Maya Ruin Tours

Belize Maya Ruin Tours

The Mayas are the oldest classical civilizations of Meso-America and remain a prominent part of Belize’s culture in terms of archaeology, food, and farming. Originating in the Yucatan around 2600 B.C., the Mayan civilization rose to prominence around 250 A.D. Belize was believed to be at the hub of the Mayan Empire and thus presents a unique look into that time period. These ancient Mayan civilizations are famous for building elaborate and highly decorated ceremonial structures, including temples for worship, palaces, and observatories. Today, a few of these historical Mayan temples are still some of the tallest structures in Belize!

Xunantunich Mayan Ruin Tour

Xunantunich Mayan Ruin Tour

Visit, climb, and explore one of Belize’s most popular Mayan temples with our Xunantunich Mayan Tour.

Start your journey traveling the most scenic highway in Belize. Its winding hills and lush greenery makes for a pleasant and captivating ride as you drive the Hummingbird Highway on your way to the Cayo District. During your three-hour drive, you will enjoy passing through many small, local villages and even the nation’s capital, Belmopan, to get a feel of everyday life in Belize.

The Western Highway then takes you through the bustling market town of San Ignacio that sits on the banks of the Macal River. Your journey continues west where you will cross the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry to access the large Mayan archaeological site of Xunantunich (pronounced shu-nan-tu-nitch), translated as the Stone Lady or Maiden of the Rocks.

This fascinating pyramid boasts several plazas and a large selection of classic stelae. The entire archaeological site was once believed to have been a major ceremonial structure and is situated high on a limestone ridge. Those ambitious enough to hike the top of El Castillo, the tallest structure on site, will be rewarded with panoramic views of both Belize and Guatemala.

Learn more about the history and architecture of Xunantunich at the information center.

Timetable: Wednesdays
Departure Time: 8:00am
Return Time: 5:00 pm (approximately)
Travel Time: 3 hours each way
Duration: Full day
Included: transportation, certified guide, lunch, and taxes & fees

What to bring:
sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, bug repellent, camera, binoculars, sturdy hiking shoes, water bottles, and power/granola bars

This is a scheduled tour:
Our Xunantunich Mayan Ruin Tour is included as an option in the Mayan Jungle & Beach Package as well as our All inclusive Package.

Tour Pricing & Availability:
This tour can be purchased for US$170 per person with a 2 person minimum requirement on scheduled days (Wednesdays) only; 4 person minimum requirement for out of schedule tour day.

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Lubaantun and
Nim Li Punit Tours

Take a tour of Southern Belize where the people are sweet and the tours keep you on your feet.

Join us as we venture to Belize’s southernmost district, Toledo, the least developed region of Belize with pristine rainforests and cultural attractions. Your first stop is at the Belize Spice Farm and Botanical Garden that was founded 20 years ago. Here, you will take a one hour guided informational tour getting to see Belize’s largest vanilla and black pepper farm as well as teak, mahogany, rosewood, and sandalwood trees.

Located on the foothills of the Maya Mountains and the basin of the Rio Grande River lies the Maya archaeological site of Ni Li Punit. This site is well known for its large amount of stelae; there is a total of twenty-six stelae, one of which is the longest in Belize. It depicts a figure wearing a large headdress which derived its name Nim li Punit and is translated from the Maya Kekchi language as “the big hat.”

Before visiting Lubaantun, the largest Mayan archaeological site in southern Belize, you will stop in Big Falls Village for a delicious lunch. Lubaantun is known for its unusual style of construction; no visible mortar binds the limestone blocks together! It is believed that the strength of each structure lies in every hand-cut stone, which demands precise measurements and shapes to fit snugly into its neighboring block.

Timetable: 24 hours noticed required
Departure Time: 8:00am
Return Time: 5:00pm
Travel Time: 2 hours each way
Included: transportation, certified guide, lunch, and taxes & fees

What to bring:
 sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, bug repellent, camera, binoculars, sturdy hiking shoes, water bottles, and power/granola bars

This is an à la carte tour:
Our Lubaantun and Nim Li Punit Mayan Ruin Tour is not part of the all inclusive packages.

Tour Pricing & Availability:
This tour can be purchased à la carte for US$195 per person with a 4 person minimum requirement.

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Belize Maya Ruin Tours

NOTE

Scheduled tours are included in the All Inclusive and Mayan Jungle & Beach packages. See each package page for the number of tours included.

À la carte tours and Add-Ons are not included in our vacation packages. Contact our reservation team to express your interest in any of these tours. Tours and/or Add-Ons and services are confirmed upon arrival and paid for at check-out. Any additional tours and services are confirmed and billed by the front desk. Kindly review our tour policies, which are listed on our policies page. The Deep Sea Fishing Tour has its own policy, which can be found on the Deep Sea Fishing Tour page.

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Belizean Dreams Reviews
The Xunantunich Mayan Ruins were stunning & our guide George, knew so much about the history of the location & Mayan culture. The drive there can seem daunting at 3 hours, but you make a couple stops (ice cream!) & we learned a lot about Belize along the way, so it goes by quickly. Afterward you stop at Benny’s for lunch. Get the pibil, that’s all you need to know… you’re welcome. – TripAdvisor user
Belizean Dreams Reviews