



ATM CAVE TOUR
Belize Actun Tunichil Mucnal (ATM) Cave Tour
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Overview
Deemed the #1 Sacred Cave destination in the world by National Geographic, the Actun Tunichil Mucnal (ATM) cave is not only stunning with its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites but it is also a natural museum providing insight into the world of the ancient Maya. Taking a journey into the Maya underworld at ATM, or the “Cave of the Stone Sepulcher”, will be one of the most enlightening, epic, and unique experiences of your life. Leave the world of the living behind as you venture into the heart of the ATM Cave with our knowledgeable and highly professional guides. Discover ancient artifacts and most excitingly, a sacred burial place containing the world’s oldest, fully preserved/intact, skeletal remains. This is known as the final resting place of the “Crystal Maiden”, who is believed to be an ancient Maya Ceremonial victim along with 20 other skeletal remains which include men, women, and children.
ATM Cave tours sell out faster than you can say ‘Actun Tunichil Mucnal!’ Save your spot now!
Taking a journey into the Mayan underworld at Actun Tunichil Mucnal, or the “Cave of the Stone Sepulchre”, will be one of the most enlightening, epic, and unique experiences of your life. Leave the world of the living behind as you venture into the heart of the ATM Cave with your licensed guide. Recently deemed as the #1 Sacred Cave destination in the world by National Geographic, the ATM cave is not only geologically beautiful with its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, but also historically as it is a natural museum of ancient Mayan artifacts and a sacred burial place. This is known as the final resting place of the “Crystal Maiden”, who is believed to be an ancient Mayan Ceremonial victim along with 20 other skeletal remains which include men, women, and children. MayaWalk guides have led government officials, National Geographic teams, the Discovery Channel, The British High Commission, and US Embassy officials into the ATM Cave.
We depart from our office after a short orientation usually at 8:00 am. This famous archeological site is located approximately an hour and a half drive from our office in San Ignacio. We make a short stop at a store for quick shopping and/or pick-up guests. Upon arrival at the beautiful Tapir Mountain Reserve, we strap on our helmets and embark on our flat jungle hike to the cave entrance which is approximately forty-five minutes. The hike includes three stream crossings of knee to waist high with the help of a rope for the first crossing.
At the mouth of the cave, we swim across a small spring-fed pool for 10-15 seconds into the dark underworld of the cave that allows us access to the extensive underground maze of tunnels, passageways, and chambers, climaxing in the ceremonial chamber housing stoneware, ceramics and the famed crystallized skeleton of the “Crystal Maiden.” As you explore the cave, you will use your four points of contact; your arms and feet to manage your way through small areas while climbing and scrambling over rocks as well as a 12 feet ladder to access ‘The Cathedral.’ There are a couple sections in the cave whereby the ceiling narrows down, but you will go through it very quickly. At no point is traditional rock climbing or crawling involved. You will just bend for a couple of seconds to get through the small passageways.
At the dry chamber of the cave, “The Cathedral”, you will be asked to remove your footwear and explore only in wet socks. This is for preservation reasons to protect the sensitive limestone floor as our bodies secrete oil and bacteria. Here you will witness Mayan artifacts, potteries, and close to 20 skeletal remains. Approximately 3 hours are spent inside the cave under the instruction of our licensed and experienced guide before heading back to the parking lot for a scrumptious Belizean lunch of rice and beans with chicken, plantain, salad, dessert, and a refreshing drink! After lunch, we make our way back to San Ignacio at approximately 3:30 pm.
Leave your cameras behind and experience the power of ancient spirits with your mind, body, and soul. This is not only a physical adventure, but a journey into the spiritual realm.
Over the years, we have successfully taken claustrophobics into the cave. Reach out to our office so our team of professionals can answer your questions. Any phobias (fear of water, darkness, non-swimmers), medical conditions or concerns please let us know at the time of booking. Life vests are provided.
Book your ATM tour with the adventure people at Mayawalk Tours today!
General Information
Start time 8:00 AM
Tour Duration 8-9 hours
Lunch Included
Meeting point
MayaWalk Office at #19 Burns Avenue, San Ignacio, Belize
Check-In
30 minutes before tour departure.
Endpoint
MayaWalk Office at #19 Burns Avenue, San Ignacio, Belize
Click here to see more pictures from Ben Kim Esoteric Vision
Intensity:



Difficult
Involves climbing rock boulders, swimming, wading through water, navigating uneven surfaces. Life jackets are required and provided for all participants, who will also be escorted by our highly trained guides.















MINIMUM HEIGHT: 40 in
DURATION: 8 Hours (approx.)
What to Bring/Wear:
- Form of Identification (ID)
- Hiking shoes/trainers (will get wet, toes must be protected, NO WATER SHOES)
- Socks (mandatory for preservation reasons)
- Modest clothing (Clothing such as macaroni straps, bikini, and sleeveless shirts for both male and females are not allowed.)
- Extra set of dry clothing, extra sandals/flip flops
- Small backpack
- Bring reusable water bottles
- Liter of water
- Bug spray (Must be eco-friendly)
- Snacks
- Medications if needed (epi pens, etc).
(Please note cameras are not allowed & only the guide will carry a dry bag into the cave).

BOOK NOW
Sells out FAST!
Price:
US
$145
/per person
MIN. # OF PERSONS: 1
Disclaimer:
- Not recommended for participants with heart-related conditions, or other serious medical conditions/recent major surgeries.
- Not recommended for pregnant women.
- A moderate amount of walking is involved.
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair.
- Not recommended for participants with back problems.
- Government of Belize has banned all Electronics from the cave.
EXCELLENT Based on 2543 reviews Victor2025-08-25Verified Highly recommend Caracol and tour guide Edeoni Our guide, Edeoni, was awesome! He made the trip so much more fun! it was amazing to be able to climb up the stairs at Caracol (steps were surprisingly large, considering the relatively small stature of the Mayan peoples) and the Rio pools were so nice and refreshing. Mkay c2025-08-23Verified Mountain pine ridge We booked our tours on line and they did an excellent job of keeping us informed through email and WhatsApp.. For this tour our guide was Alex, He was very informative friendly, helpful, and making sure everyone was being taken care of. Our driver was Mr. Bol, (sorry if spelled wrong) the two were wonderful. I would highly recommend this agency. We went to 3 different places each filled with wonder. I couldn't be happier with the tours we had.Thank youMary Flockers2025-08-21Verified Best experience Exploring the cave with Eric was an unforgettable experience. He explained everything with passion and great knowledge, making us feel safe and engaged the whole time. The atmosphere inside the cave was magical, and Eric’s storytelling made it even more fascinating.Go flockersssss 2025-08-20Verified Highlight of many Highlights Absolutely amazing adventure through time and history.Hands down the highlight of our trip to Belize which was a trip filled with highlights. Our guide, Juan Carlos, was incredibly knowledgable of not only the history of the Mayans use of the cave but of the History of Cave itself when and how it was discovered as well as the research done there. Alex the driver was courteous and prompt and Kayme made the best stew chicken we had on the trip. Highly recommended, ask for Juan Carlos if you want the deep dive into the history. Seriously not to be missed. Melissa R2025-08-18Verified Best excursion I've ever done! My husband and I have done many excursions around the world, and this ATM tour has been, by far, the BEST!! It offers an excellent mix of cave exploration, climbing, swimming, and hiking. To top it all off, Maya Walk Tours provided us with highly trained and educated guides that taught us about the Mayan's extensive history. At the end of the day, I was just in complete awe from everything I learned, experienced, and saw. Thank you for an unforgettable experience, Maya Walk Tours! Hamish M2025-08-16Verified Amazing tour to ATM caves We had an amazing tour with Alex our guide. The caves themselves were amazing and Alex’s knowledge was amazing aswell. The tour felt really well done and a once in a lifetime opportunity that I would recommend to anyone!! Letendre Family2025-08-16Verified A great blend of adventure and history This was one of the best tours we did in Belize. Our guide Magdalino was simply awesome. We had a lot of fun while learning a about the Mayan culture and the caves. The tour is a mix of adventure and history.Their entire team was great from our driver Isodoro to the cook who prepared us a delicious meal.We highly recommend! alessandra d2025-08-14Verified Unbelizeable! Before leaving, looking for tour operators in San ignacio we contacted Tourwalk for 2 excursions, Tikal and Caracol, beautiful experiences, competent guides especially Ed who made the day in Caracol pleasant and interesting, knows everything, from historical news to info about fauna and flora. The agency is serious and well organized, absolutely recommended! Tim G2025-08-14Verified Caracol Tour I did 2 tours with MayaWalk and this one was my favorite! My guide was Ed, and he showed us a great day at Caracol, learned and saw so much. Afterwards it was nice to cool off at the Rio Pools. I would highly recommend this tour! The ruins and views are breathtakingVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more