San Ignacio: Xunantunich Horseback Ride & Maya Ruins

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Duration5h

GroupUp to 14

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Riding to Xunantunich: Horses, Ferry Crossing & Ancient Stone

You ride from San Ignacio through savannah and jungle to the Xunantunich Maya site, crossing the Mopan River by hand-cranked ferry on horseback. The tour includes hotel pickup, a local guide, entrance fees, helmet and water, and takes about four hours total. Book if you're comfortable on a horse and want to reach the ruins without a vehicle.

Step-by-step itinerary

Horseback ride and Xunantunich tour

Meet guide at San Ignacio hotel
Drive to St Leonard's Stable
Begin horseback ride on ancient Maya land
Ride through savannah, jungle, and riverside trails
Arrive at San Jose Succotz village
Dismount and walk horses onto ferry
Cross Mopan River by ferry
Mount horses and ride to Xunantunich site
Tour Xunantunich ruins with guide
Climb structures and enjoy panoramic views
Return horseback ride to St Leonard's Stable

The Experience

The pickup comes early — 7:30am if you're staying in town — and you're still half-asleep when the driver pulls up. But then you're at St Leonard's Stable and the horses are already saddled, and your guide is checking the fit of your helmet, and suddenly the day shifts into something you didn't quite expect. The horse assigned to you — maybe an Appaloosa, maybe a Criollo — is calm and steady, and the guide explains the pace will be gentle, which is good because you realize you haven't ridden in years. Or maybe ever. The trail starts easy enough, through open savannah and then into jungle where the light filters green through the canopy, and you're riding along the Mopan River, and it's quiet except for the sound of hooves and the occasional bird call.

After maybe an hour of riding, you reach San Jose Succotz village and the hand-cranked ferry. This is the part that catches people off guard — you have to dismount and lead your horse onto the ferry yourself, and the ferry operator cranks it across the river by hand, and your horse stands there calm while the water moves beneath you both. Once you're across, you mount again and ride the final stretch to Xunantunich. The site sits on a hilltop, and when you arrive on horseback, you feel it differently than if you'd driven up in a van. Your guide gives you about an hour to walk the structures, climb the pyramids if you want, and take in the views of the countryside and across the border into Guatemala. The stone is old and the air is warm and you're standing where people stood centuries ago.

The ride back is the same trail in reverse, and by then your legs know what they're doing. The whole tour runs about four hours from pickup to drop-off, and you're back at your San Ignacio hotel by early afternoon. The weight limit is 245 pounds per rider — the stable checks this when you arrive so they can match you to the right horse — and they ask that you wear long pants and closed-toe shoes. This is a shared group tour, so you might ride with others or you might be the only ones booked that day. Either way, the guide is local and professional, and they know the trails and the history and which parts of the river are worth stopping to look at.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in San Ignacio, a local professional guide, riding helmet, bottled water, and entrance fee to Xunantunich Maya site. You'll ride well-trained horses through savannah, jungle and riverside trails, cross the Mopan River by hand-cranked ferry on horseback, and spend about an hour exploring the ancient Maya structures and ruins before riding back to the stable.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by St Leonard's Tours

Is this one for you?Right for riders with some experience who want to reach Xunantunich without a vehicle and don't mind the early start — the 7:30am pickup is what keeps the tour short enough to finish by early afternoon.