Xunantunich Mayan Ruins Tour from San Ignacio
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Small groups for a personalized experience. Convenient pick up and drop off at your hotel within 10km of San Ignacio town.
Xunantunich Maya Temple means “Maiden of the Rock," and it is located only 30 minutes south-west of San Ignacio Town, in the beautiful village of San Jose Succotz. This makes this site one of the most accessible Maya Temples in the area. To gain access to this magnificent site one must cross the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry. This is also a great place to pick up souvenirs and popular gift items like hand-made hammocks, slate carvings, jewelry, etc.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
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 1800’s. 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.
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. To get to the site one must cross the Mopan River by a hand cranked ferry, which then gives us access to the one mile ascent into one of Belize’s most popular sites. Here you will find yourself immersed in pristine jungle surroundings, home of howler monkeys, spider monkeys, birds and iguanas. While exploring along with your guide, you will learn about the history of this site and the Maya civilization that once inhabited it.
What‘s Included
Professional local guide
Bottled water
All taxes, fees and handling charges
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Food and drinks
Lunch
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Xunantunich Maya Site 1/2 day
Pickup included
Reviews
142 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Supper tour
Q1651LBmikew,May 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour guide very knowledgeable, made the tour vet informative.
Great experience with the...
Brijendra R,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great experience with the Tour Guide Ameen. Very knowledgeable, patient and courteous. His knowledge of the birds is also very good.
Great!
Denise M,Apr 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very smooth drive going to the location. Guide was very knowledgeable. Very interesting history. *two thumbs up*
Vote For Pedro
MasterPeters,Apr 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00An excellent experience led by Pedro, who was very knowledgeable, charming, and set a great pace. It's also worth noting that he has a very good Nike swoosh tattoo on his leg, which he has no regrets about. Thanks, Pedro! You're the best!
Great tour, would recommend!
Christopher B,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Knowledgeable guide (Pedro) who made sure we had a great experience. The ruins were very interesting to learn about. My kids loved getting to climb to the top of the main temple. Views were awesome.
Do not skip this tour....
Sarah W,Apr 6, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Do not skip this tour! Breathtakingly beautiful views of the ruins! Our guide was knowledgeable and highly recommend taking one. We would not have felt comfortable climbing to the top without one.
Great experience touring the ruins with a very knowledgable guide!
E5025PKkimm,Apr 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our driver picked us up at our hotel just a bit later than expected and we shared a comfortable van with about 7 other people. Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided us with great detail on the history of Xunantunich Mayan Ruins. The tour lasted about 3 hours as expected. Highly recommend going with a guide as you really appreciate the ruins much more than if you just walked around on your own as there was little signage.
Amazing Mayan Ruin Tour: Henry is the best!
Amanda N,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00My kids and I absolutely LOVED this tour and our tour guide Henry! We were able to see all of the structures and climb several of them for gorgeous views of Belize and Guatemala. But, it was Henry who really made this an amazing experience. He was so knowledgeable and taught us so much about Mayans culture, how they lived and all about the building structures. Henry spoke English very fluently and answered all of our questions with extreme patience. Because my kids are pre-teens, it’s hard to find educational tours that engage and entertain them. But, Henry’s youth, enthusiasm and obvious intelligence about Mayan culture and the ruins really excited my kids about Mayan culture. They had the best time and couldn’t stop talking about the tour all night! We look forward to coming back and taking additional tours with Henry!
HAmazing Tour: Henry is the best tour guide for Xunantunich!
amorgan1231,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My kids and I absolutely LOVED this tour and our tour guide Henry! We were able to see all of the structures and climb several of them for gorgeous views of Belize and Guatemala. But, it was Henry who really made this an amazing experience. He was so knowledgeable and taught us so much about Mayans culture, how they lived and all about the building structures. Henry spoke English very fluently and answered all of our questions with extreme patience. Because my kids are pre-teens, it’s hard to find educational tours that engage and entertain them. But, Henry’s youth, enthusiasm and obvious intelligence about Mayan culture and the ruins really excited my kids about Mayan culture. They had the best time and couldn’t stop talking about the tour all night! We look forward to coming back and taking additional tours with Henry! What my kids wrote: “This tour was an amazing experience and i think one of. The best parts is or tour guide his name is Henry and he made it a memorable experience also all the structures were amazing and all the places we went. Also we learned so much about the Mayans culture and how they lived and all about the structures. Henry was an incredible tour guide for lots of reasons such as he spoke English very fluently and answered all of our questions and was extremely patient.”
Great tour!!
Asha B,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Guide was very knowledgeable, but also picked up quickly on how much information we needed. He found the perfect balance of sharing information but not overwhelming us. In addition- He took many pictures of us, showed us birds, and the local trees. So awesome!!
From US$85.00
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Operated by Cayo Inland Expeditions