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Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Tour: Explore Ancient History in San Ignacio
4.9
131 Ratings
San Ignacio
Immerse yourself in ancient history on a small group tour of the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. Explore the fascinating ruins and enjoy convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off in San Ignacio.
Immerse yourself in ancient history on a small group tour of the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. Explore the fascinating ruins and enjoy convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off in San Ignacio.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Xunantunich - Xunantunichi, pronounced ‘Shoo - Nan - Tu - Nich’, gets its name from a legendary folktale about the ghost of a woman who as locals have it inhabited the sacred grounds as far back as the late 1800s.
A classic period (300 - 900AD) ceremonial center located just a stone’s throw away from San Ignacio in the beautiful Maya village of…
- Xunantunich - Xunantunichi, pronounced ‘Shoo - Nan - Tu - Nich’, gets its name from a legendary folktale about the ghost of a woman who as locals have it inhabited the sacred grounds as far back as the late 1800s.
A classic period (300
- 900AD) ceremonial center located just a stone’s throw away from San Ignacio in the beautiful Maya village of San Jose Succotz, making this one of the most accessible Maya Temples in the area. Xunantunich boasts Belize’s second largest Maya structures named El Castillo (The Castle) standing 130 feet and offering an astonishing panoramic view of the Maya Mountains.
What's Included
- Professional local guide
- Bottled water included
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges covered
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (specified hotels)
- Complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off provided
- Professional local guide
- Bottled water included
- All taxes, fees, and handling charges covered
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (specified hotels)
- Complimentary hotel pickup and drop-off provided
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
- Food and drinks
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Experience a personalized journey with small group tours. Enjoy the convenience of hotel pick-up and drop-off within a 10km radius of San Ignacio town.
The Xunantunich Maya Temple, translating to “Maiden of the Rock,” is situated just 30 minutes southwest of San Ignacio Town in the charming village of San Jose Succotz. This location is one of the most…
Experience a personalized journey with small group tours. Enjoy the convenience of hotel pick-up and drop-off within a 10km radius of San Ignacio town.
The Xunantunich Maya Temple, translating to “Maiden of the Rock,” is situated just 30 minutes southwest of San Ignacio Town in the charming village of San Jose Succotz. This location is one of the most easily accessible Maya Temples in the region. Visitors can reach this stunning site by crossing the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry. It’s also an excellent spot to purchase souvenirs and popular gifts such as handmade hammocks, slate carvings, and jewelry.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- 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.
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Things to bring along: Cool and comfortable clothing, hiking/tennis shoes, camera, bug spray, sun block lotion
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Location
Cayo Welcome Center & Tourist Information Center
Your driver will have a sign with your name so you can easily recognize him/her
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(131 Ratings)
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Caitlin_b
Mar 14, 2026
Pedro was an excellent... - Pedro was an excellent guide, and set a perfect pace for exploring Xunantunich. We walked all around and learned a lot about the history of the area and people. I would definitely recommend this company for your explorations in Belize!
Review provided by Viator
Mervynj2026
Mar 14, 2026
A Mayan adventure worth exploring - The knowledge and passion of our guide Edgar was extraordinary. We would highly recommend him. We climbed all the towers as Edgar gave us detailed explanations of each structure. The tour was a nice length without being rushed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amandatb7022bs
Mar 6, 2026
Amazing tour of the ruins - We had Annie as a tour guide and she was amazing, she knew so many interesting facts, from the ruins to the trees and animals, she seemed to know everything. Definitely hire the tour guide if you go, it’s not necessary but you should still do it. It’s 25 Belize $ per person for the entry, and the tour guide was 100 Belize dollars, so 75$ USD total and well worth it, believe me when I say…get the guide! And don’t be one of the idiots who etches their names into trees and 1000 yr old ruins,
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marcp24
Feb 25, 2026
Recommended First Stop - This was an excellent tour. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and went at a pace for all ages. If you are looking to book ruin tours near San Ignacio, I would recommend doing this one first, then moving on to the others on later days.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kerrid224
Feb 15, 2026
Beautiful archeological site - Xunantunich is a must see when visiting Belize! It is still actively being excavated, which makes it feel like a hidden treasure. The castle and temples are well preserved and there are beautiful views of the surrounding area from the top of the ruins. It's also remote enough that very few people visit (there were maybe only 20 other people total across the whole site during our visit on a Saturday morning in February... Having visited other sites in Mexico, I was expecting hoards of tourists so we were pleasantly surprised!)
We're also very pleased with our decision to visit with Cayo Expeditions. They communicated clearly through Trip Advisor, and our guide, Abner, was a consummate professional. He arrived early to pick us up, shared captivating history, served as photographer, and patiently answered our many questions. He was very knowledgeable about not only Maya history but also local fauna and wildlife.
Thank you, Abner and Cayo Expeditions team!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Melindam161
Feb 13, 2026
A+ - We did a tour with this company that combined these ruins with a quick trip and lunch to the San Ignacio Market and to find out how chocolate is produced and made. It was called a Mayan Cultural Tour. We enjoyed the combination very much. I had done a chocolate tour in Peru some years ago and this one was definitely better as it included the history from the Mayan perspective.
The guide at Xunantunich was the same one who did the Caracol Ruins and once again he was excellent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tamara_r
Feb 9, 2026
Don't Miss Xunantunich - My partner and I were lucky enough to do a tour to Xunantunich yesterday. Our tour guide was Abner, and he made the experience unforgettable. Xunantunich is incredible and breathtaking. If you're visiting San Ignacio, you should not miss this site! Plus, the hand crank ferry to get there adds an extra level of adventure to the experience.
Review provided by Viator
Reta_t
Jan 21, 2026
Great tour - Great tour. Guides Pedro and Henry were wonderful and knowledgeable. They picked us up and dropped us off at our vrbo.
Review provided by Viator
Helenp3078
Jan 19, 2026
Beautiful and great opportunity to learn! - The ruins were spectacular. Our experience was so much better because of all of the information provided by our Mayan guide. His knowledge, generous nature, an Mayan origins enhanced our understanding of what we were seeing. I have some precipice issues but made it to the top in part because of the helpfulness and understanding of our guide. He wanted all of us to get the most out of our tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Yves_l
Jan 19, 2026
Great tour. Great host. ... - Great tour. Great host. Great locale. Thank you for a great experience The little ferry crossing was great
Review provided by Viator
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