Xunantunich Maya Ruins & Cave Tubing: St. Herman's Cave

Float through an underground river inside a cave system after climbing a 130-foot pyramid.

This full-day tour combines two distinct experiences: a guided exploration of Xunantunich, a major Mayan archaeological site in Belize, where you climb El Castillo pyramid and tour temples and courtyards with a licensed guide. Then cave tubing at St. Herman's Cave, where you drift downriver on an inner tube through a river cave system lit only by headlamp. The tour includes hotel pickup, lunch near the ruins, all cave gear, bottled water and entrance fees. A guide speaks English or Spanish. Children from age 1 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Mayan Ruins and Cave Tubing Adventure

• Explore Xunantunich Mayan ruins
• Climb El Castillo pyramid
• Visit educational museum
• Enjoy authentic Belizean lunch
• Walk through jungle to cave
• Receive cave archaeology talk
• Float on inner tubes in cave

The experience

What makes this day work is the pairing: you start with the ruins in daylight, when the 130-foot El Castillo pyramid and its inner chambers are fully visible and the panoramic views across the Cayo District and into Guatemala are clear. The site has been extensively excavated, and the on-site museum fills in the context. Your licensed guide walks you through the temples and courtyards where Mayan kings and queens once performed ceremonies, so the architecture has a story attached to it rather than just a shape.

After lunch in the area, you shift to the cave system. A 10-minute jungle walk brings you to St. Herman's Cave, where you get a talk on cave archaeology and the geology of the Maya Mountains before entering. Then you spend roughly two hours floating on an inner tube through the river cave, your headlamp the only light as you drift past vine-draped openings and deeper into the "underworld." The cave gear (inner tube, headlamp) is supplied. The whole day runs about nine hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Private transportation with hotel pickup.
• lunch at the ruins site.
• cave tubing gear including inner tube and headlamp.
• bottled water.
• all entrance fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (17 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Youth (13 to 16 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 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 or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Get to Know Belize Adventures

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you can follow the commentary in whichever language works for you. The tour accommodates children from age 1, though the cave tubing itself requires enough mobility to float and the jungle walk suits older kids more comfortably than toddlers.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 16 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

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.

How high is El Castillo, and can I actually climb inside it?

El Castillo stands 130 feet above the plaza level and has several inner chambers you can move through as part of the tour. Your guide leads you through the temple structure, so you experience both the exterior views and the interior layout of one of the three largest Maya temples in Belize.

What's the cave tubing part actually like?

You float on an inflated inner tube down a river that runs through St. Herman's Cave, using only a headlamp to see. The cave has mysterious vine-draped openings and a river system that disappears into what the Maya called the "underworld." You spend about two hours in the cave, and all the tubing gear is included.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The operator notes that travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The 10-minute jungle walk to the cave entrance and the climbing at Xunantunich are the main physical elements. The cave tubing itself is floating, not strenuous.

What's included in the price, and do I need to bring anything?

The tour includes private transportation, cave tubing gear, bottled water, lunch near the ruins, all entrance fees and taxes, and an air-conditioned vehicle. Bring sunscreen, a change of clothes for after the cave, and secure footwear for the jungle walk and temple exploration.