Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave Tour (ATM CAVE)

Our ATM Cave Tour will take you on a scenic drive from Placencia Village to Tapir Mountain Reserve. Travel time to the ATM Cave is approximately 2.5 hours, so you get to the chance to see the lush Belizean countryside on your way to the Mayan underworld (spiritual realm) sightseeing tours. Upon arrival at the beautiful Tapir Mountain Reserve, we strap on our helmets and embark on your flat jungle hike to the ATM Cave entrance which is approximately forty-five minutes. The hike includes three stream crossings of knee to waist high with the help of a rope for the first crossing. 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. When you step across the entrance to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, you’re beginning a journey into the mysterious underworld of the Maya. The ATM Cave, sometimes called the “Cave of Crystal Maiden”, 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 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. 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.