Cayo District
The Cayo District is located in Western Belize and is the heart of the rainforest system. In sync with Mother Nature’s ways; it is an open-air wonderland that spread across 2,000 square miles of verdant landscape, rolling green hills, lush valleys, dense forests and rivers.
This frontier-like region, approximately one and a half hours west of Belize City, is the most fertile district in the country. It extends south to the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve into the Chiquibul wilderness and Maya Mountains, and west to the border with Guatemala. As the sensational gamut of topography unfolds, the opportunities for adventure lie open and waiting. Make captivating Cayo an essential destination in your itinerary. Explore a panoramic metropolis laden with ancient Maya ruins, sparkling rivers, limestone caves and shimmering waterfalls.
History & Culture
Thousands of years ago, Maya Indians settled the Belize River Valley, building cities and ceremonial centers, today Cayo is the largest governmental district in Belize with sizeable areas devoted to citrus and cattle farming. It is home to a population of Mestizos (Spanish Maya), Chinese, Creoles, Lebanese, Guatemalans, Mennonites and Mayas. Widely spoken languages in Cayo are English and Spanish.
The biggest town in Cayo is San Ignacio Town known for its Hawkesworth Bridge, a one-lane suspension bridge patterned after New York’s Brooklyn Bridge and spanning the Macal River. Only nine miles from Guatemala, cradled in a picturesque valley between the Macal and Mopan rivers, frontier-like San Ignacio is the pulse of the western region.
Natural Attractions
Visitors have a great assortment of resorts to choose from in Cayo, Belize, with more than 50 available. Jungle resorts and upscale accommodations near San Ignacio town provide refined back-to-nature lodgings, while about 15 smaller properties in town and the surrounding area offer comfortable budget options. Furthermore, the Cayo area is one of Belize’s most renowned regions for hard adventure tours and activities. It also serves as a springboard by road into Guatemala and a convenient base for visiting the great Mayan archaeological site of Tikal.
Tours & Activities
Embark on an exciting adventure to Belize’s greatest Maya site plus Rio Frio Cave and the stunning Big Rock Falls.
Your journey will begin in San Ignacio Town aboard a comfortable AC vehicle, followed by a scenic two-hour ride on a dirt road to Caracol. Your guide will share fascinating insights about this ancient Maya city, famous for defeating Tikal in its prime. At Caracol, you’ll climb majestic pyramids, encounter wildlife, and discover treasures like stelas, altars, and much more.
Rio Frio Cave
After exploring Caracol, you’ll take a lunch break before heading back along the Mountain Pine Ridge road. About 45 minutes into the return trip, you’ll detour for a brief drive to the Rio Frio Cave Site. Here, you’ll be awed by the cave’s enormous opening and intriguing interior, which you can freely explore. The two massive 65-foot entryways provide easy access and natural lighting, while a stream running through the cave forms serene pools and waterfalls. It only takes about 30 mins to see the cave entirely after which, you’ll hike back to the parking lot. From there, your adventure continues to the next stop.
Big Rock Falls
Big Rock Falls is a stunning 150-foot waterfall on Privassion River, in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of Cayo, Belize. You will walk along slippery rocks to the falls where you can also climb high boulders and jump into deep pools below.
Note:* You must be in relatively good physical condition to do this tour. The Rio On Pools is also offered as an alternative.
Includes:
- Free hotel pick-up (within San Ignacio town limits only. Extra charge for other locations.)
- Transportation by AC minivan or SUV
- Professional licenses guide/driver
- Light refreshments, packed lunches & towels
- Bug spray, sunscreen, hiking shoes or sandals
- Change of clothes & camera
$165 Per person. 2 People minimum
$135 Per person. 3 to 6 People
This is an exciting adventure combo featuring the great Xunantunich Maya Site with river kayaking. To start things off, you will be taken by vehicle from San Ignacio and over the Mopan River using a hand-cranked ferry. From the other side of the river, it’s a mile uphill to the site.
Xunantunich, means “maiden of the rock” in Maya. This site takes you back to the time of a once great and flourishing civilization. View stelaes, a ball court, elite residential palaces, a sacred altar for blood-letting rituals, and a ceremonial courtyard. Furthermore, climb to the top of El Castillo which is 130 ft and enjoy a panoramic view of the picturesque landscape below.
Next, after learning about the magnificent Maya history, it’s time for the adrenalin rush-gliding down the rapids of the Mopan River on your sit-on-top kayaks. The challenge is to stay on top of the kayak as you ride down the river. You will also, enjoy the beautiful flora and fauna and see wildlife including birds, iguanas and bats.
For those not up to the river rapids challenge, Xunantunich can also be combined with light kayaking or river tubing.
Includes:
- Transportation & equipment
- Entrance fee & tour guide
- Water, snacks, & lunch
- Complete change of clothes
- Comfortable water shoes & clothes for both activities
$125 per person. 2 People minimum
This trip begins from San Ignacio Town in Cayo, Belize with a comfortable ride to the Jaguar Paw Cave Tubing outpost. After a 5-minute walk to the gear station, guides provide a safety briefing and fit you with helmets, harnesses, and gloves. A short jungle hike leads to the first platform, where you’ll enjoy six ziplines spanning 40 to 300 feet. You will enjoy soaring over the river and jungle, with the entire course taking 30 to 45 minutes, depending on group size.
Cave Tubing
The Cave Tubing site is at the same place as the zip line. After the zip line adventure, you’ll walk back to the gear station. At the tubing area, after changing into your swimwear and water shoes your guide will assist you in gearing up with a tube & helmet with headlamps.
Next, embark on a 45 minutes’ hike along the clear turquoise Caves Branch River. At the designated starting point, your guide will brief you on the proper safety techniques for boarding & floating on your tube. From here, you will start your float through a series of cavers that periodically open up to the sunshine & jungle. Continue floating through caves with scenic openings along the way. The float will end at the first river crossing where it began.
Lunch break can be between the two tours or at the end of the cave tubing float.
Includes:
- Transportation, & equipment
- Entrance fees & tour guide
- Lunches w/beverages & snacks
- Water Shoes (no flip-flops or open toe sandals)
- lightweight Shorts, lightweight shirt, change of clothes
- Sunscreen, insect repellant, water, waterproof camera/phone
$150 Per person. 2 People minimum
$135 Per person. 3 to 6 People
Visit the renowned Tikal Maya Site from Cayo, Belize. Tikal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also the largest archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Moreover, this magnificent metropolis is easily accessible with just a short drive from Belize’s western border with Guatemala.
Tikal boasts an impressive array of ceremonial temples, in addition, more than 3,000 structures have been excavated by archaeologists so far. You can climb the steep staircase of the 144-foot (44-meter) Temple of the Grand Jaguar, built to honor a Mayan king. Additionally, the twin pyramids and altars of complexes Q and R await your exploration. You will marvel at the Temple of the Masks, once adorned with intricate ceremonial mask carvings and much more.
Tour itinerary
This tour leaves daily from downtown San Ignacio or you cab be picked up at your hotel in San Ignacio Town. Out-of-town hotel pickup is available for an additional fee. Limited seating is available on each trip.
Includes:
- Transfers from San Ignacio to/from Tikal Park. Departure around 7:00 am. Roughly 2 hours each way
- Immigration processing at the Belize border. (Don’t forget your passport)
- Your Guatemalan concierge will meet you as you exit Belize immigration processing
- You will be assisted in all border crossing procedures to enter Guatemala safely and hassle-free
- Guided Tour, and Lunch provided by Tikal Go, the premier Tikal tour provider
- Upon return, your Gold Standard Belize Ground Shuttle driver will pick you up at the border by 4:30 pm
What to bring?
- $20 for border Exit Fees (Not included in price)
- Valid passport
- Bug spray, sunscreen & camera/phone
- Water in preferable reusable water bottle & snacks
$125 USD per person. 2 to 3 people
$110 USD per person. 4 + people
The Belize Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave offers an opportunity to see ancient Maya ceremonial sites and altars as they were virtually untouched for thousands of years. This is the most impressive Maya ceremonial cave found in Belize thus far. Inside you will see evidence of the rare bloodletting altars used in sacrifices by Maya royalty. Skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware have been found here. The cave’s primary highlight is best known as “The Crystal Maiden”, an intact skeleton of a teenage girl, whose bones have been calcified over time with a sparkling crystallized appearance.
You need to be in good physical shape and able to swim to participate in this tour. It involves hiking through the lush Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, followed by a swim to the cave’s mouth and wading through waters ranging from ankle to chest height. Once inside, you must remove your shoes, though wearing socks is allowed to protect the artifacts on the cave floor. Photography is prohibited inside the cave unless you have obtained special permits.
Includes:
- Transportation from San Ignacio
- Equipment, entrance fee
- Water, snacks & lunch
- Towel & change of clothes for after the tour
- Water shoes or well-threaded sneakers & pair of socks
$140 Per person. 2 People minimum
$40 extra to pickup in Cayo outside of San Ignacio
The mystical Barton Creek Cave is one of the many wonders in Cayo, Belize. Located about 24 kilometers from San Ignacio, it’s roughly a one-hour drive. This tour is accessible to everyone, requiring only gentle paddling in two-person canoes across the cave’s still waters.
Highlights
Barton Creek Cave once served the ancient Maya for burial and ceremonial purposes. Part of a vast riverine system, it is one of Belize’s longest subterranean sites. As you paddle through the cool jade-colored waters, headlamps will illuminate the intricate stalactites and stalagmites lining the limestone walls.
Inside, you’ll encounter rock flows and cathedral-like chambers while observing Maya pottery fragments and the bone remains of over 28 humans dating back to 200 CE. This tour offers a unique glimpse into the ancient Maya underworld—without the need to swim or float on tubes!
Includes: Tour guide, entrance fees, equipment & water
What to bring? Comfortable clothes. water shoes or sandals, waterproof camera & mosquito repellent
$100 Per person. 2 People minimum
Add Xunantunich or Cahal Pech Maya pyramid for only $25 more