Xunantunich
General Info
Name means “Stone Woman”
AD 600-750 & AD 780-890
70 miles west of Belize City, in the Cayo District. The site occupies about one square mile (2.6 km²), consisting of a series of six plazas surrounded by more than 26 temples and palaces.
The Tour
Duration: 6 hours (includes lunch)
Belize was once home to more than 2 million Mayas with a legacy known for sacred temples, pyramids, palaces, advanced science, agriculture, and mathematics. Multiple sites exist today to educate and share that knowledge with future generations. We offer various tours to some of the largest sites and our guides have boundless information to share with you about the rich history of the Mayan people. Xunantunich is one of the best of these well preserved sites. The name Xunantunich derives from the Yucatec Maya language and means “stone woman.” Ride across the beautiful Mopan River on one of the country’s last of the two hand cranked ferries. Across the river, visit the ruins at Xunantunich, which are some of the most visited Mayan sites in the world. The tallest of the ruins, El Castillo, stands at approximately 130 feet high and is the second tallest Mayan ruin in Belize, offering panoramic views of San Ignacio and nearby towns in Guatemala.
In July 2016, an Archaeologist who continues to work at Xunantunich came across an ancient tomb containing the skeletal remains of what is believed to have been a Mayan leader. The very young man aged in his 20’s or 30’s was laid to rest with numerous high valued items. This new discovery shows the ruins to be one of the largest burial sites in the area and adds historical value.
Tour length is six hours, including a lunch stop at a local Cayo district restaurant for some delicious authentic Belizean food.
Pick up locations:
- Airport
- Cruise Port
- Hotels within Belize City
Tour Fees
- Adult – $110.00 per person
- Children 3 to 12 y.o. – $75.00 per child
- Children Under 3 – Free
- Private Tour – $125.00 per person (minimum of 4 people)
- Contact us for special group rates of 5 or more
* All prices listed are in U.S. Currency
Fees above include:
- Water
- Lunch
- Entrance fee
- Transportation to and from
- Tour guide
What to bring
- Comfortable Hiking Shoes
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito Repellant
- Sun hat/visor
- Water bottle or canteen (water is provided)
- Camera
Images of Xunantunich
“Xunantunich was stunning! I learned so much about the Mayan culture while visiting this site with my family and Jeevan as our guide.”
~ Carol, St. Paul MN
Tour Tip
All sites have vendors located on-site or nearby. We recommend if you are interested in purchasing any souvenirs, bring plenty of cash as there are few ATMs or banks nearby and vendors do not accept debit or credit cards.