Rooted in Nature, Adventure Lived.
Welcome to Belize Jungle Life! I’m excited to invite you to join me on this personal journey of the adventure of living in the jungles of Belize. Through my blog, I share my adventures and experiences of living the jungle lifestyle—immersed in a jungle, while encountering incredible wildlife like jaguars, howler monkeys, and boa constrictors, and discovering the magic of nature every day.
If you find my content helpful please consider:
About
My website
Welcome to Safari Arie, where I share my life and adventures living in the jungles of Belize.
This website began as a place to document my epic bike ride from Canada to the bottom of Argentina. I made it about halfway before life steered me toward another dream — living fully in Belize’s jungle.
Ideally, a website has a single focus to attract a specific audience, but mine is a little different. My main focus is life in the Belize jungle, capturing the daily adventures, challenges, and lessons that come with it. As a result, the site covers a mix of subjects and themes, including:
➡️ Jungle lifestyle guides — practical tips to help others live in the Belize jungle.
➡️ Day-to-day life in Belize — documenting the real struggles and joys of jungle living.
➡️ Belize flora and fauna — fascinating wildlife and nature I encounter.
➡️ Bike ride adventures — my 26,000 km journey across Canada, the US, and Mexico to reach Belize.
➡️ Bike touring guides — advice and insights for long-distance cycling enthusiasts.
➡️ Personal reflections — journaling on life, philosophy, and wisdom.
➡️ Poetry — expressions of emotion inspired by life’s experiences.
Expanding on these categories
Jungle Lifestyle
Living four years in the Belize jungle has taught me countless lessons about calling this place home. I’ve recently created detailed guides and instructional posts on living in the jungles of Belize, covering everything from practical survival tips to lifestyle insights. Jungle living isn’t easy, but if you feel drawn to it, these posts will give you a realistic glimpse into what life here is truly like.
Life in Belize
My first visit to Belize was in 1997, and I fell in love immediately. Later, I bought a house in the Community Baboon Sanctuary in 2003, and today I live on a 42-acre farm in the village of Scotland Halfmoon. Every day brings new adventures, and I strive to capture them through detailed blogs and photography — showing the real-life experiences of living in Belize.
Belize – Flora and Fauna
Every day in Belize brings encounters with incredible wildlife — from familiar creatures to ones I’ve never seen before. Sometimes my best photos get lost among hundreds taken each month, or I forget a creature’s identification over time. This page serves as a centralized reference for Belize’s flora and fauna, showcasing my favorite photos and providing easy identification for the unique wildlife I encounter.
2019–2021 Bike Ride
On November 12, 2019, I began an epic journey from St. John’s, Newfoundland, biking 12,340 kilometres across Canada during the 2019–20 winter and Covid-19 lockdowns. I then biked nearly 8,000 kilometres through the USA along the Pacific Coast and Southwest, before completing another 6,000 kilometres through Mexico to arrive in Chetumal, and finally at my home in Belize on November 25, 2021. These posts document my full 26,000-kilometre bike adventure, sharing challenges, discoveries, and lessons along the way.
Bike and Camping
From the 26,000-kilometre journey, I’ve gained valuable insights about bike touring, long-distance travel, and camping in diverse environments. Here I share comprehensive bike touring guides and adventure tips, covering gear, preparation, and real-life experiences on the road.
Personal Journaling and Reflections
This category is a work in progress. I explore my inner thoughts, reflections on life, and personal philosophies, often inspired by quotes of wisdom. Some posts ask difficult questions and provide raw insights — not all answers are neat, but they offer a window into my personal journey and life lessons.
Poetry
My poetry flows naturally from emotion — observation, loss, pain, or reflection. These poems are personal, rarely shared on social media, and are not a cry for help; they are simply a form of self-expression. Here, I share pieces that reveal moments of thought, feeling, and inspiration from my life.
🐒 🐍 🐒 🐊 🐒 🦎 🐒 🐸
Whether you’re curious about jungle life, bike touring, or personal reflection, Safari Arie is my attempt to share my experiences honestly and inspiringly — and to offer a glimpse into a life less ordinary.
🐒 🐍 🐒 🐊 🐒 🦎 🐒 🐸
For better or worse, this is the story of Arie.
Who is Arie Hoogerbrugge?
Born May 18, 1973, Arie was raised in a middle-class family in the small town of Grimsby, Ontario, Canada, alongside two younger brothers.
Arie is a mix of contradictions and passions — a thinker and risk-taker, introverted yet adventurous, mindful yet stubborn. Some words that capture who he is:
Christian, introverted, passionate, socially awkward, alone in the world, broken inside, adventure seeker, organized, farmer, lover of beauty, mindful, complicated, reptile and amphibian enthusiast, freedom-first, unorthodox, podcast lover, accountable, poet, generally misunderstood, tree lover, minimalist, conscious, entrepreneurial, impatient, hard worker, blogger, single, old-fashioned, ex-truck driver, cheap Dutchman, loyal, serious, goal-oriented, cyclist, romantic, photographer, fussy eater, neat freak… and someone who has learned from many failures and regrets.
Thanks for stopping by.
Arie
“May your greatest dreams and goals be ahead of you; not behind you.”
Stay in touch
Belize Jungle Lifestyle Guides & Content
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Recent Blogs:
Ontario – March 12 to March 17, 2020
March 12 Pedal: 122 km's Destination: Ottawa Weather: Today was sunny coming into Ontario and bit on the cold side. Temperatures warmed up and while there was a bit of a crosswind more often than...
Andrew Caddell
Andrew has been following me for a long time now. Andrew let me stay at his family home in Kamouraska, Quebec on March 14th. I also stayed 3 nights with Andrew and his family in Ottawa. On March...
Quebec – March 5 to 12, 2020 plus the Summary
March 5 It was after 1am before I got to bed. I have potentially exciting news regarding getting my YouTube Channel running and am also working on some new content for my website. If people...
Brian Kostick
Only a few hours into Ontario leaving Bourget on my way to Ottawa a pick up truck pulled off the side of the road and a gentleman get out and asking me if I am Arie. I could not believe it. Thanks...
Richard Arlen
Richard reached out and offered to take me to lunch on my way out of Montreal. Richard wanted me to experience Montreal's famous smoked meat so we meet at Smoke Meat Pete in Ile-Perrot. Richard's...
Andre & Claire Cournoyer
While in Montreal Andre reached out to me with an offer to host me. I owe Andre and his wife Claire a huge thank you as I ended up staying a bit longer than planned. Because of a Friday meeting in...












