# ActunTunichil.com - ATM cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) tours in Belize, compared

> Independent guide to Actun Tunichil Muknal, the ATM cave, in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve near San Ignacio,
> Belize: the bookable guided tours, what is included, how hard the day is, rules, what to wear and timing.
> Tickets and experiences hand-picked by our editors.

Site: https://actuntunichil.com
Language: en (also fr, de, es, it). Currency: USD. Country: Belize (Cayo District).

## Verified facts

- Actun Tunichil Muknal ('Cave of the Stone Sepulchre') is a Maya ceremonial river cave in the Tapir Mountain Nature
  Reserve, Cayo District, about 45 minutes by road from San Ignacio. About 4.8 km long (river passage ~3.2 km).
- Entry only with a certified ATM guide (Institute of Archaeology / NICH); NICH sets max 6 visitors per guide.
  Open daily 8:00-17:00; last tour in at 14:00, no entry after 15:00. NICH lists fees of $30 (resident) and $60 (non-resident).
- Approach: ~45-minute jungle hike with three river crossings, then a swim into the cave entrance pool; about
  3 hours inside wading, climbing and squeezing; the upper chamber (the Cathedral) is walked in socks only.
- Rules: helmet, headlamp and life vest required; minimum height 40 inches; must be able to swim; long sleeves and
  closed footwear; cameras and all recording devices banned inside since May 2012 (a dropped camera fractured a skull).
- 14 sets of human remains in the upper cave; the 'Crystal Maiden' is a calcite-coated skeleton now thought to be a
  teenage male. Ranked #1 on National Geographic's Top 10 Sacred Caves.
- The site can close after heavy rain (high water); operators offer another date or tour, refund terms vary.

## Bookable tours listed on this site

All booking links are Viator affiliate links (partner ID P00318890). The site earns a commission at no
extra cost to the reader and says so at https://actuntunichil.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD per person at the last build and move.

- ATM Cave Tour and Picnic from San Ignacio (San Ignacio (Burns Avenue)) - from $145 per person, 9 hours, rated 5.0 from 1,502 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Ignacio/Actun-Tunichil-Muknal-Cave-Tour-and-Picnic/d5083-9526P3
- ATM Cave & Nature Hike with Local Lunch (San Ignacio (hotel pickup)) - from $145 per person, 7.5 hours, rated 4.8 from 193 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Ignacio/Actun-Tunichil-Muknal-ATM-Caves-from-San-Ignacio/d5083-6219ATM
- ATM Cave & Xunantunich Maya Temple (San Ignacio (Cayo Welcome Center)) - from $240 per person, 9 hours, rated 5.0 from 77 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Ignacio/ATM-Cave-and-Xunantunich-Maya-Temple-Combo/d5083-7814P15
- ATM Cave with Lunch and Hotel Pickup (San Ignacio) - from $145 per person, 8.5 hours, rated 4.8 from 120 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Ignacio/Actun-Tunichil-Muknal/d5083-205204P1
- ATM Cave Day Trip from Belize City (Belize City (North Front Street)) - from $250 per person, 10 hours, rated 4.6 from 16 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/Belize-City/Actun-Tunichil-Muknal-Private/d5094-6219P18
- ATM Cave Adventure from Placencia (Placencia peninsula (6:15 AM start)) - from $245 per person, 9 hours, rated 5.0 from 19 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/Placencia/Visit-the-MOST-sacred-cave-in-the-world-ATM-CAVES/d23725-240108P8
- All-Day ATM Cave Trip from Hopkins (Hopkins) - from $280 per person, 9 hours, rated 5.0 from 10 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/Hopkins/ATM-Cave/d24531-62697P11
- ATM Cave from San Pedro or Caye Caulker (Belize City water taxi terminal) - from $400 per person, 11 hours, rated 5.0 from 6 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/Belize-City/A-T-M-Cave-Actun-Tunichil-Muknal-from-San-Pedro/d5094-9025P102
- Tikal Day Trip from San Ignacio (Tikal National Park, Guatemala) - from $165 per person, 9.5 hours, rated 4.8 from 335 Viator/Tripadvisor reviews. https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Ignacio/Tikal-Day-Trip-from-San-Ignacio/d5083-6219TIKAL

## Guide pages on this site

- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/atm-cave-tour-price/ - What an ATM cave tour costs in 2026: the $145 day from San Ignacio, the entrance fee, prices from the coast and cayes, tips and what is not included.
- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/atm-cave-from-belize-city/ - Can you do the ATM cave from Belize City, a cruise ship, Placencia, Hopkins or the cayes? Prices, start times and why a night in San Ignacio is better.
- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/crystal-maiden/ - The Crystal Maiden and what you see inside the ATM cave: the Cathedral, 14 sets of remains, Maya pots, why cameras are banned and why she may be a he.
- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/is-atm-cave-hard/ - How hard is the ATM cave? The swim, river crossings, tight squeezes, fitness, claustrophobia, age limits for kids, and who should skip it.
- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/what-to-wear-atm-cave/ - What to wear and bring to the ATM cave: closed-toe water shoes, socks for the dry chamber, long sleeves, a change of clothes, and why phones stay behind.
- https://actuntunichil.com/guides/atm-cave-or-cave-tubing/ - ATM cave or cave tubing from San Ignacio? Price, difficulty, swimming, kids, photos and what you actually see, compared side by side.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- You cannot visit the ATM cave independently: a licensed ATM guide is mandatory.
- Photos from inside cannot be taken by visitors; cameras and phones are banned (since 2012).
- The 'Crystal Maiden' is likely not female: researchers now think the skeleton is a teenage boy.
- Tours from the cayes (San Pedro, Caye Caulker) do not include the water taxi to Belize City unless stated.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage. Prices, rules and inclusions change; verify close to your travel date.