Overview
Available languages
9 hours
Mobile ticket
ATM is the crown jewel of all of Belize’s archaeological treasure. This is one of the most unforgettable and adventurous underground tours you can make in Belize. The guided trip into ATM takes you deep into the underworld that the ancient Maya knew as Xibalba.
We’ll start with a 2 hours drive to the village of Teakettle. From there, we’ll turn off into the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and pass through mahogany groves and orchards.
The tour requires climbing and swimming as well as crawling through small spaces. The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages, dry chambers which lead to the cathedral-like main hall, a towering chamber 350 meters in length and 50 meters wide and filled with artifacts and sacrificial remains. Visitors remove shoes and explore the cave in socks only, to protect the artifacts on the cave floor. After this, another climb takes you to the stone sepulchre (after which the cave is named) where the Crystal Maiden lies.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
not recommended for kids under 7
What To Expect
Atm Cave Belize (actun Tunichil Muknal)
ATM is the crown jewel of all of Belize’s archaeological treasure. This is one of the most unforgettable and adventurous underground tours you can make in Belize. The guided trip into ATM takes you deep into the underworld that the ancient Maya knew as Xibalba. We’ll start with a 2 hours drive to the village of Teakettle. From there, we’ll turn off into the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve and pass through mahogany groves and orchards. The tour requires climbing and swimming as well as crawling through small spaces. The cave is extensively decorated with cave formations in the upper passages, dry chambers which lead to the cathedral-like main hall, a towering chamber 350 meters in length and 50 meters wide and filled with artifacts and sacrificial remains. Visitors remove shoes and explore the cave in socks only, to protect the artifacts on the cave floor. After this, another climb takes you to the stone sepulchre (after which the cave is named) where the Crystal Maiden lies. This is an extraordinary Belize adventure and a rare opportunity to see ancient Maya ceremonial sites and altars as they were and virtually untouched for centuries. A visit to this site is truly profound and unforgettable.
Options
ATM Caves From placencia
Pickup included
What‘s Included
Lunch
Air-conditioned vehicle
Helmets, Headlights, Life Jackets
Parking Fees
Pickup points
Maya Beach Hotel
Placencia Road, Mile 15 Maya Beach Belize
Umaya Resort & Adventures
Placencia Rd, Maya Beach Maya Beach Belize
Mariposa Belize Beach Resort
Main Road, Placencia Peninsula Belize
Laru Beya Resort & Villas
Placencia Road, Placencia Peninsula Belize
Placencia Villas
Across football field, Behind Cha Chi's, Downtown Placencia Peninsula Belize
Maya Beach Hotel
Maya Beach Maya Beach Belize
Casa Placencia Belize
Placencia Road, Placencia Peninsula Belize
The Placencia Resort
Placencia Rd, Mile 13 Placencia Peninsula Belize
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
18 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Awesome Trip
Wanderer45641706448,May 16, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We booked a lot of tours through this company and they were GREAT they were extremely helpful and accommodating. This tour we had Manuel and Jahar. They were both amazing and so insightful and our group had a blast with them as well as learned a lot!
Scott & Kim Gilbert
kimgB4269ZW,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Jason was an excellent tour guide & travel expert for all the excursions we went on in Belize! Very friendly, professional, & fun to be around! We had a great time and highly recommend Truly Wild Belize to anyone wanting to tour this country!
Great tour with Truly Wild and Sur-Real Adventures....to the ATM cave
anganas2021,Apr 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We went on the ATM cave tour from Placencia and a wonderful experience. We started out with Jason but then had to get another car with Robin and he was wonderful! He has so much knowledge about Belize and his vehicle was perfect for our family. Once we arrived at the cave entrance (2 hours later) we were greeted by Jahir Awe of Sur Real Adventures. Jahir was our guide throughout the cave experience. We had a total of 6 people in our group as that is the maximum allowed per guide. Jahir was great, knowledgeable and very entertaining. We had 2 kids, 10 and 12 and he made sure that they did not get bored. We were there on Easter Sunday and it was a very crowded cave but still an incredible experience. Jahir was great with timing and our experience was once in a lifetime to see the Mayan remains at the end.
Great tour to the ATM cave from Placencia
Wander34886389901,Jul 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great tour! My son and I were grateful that Kylen (sp?) picked us up at our hotel and drove us 2 hours in a private car to meet the tour bus near the park where the cave was located. He was very informative about Belize and the ride was very interesting and scenic. The ATM cave was really interesting and fun, we enjoyed climbing and swimming through the cave. Our cave guide Briten (again sp?) was really enthusiastic and informative and made the adventure much easier, as he knew the caves and Mayan history inside and out. My son enjoys climbing for sport, so our guide added some additional challenges for his enjoyment. Seeing the artifacts and skeletons was a real educational lesson in Mayan history and culture. Part of the cave is done in only socks, a bit rough on the feet. This is not a tour for anyone who is claustrophobic. Overall it was a really enjoyable tour and I can't give our guides a higher recommendation!
Wow is an understatement.
Summerasalifestyle,Jan 13, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Officially, cameras are not allowed. Kinda a bummer but saves it from the crazies on TikTok-instagram. Amazing experience. Relatively easy walk from parking are to cave entrance. Moderate activity while in the cave. Amazing, awesome, ya gotta experience this.
Unique and pricey cave experience
cargoflyer,Oct 2, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Unique opportunity to have an adventurous guided cave tour with Mayan ceremonial ceramics and human remains. You will get wet several times, so bring dry clothes to change when finished. Lots of unstable footing, and tight spaces. We saw small fish and bats.
Challenging & Amazing!
wilsonmarcom,Apr 21, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Loved it! Francisco was amazing! A wealth of knowledge & kept it fun. This kind of tour you would never get in the U.S.
Exhilarating, thrilling and fun!!
Randall S,Nov 13, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An incredible experience. Everyone said it was their favorite tour so far. Fascinating and unlike anything else. We did this on Halloween....descending into the Mayan underworld. Xilbaba, "Place of Fear", it was fantastic. So amazing to see and experience a place that is a living history museum/sacred site. Do hesitate to do this. We want to go back!
ATM and xunantunich
horseneck1980,Mar 23, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was such an amazing tour. Francisco was absolutely incredible as was Hakeem. You could just tell how truly passionate Francisco was about the Mayan culture. We were all blown away by his extensive knowledge and great sense of humor. It was an amazing day. Thanks again!
Totally worth the 12 hour day
279elisap,Mar 20, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Pickup was at 6:30. We had a decent drive (about 2 hours), before we met with our tour guide, Francisco. Francisco very clearly wanted everyone in the group to have a great time. He had so much to say the entire time. We learned about different bugs and plants that could be found in the region. He made a point to explain how archaeologists came up with population approximations for the amount of Mayan people in the area, and what the area might have looked like during the peak of their civilization. There was no such thing as a stupid or small question, and Francisco was very up front when the answers he provided were limited and explained why he couldn't give definitive answers. He joked with us and made a point to make everyone feel like he was happy we were there with him. He also took care to ensure we had plenty of time to see everything the cave had to offer us, and that we weren't crowded by other tourists. The homemade food he gave us for lunch was seriously some of the best locally made food I had. The caves themselves are amazing because of their historical and cultural significance, but our tour guide is really what made it memorable for us. As for the cave system and the small hike to it, I was pleasantly surprised to find the walk flat, easy, and not very buggy. I was glad to be warned about the river crossings, especially once I saw how high the water can get. There were spots on the hike and in the caves where swimming was pretty much the best option for getting from point A to point B, The only thing I wish I had for this trip was a bag of towels and spare clothes, as there isn't anywhere nearby to get these things after you've done all that swimming. The wet clothes made for a long, cold ride back, but that was my only complaint about this amazing tour. We got dropped off to our hotel around 6 that night, so plan for this being an all day trek.
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Operated by Truly Wild Belize