses in all rooms Purchased house in San Ignacio & renovated into office space Purchased Penades Land (65 Acres) Purchased Joe Cal’s Land (13 Acres) Instituted Horseback Riding 1991 Built Chaa Creek Residence House. Upgraded saddles and riding equipment.
chaacreek belize story bar deck
chaacreek belize story purchased suburban
1992
1992 Built Tower House Cottage (Room 17). Built Stables, Corals, Garden House. Purchased (1990) Chevrolet Suburban. Purchased two (2) (1986) Isuzu Troopers (Diesel, 4-Cylinder). 1993 Built butterfly house for Charles Wright Started butterfly farm with Charles Wright 1994 Built mountain bike shop & purchase 14 trek cromoly mountain bikes Started in house guided bird watching activity
chaacreek belize story purchased suburban
chaacreek belize story purchased 365 acres
1995
1995 Built natural history center Built Macal river camp 1996 Introduced sunset canoe tours and Creatures of the Night guided hikes 1998 Built rooms 20/21 Ran electricity to rooms (until now still with lantern light) 1999 Built spa Purchased Maya farm 65 acres
chaacreek belize story purchased 365 acres
chaacreek belize story woodwork shop
2000
2000 Purchase 16 canoes/paddle/life jackets Build first ever wooden canoe Young Ting for Ruta Maya River Challenge Renovate Chaa Creek San Ignacio office and upgrade equipment Belize Tourism Board Hotel of the year 2001 Built room 9and 10 & woodshop Built wooden canoe slinky ting Purchased 2 hand held radios for communications Purchased KIA van for doing tours Purchased 1 new van Caribbean tourism organization Caribbean Sustainable Tourism award
chaacreek belize story woodwork shop
chaacreek belize story built horse stables
2002
2002 Purchased Ixchel Property Built house at Maya farm /opened Maya farm 2003 Built Spa villa 2004 Put in trail system for hikes, bikes and horses Purchased glass crusher & camp truck Open river trail to camp 2005 Built new horse stable
chaacreek belize story built horse stables
chaacreek belize story built eco infinity swimming pool
2006
2006 Purchased Los Cedros - 10 acres Renovated room 1-2-5-7-8-11-12-13-14 Upgrade to energy saving bulb 2008 Built swimming pool Re-thatched room 16-17 Started to upgrade beds in rooms to king size Purchased new saddles, helmets and pad /blankets for stable 2009 Green Globe certified New web site avatar
chaacreek belize story built eco infinity swimming pool
chaacreek belize story bought 2seater mule
2010
2010 Renovated compost shed into a store room Purchased 2 seater mule Purchased 1 new van 2011 Built river dock at Macal river camp Re-thatched rooms 9-10-20-21 Purchased 2 new vans
chaacreek belize story bought 2seater mule
chaacreek belize story guava limb cafe
2012
2012 Purchase town house and renovated into the Guava Limb Cafe Build new horse corral Repaired nature reserve bride Constructed cement pathway to room 15 Redoing website Fox news eco friendly stays in Belize 2013 Opened Guava Limb Cafe in San Ignacio Town Began offering Barton Creek Tours with CC guides Repaired and painted John Boat for River Safaris Renovated and Remodeled Bar and bar patio
chaacreek belize story guava limb cafe
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2014
2014 Bar renovation Built new green house at Maya Farm
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2015
2015: Built new greenhouse framing at Maya Farm with galvanized pipe for permanent fixture Guava Limb Café wins restaurant of the year at the National Tourism Awards
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2016
2016: Built New Ix Chel Villas Finished new kitchen and bar at Guava Limb Drilled new water well Installed CTN Internet at the Lodge, providing wi-fi service to rooms
2017
2017: Installed water filtering system for a new water well; built watershed Installed new 100ft communication tower made modifications for new wi-fi, burying cables, wiring, etc. Built new furniture for expanded Guava Limb service area Built new mall extension, laundry and maintenance area renovated. Upgraded both Tree Top Suites to villas Built Open Hearth Maya Kitchen Purchased 2018 Kawasaki Mule for NHC Safari Tours Purchased another new 2017 VW Tour Van
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2018
2018: Replaced all tarps on Camp Casitas Purchased 2000 International Bus for staff 2019: Built new pizza oven & palapa for Guava Limb Built new road to Maya Farm Purchased new 2019 Silver Toyota HiAce Tour van Purchased 2014 Toyota Prado
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September 23 2021 Birding Mountain Pine Ridge Guides 29 scaled e1755817101823
2021
2020 Purchased Hondo generator for Camp Purchased 2008 Toyota Prado 2021: COVID Closure of the Macal River Camp
September 23 2021 Birding Mountain Pine Ridge Guides 29 scaled e1755817101823
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2022
2022: Upgraded Rooms 3, 4, 7 & 8 from Cottages to Deluxe Cottages with A/C Re-built Chial Road Purchased 2014 Silver Toyota Prado Purchased 2022 Toyota HiAce Purchased 10 more canoes
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2023
2023: Upgraded Resort area lighting New Pizza oven for GLC Installed a/c in rooms 18 & 19 Spa at Chaa Creek wins Health and Wellness provider of the year at the Belize National Tourism Awards
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2024
2024: Reopening of the Macal River Camp as the Belize Rainforest Retreat at Chaa Creek New Butterfly Cage Renovation of Guava Limb’s upstairs dining area & addition of sitting area by the bar.
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