Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Belize and Tikal: Caves, Cayes and the Reef
9 days from Belize City: three nights in San Ignacio with the ATM cave and a day at Tikal in Guatemala, two in Garifuna Hopkins and three on Caye Caulker by the reef.
9 days · Round trip from Belize City · up to 12 guests
Temples I and II above the forest, seen from Temple IV at Tikal Photo: Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tikal,_Temple_I_and_II_(15772710379).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days, 8 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Belize City
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Moderate
Most days have 2 to 4 hours on foot on forest trails and Maya ruins with steep steps, in heat and humidity. Day 2's ATM cave adds about 3 hours of wading, a short swim and scrambling underground, with a gentle cave canoe trip as the alternative. Day 3 at Tikal is about 8 to 10 km of walking. The reef day is 3 to 4 hours of snorkelling in open water, and you can stay on the boat at any stop.
- Meals included
- 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 600 (estimated price)
- Season
- December to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- The ATM cave with a licensed guide: river crossings, a swim in, and the Crystal Maiden by headlamp, with no phones allowed
- Tikal across the Guatemalan border: the Great Plaza, the Lost World and the view from Temple IV over the roof combs of Temples I and II
- Xunantunich close to opening, reached by a hand-cranked river ferry
- A swim at St. Herman's Blue Hole on the Hummingbird Highway, on the way to the coast
- Cockscomb's jaguar forest in the cool of the morning, then Garifuna drums and hudut in Hopkins
- A full day on the reef at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, gear and fees included
- Three nights on car-free Caye Caulker, with a sunset sail and a free day
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 600 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Belize, west to San Ignacio
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) to San Ignacio
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in San Ignacio
- Drive about 2 h
Fly into Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) at Ladyville, about 16 km north of Belize City.
Evening
Plan to land by about 2 pm so you reach San Ignacio before the evening briefing; the exact latest arrival is confirmed with your final itinerary. English is the official language and US dollars are accepted everywhere, so arrival is simple. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the run west on the George Price Highway, about two hours past savanna, citrus and cattle country, the small capital Belmopan and the first forested hills of the Cayo District. San Ignacio sits on a ridge above the Macal River, a market town with a lively main street and good small restaurants, and it is our base for three nights, in a hotel we choose within walking distance of the main street. In the evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing, including who wants the ATM cave tomorrow and who prefers the gentler option, then we sit down together to a welcome dinner.
Included
- Pick-up at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
- Transfer to San Ignacio
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Into the ATM cave, or the gentle option
San Ignacio to Actun Tunichil Muknal and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in San Ignacio
- Drive about 2 h
Today is the trip's most demanding day and its most remarkable.
Morning
After breakfast we drive about an hour east, the last stretch on gravel, to the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. Actun Tunichil Muknal, the ATM cave, can only be entered with a licensed ATM guide, in small groups. A walk of about 45 minutes through forest crosses a river three times, then a short swim across a deep pool takes you into the cave mouth. Inside you wade, scramble and squeeze along the underground river to the dry upper chambers, where the Maya left pottery, stone tools and human remains during ceremonies more than a thousand years ago, including the calcified skeleton known as the Crystal Maiden. Cameras and phones are not allowed, so you see it with your own eyes rather than through a screen.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal near the reserve before the drive back. If the cave is not for you, take the gentle option instead.
Evening
The evening is free in San Ignacio.
Included
- Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM cave) with a licensed ATM guide, entry, helmet and headlamp
- Sit-down lunch near the reserve
Easier option: Paddle by canoe into Barton Creek Cave, a calm river cave with Maya pottery on its ledges, then walk the Cahal Pech ruins on the hill above San Ignacio, back by mid-afternoon. Included in the price.
Free time: Evening free in San Ignacio
Activity: The ATM cave means about 3 hours underground, wading in water up to chest height, a short swim and some climbing, plus about 45 minutes' walk each way. The cave can close after heavy rain; if it does, we swap days or everyone takes the Barton Creek option.
Tikal across the border
San Ignacio to the border at Benque Viejo and Melchor de Mencos, then Tikal National Park and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in San Ignacio
- Drive about 4.5 h
This is the one day that runs past our four-hour driving cap, because Tikal is worth it.
Afternoon
We leave at about 6:30 am, the trip's only early start, so we cross the border at Benque Viejo and Melchor de Mencos before the queues and walk the park before the midday heat. From the border it is about 100 km, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours, through Petén to Tikal National Park, and we arrive mid-morning. On the Guatemalan side a licensed Tikal guide joins us. Tikal was one of the most powerful Maya cities between about AD 200 and 900, and it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979. We walk forest trails under ceiba trees to the Great Plaza, where Temple I and Temple II face each other across the grass, then the North Acropolis, the Lost World pyramid and Temple IV, about 70 m to the top of its roof comb and the tallest at Tikal, whose wooden stairs climb above the canopy. Look out for howler and spider monkeys, coatis, toucans and ocellated turkeys.
Evening
A sit-down lunch near the park entrance breaks the day, and we are back in San Ignacio by early evening.
Included
- Border crossing at Benque Viejo and Melchor de Mencos, with the border fees on both sides paid
- Tikal National Park entry with a licensed local guide: the Great Plaza, Temples I and II, the North Acropolis, the Lost World and Temple IV
- Sit-down lunch near the park entrance
Easier option: Skip the Lost World and Temple IV: rest in the Great Plaza or at the visitor centre while the group walks the far loop, about 3 km less.
More active option: Climb the wooden stairs of Temple IV for the view over the forest to the roof combs of Temples I, II and III.
Activity: About 8 to 10 km on forest trails over about 5 hours in heat and humidity, with steep wooden stairs if you climb. About 4.5 hours of driving in all: about 15 minutes to the border and 1.5 to 2 hours on to Tikal each way, plus border formalities both ways. Bring your passport, water, insect repellent and a hat.
Xunantunich and the Hummingbird Highway to Hopkins
San Ignacio to Xunantunich, then Belmopan, the Hummingbird Highway and Hopkins
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Hopkins
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
We check out after breakfast and drive a few minutes west to San José Succotz, where a hand-cranked ferry carries us across the Mopan River to Xunantunich. Arriving close to opening, we have the site nearly to ourselves: a Maya ceremonial centre on a ridge above the river, dominated by El Castillo, about 40 m high, with a carved stucco frieze on its upper walls. From the top you look across the valley into Guatemala. Then we turn east, past Belmopan, onto the Hummingbird Highway, which winds through the foothills of the Maya Mountains between citrus groves and green limestone hills. A stop at St.
Afternoon
Herman's Blue Hole National Park gives a swim in a spring-fed sinkhole pool, and lunch is a sit-down meal on the road. We reach Hopkins, a Garifuna fishing village on a long beach south of Dangriga, by mid-afternoon. We stay in the village close to the beach, and the rest of the day is free on the sand.
Included
- Xunantunich with your guide, including the hand-cranked ferry across the Mopan River
- St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park and a swim
- Sit-down lunch on the Hummingbird Highway
Easier option: Stay at the foot of El Castillo in the shade while others climb, and watch from the bank at the Blue Hole.
More active option: Climb to the very top of El Castillo for the view into Guatemala.
Free time: Late afternoon free on the beach in Hopkins
Activity: El Castillo has steep steps and narrow ledges near the top. About 3.5 hours of driving with two stops.
Cockscomb's jaguar forest and a Garifuna evening
Hopkins to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and back
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Hopkins
- Drive about 1 h
We drive about half an hour south to Maya Centre and up the dirt road into the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, set aside in the 1980s as the first protected area for the jaguar. The cats are rarely seen, though their tracks sometimes are, and the forest is full of birds, with toucans, motmots and trogons, and the peaks of the Cockscomb range behind.
Morning
We go in the cool of the morning and walk with a local guide on the Tiger Fern trail to a waterfall pool for a swim.
Afternoon
On the way out we stop at Maya Centre, where Mopan Maya families sell slate carvings and embroidery, and lunch is a sit-down meal on the road back. The afternoon is free in Hopkins for the beach, a kayak or a hammock.
Evening
In the evening we meet Garifuna drummers for a session on the drums and dances of a culture whose language, dance and music UNESCO proclaimed part of the world's intangible heritage in 2001, then sit down to hudut, fish in coconut broth with mashed plantain.
Included
- Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary entry with a local guide
- Waterfall walk and swim on the Tiger Fern trail
- Sit-down lunch
- Garifuna drumming and dance session in Hopkins
- Garifuna dinner
Easier option: Stay on the flat riverside trails near the sanctuary headquarters and wait for the group by the river.
More active option: After the swim, walk a longer, hillier loop with the local guide while the rest of the group heads back to Maya Centre.
Free time: Afternoon free in Hopkins
Activity: The Tiger Fern trail is a steady climb on a forest path with some steep sections; we confirm its length and time with the sanctuary. Wear shoes with grip and bring swimwear.
Back to the coast and out to Caye Caulker
Hopkins to Belize City by road, then the water taxi to Caye Caulker
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Caye Caulker
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
A slow breakfast by the sea, then we drive back up the Hummingbird Highway and along the George Price Highway to Belize City, about three and a half hours with a coffee stop.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal in Belize City, the old colonial port where wooden houses on stilts line Haulover Creek and the old swing bridge crosses it. From the water taxi terminal it is about 45 minutes across the shallow lagoon inside the reef to Caye Caulker, a car-free island where the sandy streets are shared by bicycles and golf carts and nobody hurries.
Evening
Bags go by cart to the hotel, which we choose a short walk from the dock and the Split, and your guide walks you through the village to the Split, the channel across the island that began as a shallow cut after Hurricane Hattie in 1961 and was dug out by villagers, where the water is clear enough for a first swim before sunset. The evening is free; from December to mid-February grilled lobster is in season at the beach barbecues.
Included
- Drive from Hopkins to Belize City with your guide
- Sit-down lunch in Belize City
- Water taxi to Caye Caulker
- Walk through the village to the Split with your guide
Easier option: Skip the village walk and rest at the hotel; the guide meets you at the Split for sunset if you like.
More active option: Rent a kayak or a bicycle for the last hour of light; your guide points you to a rental near the hotel.
Free time: Evening free on Caye Caulker
Activity: The water taxi can be bumpy when the wind is up; sit towards the back if you feel seasick.
A full day on the Belize Barrier Reef
Caye Caulker to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Caye Caulker
- By boat
Today is the reef.
Afternoon
We head out in the morning, before the afternoon wind usually picks up, with a licensed snorkel guide and a boat for our group, gear included. The first stop is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye, protected since 1987. Hol Chan means 'little channel' in Maya, after the cut in the Belize Barrier Reef where coral and fish are richest: expect parrotfish, angelfish, eagle rays and often sea turtles. Next is Shark Ray Alley, where nurse sharks and southern stingrays gather around the boats. Lunch is on the waterfront in San Pedro, then a calmer afternoon stop at a coral garden closer to Caye Caulker, where manatees are sometimes seen in the seagrass.
Evening
We are back on the dock by mid-afternoon, with time to rest and rinse off before walking down to the Split for sunset.
Included
- Full-day snorkelling trip with a licensed guide and a boat for the group: Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley and a coral garden
- Snorkel gear and marine reserve fees
- Lunch in San Pedro
Easier option: Snorkel in a flotation vest close to the guide, or stay on the boat at any stop; Shark Ray Alley is easy to watch from the deck.
More active option: Strong swimmers can follow the guide along the edge of the Hol Chan cut, where the coral wall drops away.
Free time: Late afternoon free
Activity: About 3 to 4 hours in the water over three stops, in open water with some current at Hol Chan. Reef-safe sunscreen and a rash vest help.
Caye Caulker at your own pace
Caye Caulker
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Caye Caulker
- By boat
Afternoon
A free day on the island, and the trip is built around it, so nothing is scheduled until late afternoon. Rent a bicycle and ride the sandy back streets, swim off the docks at the Split, paddle a kayak along the mangroves on the lagoon side, or read in a hammock. Your guide can help book the trips the island is known for: a manatee watch at the Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, a day of diving, or a scenic flight over the Great Blue Hole, the round sinkhole on Lighthouse Reef, about 300 m across.
Evening
In the late afternoon we board a sailboat together for a sunset sail along the reef side of the island, with fruit and rum punch on deck, and come back ashore for a farewell dinner of grilled fish and island cooking with the group.
Included
- Sunset sail
- Farewell dinner
Optional experiences
- Manatee watching at Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary
- Scuba diving for certified divers
- A scenic flight over the Great Blue Hole
- We give a price for each when you book.
Free time: Free until the late-afternoon sunset sail
Water taxi back and home
Caye Caulker by water taxi to Belize City, then Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
- Breakfast
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
Breakfast on the island, then the water taxi back across the lagoon to Belize City, about 45 minutes, where our driver meets the boat and takes you on to the international airport at Ladyville, about half an hour. Water taxis run from early morning, so we time your boat to your flight: book a flight leaving after about 12:30 pm to make the morning comfortable, or tell us your flight and we arrange an earlier boat. If you would rather skip the boat and the drive, a short local flight from the Caye Caulker airstrip to the international airport takes about 15 minutes; we can book it and quote it when you book. Your guide sees the group onto the water taxi and the airport transfer before saying goodbye. If you want more time on the reef, we can add extra nights on Caye Caulker before you fly home.
Included
- Water taxi from Caye Caulker to Belize City
- Drop-off at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
Optional experiences
- Local flight from Caye Caulker to BZE instead of the water taxi, priced when you book
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 12:30 pm.
- Belize Citystart
- San Ignacio3 nights
- Hopkins2 nights
- Caye Caulker3 nights
- Belize Cityend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: December to April is the dry season. December and January can still bring short showers and cool northerly fronts; March and April are the hottest and driest, with the calmest, clearest water for snorkelling. Lobster season closes on 15 February. The hurricane season runs from June to November, which is why we do not run then.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want the ATM cave, Tikal and the reef without paying for each on the spot
- Maya ruins, rainforest and the reef in nine days, with three bases
- Snorkellers of any level, from first-timers in a vest to confident swimmers
- Travellers who like a small group and a free day at the end
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: caves, ruins, trails and boats are part of most days
- Travellers who want a resort holiday or nightlife
- Anyone wanting to see more of Guatemala: Tikal is a day trip, with no Flores or Antigua
- Travellers who would rather not get wet: even the gentle options involve boats and water
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
8 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- San Ignacio3 nights
- Hopkins2 nights
- Caye Caulker3 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 8 nights in central hotels of at least 3-star-plus standard: 3 in San Ignacio, 2 in Hopkins, 3 on Caye Caulker
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement shown when you book
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE)
- Our own air-conditioned vehicle and driver for every road day in Belize
- A Guatemalan vehicle and driver from the border to Tikal and back
- Water taxis between Belize City and Caye Caulker, both ways
- A boat for the group on the snorkel day and a sailboat for the sunset sail
- The hand-cranked ferry to Xunantunich
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, with a licensed ATM guide in the cave, a licensed Tikal guide in Guatemala, a local guide at Cockscomb and a licensed snorkel guide on the reef
Activities
- Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM cave), or Barton Creek Cave by canoe and the Cahal Pech ruins
- Tikal National Park, Guatemala, with the border fees on both sides
- Xunantunich
- St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park
- Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
- A Garifuna drumming and dance session in Hopkins
- Full-day snorkelling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, with gear and marine reserve fees
- A walk to the Split on Caye Caulker
- A sunset sail from Caye Caulker
Meals
- Breakfast daily (8)
- 6 lunches, on days 2 to 7
- 3 dinners: a welcome dinner in San Ignacio, a Garifuna dinner in Hopkins and a farewell dinner on Caye Caulker
Not included
- International flights to and from Belize City (BZE)
- Travel insurance
- Visas, where your passport needs one
- Lunches on days 1, 8 and 9, and dinners except the three listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as diving, manatee watching and Great Blue Hole flights
- The local flight from Caye Caulker on day 9, if you choose it
- Personal expenses
Local fees
- None. Border fees on the Tikal day are included; we confirm the exact amounts with our partner.
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 600 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Eight nights in central hotels, breakfast daily, six lunches and three dinners, airport transfers, our own vehicle and driver, water taxis to and from Caye Caulker, your See Sight Tours guide throughout with licensed local guides, and every visit in the day plan, including the ATM cave, Tikal with the border fees, Xunantunich, Cockscomb, the Hol Chan snorkel day and a sunset sail.
How big is the group and who leads it?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. A See Sight Tours guide travels with you for all nine days, and licensed local guides join where the rules require them: in the ATM cave, at Tikal in Guatemala, at Cockscomb and on the reef.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide and vehicle. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us and we will quote the same hotels, transfers and local guides.
How hard is the ATM cave, and what if I don't want to do it?
It is the hardest day: a 45-minute walk with three river crossings, a short swim into the cave, then about three hours of wading and scrambling underground. You need to be comfortable in water and in the dark. If not, take the included gentle option, a canoe into Barton Creek Cave and the Cahal Pech ruins.
Can I take photos in the ATM cave?
No. Cameras and phones have not been allowed inside the ATM cave since a visitor dropped a camera on one of the skulls in 2012. Leave them in the vehicle: you see the chambers by headlamp, with your guide explaining each find as you go.
How long are the drives, and how does the Tikal border crossing work?
Most road days are two to three and a half hours. The Tikal day is the long one: 15 minutes to the border, then 1.5 to 2 hours to Tikal each way, about four and a half hours in all, broken by five hours in the park and a sit-down lunch. Your guide handles the border; you show your passport, and border fees are included.
What does this trip leave out?
Caracol, Lamanai and a night in Flores. Caracol is a long drive from San Ignacio, much of it on rough road, so we spend those hours on the ATM cave, Tikal and Xunantunich. Lamanai lies in northern Belize, off this route. Tikal is a day trip so you unpack only three times. A private trip can add any of them.
Do I need a visa for Belize and Guatemala?
Canadian, US, UK and EU passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist stays in either country. Your passport should be valid for at least six months. If you hold another passport, check the rules before you book, and we will tell you what to bring.
When is the best time to go?
We run from December to April, the dry season. December and January can bring short showers and cool fronts; March and April are hottest, with the calmest, clearest water for snorkelling. June to November is the rainy and hurricane season, when the ATM cave closes more often after rain.
Do I need to be a strong swimmer to snorkel?
No. The snorkel guide gives a briefing and flotation vests, and you can stay close to the guide or on the boat at any stop. You should be able to put your face in the water and float calmly; at Hol Chan there can be some current, so the guide keeps the group together.
I'm travelling solo. What is the single supplement?
A room of your own is from CAD 600 more than the shared price, shown up front when you request to book, with no surprise at checkout. Otherwise you pay the same as everyone else, and if you would like to share with another solo traveller of the same gender, ask us and we will try to match you.
How much does it cost and how does booking work?
The small group starts from CAD 3,515 per person sharing a room, taxes included; private trips cost more. Pick your start date and request to book. We confirm your trip within 24 hours, and nothing is charged until we do.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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