Private Altun Ha Maya Ruin & Cave Tubing Adventure From Belize City
What This Day Actually Looks Like
Two sites, one day, roughly five hours from pickup to drop-off. This private tour pairs the plazas of Altun Ha with the river caves at Jaguar Paw, and Jose Tours Belize runs it with an experienced guide plus an air-conditioned van. It’s a family-run operation, small enough that the schedule bends when the group wants it to.
Altun Ha once worked as a trading center for this stretch of Belize, and one of the country’s national treasures, the Jade Head, came out of its ground. You hike to the top of the tallest structures for a wide view over the site and the pristine jungle surrounding it. Then the day shifts underground: at Jaguar Paw you float into caves the Maya tied to Xibalba, the underworld of their death gods, past rock formations and artwork left on the walls.
Lunch is a real plate of food, not a snack bag. Rice and beans, stewed chicken, potato salad or coleslaw, with sodas and bottled water, served per person. All fees and taxes sit inside the price as well, so hardly anyone ends up digging for cash at the gate.
See Live Prices & DatesWhere You Go, Stop by Stop
1. Altun Ha Maya Ruin — 2 hours (admission included)
This is the first leg, and it sets the tone. Altun Ha was a trading center in this region, and it’s the site where the Jade Head, one of Belize’s national treasures, was found. The best photo opportunities come after the hike to the tops of the highest structures, the ones the Maya elite once occupied. From up there you get a panoramic view of the whole site and the untouched jungle beyond it. Sturdy shoes help on the climb; the stone steps are uneven in places.
2. Jaguar Paw Cave Tubing — 2 hours (admission included)
Second half of the day, and a complete change of scenery. The Maya believed these caves led to Xibalba, an underworld ruled by Maya death gods and their helpers in K’iche’ Maya mythology. On arrival you can take a dip in the river and look up at the rock faces and the cave mouth before you commit to the water. Then you tube downstream and into the caves themselves, where artwork and interesting rock formations line the route. Your guide stays with you the whole float.
Logistics Worth Knowing Before You Book
- Start time: tours usually leave at 9:00 AM CST. Ask for an earlier departure and the team will work around it.
- Pickup window: be ready 15 minutes before departure. Default meeting points are San Pedro Belize Express (for guests arriving from Caye Caulker and San Pedro) or Terminal 1 at the cruise ship dock.
- Hotel pickups: available anywhere in Belize City. Email the operator after booking with your hotel name and they’ll confirm the details.
- Island guests: travelers staying on San Pedro, Caye Caulker, St. George’s Caye or the other cayes need to come into Belize City to be collected.
- Norwegian Cruise Line: no pickups at Harvest Caye, since it’s a private island and most local operators can’t run tours there.
- Booking cutoff: reservations close 12 hours before the start time. Groups cap at 15 travelers, and at least one adult must be on the booking.
What’s Covered in the Price
Included
- Belizean lunch per person: rice and beans, stewed chicken, potato salad or coleslaw
- Sodas and bottled water
- All fees and taxes
- Air-conditioned vehicle for the full day
- Experienced guide (English or Spanish)
- Admission to Altun Ha and the Jaguar Paw cave tubing site
Not Included
- Boat transfer into Belize City for guests staying on San Pedro, Caye Caulker, St. George’s Caye and the other islands
- Pickup at Harvest Caye for Norwegian Cruise Line passengers, which the operator does not offer
Photos From the Tour
Heads up: reservations close 12 hours before the 9:00 AM start, and the van maxes out at 15 travelers. Confirmation is instant, and you can still cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before departure. Book the date first, then email your hotel or cruise terminal details and the pickup gets locked in.
Five Hours, Two Sites, One Private Van
Ruins in the morning, a river cave in the afternoon, lunch in between. Pick your date and the operator handles the rest.
Book This Tour From $170.00