Booking choice: The MayaWalk ATM cave tour, from $145 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
The cave tubing day runs at Nohoch Che'en, the Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve, where you walk through the jungle with a tube, then float and swim through a series of river caves. The ATM cave is a different place entirely, deeper in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve.
If you can swim and like a challenge, the ATM cave is the one people call the highlight of Belize. If you cannot, or you are traveling with young children, cave tubing is the better day.
The quick answer
Choose the ATM cave ($145) for Maya remains and a real adventure: you must swim, scramble for about three hours, be at least 40 inches tall, and leave cameras behind. Choose cave tubing ($100) for a gentler float through river caves with photos allowed, suitable for most ages. Many people do both, on separate days.
How do ATM cave and cave tubing compare?
The ATM cave is harder, pricier and archaeological; cave tubing is gentler, cheaper and scenic.
| ATM cave | Cave tubing | |
|---|---|---|
| From (per person) | $145 | $100 |
| Where | Actun Tunichil Muknal, Tapir Mountain | Nohoch Che'en, Caves Branch |
| Length | 7.5 to 9 hours | 7 hours |
| Swimming | Required | Not required; life vest provided |
| Effort | Hike, swim, 3 hours of scrambling | Jungle walk carrying a tube, then floating |
| Maya remains | Pots and 14 sets of remains in place | Guests mention some artifacts |
| Photos | Banned inside | Allowed |
| Rating | 5.0 (1,502) | 4.9 (50) |
Want the adventure? The ATM cave day includes gear, a licensed guide and lunch.
Check dates for the MayaWalk ATM cave tourWhat is cave tubing like?
A walk through the jungle carrying your tube, then a float on the river through a series of caves, with stops to swim and explore.
Guests report going through up to five caves, with the guide turning off the lights in some for full effect. One guest described the jungle walk as a flat trek of about a mile, and said most people paid BZD $5 for a porter to carry their tube. The day includes pickup in San Ignacio town, a local guide, tube and life vest, and lunch, with a zip line option.
Prefer to float? Cave tubing includes pickup, a life vest and lunch.
Check dates for the cave tubing dayWhat makes the ATM cave different?
The archaeology: Maya ceramics and human remains lie where they were left, including the calcified Crystal Maiden.
It is also more physical: a swim into the cave, wading and climbing for about three hours, and the last stretch in socks. See the Crystal Maiden and what you see inside.
Which is easier?
Cave tubing, by a wide margin: no required swim, no squeezes, and most of the time you are sitting in a tube.
Guests call cave tubing a slight workout, mostly from carrying the tube. Exploring on foot inside the caves can include some climbing and swimming. The ATM cave, by contrast, asks for moderate fitness and a comfort with tight dark spaces.
Which is better with kids?
Cave tubing: children must be at least 40 inches tall and with an adult, and guests report doing it with a 4-year-old and a grandfather in his 70s.
The ATM cave also has a 40-inch minimum height, but children must be able to swim and cope with three hours of scrambling; operators suggest 7 to 10 and up. See how hard the ATM cave is.
Traveling with little ones? Cave tubing has a 40-inch minimum and a gentle pace.
Explore the cave tubing dayCan you take photos?
On the tubing day, yes; in the ATM cave, no, since cameras and phones were banned in 2012.
Bring a waterproof case or pouch for tubing. For the ATM cave, your memories and the guide's stories are what you take home; many guests say that made the day better.
Can you do both?
Yes, on separate days: both are full days from San Ignacio.
With two or three nights in San Ignacio you can do the ATM cave on one day and cave tubing on another. Put the ATM cave early in your stay so there is a spare day if heavy rain closes it; one tubing guest reports still going in the rain.
Doing both? Book the ATM cave first, so a rain day leaves time for a second try.
Check dates for the MayaWalk ATM cave tourWhich should you choose?
Match the cave to your group.
- Strong swimmers who want the real thing: the ATM cave.
- Non-swimmers or nervous in tight spaces: cave tubing.
- Young children: cave tubing.
- Want photos to take home: cave tubing.
- History and archaeology fans: the ATM cave, perhaps with Xunantunich on the same day.
Picked the ATM cave? The most reviewed tour ends with a picnic lunch.
Explore the MayaWalk ATM cave tourFrequently asked questions
Is cave tubing the same as the ATM cave?
No. Cave tubing runs at Nohoch Che'en in the Caves Branch reserve; the ATM cave is a separate site in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. As one tubing guest put it, these are not the ATM caves.
Do you need to swim for cave tubing?
The listing does not require it: you wear a life vest and float in a tube. Guests mention stops to swim along the way.
Which is cheaper?
Cave tubing, from $100 per person, against $145 for the ATM cave from San Ignacio.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
ATM Cave Tour and Picnic from San Ignacio
- Specially licensed ATM cave guide
- Transport from the MayaWalk office, 19 Burns Avenue, San Ignacio
- Helmet, headlamp and life jacket
Cave Tubing & Swim Adventure from San Ignacio
- Local guide, river tube and life vest
- Hotel pickup within San Ignacio town
- Lunch, snack, water and punch
ATM Cave & Nature Hike with Local Lunch
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within San Ignacio town
- Licensed local guide and all caving equipment
- Park entrance fee
