Belize's ATM Cave: Sacred Maya Underworld Expedition
Actun Tunichil Muknal is a mysterious and beautiful portal to the ancient Maya and their traditions, ceremonies and spirituality. This cave system served as a ceremonial site where the Maya performed sacrifices and other ceremonies as they dealt with extreme and harsh conditions in times of drought. Explore this lush area surrounded by beautiful jungles, and the cave entrance is traversed by swimming across a crystal clear spring fed pool. Spend 3 hours in the cave after hiking in through the rain forest. Here you will see stunning artifacts, altars and the crystallized skeletons of the sacrificed girl, The Crystal Maiden.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
Don_V, 11/4/2025 7:08:16 AM
Excellent experience…..just remember, you will be wet ALL day! Bring thick socks and be prepared for a full day of adventure and history
utjason, 10/29/2025 8:54:11 PM
Had a great time exploring the ATM cave. There was some climbing involved, so recommend water shoes with traction for this activity. Our guide Eric was phenomenal. One thing to note - the tour is quite long - we didn’t get back to the parking area until 2pm, so lunch was extremely late and we were all starving. Recommend brining 2-3 snacks into the cave with you. To be honest, they could have cut the amount of time in the cave in half and we would have been perfectly happy!
CHRISTOPHER_S, 10/28/2025 11:54:01 PM
It was an amazing experience. The adventure was thrilling. The tour guide ML was the absolute best!!! Only thing I wish was that they allowed GoPros to be attached to the helmets to record our experience.
mitchellr532, 10/28/2025 7:49:24 PM
Awesome. Alex was a fantastic guide, extremely knowledgeable about the history and practices of the central lowland Maya, and explained the importance of the ATM cave. Knew the route like the back of his hand and was able to show us some cool spots going in and out of the cave Cooked lunch at the end was a treat, very tasty
Veronica_H, 10/27/2025 10:16:09 PM
100% recommend the ATM tour & Maya Walk Tours! This tour was one of a kind in so many ways. I was worried about the “strenuous” rating, but I’m thinking it’s rated this way because of deep river crossings, swimming through the cave, and some tight spaces & scrambling. It wasn’t strenuous in an elevation gain or endurance kind of way. So if you have good shoes and trust your balance, it’s doable. The insanely gorgeous geology inside the cave was worth it alone, but seeing the cultural artifacts & learning about the Maya people & their history are the real reason you have to do this tour. Special thanks to Elim, Kimi & Mr. Bull (I likely spelled all of their names wrong, sorry, but they’re all amazing just the same!) You have to book this tour.
M4224ULjordanr, 10/24/2025 8:34:38 PM
Excellent time start to finish. Great communication when we reached out to plan last minute. Our guide Andy was extremely friendly, gave us lots of local recommendations for activities and food! The actual cave experience was phenomenal. The best cave formations I've ever seen, the routing through water was a blast. And to see the artifacts and remains in place was magical and much more impactful than at some museum. As someone who is hesitant to pay for tours, as more of a diy kind of guy. If ive this a 100% worth it!
Fearless226745, 10/20/2025 7:09:48 PM
Had an amazing experience at the ATM caves with our guide Christian. He was professional, very knowledgeable & we felt safe with him as our guide. I’d highly recommend MayaWalk Tours.
wh0isc, 10/17/2025 11:29:25 PM
I really had a wonderful experience doing this activity!! Our guide Junco was very knowledgeable, attentive and led an excellent tour. We have the opportunity to learn so much in a fun, interesting and safe way. He showed care and respect for the rules of the place and making sure that the cave is preserved for future generations. He really conveyed love for what he does and made sure we were safe comfortable and having fun at the same time. Kudos to all the staff of MayaWalk Tours and keep up the great work!!
lucyjbarrett, 10/17/2025 10:04:42 PM
Great experience not to be missed. The guides and team were amazing, making sure we were safe, informed, happy and looked after. Thank you to the amazing team we had - Juan Carlos, Tate, Junior and Sadia! Thank you for making our experience so great!
Cruiser54747609215, 10/10/2025 10:51:23 PM
What an amazing tour. The most interesting, educational, and unforgettable cave we have ever visited. Our guide Eric is a true professional and was so thorough we left the cave without any questions left unanswered. We were in the cave for 4 hours but it flew by because we were constantly immersed in stories, scenes, and physical challenges. I won’t try to explain what you will see or the emotions you will feel in this amazing place. I will say that it is an experience you should not miss. It is a “must do” if you are ever in Belize. And lunch was great! Thank you Eric and Maya Walk tours. We will definitely be back!
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Cancellations only due to severe rain or flooding
- Guests must wear appropriate (Closed toe) shoes for walking through jungle and water
- Guests must bring a pair of socks for the dry chamber in the cave
- Minimum height requirement is 40inches
- Vegetarian meal option available upon request
- Bring along a change of dry clothes to be worn after the tour. This is a wet tour.
- Clothes to be worn for the tour needs to be modest to respect the cave. Clothing such as macaroni straps, bikini, shorts and sleeveless shirts for both male and females are not allowed.
- Eco friendly bug repellent is optional (Apply only if needed)
- No cameras/ electronics are allowed on the hike and/or on in the cave.
- Bring along a water bottle. We will have water available to refill your bottles.
- Have a good breakfast before the tour. Lunch will be late.
Departure point
Directions: MayaWalk Tours Main Office located between Tandoor Restaurant and Belize Bank Return point: Returns to original departure pointReturn details
Actun Tunichil Muknal is a mysterious and beautiful portal to the ancient Maya and their traditions, ceremonies and spirituality. This cave system served as a ceremonial site where the Maya performed sacrifices and other ceremonies as they dealt with extreme and harsh conditions in times of drought. Explore this lush area surrounded by beautiful jungles, and the cave entrance is traversed by swimming across a crystal clear spring fed pool. Spend 3 hours in the cave after hiking in through the rain forest. Here you will see stunning artifacts, altars and the crystallized skeletons of the sacrificed girl, The Crystal Maiden.Redemption
Due to the nature of this tour and the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If as a result your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund. WHAT TO BRING/WEAR: Hiking shoes/trainers (will get wet, toes must be protected) socks (mandatory for preservation reasons) extra set of dry clothing, extra sandals/flip flops small backpack Bring reusable water bottles liter of water bug spray snacks swim wear with shorts (Please note cameras are not allowed & only the guide will carry a dry bag into the cave).24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund












