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(11)
Recommended
- Most Sacred Cave in the World
- Top Inland Attraction from San Pedro
- All-inclusive Tour from San Pedro
Explore the ATM Cave from San Pedro
Embark on a thrilling day trip from San Pedro to explore the world's most sacred cave, the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave. This all-inclusive ... moretour includes transportation, entrance fees, professional guide, and lunch. Navigate through underground chambers, discover ancient Mayan artifacts, and witness the awe-inspiring Crystal Maiden. Limited spots available, book your unforgettable adventure today!
Your All-Inclusive ATM Cave Tour Includes:
All-inclusive ATM tour from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Includes all transportation, entrance fees, equipment, and lunch (meal preferences can be arranged).
Departure Time from the island is 7 AM by Plane or 6 AM by Boat.
Your pick-up in Belize City is scheduled for 8 AM sharp - so it is critical that you board the flight or boat on time!
Your tour will be with a certified gold-standard tour operator, with an ATM-licensed guide.
Groups are limited to 8 per guide, and there is a daily cap of 125 visitors per day.
You can add local transportation to/from your hotel in San Pedro for an additional fee.
The ATM Cave in Belize
The Belize Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave is a wet cave, where you swim into the entrance and then trek through ankle to chest-high water before climbing to a dry chamber that leads to the cathedral or main hall. This towering chamber is 350 meters in length and 50 meters wide and is filled with artifacts and the skeletal remains of 14 bodies, about half of them children. All of the skeletal remains are male except one completely intact female skeleton covered in sparkling mineral deposits, the Crystal Maiden. Other artifacts include large pots and jars, flute-like instruments, and ground stones used for grinding corn and grains, suggesting agricultural rituals.
ATM Cave is considered the best Belize cave to explore and is declared the world's most sacred cave by National Geographic. It is an extraordinary and rare opportunity to see ancient Maya ceremonial sites and altars as they were thousands of years ago, virtually untouched.
Booking and Cancellation Policy
Our tours are refundable (minus a small service fee) up to 24 hours before departure. Cancellations within 24 hours are non-refundable; however, rescheduling is possible if contacted in advance.
Additional Notes:
1. We offer local transportation to/from your hotel in San Pedro for an additional fee.
2. The ATM Cave is a physically demanding experience with some swimming involved. Please ensure you are in good physical condition before booking.
Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience! Book your ATM Cave Tour from San Pedro today!
Type of Tour/Activity: Jungle and Rainforest Adventures Departs From: San Pedro (Ambergris Caye)
(15)
Recommended
Welcome to the gateway of the Mayan Underworld. Actun Tunichil Muknal (cave of the stone sepulchre) is commonly referred to as ATM Cave. Located near San Ignacio, Cayo District, it ... moreis one of the most impressive Maya ceremonial caves containing rare bloodletting altars used in sacrifices by Maya royalty, and where calcified skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware have been found. The best known as “The Crystal Maiden”, the intact skeleton of a teenage girl, whose bones have been calcified over the years to a sparkling crystallized appearance
The hike to the cave entrance through the lush Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve requires visitors to swim to the mouth of the cave and then wade through ankle to chest high water and once inside the magnificent cave, the exploration begins. The tour requires climbing and swimming as well as crawling through small spaces. The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages, a labyrinth of dry chambers which lead to the cathedral-like main hall, a towering chamber 350 meters in length and 50 meters wide, and filled with artifacts and sacrificial remains. Visitors remove shoes and explore the cave in socks only, to protect the artifacts on the cave floor. After this, another climb takes you to the stone sepulchre (after which the cave is named) where the Crystal Maiden lies. Photography is now disallowed inside the cave unless special permits are obtained.
This is an extraordinary Belize adventure and a rare opportunity to see ancient Maya ceremonial sites and altars as they were and virtually untouched for centuries. A visit to this site is truly profound and unforgettable. After this memorable adventure, we hike back to our vehicles and sit to enjoy a local lunch before heading back to San Ignacio.
Type of Tour/Activity: Mayan Ruins and Archaeological Sites Departs From: San Ignacio Town
(43)
Most Popular
Discovered in 1989, this cave is a full five kilometers deep. Taking a journey into the Mayan underworld at Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the “Cave of the Stone Sepulchre”, ... morewill be one of the most enlightening, and unique experiences of your life. You will venture into the heart of the Cave with a licensed, experienced tour guide. This 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 offering place for the “Crystal Maiden”. Time spent inside the cave is 2 ½ to 3 hrs. Get an in-depth look at Belize’s Mayan culture.
Inside the dry zone where the artifacts and bones are located, all persons need to remove all shoes and walk-in socks to reduce damage. To see the Crystal Maiden you need to ascend a 13 ft ladder to reach the area known as the sepulcher.
Type of Tour/Activity: Mayan Ruins and Archaeological Sites Departs From: San Ignacio Town
MAYA & MENNONITE CULTURAL VILLAGE TOUR
Barton Creek Mennonites
There are approximately 10,000 Mennonites living in Belize. Although originally of European descent and heritage, ... moremany Mennonite children and their parents have been born and raised in Belize, creating a unique blend of culture and spirituality. The Mennonites are much like the Amish, living a humble and religiously pious lifestyle. The Mennonites of Belize are peaceful, hardworking people and the more remote communities like Barton Creek retain a very traditional and simple way of life, relying on their knowledge and strength to farm and survive in the jungle with few modern amenities. Belizean Mennonites speak a dialect of German as well as the local languages of English, Kriol, and Spanish.
The communities are very conservative and the women wear bonnets and long dresses, while the men wear denim overalls and wide-brim hats. The men may wear traditional suspenders and dark trousers. They use horse-drawn buggies for transportation and till their farm fields with horses. In the most remote communities, they still use horses to drive their sawmills.
The Mennonites of Barton Creek are very restrictive with their use of machinery and they produce many agricultural crops without any modern machinery. They are highly productive people and they produce honey, milk, eggs, poultry, beans, and other staple crops. Often confused with the Amish, the Mennonites are actually their own distinct religious group with strict Christian principles and their own language. They have many traditions and practices that date back hundreds of years, including arranged marriages. Come to explore this fascinating and reserved culture on a trip through the jungle and back in time to how things were before cell phones, cars, iPods, and even before electricity.
San Antonio’s Women's Group
Located on the road to the Mountain Pine Ridge, the village of San Antonio was named after St. Anthony of Padua when a Spanish Priest who visited regularly from the town of Benque Viejo del Carmen brought a statue of St. Anthony to the Village. The statue can be seen in the Catholic Church near the Village Square. Prior to the name change, San Antonio was known in the local Yucatec Maya dialect as “Osh Multun Kakab” which translates to “Three Mound Virgin Forest”. Today villagers simply refer to their village as “Tanah,” which is the Mayan term for “our home.”
This is a beautiful and productive community with various cultural activities throughout the year, especially in the months of June and December. June 13 marks St. Anthony Day and villagers celebrate for 13 days with traditional Mayan music, foods, such as tamales, and festivities. This is mainly an agricultural community and the local residents grow crops such as peanuts, corn, squash, and beans, much like their ancestors. There are currently three Women’s Groups in San Antonio. One group operates the community bakery, the other specializes in pottery, local jewelry, and embroidery, and the most recent group is making hammocks, embroidery, and clothing. Tour this lovely village and get a firsthand look at living Mayan culture. Local Mayan lunch is included with your tour.
Type of Tour/Activity: Cultural Immersion Departs From: San Ignacio Town
(10)
ATM CAVE TOUR
Taking a journey into the Mayan underworld at Actun Tunichil Muknal, or the “Cave of the Stone Sepulchre”, will be one of the most enlightening, epic, and unique experiences ... moreof 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 the #1 Sacred Cave destination in the world by National Geographic, the ATM cave is not only beautiful geologically, with its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, but also historically, as is a natural museum of ancient Mayan artifacts, as well as a sacred burial place. This is the final resting place of the “Crystal Maiden”, an ancient Mayan ceremonial victim, as well as the remains of 13 other sacrificed 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.
This sacrificial site is accessed by approximately an hour's drive from our office in San Ignacio. Here we enter the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and park our vehicles at the ranger post. From this point on we are on foot, hiking through the jungle for approximately 45 minutes to the entrance of the cave. The hike includes three stream crossings. To access the cave, we swim across a small spring-fed pool with the assistance of a rope and wade into knee-high water 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”. We spend approximately 3 hours in the cave under the instruction of our experienced guides.
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. We enter back into the jungle world and hike to our vehicles, where we relax and enjoy a homemade picnic lunch, with water and soft drinks, before driving back to San Ignacio.
Type of Tour/Activity: Jungle and Rainforest Adventures Departs From: San Ignacio Town
(1)
- Most Popular Mayan ceremonial caves found
- Belize Cave tour
- Archeological Sites Belize
The ATM Cave is a wet cave – you swim into the mouth and then wade through ankle to chest-high water before climbing to an intricate passageway of dry chambers which lead to ... morethe cathedral-like main hall, a towering chamber 350 meters in length and 50mteres wide and filled with artifacts and sacrificial remains.
After this another climb takes you to the stone chamber where the Crystal Maiden lies, this is the skeleton of a teenage girl who was sacrificed and left in the cave. Over thousands of years, her remains have been covered by a layer of diamond-like limestone. The Mayas sacrificed humans in the hopes of appeasing the gods and bringing fertility to the land.
This is an extraordinary Belize adventure and a rare opportunity to see ancient Maya ceremonial sites and altars as they were virtually untouched for centuries.
Type of Tour/Activity: Mayan Ruins and Archaeological Sites
Actun Loch Tunich is not for the faint of heart! This tour works every muscle so be physically prepared before signing up to explore the “Mother of Caves”. Formed from a sinkhole, ... moreyou will rappel down through the rainforest canopy. Journey about 300ft until you reach the bottom! A picnic lunch will refuel you for the return trek back home!
Type of Tour/Activity: Jungle and Rainforest Adventures
(1)
Actun Tunichil Muknal, One of the Top Caves to Visit in Belize
When you step across the entrance to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, you’re beginning a journey into the mysterious ... moreunderworld of the Maya. The ATM Cave sometimes called the “Cave of the Stone Sepulchre”, will leave explorers amazed, enlightened, and uplifted.
Rated as the #1 Sacred Cave in the World by National Geographic, the ATM Cave is one of the most important historical sights in the world. Only accessible with a licensed guide, the ATM Cave is an incredibly beautiful underground world filled with glittering stalactites and stalagmites.
But it is its position as a Maya artifact that draws in tourists from around the world. Deep in its underground labyrinth lie the remains of the Crystal Maiden, a young adult who was sacrificed to the Maya gods more than 1,000 years ago. Near her bones, which have taken on a sparkling shine after having fused with the minerals in the cave, lie the remains of more than a dozen other victims, including very young children.
Untame Belize Tours is one of the few companies in Belize to offer authorized guided tours of this cave. Located a short drive from our office in southern Belize, the tour begins with a drive to the ranger post in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. From there, participants must proceed on foot, hiking through the jungle for approximately 45 minutes, crossing three jungle streams along the way.
Once at the mouth of the cave, participants must swim across a spring-fed pool, using a rope for guidance. And then the adventure truly begins, wading through the knee-high water until a network of vast tunnels, chambers, and passageways is reached. Only after climbing up and into a remote ledge deep in the rear of the cave will participants reach the sacred chamber once used by Maya priests.
The ceremonial chamber still contains pottery, obsidian objects, bowls that once contained food offerings, and the famous skeleton of the Crystal Maiden. It takes approximately three hours to explore everything in this cave.
Strict rules in place by the Department of Archeology forbid any cameras inside ATM Cave, but participants will experience a truly remarkable journey into the lost world of the Maya. After exiting the cave, there will be a return hike through the jungle followed by a delicious picnic lunch.
Type of Tour/Activity: Jungle and Rainforest Adventures
(19)
Best Value
Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave is a cave in Belize, near San Ignacio, Cayo District, notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware. There are several ... moreareas with skeletal remains in the main chamber. The best known as "The Crystal Maiden", is the skeleton of an adolescent (an 18-year-old girl), possibly a sacrifice victim, whose bones have been calcified to a sparkling, crystallized appearance. Recent studies, however, claim that the remains are male and not female.
The ceramics at the site are significant partly because they are marked with "kill holes", which indicate that they were used for ceremonial purposes. Many of the Maya artifacts and remains are completely calcified to the cave floor. One artifact, named the "Monkey Pot", is one of just four of its type found in Central America. The Maya also modified cave formations here, in some instances to create altars for the offerings, in others to create silhouettes of faces and animals or to project a shadow image into the cave. The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages. ( Pick ups in San Ignacio and Santa Elena and Town limits are free of charge, However Pick ups out of town are additional charges )
( Each person doing Atm tour will need to sign a waver form pryer to the tour )
Animal life in the cave includes a large population of bats, large freshwater crabs, crayfish, catfish, and other tropical fish. Large invertebrates like Amblypygi and various predatory spiders also inhabit the cave. Agouti and otters may also use the cave. These and many other species are quite common in river caves of this size in Belize.
Type of Tour/Activity: Jungle and Rainforest Adventures Departs From: San Ignacio Town
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