All photos in this post were provided by Maya Walk Tours.
I got a chance to do the ATM Cave tour in Belize in May and let me tell you – it was one of the best experiences I’ve had to date. This is one of the coolest organized tours I have ever done. The sad part: no cameras allowed in the cave due to past tourists dropping them on artifacts. I am actually glad that we can’t bring anything in as there is so much concentration required on this tour, the added element of cameras would cause more accidents.
- Tour cost: $125 USD per person
- Tour group: Maya Walk Tours
- Tour duration: 8:30 – 4:00
What are the ATM Caves?
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), is a Mayan archaeological site in Belize near San Ignacio. The Maya site contains cave formations, 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.
How do you get to the ATM Caves?
I recommend spending a few days in San Ignacio and pre-booking your tour ahead of time. Tour groups are limited and only about 125 people are allowed to travel through the cave per day. A guided tour is also required to be able to access the caves. The guides have extensive training on the passages, knowledge on the artifacts and how to continue to preserve the cave.
When doing research on what to expect in this tour, there wasn’t a lot of information and the information I did find was via reviews on Google Maps / Trip Advisor. I was able to piece together a general idea and what to bring, however, here is my full guide on what to expect / how to be prepared for the ATM tour.
What to wear / Bring
You will get wet on this tour so I recommend:
- Water wicking or light weight gear (with swimsuit underneath for the ladies)
- You can’t just go in your swimsuit so the added layers are needed
- You want to wear clothing items that will dry quickly and won’t hold on to water
- Shoes: I highly recommend sandals with ankle straps (I wore Nike tennis shoes and they worked, but I wish my feet would have been able to breathe)
- Socks: if you wear the sandals I recommend, then bring a pair of socks. You will be required to wear them toward the end of the tour to help preserve some of the artifacts.
- Change of clothes: bring a full change of clothes and shoes + towel that you will leave in the tour van. You will change after the tour so you go home dry.
- Food & drinks: your guide will make a stop at a convenience store and encourage you to buy a snack and water since once you are in the cave, you will be there for 3 hours. You can also buy a beer to enjoy at the end of the tour on the drive home.
What to expect on the tour
The tour starts at roughly 8:30am where you will travel about 30 minutes to the convenience store and another 25 minutes on a dirt road to the caves. You will be provided a helmet with headlamp and will either have the option of a life jacket or, depending on your tour, will provide you one regardless. I ended up enjoying the life jacket as I was able to save my strength in keeping myself afloat in some parts of the cave where the water was deep. It also keep me a bit warmer when we left the water for about an hour.
You cannot take anything but a water bottle with you. You will even end up leaving the water bottle at the entrance of the cave. Leave your clothes, phone, ID, etc. in the tour bus.
Right at the start, you will get in the water and cross the river at about chest height. From there it will be a very simple 30 minute walk to the entrance of the cave. You will cross the same river two more times, but it will be at about ankle/calf height.
Once you reach the entrance of the cave, you will leave your water and will get your last opportunity to pee… In the woods.
The entrance to the cave requires a quick swim through 16 foot deep water. This water is much colder than the first river crossing, but you will end up appreciating how cool the water is as you go. Depending on the tour you are with (we had Eric and he was amazing!), will depend on how challenging your tour will be. Eric had us maneuvering and squeezing through small spaces which made it that more fun! I felt like Indiana Jones spelunking through the cave.
You will see a bunch of stalactites and stalagmites, bat’s, skeletal remains, Mayan pottery and more! I won’t give the experience away too much, but trust me, you will love it.
There is only one way out so you will exit the way you came in. Once you get back, there will be a lunch with rum punch waiting for you! It was super delicious.
Have you done this tour? What did you think?
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