Private Tour

Private Tour to Maya Sites Xunantunich and Cahal Pech

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

6 hours

Mobile ticket

Alongside the guide guests will explore the ancient city of Xunantunich for 3 hours and Cahal Pech for 2 hours. During this period of time guest will learn the history, daily life of this ancient civilization and beliefs. You'll be able to climb most of the temples if you are pleased to do so. Educating whilst reliving a wonderful past through the path of our ancestors. "Don't just visit the past, experience it".

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

What to bring along: Cameras, Insect repellent, Sunscreen, Long pants/shorts, Hats, Binoculars (optional)

No age restriction

Cancellation Policy

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

What‘s Included

Travelers pickups around San Ignacio Area.

All Fees and Taxes

water

Air-conditioned vehicle

Lunch

Out district pickups.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Xunantunich

Xunantunich is one of the wonders found in Belize. This archeological site is just a 15 minutes drive away from the beautiful town of San Ignacio. The word Xunantunich derived from the Yucatec Maya language meaning "Stone Woman." The centre of Xunantunich sits on an artificially leveled limestone ridge that stands almost 183 meters above sea level. The epicenter consists of fours major architectural groups. The most prominent group is group A which is dominated by a 40-meter structure A6, known as "El Castillo." This massive structure is a large multi-complex building that served as dwellings shrine and administrative hub for the elite rulers of the center. Early settlers may have established a small village at the site during the middle pre-classic (600-300BC). The ancient city rose to prominence and declined between AD.700-1000. This tour will allow guest to walk within and ancient Maya city. It will educate them about the history and culture of ancient civilization. Xunantunich is a city that was first discovered in the 1800s however, major excavation projects took place until 1991-1997. so how will guest get to the site? Simple! they will be picked up at their place of stay and will be transported to Mayan City. Before reaching the site, guest will be crossing a hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River. Here, observation of Green Iguanas and bats can be done at the riverbank.

3 hours • Admission Included

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech is located on the imposing hill that overlooks the twin towns of Cayo District, San Ignacio and Santa Elena. The name of the site means "Place of Ticks" in the Yucatec Maya language. Archeological investigations indicate that Cahal Pech was first settled between 1200-1000 BC and abandoned around 800-900 AD. The central of Cahal Pech consists of 34 structures compacted in a small area covering slightly more than 2 acres. Most of the structures are located seven courtyards. This includes tall temple pyramids and several range type buildings or palaces. The tallest temple is structure A1 which stands 77ft high. The site also has two ball courts, one carved stelea and one altar. Visitors enter the site as how ancient settlers did, through a large courtyard known as Plaza B.

2 hours • Admission Included

Options

Private Tour to Maya Sites Xunantunich and Cahal Pech

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

8 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Private Tour to Maya Sites Xunantunich and Cahal Pech
Pauline B,
Feb 1, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Darwin picked us up promptly at 8 AM from our hotel and kicked off our day with a drive to Xunantunich. His deep knowledge of Mayan history was impressive, and he shared a wealth of fascinating facts with us. We had the luxury of exploring the site at our own pace, and since we arrived early, we had the entire place to ourselves, making for some incredible photos! Afterward, Darwin took us to Cahal Pech, where he continued to enrich our understanding of the ancient Mayans. Both sites were absolutely captivating, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time at each. For lunch, Darwin gave us a selection of local restaurant recommendations, and we opted for Benny’s Kitchen. The Belizean food there was fantastic. By 2 PM, Darwin had us back at our hotel, and we left feeling like we’d learned so much in just one day. We highly recommend both Mayan sites to anyone visiting Belize!
Excellent Tour Guide, Interesting Ruins, Exciting Climb
johnhX8837SN,
Dec 30, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a fantastic trip for our family of four with 2 teenagers. Our guide, Agusto, was very knowledgeable and helpful throughout. If you desire to climb to the top of Xunantunich, it will require some effort and it is not for the faint of heart, as there are no railings, but the view is fantastic! Would highly recommend this activity and CMA Tours.
Great tour
256gordonf,
Sep 29, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent guide. Been to many Mayan ruins before but we learned a lot from Augusto. Stopped for lunch at Benny's where we tried all three appetizers. Try the soursop juice if they have it.
Highly recommend!
OnAir708016,
May 3, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did a wonderful private tour to Xunantunich and Cahal Pech and would highly recommend CMATours! It was very easy to coordinate the details with Wilton by email ahead of our trip, and the team was very flexible in accommodating our requests to slightly customize the itinerary. We had the pleasure of spending the day with Agusto as our guide / driver; he was very knowledgeable about both sites and we had a wonderful half day tour. Highly recommend this excellent family-run business!
Great guides for the Cayo District, Birding and Mayan Sites
WilliamM2121,
Apr 10, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a great experience with CMA Tours as our tour guides in the Cayo District. This was our first trip to Belize, and we found the guides at CMA Tours to be excellent, with a thorough knowledge of the area, the wildlife and the Mayan sites. If you are birders, or interested in the Mayan sites or local history, these folks are great guides. In addition to being our tour guides at the sites, they provided comfortable transportation to and from the airport area and daily transportation to our preferred locations. We found their detailed descriptions of the sites, the birds, and other wildlife to be very interesting and enjoyable. I would highly recommend them for anyone traveling to Cayo District of Belize.
Fantastic, knowledgeable tour guides and drivers!
Rod S,
May 5, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Hard to pick a favorite, but it all started when Damian picked us up from the airport. We immediately felt as ease and the drive to the resort was the beginning of our education about Belize and it's culture and environment, as Damian was knowledgeable and easy to chat with. We later did several tours (Xunatunich, the butterfly sanctuary and Saturday market with Agusto), Barton Creek with Damian again, and a shuttle ride to the coast with Wilton. All were engaging, friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and genuinely interested in sharing their knowledge of the Mayan culture, the area and country as a whole. We learned so much and are grateful to all three for sharing their knowledge and importantly, their friendship. Your trip to Belize would be missing out if you don't do a tour with Cma Tours or get them as a driver. We already have plans to return and do more tours with Damien, Agusto or Wilton.
Brilliant guide on a spectacular tour!
ThreeChicksDiving,
Jan 6, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour to Xunantunich and Cahal Pech was way above my expectations. CMA is a family owned company with Mayan guides. Brothers Damian and Agusto Ixtecoc and Damian's son Wilton are the senior guides with the CMA. We have a new friend in Damian, who took us on this tour, as well as being our chauffer to and from the airport and on guiding several other private excursions throughout the week. The best part of the tour was Damian's passion for the Mayan culture. His extensive knowledge and fun way of communicating it was exceptional. He made the temples come alive with the vivid descriptions of life during their heyday. The ability to put the structures into the context of those ancient times is such a gift. I own a boutique travel agency specializing in unique, personalized experiences which incorporate the heartbeat of the region. Classic May Adventure Tours checks all my boxes. They are professional, incredibly knowledgeable, and passionate about their role in sharing the Mayan culture and the beautiful country of Belize with their guests. This was a familiarization tour for us, and we will be back with our guests. See you soon CMA team!
Classic Maya Adventure a great company
Pattons,
Mar 29, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Classic Maya Adventure Tours is a great touring company. It is family owned and managed. All guides are knowledgeable and experienced. Their ease with English makes for great communication. Their friendly willingness to answer questions about the culture and area is wonderful. I strongly recommend you contact them if you travel to Belize and want help getting to know the country.