Xunantunich And Cave Tubing Combo Tour From San Ignacio

Incredible tour! Our guided Clara had a vast knowledge of history and the environment. Great combination of history at the ruins and relaxation with tubing. We even saw spider monkeys on our hike Definitely book this tour- highly recommended

We were lucky and were the only ones on our tour! Jose was our tour guide and he was absolutely incredible. He took our interests into consideration to customize the tour for us. He was extremely knowledgeable of all things Belize and it was so fun to spend the day learning so much with him! 12/10 recommend and I would gladly do another tour with Jose any day !

Jose was our guide and he was awesome. First we did the tour of Zuantunich, and it was amazing. Jose explained the history of the Mayans and the site and knows so much about it, and the plants in the area. Then we did the cave tubing part. It was a beautiful cave, and we got out of our tubes and hiked around a lot in the cave, and we did some jumping not the water. Fabulous. Jose was a great guide; very knowledgeable and fun!! Highly recommend!

Jose, our guide, went above and beyond and gave us a very in-depth cultural history of Xunantunich and then an absolutely amazing and adventurous tour of the caves. Highly recommend it, ask for Jose.

Wow! The caves are so beautiful and the water is exceptional. This was the best time spent here in Belize!

Our Xunantunich Maya Ruins and cave tubing adventure was one of the absolute highlights of our Belize trip, and that was largely because of our guide, Edward. He was exceptional from the moment we met him. Before we even reached the cave tubing, Edward took us through the Maya ruins, and that experience alone was incredible. He didn’t just walk us through it—he brought it to life. He explained the history, the culture, and the significance of everything in a way that was fun, engaging, and easy to understand. He made learning exciting, especially for the kids. What impressed me most was how he interacted with my children and made them part of the experience. He asked them questions, got them involved, and made them genuinely want to learn instead of just listening. That takes a special kind of guide, and Edward was excellent at it. When we moved on to the cave tubing portion, he continued to make the day seamless and enjoyable. Traveling with kids—especially with my energetic 8-year-old son—can be a challenge, but Edward handled everything perfectly. He created the right balance of fun, adventure, and structure so everyone felt safe, relaxed, and excited. He was kind, patient, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. By the end of the trip, he honestly felt like part of the family. We even ended up spending more time with him afterward because he was just that genuine and enjoyable to be around. Great tours are memorable, but great people make them unforgettable. Edward absolutely made this experience unforgettable. Five stars all the way.

5 star review specifically for Carla! A fantastic, knowledgeable, wise, and enthusiastic guide who helped provide history, context, and nature tidbits for a wonderful full day tour

We booked through Captain Jaks in Plancencia, Belize. Christian (Chris) was our guide. He arrived at our VRBO 20 min early, was very friendly. The trip we planned was a private tour, we had the Van to just the 4 of us. Chris gave us a history lesson the entire trip to the Ruins. Very knowledgeable, funny and full of energy. We toured the Mayan temples, which was amazing. Then we had lunch at an amazing restaurant. Then we were off to do the Cave tubing. It was one of the most beautiful places we've ever been to. Chris was great from start to finish. If I could, I would give him 10 stars!

Did this tour from San Ignacio - 30mins to Xantunich ruins, another 1.5hrs to the tubing - 4hrs seemed quite a lot of driving in one day. Having said that - the caves were incredible - make sure you ditch the tubes and walk around with cliff jumping too.

Jose with St Leonards Tours was an absolute treat. We had the pleasure of having him take us to Xunantunich and cave tubing. Unbeknownst to us we were the only ones on the tour so we had our own private time with Jose and we yes to everything that he offered. He showed us the flora and Fana of the area. was very knowledgeable about the history of Belize and the Mayan sight. When it came to cave tubing, we had an amazing experience with him. If you have the chance, say yes to the extended cave tour. We had an extraordinary traditional meal as well, and he even stopped so that we could grab coffee on our way back from the tour. If you have the chance, take advantage of this family owned business over the larger more corporatized tours. We will definitely be reaching out to St Leonards in the future when we go back for some of the other tours. Thank you again, Jose.

Amazing Day . The guide knew so much about both the Mayan site and the caves, and the knowledge made the trip so enjoyable.

Jose was the best guide we’ve had traveling all over S America (more on him later). It’s a 35min drive to the Mayan site. Climb as much or as little as you want. The structures are impressive with panoramic views from the top. From there the drive to the river & caves is longish (1.5hr). About a 30 min walk up the river and then leisurely tubing down through huge caves. Tubing through the caves was phenomenal made even more enjoyable by our guide Jose. He shared interesting details about the caves, their evolving nature and intricate passages one could take if one wanted to. Jose was full of interesting little details of the flora and fauna of the region which he learnt growing up in the area. Above all he enjoyed the work he did and spread the joy to our party freely and frequently. I highly recommend him and the tour company he works for (sorry cannot recall the company’s name).

This was a long and fun day! We were picked up at 7:30am and dropped off just after 7pm. Carla was a lovely and friendly guide. Pros: The van we were in was air conditioned and Carla gave us a good idea of what the day would be like. She definitely knew her archaeology and gave many details about the ruins. And she was an amazing cave guide! She had to work so hard to get the group of 6 of us moving on the slow moving river- she is small but mighty! She also led our group to explore and swim through the Crystal Cave, which was an incredible experience that our whole family (kids aged 10&12) loved! On the way home, Carla had watermelon and local plantain chips to snack on. She was pleasant and very knowledgeable. The only suggestion I’d give is to make the ruins tour a bit more beginner friendly. My kids and I had no prior knowledge about the Mayan culture so felt a little lost. It would have been helpful to have an overview of the culture, and comparisons to cultures today, to help us understand. But other than that, I’d recommend St Leonard’s wholeheartedly- the communication, the customer service and the actual tours were awesome!!

We had Carla show us around and she was amazing. Highly recommend going with St. Leonards tour company. Carla has a wealth of knowledge regarding Mayan history and local knowledge also. She treated us very well throughout the day. Two happy customers here, would do it again!!

Had a great trip with Jose! At both sites, his knowledge was extensive and he put in a ton of effort to make the best possible trip for us. This really felt like a once in a lifetime experience for my son and I. Thank you Jose.

Unbelievable day touring the Mayan Ruins at Xunantunich and tubing snd exploring the Jaguar Paw caves of Nohoch Ch’een! Our guide Jose was incredible in both knowledge he shared and care he took of us exploring parts of the cave that many do not get to ever see! Thank you for a fabulous experience!!

We spent the day with Jose and it was the highlight of our trip. He had so much knowledge of the Xunantunich ruins and he kept our kids engaged even though it was a lot of history! He then took us for lunch and a cave tubing tour which was so much fun. He also taught us so much about the local flora and fauna and had us trying all kinds of plants and explaining how they were used medicinally. At the end when our kids were starving, he went out of his way to stop at a place for dinner before dropping us off. Truly the best, you won't regret booking with him!

We booked a group tour but ended up having the guide Jose all to ourselves! Xunantunich was great. Jose was super knowledgeable so we leaned lots. There’s a fun hand pulled ferry ride en route. We were there by 8am so there was only a handful of other people there. We climbed to the top of the structure (about 50 metres). You get an amazing view from the top but I imagine it could be a little scary if you’re afraid of heights. The climb is in lots of stages so it’s not difficult. There is a large toilet block in the car park and a few tourist shops. The cave tubing is around 1.5 hours drive from Xunantunich. There are several stalls selling swim suits, shorts, tshirts, beach towels, waterproof phone cases and water shoes or you can rent a pair of crocs for US $3. There’s a simple restaurant. Again, there is a large toilet block where you change into your water clothing then get a helmet with head torch, life jacket and your tube. You can hire someone to carry your tube for you but although they are large, they’re lightweight. You walk for around 5 minutes then wade across the river. The water was thigh height. You then walk for around 40 minutes through the forest on a clear and mostly easy path with a few steep staircases. The tubing was fun - you’re mostly floating through caves - it’s all very peaceful with just the occasional faster flowing section of river. We stopped off en route in a large cave to scramble over the rocks. I’m a terrible swimmer so I just watched while the other 2 jumped off ledges into deep pools. You end up back at the point where you waded over the river so it’s then a short walk back to the car park. Even if you don’t do any swimming, you get wet (from the waist down) so a change of clothing & towel is essential. We rented crocs but I was pleased I took my walking sandals because I found it hard to walk in the crocs - they were a bit too wide. The forest walk was much easier and faster in my own shoes. There’s a bottle holder in the tube and you can attach a waterproof bag to your life jacket to put your spare shoes or your phone in.

We spent the day with Jose and had an amazing time. Jose was extremely knowledgeable about all things Belize. From the forest to the wildlife, culture and Myan history. We started with a great horseback ride along the river then a tour of xunantinich. From there we had lunch and went to Nohoch Ch'een for cave tubing. Jose went above and beyond to show us parts of this cave system that were incredible. Can't recommend this company enough and definitely ask for Jose!

Jose and Mark were so fun! I traveled with my 13-year-old daughter and we cannot say enough good things.

Amazing day! Jose is a phenomenal guide! He was so good with our kids, ages 13, 10 and 8. Our youngest was scared of heights and didn’t want to climb up Xunantanich. Jose kept it light and fun and patiently got us to the top with smiles on our faces. At the end of the day my son said he was no longer scared of heights!!! Thank you, Jose for being instrumental for helping Lance overcome this fear!!! We cannot thank you enough! I hope you realize you are not just a tour guide! You’ve changed our lives, and we appreciate you so much! We highly recommend going on a tour with Jose! He is a wealth of knowledge about Mayan culture and makes learning fun! He is amazing with kids! He pointed out toucans, egrets, monkeys, iguanas, and drew out spiders from their holes, which excited the kids! We had a wonderful day and highly recommend this tour and Jose!

José was a wonderful and funny guide for our tour which turned out to be private since it was only me and my wife. He was very knowledgeable about the Mayan culture and Xunantunich. For cave tubing, he also took us to some amazing spots in the Nohoch Ch’een. We saw numerous historic pots, got to jump off cliffs into the water, and swam in secret spots. We had a blast exploring the caves and I highly recommend this tour with José!

What an amazing experience climbing the temple & then cave tubing. Our guide Edeoni with Mayan Walks Tours brought both sites to life with information & stories about Mayan culture. Both so beautiful. One of the best travel experiences I’ve had in my 68 years!

Review Our guide Alberto was so fun to hang out with during our trip! He made the cave tubing extra fun and an experience I will remember for a lifetime! It rained during the Mayan ruins tour and he was a trooper about the weather and was super safe about how slippery it could get. He took amazing photos as well!

Xunantunich, Cave Tubing & Cave Jumping – An Unforgettable Day with Jose From start to finish, our day with Jose was nothing short of amazing. He’s not just a guide—he’s a storyteller, historian, and all-around legend who made every moment unforgettable. We kicked things off at the ancient Maya city of Xunantunich, crossing the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry before heading up to the site. Climbing El Castillo was the highlight—sweeping views over Belize and Guatemala, hidden carvings, and stories of Maya life brought vividly to life by Jose’s passion and knowledge. Next, we headed to Nohoch Che’en Reserve for cave tubing—and the adventure ramped up. After a scenic jungle hike with Jose pointing out wildlife and sharing local lore, we floated through vast underground caverns, past waterfalls, Maya artifacts, and stunning limestone formations. The atmosphere was surreal and serene. Then came the adrenaline rush—cave jumping! Leaping off the rocks into the cool underground river was the perfect thrill to top off the day’s adventures. From ancient ruins to jungle rivers, Jose made it all unforgettable with his humor, insight, and heart. If you go—ask for Jose. You’ll leave with memories that last a lifetime.

What an awesome company! We were on our honeymoon and did the Xunantunich and cave tubing tour. Pre-tour they were very easy to communicate with and accommodating to our schedule. As for our tour, our host Jose was EXCELLENT. He was very friendly and knowledgeable during our tour, which greatly added to the overall experience. His passion for his culture was obvious and his fun nature made for a fun day. They even provided a pickup from our hotel as well as a taxi back to Belize City. I highly recommend!!

Amazing! Such a great tour! Jose was such a great guide! He was so knowledgeable, friendly, and funny! The Xunantunich temple was beautiful and tubing through the caves was so much fun. Bring sunblock, bug spray, and water.

Carla and Jose were fantastic. Carla was a wealth of knowledge of Mayan history. Jose was funny and good natured and safety minded. The tour organizer was very accommodating for our pickup and last minute changes we made on our end. Both experiences were great in their own way and highly recommended!

Our tour guide, Jose, was so knowledgeable about the history of the ruins and a lot of fun too. It was a beautiful place, and we would definitely do it again. Thank you, Jose and Carla, for accommodating us

Super fun trip! Both tour guides Jose and Carla were friendly, knowledgeable, and fun. The ruins were amazing and the cave tubing/swimming was so much fun. Would absolutely recommend!

We had Jose as our guide for our day at Xuanantunich and Cave tubing and he was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and engaging with our group. He had a lot of energy, good jokes and made us feel comfortable throughout the day. We noticed him spending time sharing information with us beyond what some of the other groups were doing! We had a great day!

Our guide was Jose what an absolute pleasure it was to have him as our guide! He was so informative, professional, and so kind. We felt so safe the entire time. He is an absolute gem who went above and beyond ! Would recommend this amazing tour guide and company with friends and family!

Our journey started with a visit to Xunantunich, Jose was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable and amusing. Getting there was part of the fun—we crossed the Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry before a short drive up to the site. The ruins are breathtaking, with El Castillo being the highlight. Climbing to the top rewarded us with stunning panoramic views of Belize and even parts of Guatemala. The intricate carvings and history shared by our guide made the experience even richer. It’s a fascinating place, full of mystery and beauty. Cave Tubing – A Relaxing Adventure After exploring the ruins, we headed to Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve for cave tubing. The hike to the river was scenic and easy, Jose was pointing out local flora and fauna along the way. Floating down the river through the cave system was absolutely magical. The limestone formations, underground waterfalls, and ancient Maya artifacts within the caves added a sense of wonder. We were able to climb the caves and see the clay pots set there by the Mayans centuries ago.The water was refreshing, and the gentle current made for a peaceful yet exciting experience. Jose was always ensuring our safety during our excursions. Highly recommended!

We had a great time with Jose!!! We did Xunantunich in the morning and cave tubing in the afternoon. We were so lucky to have the morning tour with Jose privately, and had the tubing with some other lovely people. Jose was very knowledgeable, he explained the trees, the archaeological site in great details, and took lots of pictures of us. We were the second car arriving Xunantunich, so there was no other tourists there. We had great photos, enjoyed the site by ourselves, and we finished the morning tour when heat came up. The afternoon tour was even more impressive. Jose was taking care of everyone. We were lucky that we didn’t have to carry the tube for 30mins hiking. The cave was so beautiful, we saw many fragments of Mayan pottery. Both of us enjoyed the tour very much! And highly recommend Jose and the tour company!!

Thank you so much to Jose and St. Leonard's for this memorable day in the stunning Jaguar Paw cave system. Like all the guides we've met in Belize, Jose was a consummate professional who kept everyone involved, safe and happy for hours on end. There are many other companies operating at the site but I was happy to be in a small group and that our tubes were already staged at the cave. Lunch was delish too. I appreciated Jose's dedication to our safety and that he kept my rambunctious 11 year old entertained, confident and comfortable. I noticed that as Jose fielded our questions he catered to our interests. We can't wait to come back and I'll definitely recommend this specific tour, company and Jose as a guide. Can't thank you enough.

Jose was my tour guide and one of the best guides I've ever had. This tour started the day at Xunantunich pyramids and Jose had an abundance of knowledge of the structures, the time period when they were built, the people during that time and the flora surrounding the site. After a comprehensive tour of the site we traveled to the Cave tubing area which is a bit over an hour away. After lunch we got our tube, life vest, helmet w/ headlight and went for a short hike. We then started with the cave tubing where after about 20 mins of tubing Jose took me into 3 different chambers of the cave to show me various pottery from the ancient Mayans and other natural artifacts within the caves. After hiking around the back chambers of the cave for what seemed to be at least an hour we got back onto our tubes for another 30-45 mins of tubing which ended the day of adventures. Jose is a top notch guide and recommend him if you go. One thing I'd suggest is to use a waterproof GoPro for tubing and the cave hiking as my phone with a waterproof case was a pain to manage as we were swimming and hiking in the back chambers of the cave. It would have been much easier to attach a GoPro to the brim of my hat and just record everything my headlamp illuminated.

Great time with Carla and Marc! They were extremely personable and gave us a ton of history and background on Belize. The ruins were so cool to see and you can even climb to the top to see into Guatemala. The steps are very steep though, just a heads up. Lunch was super yummy and even came with a complimentary beer! The cave tour was super unique and fun to do, and you even get to explore inside a bit as well as Carla guided us along the way. Even though it practically down poured rain on us most of the day, we still had a great time! Would definitely recommend this tour!

We were lucky enough to have Jose all to ourselves, he took us farther into the cave than any other group and had us laughing and exploring for hours. This tour is a must! Jose was very knowledgeable about the ruins and the cave, it was an incredible learning experience and he made sure we were comfortable at all times. Amazing tour, incredible guide, do not miss this! Thank you to our friend Jose!

Great experience! I probably would have given all five stars, but the ferry was broken to get to the ruins so we only did the cave tubing. But our guide, Jose made the cave tour fantastic with his knowledge and taking the time to explain the plants, birds, and history. Rain or shine it was great. If you don’t have a waterproof case for your phone/camera buy/rent one as you will wish you had it.

We had a great time with José. He was very educated on the caves, Maya history, and the local flora and fauna. I had not imagined that visiting Xunantunich could be so fun, but José had all the jokes and really tailored our experience to us. The site itself was quite amazing and our appreciation for it was deepened with all of Jose’s explanations. There, we also heard howler monkeys and saw spider monkeys, iguanas, birds, bats, and tarantulas. He taught me how to lure the tarantulas out of their burrows, which was super cool. He also taught us a lot about the native plants we saw there in a fun and exciting way. On the way to the caves, we saw an animal that I had never even heard of before, fish, a small crocodile, and more bats. The Nohoch Che’en caves were also amazing, especially with José as our guide. Instead of simply floating down the river, we also got out of the inner tubes to swim and explore. We saw many stalagmites and stalactites of course, as well as other cool cave formations, including one part that could be played like a xylophone. We were also lucky to see ancient Maya pottery and shadowy warnings to those who dared to venture inside. José showed us many things about the caves from the perspective of the ancient Maya and their beliefs, which really added to the experience. The cave swimming, scrambling, and jumping felt like a fun adventure for me, and José was very patient, caring, and helpful to my friend who realized it was outside of her comfort zone. I feel as though we got to experience so much more of the caves than the other tour groups there. We also got to see additional wildlife inside the caves, like fish, a crab, and a weird-looking blind grasshopper. Finally, we got back on the inner tubes for a while and then emerged from the caves, continuing to float down the river in beautiful scenery. It was the very definition of tranquility. I felt so contented and relaxed afterward, like a kid after spending a fun day swimming at the pool. I definitely recommend this excursion!

A must book tour. We have done 3 tours and this was by far our favorite. Jose was very informative and a blast to be around. Pick up was on time. The tour of the ruins was amazing and provided lunch was filling and tasty. The cave tubing was so cool interesting and beautiful.

Jose was excellent. He was friendly, intelligent and out going. He had an answer for everything we asked. He ciuld tell us about the history of Belize, the towns, the Myans, plants, animals, geopraphy, everything. He knows the cave system inside and out I think. He worked hard to provide us with everything we were looking for. It really was a great day!

Our tour with St. Leonard’s was hands down one of the best experiences we had in Belize! Carla is the BEST tour guide EVER—knowledgeable, engaging, humorous, and so much fun! My husband and I had an absolute blast exploring Xunantunich and learning about Mayan history and culture. Carla brought the ruins to life with her incredible storytelling and passion. The cave tubing was absolutely unreal! Carla made sure we felt safe while also offering adventure and challenges for those who wanted them. It was the perfect balance of thrill and chill. If you’re considering this tour, don’t hesitate—book it! St. Leonard’s creates a truly intimate and personalized experience, ensuring everyone has an amazing time. When my husband and I return to San Ignacio, we will definitely be booking with them again!

The rain didn't slow us down during our tour! Elio was a great tour guide and gave us lots of interesting information while touring Xunantunich. Then as we got into the caves we were blown away. We left the tubes behind and explored some amazing areas deep within the caves. Definitely something the whole family will remember for a long time!

Jose was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. The ruins were interesting, lunch was delicious, and the cave was beautiful. Highly recommend.

Elio, our guide, was prompt in picking us up from the hotel. He was very energetic throughout the day, which I know can be exhausting on long day tours! We had to walk up to the ruins due to high waters on the ferry, but Elio made it educational and we got to try different plants along the way. It was an amazing and memorable day, made even better by an amazing guide!

100% must do. We stayed at Cha Creek where Elio, our guide picked us up. The tours were beyond fantastic. He is so engaging and knowledgeable. We spent all day with him and were fascinated by all he had to share. He took pics of our groups and stopped to educate us on various flora and fauna in the area. He knew a lot of info about the Maya people and their belief system. He spotted monkeys in the trees, took us to a fun restaurant, and then we went cave exploring (and cave jumping) on the tubing tour. Just so freaking cool. Loved every minute.

Elio with St. Leonard's Tour was fantastic. He was so knowledgeable, professional, fun, and informative. He imparted really interesting historical information while keeping things moving and upbeat. The cave tubing with his extra excursion WAS AMAZING. I thought just tubing through the caves would be fun enough, but Elio took us off-path and it was even more interesting, fun and literally made our whole Belize trip. Would highly recommend Elio and St. Leonards.

What an amazing day. Elio was our guide and made it so interesting. Between seeing Mayan ruins and cave tubing, he added so much knowledge and variety for our group of 6. We saw monkeys, went tarantula “fishing”, jumping off a rock into a cenote. This is a great trip for all family members.