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
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!
ticaglobetrotter, 10/9/2025 9:02:41 PM
We had an amazing experience exploring the ATM cave with Hugh from Mayawalk. Hugh is very knowledgeable and passionate about Mayan history. He was also super helpful when navigating the tricky parts of the cave. I love that we could have an adventure and learn so much about Mayan history at the same time. Mayawalk is also an amazing company. I appreciated hearing about their involvement in conservation efforts in Belize. Shout out to our driver, Jaheim, who was a pleasure to speak to.
Pat_T, 10/6/2025 11:14:44 AM
Very unique experience and artifacts are protected. Highly recommend to all traveling to Belize. Try not to miss it. It is quite exciting and beautiful.
Raj_D, 9/30/2025 1:34:06 PM
Unbelievable experience. The company guides were all super friendly and informative, from the drive up right to the end. The walk to the cave was an activity in itself, wading through rivers and talking about the wildlife and ruins on the way. The cave was so fun, clambering over rocks, swimmming through the fresh water and witnessing countless artefacts of Mayan history. The cave is also really quite magnificent in size and beauty. To top things off, lunch was super tasty
anastasiab771, 9/22/2025 3:59:55 PM
It was absolutely amazing adventure. Erick was fantastic: funny, knowledgeable and very attentive. We felt safe at all the time. Highly recommend to all.
Melanie_K, 9/17/2025 9:39:09 PM
Isadora picked us up from our resort. Andy was our guide and he did a phenomenal job! He explained everything we were going to do during our excursion to make we felt safe and to see if there are any details about our health that he needs to be aware of. I have a bad knee, so he made sure I was safe going through the caves and gave me guidance to avoid harming my knee. He gave great historical information about the caves and took us the adventurous way through the caves. The meal at the end was delicious! I can’t wait to take my kids to the caves someday.
mmkuder, 9/17/2025 9:30:26 PM
Isadora picked us up from our resort. Then Andy was our guide and he did a phenomenal job! He explained the day and ensured we were comfortable with what we were going to do. He was a great guide and gave us valuable historical information about ATM. He also enhanced the experience by taking us a unique route through the caves. He was great at answering all our questions and the meal was delicious!
Shayna_S, 9/14/2025 11:07:17 PM
Was a really fun experience. 40ish min nature walk then we had a blast exploring the cave. Wear a long sleeve shirt and be prepared for adventure.
- 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