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.
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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
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Recent Blogs:
Belize Part 161 (April 5 to 13)
Back in March, I built a small 10ft x 12ft cabana. For now, Andy will end up using the cabana for his hot sauce kitchen. April 5 Life in the jungle: This morning, I worked on the new cabana. I...
Why Starting Your Day Right Is Essential for Jungle Living in Belize
The following post is an expanded take on a key idea from a previous post called The Key to Surviving the Jungle Lifestyle in Belize – Discipline The Power of Routine: Remove Morning...
Belize Part 160 (March 28 to April 4)
My most current project is recently framing a building a small cabana on the farm. March 28 Life in the jungle: I spent the morning and a little time after lunch moving the front section of the...
Belize Part 159 (March 17 to 27)
The day before, I started construction on my new cabana. And we have been without utility water for the last five days. The feature photo is my ziricote tree in bloom. March 17 Life in the jungle:...
Belize Part 158 (March 12 to 16)
March 12 Life in the jungle: I started my day by heading down the road. I got a few large trees cut. Only one more to cut - the biggest. After lunch, I took some time in the hammock, and later in...
Belize Part 157 (March 2 to 11)
March 2 Life in the jungle: Before lunch, I wrote Belize blog Parts 155 and 156 and organized all of February's photos. Before lunch, I also took a nap and woke up after 1 PM. In the afternoon, I...