Guided tours (ATM) cave departing from San Ignacio. Swim along water passageways in the cavern and climb up a rock ledge
What’s included
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Local guide
- Use of all necessary equipment
- Transportation from San Ignacio Town
Belize ATM cave tours start at 7:30 in the morning using San Ignacio or Belmopan in the Cayo district as a base, and conclude at 3:00pm.
What to wear:
- Dress as if preparing for a hike, loose fitting clothes and sturdy closed toe shoes.
- We suggest hiking boots or rubber work boots.
- Sunscreen and insect repellent are a must.
- Gloves to protect your hands and a caving undersuit.
- Better yet, a cave suit. This is a coverall type piece of clothing made of synthetic material and will protect your clothes.
- You must also wear socks. This is for when you’re inside the cave, for preservation purposes.
- After climbing up ‘the elevator’ to enter the cave proper, you will remove your shoes for the rest of the way.
- No flip-flops, ladies and gentlemen; this is the jungle, remember!
THINGS TO KNOW
- Actun Tunichil Muknal cave takes a lot of physical energy. Make sure you drink a lot of water the morning of your trip and stretch out for at least 15 minutes.
- Bring a change a clothing, as well as a backup pair of shoes.
- Recent visitor experience: “No cameras were allowed inside the cave but it is one of the coolest experiences
Deep within the forests lies Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM), a wonder of both ancient and natural Belize. 45-minute drive from San Ignacio, and a 45-minute hike through the beautiful Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, with numerous jungle streams crossing, visitors find a crystal-clear stream flowing from the cave opening.
Take a short swim into the cave and a guided hike through the passage through one of most impressive Maya sites in Belize. Also, known locally as “Xibalba” (“Underworld”), you will find evidence of ceramics stoneware and skeletons. One artifact named the “Monkey Pot” is one of just four found in Central America. One skeleton known as the “Crystal Maiden” is the calcified bones of a teenage girl, giving the skeleton sparkling appearance. The cave contains magnificent stalagmites and stalactites formations, and it is also a perfectly preserved environment for the ancient remains of the “Crystal Maiden”. As the “underworld” of the ancient Maya, sacrifices were done inside the cave. Remains of potteries can also be seen in its original state.
The entrance to the cave is through 12 feet of water, and for this reason the site is administered by the government to ensure that only experienced and licensed guides take in visitors.cc
The ATM cave, otherwise known as the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, was first entered by the Mayas in AD 300-600. It was not until the late AD 700-900 that the Mayas went deeper into the cave to perform their ceremonies. The cave was officially opened to the public in 1998.
The cave houses various types of artifacts from ceramics and stoneware to the remains of skeletons. The Mayas consider Actun Tunichil Muknal a highly sacred location, enclosing the famous “Crystal Maiden,” who was thought to be a sacrifice victim. After decades of weathering and natural processes, the surface of the skeleton appears to be covered with a geological sanded finish, which gives the maiden a somewhat magical fairy-dust appearance.
The cave is a maze of chambers, along with a cathedral-like area for ceremonial sacrifices. In fact, I found some slate stele (Mayan cutting blades made of rock such as slate or obsidian), which by my research, were used by the leaders to cut away flesh, allowing their blood to be an offering to the gods.
Aside from the remains of different sacrifice victims, there is also an assortment of ceramics exhibiting “kill holes” (holes deliberately drilled into the bottom of pottery by the Mayas as part of ceremonial offering to their deities), which indicate they were used for ritualistic purposes.
The ceilings are dripping with stalactites, which are a type of speleothem seen only in limestone caves. As a archaeologist, I had to resist the temptation to touch them, as it takes so much time for them to develop. It’s a show of respect to the local culture; however some travelers still can’t resist the urge.
All of the artifacts that were used on a day-to-day basis were left as they were, making it an amazing experience, seeing ancient life come alive before your very eyes.
The ATM Cave went beyond my expectations as a student of life. As for the sacred nature of the site, I found the experience both gratifying and educational. I would urge anyone that is traveling to Belize to explore this wonder of nature. – Contributed by Doctoral candidate L. Axelrod. cc
5 weird facts about the ATM Cave.
1.) The ATM Cave was used as a sacred place during the Classic period (AD 250-909) by the ancient Maya who believed that the Gods who provided rain and agricultural fertility resided in this cave.
2.) The ATM Cave contains a stelae chamber which was used by high status individuals to perform rituals where they cut themselves with obsidian blades to offer their blood to the gods.
3.) The ATM Cave contains the skeletal remains of a young woman “The Crystal Maiden” who is believed to have been clubbed and left for dead and with the passage of time her bones have been calcified to a sparkling, crystallized appearance.
4.) The ATM Cave was used to sacrifice humans in the hopes of appeasing the gods and bringing fertility to the land. For example more than 14 skeletal remains have been discovered in the ATM’s main chamber.
5.) It is believed that the Maya modified the ATM Cave to create altars for the sacred offerings and to create silhouettes of faces and animals to project a shadow image into the cave.