ATM Cave Tour Review – The Best Tour We Did in Belize

Author Carina Klein
Carina
· 6 min read · 0 comments

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TL;DR

Should you book the ATM Cave Tour in San Ignacio, Belize? Yes!

Disclaimer 1: You are absolutely not allowed to take pictures in the ATM Cave. MayaWalk Tours kindly provided some pictures for us to use. Neither the tour nor the blogpost was not sponsored. We paid ourselves.

Disclaimer 2: This blogpost contains affiliate links. When you book the tour with our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The ATM Cave Tour was not only the best thing we did in San Ignacio, but also the best thing we did in all of Belize – and definitely a highlight of all of Central America for us.

Is the ATM Cave Tour Worth it?

The ATM Cave Tour – or rather Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour – is absolutely worth it.

National Geographic voted the ATM Cave the #1 Sacred Cave destination in the world. It is not only beautiful geologically with its crystalline stalactites and stalagmites, but also historically, as is a natural museum of ancient Maya artefacts, as well as a sacred burial place.

Picture of Wading through ATM Cave, San Ignacio
Wading through ATM Cave, San Ignacio

Who Should Book the ATM Cave Tour?

The ATM Cave tour is both great for:

  • Adventure lovers who like to try caving in a wet cave.
  • Archaeology and history enthusiasts.
Picture of Real Skull at ATM Cave
Real Skull at ATM Cave

Why choose the MayaWalk Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic?

⭐ Rating: 5.0 / 5 (606 reviews)

We chose the MayaWalk Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic because of the amazing ratings.

Government officials, National Geographic, Discovery Channel, The British High Commission and US Embassy officials have trusted MayaWalk Tours with their San Ignacio ATM tour – so did we and so can you!

Picture of Caving at ATM Cave Belize
Caving at ATM Cave Belize

ATM Cave Tour – Our Personal Review

We completely agree with the raving reviews. We loved this tour – both the swimming through a cave and the archaeology part!

Our tour guide was extremely passionate. We spent much more time in the cave than the other tour groups and got entertaining and thorough explanations. Additionally, it was clear that our guide really respected the site and made sure we didn’t damage anything (let’s just say not every group was as careful).

Picture of Archaeological finds at ATM Cave
Archaeological finds at ATM Cave

What Other Travellers Say About the MayaWalk Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic

Wow! Our Guide, Hugh was amazing! He truly cared about every member of the tour. He is passionate about the ancient people's culture, mythology, archeology, geology and history. He made us feel at ease as we navigated the cave and some of the difficult terrain in and out of the water. We were impressed with his knowledge and skill. Also the driver was very professional and helped set up the food. And the cook who provided the meal at the end was awesome. Her food was so yummy. Very good stewed chicken. Loved the entire experience. This is the most unique cave experience you will ever have.

– James (see more reviews)

Picture of Dry part of the ATM Cave
Dry part of the ATM Cave

What to Expect on the ATM Cave Tour?

First of all, expect to get soaking wet on this tour.

The tour starts with a pick up at the MayaWalk office which is centrally located in San Ignacio.

Your adventure starts with a 45-minute jungle hike including river crossings.

You’ll spend around three hours in the cave.

To access the cave, you have to swim. You’ll start in the lower wet part. Wade through an extensive underground maze of tunnels, passageways and chambers.

Picture of Swimming in the ATM Cave
Swimming in the ATM Cave

Climb to the higher dry part of the cave. The climbing part is only a couple of feet/meters. It is a bit of a challenge but our guide told us where to hold on to and step our feet so we felt completely safe.

Picture of Climbing to the higher dry part of ATM Cave
Climbing to the higher dry part of ATM Cave

In the dry part of the cave, learn about the traditions and rites that took place in the cave system and visit the famous crystallised skeleton of the “Crystal Maiden”.

After we climbed back down to the wet part of the cave, our guide had a little surprise for us.

The tour ends with a pick-nick lunch with some well-deserved rum punch.

What Does the MayaWalk Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour and Picnic Include?

  • 3-hour walking tour of the cave system
  • Expert, specially licensed guide.
  • Small group ensures personal service.
  • Transportation to and from our office in San Ignacio.
  • All necessary equipment.
  • Lunch with a drink. Rum punch.
Picture of Wet part of ATM Cave
Wet part of ATM Cave

What to Bring on the ATM Cave Tour

  • Closed-toe shoes for walking through jungle and water.
  • Modest clothes to respect the cave.
  • A pair of socks for the dry chamber in the cave.
  • Dry clothes for after the tour.
Picture of Dry part of ATM Cave
Dry part of ATM Cave

Conclusion: Should You Book the ATM Cave Tour?

Just yes!

Picture of ATM Cave San Ignacio Belize
ATM Cave San Ignacio Belize

Here are some more amazing tours you can do in San Ignacio

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