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
136 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
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!!
Xunantunich well worth visting
Jeff T,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Henry was super friendly, knowledgeable, and we learned a lot about the ruins, culture, and history of the Mayan people and geographic area along with his sharing insights and personal experiences.
Had a great afternoon...
Tom B,Mar 20, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Had a great afternoon visit to the Mayan ruins. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of the site, took us all over the accessible portions, and was very patient with all the questions our kids threw at him. He provided waters as well, which was great as it got pretty warm while exploring.
Great trip
KimGales,Mar 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Bern was an excellent guide. He explained things well and gave us time to see the place. I knocked 1 star off as I don't like the company's policy when it comes to solo travellers. I joined an existing group tour with 5 other people already booked on it but was obliged to buy 2 tickets to be allowed to join it. That made no sense to me at all.
Pedro was an excellent...
Caitlin B,Mar 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Pedro 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!
A Mayan adventure worth exploring
mervynj2026,Mar 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The 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.
Amazing tour of the ruins
amandatB7022BS,Mar 6, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We 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,
Recommended First Stop
Marcp24,Feb 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This 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.
From US$85.00
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Operated by Cayo Inland Expeditions