A.T.M Cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) from Caye caulker

8 hours

Challenging

Come and explore this 1 of a kind Cave, this is one of the most sacred cave system in the world and contains many ancient artifacts left behind by the Mayan tribe!!!

 Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre) dubbed by National
Geography as the top sacred cave to explore in the world; should be on your
bucket list! Your journey starts from the island (Caye Caulker) by sea on San
Pedro Belize Express water ferry or by air on Maya Island Air; the choice is
yours. Our guides will meet you upon mainland arrival in Belize City. From here, it’s a 90-minute drive in
air-conditioned comfort until your arrival at the ranger outpost. Here, our
guides will provide you with a helmet, headlamp, and life jacket if needed.
When geared up, it’s now time to hike, wade and swim the sacrificial Mayan
underworld of the ATM. There’s 3 river crossing and a 30-minute hike, which
will bring you to an hourglass entrance. From here, the cave system spans
approximately 3 miles with stalactites, stalagmites, jarring boulders and fresh
water streams from ankle to waist deep.  

After an hour of spelunking, you’ll arrive at the ceremonial area, and squeeze
through an orifice which opens up into a large football field cavern. Here
you’ll remove your shoes. Walking bare feet, deeper into the underground
surrender will unearth untainted Mayan history dating back 1-1000 AD. Pottery,
ranging from intact to completely shattered; tools, ceremonial items, and the
skeletal remains of 14 bodies on display, from finger bones to skulls, among
other skeletal remains, fused to the bare ground within a few feet steps.  

The cavern ends with the main chamber where the calcified to sparkling crystalized remains of
the “Crystal Maiden” lays, believed to be the skeleton frame of a young woman
who was sacrificed in a bloodletting ceremony to the “gods”. It is here you’ll
turn around and retrace your steps to the cave’s entrance with only one
question in mind: How do they allow you to do this?   

What's included?
    Exclusions
      Please note
        • Note: You don't have to be extremely fit, but you should be
          able to easily hike, swim and climb. Wear comfortable lightweight clothing and
          shoes, or bring a pair of closed toe water shoes. Sneakers can get heavy during
          the hike after getting wet. It’s good to have a pair of socks with you for the
          portion of the tour that is done bare feet as alluded to above.  
        • Keep your socks dry by placing them on
          the inside of your helmet. All personal items must be left in the tour van at
          the parking lot: extra dry clothes for after the tour, small towel, tip money
          for the tour guides, and cameras. A few years ago, tourists dropped their
          cameras on one of the Mayan skulls and broke it. Due to this incident, cameras
          or cell phones are banned from the cave. 
        • A small bottle of water or Gatorade and a
          light snack such as a granola bar to grub on before entering the cave. We do
          provide lunch and a drink; however, if you think you’ll need it, a little extra
          water and grub would go a long way. 

        What to bring
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