ACTUN TUNICHIL MUKNAL

“Cave of the stone sepulcher”

Travel back in time and follow pathways used by the Maya and discover lost worlds that have been hidden deep within the jungle for centuries. Take a tour with us as we unveil the mysteries and secrets of the Maya underworld.

Witness spectacular visions of the jungle, Maya Mountains, and wildlife, while trekking across rivers and remote jungle trails. We will take you back over 2,000 years in history as you learn about the Maya and witness first hand how the Ancient Mayas used these amazing caverns.

See Burial chambers with calcified remains, ceremonial vessels and more. Observe numerous cultural artifacts that were once used by the Maya centuries ago. Artifacts are often looted from caves following their discovery. Because of this, passage through this cave remains known to only to a select few guides who have permission from the Belize Department of Archeology to take visitors into this special cave. To this day the cave has not been looted and nearly all of the cultural artifacts have remained in place as they were originally found in 1989.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Our specialty! Recent press coverage can be found in the National Geographic Adventurer and the New York Times. We will lead you through the lush subtropical forest of the Tapir Mountain National Park to the crystal blue waters surrounding the entrance of this remarkable limestone cave. Through its passages we will encounter centuries old sparkling stalactites and stalagmites and discover hidden chambers full of Maya artifacts and remains that reveal the rituals and ceremonies of a lost world.

We start our day at 7:00am. First we have a 2.5 hour drive to reach Teakettle Village on the Western Highway in the Cayo District. There will be plenty of scenery along the way, so sit back and enjoy the drive in air conditioned comfort. Upon arrival in Teakettle Village, we will switch to a 4-wheel drive vehicle, which will transport us to the Tapir Mountain National Park.
At the bush line, we will leave our vehicle and gear up for a 45-minute jungle hike through the subtropical rainforest in the National Park. Hiking through the reserve (6,741 acres), you may see some of Belize's amazing wildlife, as this area is home to the Tapir, Jaguar, Howler Monkey, Silky Anteater, White Tail Deer and many more.

We arrive at a base camp that is used by the BVAR Archeology group. A hearty, healthy lunch is followed by an introduction to the cave and the Maya. After gearing up with professional cave helmets, lights and waterproof bags, we venture into the cave to explore the underworld of the Maya. Duration of cave tour is approximately 4 hours.

At the entrance to the cave, we will have a short swim through crystal clear cave water, into passages filled with cave formations. While passing through, we will learn about cave geology, explaining the existence of the numerous stalactites and stalagmites. We continue to follow the flowstone that leads into a hidden dry chamber. Here, our guide will begin an informative description of the Maya rituals and ceremonies, while exploring the remnants they left behind, and the evidence of their activities. Our headlights will reveal hundreds of ancient Maya artifacts that were used in various ceremonies. From here, we make our way out of the main chamber and through the passage way to the cave entrance. We will return to Placencia arriving at around 6:00pm, just in time for dinner.