Altun Ha Mayan Ruins and Cave Tubing from Belize City

Three worlds in one day: ruins, rainforest, and underground rivers

A full-day tour from Belize City combining Altun Ha's Mayan pyramids, a guided rainforest walk, and cave tubing through an underground river system with stalactites and stalagmites. Your guide shares the history and geology at each stop, and lunch is included.

The experience

Altun Ha sits about an hour north of Belize City, and the day starts there. The Mayan site spreads across a cleared plaza ringed by pyramids and temple structures that archaeologists have been piecing together for decades. Your guide walks you through the layout and the stories behind the stones, who built what, when, and why the city was eventually abandoned. You're not rushed. The pace lets you absorb the scale of the place and ask questions as they come up.

After Altun Ha, you head back toward the rainforest for a 35-minute guided nature walk under the canopy. The guide points out what lives here (the plants, the birds, the insects), and explains how the forest works. It's quieter than the ruins, and it's a chance to cool off before the next part. Then comes the cave tubing: you float down an underground river on an inner tube, passing stalactites hanging from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the floor. The guide stays with the group the whole way, narrating the geology and the cultural significance of the caves to the Maya. Lights are provided so you can see into the passages.

Lunch is a traditional Belizean meal: rice and beans cooked with coconut milk, garlic and thyme, served with stewed chicken and a drink. The whole day runs about six hours from pickup at Terminal 1 to drop-off, with travel time built in between stops. An air-conditioned vehicle and a driver who knows the route handle the logistics. You bring bug spray, sunscreen, proper footwear, and a change of clothes for after the cave.

What’s included

• Driver and live guide.
• pickup and drop-off at Terminal 1.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• inner tubes, lights, helmets and life jackets for cave tubing.
• a traditional Belizean lunch of rice and beans with stewed chicken and a drink.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (3 to 80 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 16 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Belize LandQuest Adventures Tours

Is this one for you?Choose English or Spanish based on which language lets you absorb the historical details, then book the full day if you want to move between Mayan ruins, rainforest, and cave systems in one outing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Altun Ha and what will I see there?

Altun Ha is an ancient Mayan archaeological site with pyramids and temple structures arranged around a central plaza. Your guide explains the history of the settlement and walks you through the layout so you understand what each building was used for and when it was built.

How deep do you go in the cave tubing, and is it dark?

You float on an inner tube through an underground river system past stalactites and stalagmites. Lights are provided so you can see the cave formations as you drift through the passages. The guide stays with the group the entire way.

What's included in the lunch?

Lunch is a traditional Belizean meal of rice and beans cooked with coconut milk, garlic and thyme, paired with stewed chicken, plus a soda or water.

How long is the rainforest walk, and what will I see?

The guided nature walk lasts about 35 minutes under the tree canopy. Your guide points out the plants, birds, insects and other wildlife, and explains how the rainforest ecosystem works.