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Meet Fermin Tzib – Expert Guide in Belize

“For me it’s great to share my knowledge and my passion for Belize while meeting and making new friends, exceeding their expectations with an amazing and unforgettable trip of a lifetime.”

Fermin Tzib Guide Profile

His childhood spent in a tiny indigenous village gave Fermin Tzib a deep appreciation for things most people take for granted while it opened a fascinating window to the natural beauty and Maya legacy of western Belize. Growing up in Cristo Rey, a Yucatecan Maya village three miles south of San Ignacio, Fermin would walk to the Macal River to get his family’s drinking water. His village had no electricity, either, and getting to town was by foot or canoe. In the village school, he used a slate board to read and write, as there were no workbooks or paper.

“I grew up with my parents speaking Yucatec Mayan, learned Spanish and Belizean Creole with friends and neighbours, and English in vocational school and as an exchange student in the United States,” Fermin explains. “It wasn’t until I was studying in the U.S. that I saw my first television set!”

The untamed natural surroundings of his village led to Fermin’s enthusiasm for outdoor activities, such as bird-watching and wildlife treks, and in archaeology and conservation. His hobbies also include woodworking and snorkelling.

caracol archaeology site belizeFermin developed an appetite for tourism while working at the Maya ruins of Caracol, famous for its massive Caana pyramid, which soars 43 metres (140 feet) above the jungle floor. His job, funded by the New York Zoological Society, was to help survey the site’s incredible flora and fauna with a team of scientists.

“I decided to become a guide to share my knowledge with visitors who were coming to beautiful Belize,” he says.

Fermin has worked as a guide since 1988 and joined Viaventure in 2008. Along the way, he attended a guide training in Colorado through Natural Habitat Adventure, which awarded him with a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

He’s studied extensively, including Belize Tourism guide training, as an avian biology correspondence course through Cornell University, and Maya anthropology studies at Galen University. Fermin also teaches jungle-survival training for the British Forces (Belize) and is certified in open-water scuba diving.

“For me, being a guide is an endless learning experience,” Fermin says. “I read a lot, on a lot of different subjects, and I take courses and attend seminars so I can get better all the time.”

With his multilingual and multicultural background, Fermin exudes national pride and enthusiasm as he shows guests the wonders of his country.

“For me it’s great to share my knowledge and my passion for Belize while meeting and making new friends, exceeding their expectations with an amazing and unforgettable trip of a lifetime.”

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