Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve from San Ignacio

Overview

Available languages

English

7 hours

Mobile ticket

Escape the heat of the lowlands and explore the nature reserve of the Mountain Pine Ridge. Discover where cool rivers flow through pristine forests and caves while waterfalls provide beauty and mystery. Swim, hike, and relax in the natural scenery on an outing into the more remote areas of Cayo District. Here ancient ruins and ancient geology combine in a modern setting for an amazing experience in nature!

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

A minimum of 2 people per booking

Children must be accompanied by an adult

What to bring: Hiking sandals or trainers, towel, small backpack, liter of water, bug spray, snacks, swim wear with shorts, camera

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Comfortable walking shoes are recommended

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

Cancellation Policy

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

What‘s Included

Professional guide

National Park fees

All taxes, fees and handling charges

Round-trip transfer

Lunch with a drink

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

The Mountain Pine Ridge reserve is over 100,000 acres of protected forest. It is comprised mainly of Honduras pine and some wetlands, the Macal River valley and some subtropical forest. The area is mainly granite and limestone, and is home to numerous rivers, springs, waterfalls and caves. This is truly a nature lover’s haven! There is a small forest ranger post and very little habitation, except for a couple of isolated Maya communities and a small settlement of Mennonites. A former logging settlement at San Luis is now abandoned because the area has been protected since the 1940s. This stunning and unique natural habitat is home to numerous bird and mammal species, and is a great place for birdwatching and enjoying the peace of the natural environment. The first feature of the reserve that we will explore is the Rio Frio Cave, the source of the Rio Frio river and the largest cave entrance in Belize. Our next stop is the Rio On Pools, a series of shimmering natural swimming holes and rock water slides that allow for cooling relaxation and meditation. Enjoy a water massage from cascading waterfalls that run over a wide river bed and smooth granite rocks. Take a homemade picnic lunch break at the pools followed by a short drive to our next destination, the fabulous Big Rock Falls, a 150-foot waterfall on Privassion Creek. Here, the cool spray of mist from the waterfall refreshes swimmers in the clear, deep pool below. This day of hiking, spelunking, swimming and possible wildlife watching is not to be missed!

Options

MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE with LUNCH

Discover the magnificent Mountain Pine Ridge of Cayo District, Belize. Home to many amazing caves, waterfalls and rivers you can enjoy the natural beauty and take refreshing swims in clear waters.
Pickup included

Reviews

4.88

32 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Family favorite
Stacey S,
Nov 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an absolutely amazing experience! If you’re a couple or a family that loves hiking, exploring, and being outdoors, this is definitely for you. It truly felt like we stepped into a different world. The tropical foliage slowly transitions into beautiful pine forests, and the waterfalls and swimming pools were stunning — even if the water was a bit cool in November. Our guide was incredible. He was so knowledgeable about the area, its history, and the biodiversity of the plants. His insights made the entire experience even better. I would highly recommend Mayawalk Tours to anyone. Their professionalism was top notch from start to finish.
Mountain pine ridge
marykV1324AJ,
Aug 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We booked our tours on line and they did an excellent job of keeping us informed through email and WhatsApp.. For this tour our guide was Alex, He was very informative friendly, helpful, and making sure everyone was being taken care of. Our driver was Mr. Bol, (sorry if spelled wrong) the two were wonderful. I would highly recommend this agency. We went to 3 different places each filled with wonder. I couldn't be happier with the tours we had. Thank you Mary
Best tour guide in Belize
826cecilieh,
Aug 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We went to Mountain pine ridge forest with our tour guide, Alex. It was such a beautiful and lovely experience and Alex shared all his knowledge of the culture and nature. He was super friendly and very flexible as we were only 2 people on the tour. Therefore it also became a really personalised tour. We also went river tubing but we would definitely recommend the mountain pine ridge forest and ask for Alex!
Local Guide - A Gem of San Ignacio
Q9565NRemilym,
Apr 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Went on a day long birding tour with Richard from Mayawalks. He was outstanding! It was my first time birding and Richard was a wealth of knowledge, patient, and as equally excited about our experience as we were. His enthusiasm for birding was infectious. Would 100% bird with Richard and Mayawalk again!
Fantastic birding in MPR
stephaniew135,
Apr 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Richard was an outstanding guide. He taught us about birds, the country and conservation efforts in the country. We saw over 50 species together and we even saw an Orange Breasted Falcon! It was an incredible experience.
we had a great time with...
Bertus D,
Feb 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
we had a great time with our very nice, friendly and professional tour guide. The stair climbing was for us a little older heavy, but durable.
Great day at Mountain Pine Ridge
John B074,
Jan 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Fantastic day touring Mountain Pine Ridge with Emil. Hike to Rio Frio cave, the Rio On swimming pools, then more swimming at Big Rock Falls. We're not big on caves so we chose this over ATM. The Rio Frio Cave is a massive chamber but not deep at all. The hike to the cave was a little longer than expected but not at all a problem, a mile each way. Emil was very personable and very knowledgeable. Hope to see him again next time we're in Belize.
Beautiful, informative and fun day!
ellie marloww,
Nov 24, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Amazing day trip with Edeoni - couldn’t recommend it more!! From the start he was super friendly, organised and informative - even letting us tag along for his breakfast to a lovely place near the office to start the day right! The cave, waterfalls and river are all beautiful and we had them practically to ourself. Edeoni was incredibly knowledgeable and we both learnt loads about everything from the birds to Belize culture. The packed lunch was also amazing and massive portion sizes! A great way to see Mountain Pine Ridge with lovely company
A full day of refreshing water and relaxation!
Erika G,
May 23, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide taught us so much about Belize, the pine forest, and Mayan culture. We visited Big Rock and Rio Frio Cave before taking a short lunch break at a breathtaking overlook. Lunch was delicious with chicken, rice, beans, coleslaw, and a sweet treat. They even offered us seconds! We then went to Rio on Pools to relax and sit under the waterfalls for a gentle massage. Our guide made sure we stayed safe the whole time and advised us on spots to avoid since the current and flow of the waterfall can be super strong at certain points. I had an amazing time and it was a great tour for relaxation since the driver took us to each spot and hiking was pretty easy/short except for some steeper stair spots.
So beautiful!!
Maritza E,
Jan 25, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a great change of pace. We did the ATM caves first and then this tour. I was nervous since there weren’t many reviews. I’m so glad we did this tour. First stop is a cave that you can walk around and take pics. Second and third stops you swim. I wore my swimsuit under my clothes but we did stop and there was a place to change. The two waterfall spots were beautiful! We had a group of 8 of us so much smaller group and it was a nice change from atm caves that have sooo many people. We were given as much time as we wanted at each location. It was amazing! Josiah was a fantastic guide.