Crystal Cave Exploration: Uncovering Maya Ceremonial Sites and Cooling in the Blue Hole
5.0
11 Ratings
San Ignacio
Embark on a thrilling adventure through Crystal Cave, a Maya ceremonial site, and then take a refreshing dip in the Blue Hole. Discover Belize's natural wonders on this day tour!
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Crystal Cave - Leave San Ignacio in the morning to start your day tour with the drive toward Belmopan and the scenic Hummingbird Highway, crossing the green mountains while passing by orange orchards, pineapple plantations, and rainforest-draped valleys along the way. Your destination is Blue Hole National Park, a protected and accessible area managed by the Belize Audubon Society. It’s also home to Crystal Cave, known locally as Mountain Cow Cave, an otherworldly natural wonder located deep in the jungle in the heart of the park.
  • Blue Hole National Park - After a 50-minute hike through the tropical forest with your guide, you’ll reach the entry point where you’ll rappel 15 feet (4.5 meters) into the vast entrance of the cave. Traverse its large chambers, sliding down mud ramps and scrambling along rocks. This is a challenging descent into Xibalba, what the Maya believed was the realms of the underworld. Your guide shows you the shimmering formations in the cave, along with artifacts and skeletal remains of sacrificial victims from ancient Maya ceremonies.

This tour is physically demanding but well worth the effort to walk in the footsteps of Maya ritual leaders and see the evidence of their sacred rites with your own eyes. After your cave exploration, refuel with a hearty homemade lunch and soft drinks, and take a swim in the cool waters of the Blue Hole, a deep sinkhole filled with rain and spring water, known as a cenote.

Your tour then ends with return to San Ignacio.

What's Included
  • Rum punch
  • National Park fees
  • Use of helmet and headlamps
  • All taxes, fees, and handling charges
  • Professional guide
  • Lunch and a drink
What's Not Included
  • water bottle and snacks
Additional Information

Embark on a day trip from San Ignacio to Blue Hole National Park and Crystal Cave, two of Belize’s top natural wonders. Immerse yourself in the ancient Maya underworld as you explore the crystal-filled cave, a ceremonial site where sacred practices and sacrifices were performed by the Maya people. After uncovering the secrets of the cave, take a refreshing dip inside the Blue Hole, a jungle-bound cenote situated inland (distinguished from the offshore Great Blue Hole of the country). The tour includes lunch.

  • Minimum age is 12 years
  • Difficulty: Challenging
  • What to bring: Hiking sandals or sneakers, change of clothes, small backpack, 1 liter of water, bug spray, snacks, and swimwear with shorts
Location
San Ignacio
Directions: MayaWalk Tours Main Office located between Tandoor Restaurant and Belize Bank Return point: Returns to original departure point
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(11 Ratings)
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Q314tekristinat
Dec 23, 2023
Incredible adventure! Go all the way to Wonderland! - My 60 year old father and I did the Crystal Caves tour with guides Marcos and Jose. What an incredible journey! I suspected it was going to be challenging but I still underestimated the amount of physical prowess needed! That being said, I never felt unsafe and it was great to get down and dirty and feel challenged (ATM felt like a Disneyland kid ride compared to this). We were 1 of 2 groups down in the cave so it felt very private, in contrast to ATM where we were shoulder to shoulder waiting in line at some bottlenecks. At some point our group split in 2, 1 turned back and 1 continued on to Wonderland, based on skill/ability to descend into the harder to access parts of the cave. I am infinitely grateful to Jose who led us down to Wonderland and shared his intimate love of caving and ‘extreme adventure’ with us along the way. My experience would not have been complete without making the descent to Wonderland! Jose was so kind and patient and exuded passion for caving and rescue. My father thinks this tour should come with a more robust warning about the physical ability required to reach Wonderland- I think if you’re just slightly above average physical fitness level, you would be fine, but it takes mental fortitude as well! And even if you’re an exceptional rock climber, still expect to be covered in mud by the end-there are tight spaces you have to slide through. Bring 3-4L of water per person, and plenty of snacks too. I highly recommend (if you are physically able) to ask your guide to take you to wonderland- they may not if you do not specifically request. They may even say ‘no’ if your group is too slow! But the experience overall was unforgettable and I encourage everyone to request Jose for this tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashley_p
Dec 20, 2023
Challenging but doable; worth every moment - This was one of the coolest things I have ever done in my life. Words can't capture how amazing it is to be deep inside a cave formed millions of years ago and used as a special ceremonial location by the Mayan people. Truly amazing. This tour is strenuous. We slid down rocks and mud on our backsides. You will need to use your hands and upper body strength as leverage as you descend into the cave and your hands get muddy immediately. It was very slick and you need to be somewhat athletic to complete this. Our group split up about 45 minutes into the cave as one person was not recommended to complete the entire cave due to their abilities. I stayed with the slower group as I didn't feel comfortable picking up my pace. Our group still got to see the major sites like the human remains and ashes from ceremonies and pottery. Our climb back out of the cave was slow but we had lunch right after we arrived back at the parking lot at 2:30. There is a 30 minute hike to and from the cave. You will need good bug spray for the mosquitoes for the hike and for the parking lot area. The other group returned at 4pm and ate lunch and we departed. You need good hiking boots for this tour with good grip. You need good hiking / climbing pants to slide around in and will be in contact with rocks. You need long sleeves as your forearms will be useful as leverage. We were told to bring 2L of water each, snacks, a camera or phone for pictures, and bug spray only into the cave. I would bring some quick energy (sugar) and some other snacks to have along the tour to keep your energy up. I would try to bring the smallest backpack or bag possible as there are some really tight squeezes in the cave and even sometimes you will have to wear the bag on your front or pass it down to someone else while you squeeze through a tiny rock opening. You and your backpack will get very very dirty so also bring a full change of clothes. Our group didn't go swimming after but I don't think anyone was too upset about that. There are no bathroom spots in the cave so we used the "facili-trees" beforehand so bring some toilet paper and a trash bag for your trash. Our tour guide was Marcos and Jose. Jose stayed with the faster group and Marcos stuck with us and he was absolutely incredible. So patient and helpful and encouraging. He clearly knows a lot about the Mayans and happily shared so much detail. I can tell he really loves to share his culture with us and I really appreciate it. Marcos made this tour very special and amazing.
Review provided by Viator
Wasklywabbit
Dec 3, 2022
Good day's fun - We were told afterwards that this is the most difficult cave to visit in Belize. The driver Ashton was right on time and very engageable fellow as we were driving to the cave and back. Walter was our guide and he certainly knows a lot about Belize and caving. The hike from the parking lot is pretty strenous and muddy and then definitely you want to be fit to enter and descend into the cave as it is pretty slippery and good footwear and arm strength is required. This is not walk down some stairs stuff. We were the only 3 people in the cave. Some tight spots and this is full on spelunking and bouldering. Still my partner is 67 years old and she did okay and I am 63 and we came back out happy and really dirty. It all washed out okay later. Lots of interesting formations. Good lunch afterwards and nice to go swimming.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tiffanyfromcanada
Aug 22, 2022
Amazing Experience - This tour was such a good experience! I have never done anything like this before and I couldn't be happier with how professional and fun the guides were. It is definitely physically demanding but worth it! I saw some beautiful crystal cave formations and had fun sliding in the mud and crawling through tight spaces. The lunch was also delicious and swimming in the blue hole after was an added bonus. Both guides were very knowledgeable about the cave formations, Mayan history, and jungle creatures. Thank you so much Walter and Damien for an unforgettable experience, and for not only making things fun, but also making me feel very safe during this crazy adventure :). I will absolutely do this tour again if I'm ever back in Belize and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an adventure!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jesse_w
Jun 5, 2022
Tough but great - Our guide, Marcus, was great. His knowledge of the jungle, the cave, and Mayan culture really added to the experience. After completing ATM we wanted more of a challenge, and Crystal Cave fit the bill. A totally different experience than ATM, this cave was much more difficult to explore, but the rock formations inside were more rewarding. I am 6' 2", 185lb, and parts of this cave were very tight to fit through. I would NOT suggest this if you push past 250lb. The walk through the jungle was much more scenic than the walk to ATM, the trail is less trodden, and wildlife was more abundant. You can also take pictures inside this cave, unlike ATM. The lunch afterward was great, trust me, you will work up an appetite. We were both covered in mud so the final stop at the Blue Holde was needed. The water was refreshing and made for a great 30 min break.
Review provided by Viator
Amyg8586
Dec 23, 2020
Visit Belize for an incredible experience - Mayawalk went above and beyond during my trip. I emailed a lot of questions before traveling since the rules and restrictions were ever changing. Samantha patiently answered everything I asked at all hours of the day. When my tour was canceled, she found me another one I could join. She coordinated my rides with Karim to and from the airport. He also was my driver on my tour. He's so warm and friendly and truly shared his love of his country with me. Samantha also checked in on me even when I misunderstood and ended up booking a tour with a different company one day. I would 100% recommend MayaWalk to anyone traveling and I will definitely be back. I was one of very few tourists able to experience Belize during the strangest of times. Belize is severely being impacted by lack of tourism and I would encourage anyone to travel when they can do so safely. Also, Walter was amazing for the crystal cave tour. It was such an adventurous experience spelunking and he made us feel safe and was so informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jessyssej16
Mar 4, 2020
What a trip - Gio was fantastic from the moment he picked us up. His vehicle was comfortable and he is a wealth of knowledge about all things Belizean. The cave is spectacular and felt safe with him the entire time. He is patient and makes sure we had a great time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Agmoorehead30
Jan 20, 2020
Incredible Cave Tour to Crystal Cave - My girlfriend and I were spending 2 days in San Ignacio and really wanted to do some caving. We had originally signed up for the ATM tour but due to rain It was closed. The staff at Mayawalk were very prompt and attentive in giving us other options. We are in shape and wanted a challenge. Crystal Cave was the perfect cave experience for us. It is definitely not for everyone. You are climbing through very tight corridors and leaning on ledges for some of the descent and ascent. At one point our tour guide said we were 2000 feet below. It was absolutely worth It if you can handle being truly deep in a cave. We spent roughly the entire day hiking an hour to the cave. 4 hours in the cave, and an hour hike back. There are bugs so bring bug spray and lots of water because It is very humid. You are going to be very sweaty and covered in dirt and mud. The tour was incredible and Mayawalk has lunch ready for us after the caving. If you’re in shape and looking for a challenge i would recommend this even over ATM! We were wiped out afterwards. Once in a lifetime experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sloped
Dec 20, 2019
Really special - Amazing. Very challenging, perfect for those who want an adventure and want to weed out some of the crowds. The glittering formations and Mayan artifacts make this place so special. Definitely need to be very fit, and some rock climbing experience and lots of bravery wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t fully believe the reviews that said it’s challenging— it definitely is but this is perfectly what we wanted. What made this really special were the people. Giovanni was our guide and he is incredibly passionate about what he does and knows so much about caves and the region. His skill set is incredible. He knows the details of the geology, biology, and Mayan culture and can get as in depth as you’d like. Also really patient as one of us got heat stress and had to go very slow for the second part. Basically gave us a course in bouldering 101 too. Can’t recommend him enough. Our driver Karim was a really thoughtful, nice guy too who also knows a lot about the Mayans and local geography. He pointed out many interesting features on the drive up and was generally just a really nice guy. Definitely wear long pants... they might get a bit shredded but better than your legs. Can’t recommend these guys and this tour enough for the more adventurous types.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Treusch
May 29, 2019
Great tour ! - Had a great guide for the crystal cave tour! He was a jungle survival specialist, the group was small 3 of us plus the guide, for those who are looking for an adventure off the beaten path !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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