Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave)

This was my favorite tour while visiting Belize. The cave is simply incredible. The adventure of it all, the Mayan history, and the cave itself were remarkable. We used Maya walk tour company and our guide, Hugh, was extremely knowledgeable and made the experience memorable. They do not allow cameras but you fully immerse yourself in the experience. Wear good shoes, any tennis shoe will do. They do not allow water shoes. We bought cheap shoes at Dibary to use so we didn’t have to ruin our own shoes. The trek is about 4 miles and takes about 5 hours. There is about 40 min hike before the cave and after. Very easy walk, and 3 river crossing. Once in the cave, you move very slowly through the cave. You go 500 meters into the cave. The memory of this adventure will stay with me forever. Highly recommend!!!

This was worth the trip to Belize. Our guide Dimas was awesome! This is the real deal, you will be climbing wet rocks and need to keep your balance in and out of the water. The only safety measures are a helmet and your judgement, plus the guide's first aid and emergency equipment. Belize doesn't allow any type of cameras because some a couple idiot tourists dropped them on top of skulls causing obvious permanent damage and another one stepped on a human bone trying to get a better angle of another skull.

The most MUST DO thing in Belize. We did it with my two little siblings (13 and 16) and they had a blast. You have to book with a registered guide (I recommend Limpkin tours). You drive out there to the ranger station, hike out to the cave (crossing a river 3 times), swim into the cave, hike up into the cave through water (deepest at chest level), then take your shoes off as you explore the upper chamber. Truly a fantastic experience and the reverence you feel exploring this Mayan holy site is amazing.

2/20/2026: Booked our tour with Yute Expeditions (highly recommend). You cannot walk in on your own, must book through a guide since only licensed guides are allowed. Must wear sturdy shoes/thick soled water shoes with socks. You will be navigating over rocky terrain, walking in water most the way, climbing and crawling. Mobility concerns, claustrophobia are real conditions to consider before going. We started at 8a and was back at the lot by 12n. Starts with a 30-45 min flat hike to the cave entrance. There are 3 river crossings with depths ranging from shin to hip height. Entering the cave starts with a short distance swim. We walked/waded through water most the way until the end where we removed our shoes and walked into the cathedral area with our socks. It's in and out, so the way you go in is the way you come out. We were the second group in so by the time we were making our way out there were many groups coming in. It gets a bit bottle necked when there's 8 people, so there are some really tight spaces but it's not for very long before it opens up into a large space. Other than the artifacts and the cave itself, we saw some bats, insects, and even little tiny plants!

Amazing experience— mix of adventure and culture. Has to be with a guide to get in, three river crossings, ankle to chest deep. Need to wear water shoes (or any close toes shoes you can hike and get wet in, with socks. (Or bring a pair of socks for the upper chamber of the cave.) we wore dive boots and it was great. The jungle hike, cave formations are magnificent. On top of that we learn about Maya culture and ceremonies from our guide. Some part of the cave requires climbing and swimming. The entire journey was incredible. Highly recommend. It helps to be physically fit and have an adventurous spirit. Cameras are not allowed inside. We left everything in the car. Good to go with guide as early as possible before it gets too busy.

This was an incredible experience that I highly recommend but you need to be in average physical condition and not be claustrophobic as certain passage ways are tight. Mayan artefacts and body remains are omnipresent but my favorite part was the sheer beauty of the rock formations. It is no wonder at all that the Mayans considered this place sacred. This is an all day trip. I’m sure you read about the shoes getting wet part which is an understatement! Sorry not too many pictures as no cameras, phones or anything else is allowed in the cave.

Easy drive from Belize city or the airport. $5 to enter for tourists. I recommend you get a guide to get the interesting side of the story. The museum is before the site entrance and it's free. You can climb on any of the pyramids just ensure you keep them intact and preserve them. Watch your step as it is steep and also super slippery when wet. It's mind boggling how old these are! Recommend highly!

I booked my ATM TOUR through Yellow Belly Backpacker hostel. The guide Daimo was amazing! You can rent water shoes from hostel and the cave itself was amazing. If you are not claustrophobic, I don’t think you will feel anything overwhelming and I got 7am tour, which was perfect with less people in the cave, we came back to hostel at 2pm and the shuttles to Flores leaves around 2:30-3:00 pm. So if you want to earn time, you can just keep moving after the tour to Guatemala. It was also my first cave experience, so I really enjoyed, it’s totally worth it.