Tours/San Ignacio/Xunantunich Maya Temple and Big Rock Falls combo
Viator · group up to 45 pax

Xunantunich Maya Temple and Big Rock Falls combo

4.9(14)San Ignacio1 hour
VIATOR5.0(3)TRIPADVISOR4.8(11)

Description

Small groups for a personalized experience. Convenient pick up and drop off at your hotel within 20km of San Ignacio town. Sit down lunch This combination tour consists of a morning tour of Xunantunich Maya Temple which is located 20 minutes driving distance from San Ignacio Town in the Maya Village of San Jose Succotz. To get to the site one must cross the Mopan River by a hand cranked ferry, which then gives us access to the one mile ascent into one of Belize’s most popular sites. Here you will enjoy sightings of pristine jungle surroundings, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, birds and iguanas. After lunch we head to Big Rock Water Falls located in the Mt. Pine Ridge Forest Reserve for swimming and site seeing. This combo tour begins at 8:30am and concludes around 3:30pm

Tour Options

Xunantunich Maya Temple and Big Rock Falls combo
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

Admission included180 min

Hotel pickups will begin at 7:30am. Free hotel pickup for hotels located within town limits (5km radius). Additional charges may apply for pickups at hotels that are out of town. Tours leaves San Ignacio Town at 8:30am.  This combination tour includes a visit to Xunantunich Maya Temple and a swimming/site seeing at Big Rock Falls. Our knowledgeable and friendly Belizean driver/guide will drive you to the beautiful village of San Jose Succotz. Here you will cross the Mopan River on a hand cranked ferry.  Xunantunich boasts Belize’s second largest Maya structures named El Castillo (the castle) standing 130 feet and offering an astonishing panoramic view of the Maya Mountains. Here you will find yourself immersed in pristine jungle surroundings, home of howler monkeys, spider monkeys, birds and iguanas. While exploring along with your guide, you will learn about the history of this site and the Maya civilization that once inhabited it.

45 min

A scenic drive into the Mt. Pine Ridge Forest Reserve will lead you through a few Maya Villages, subsistence farms, pine forests, streams, natural cascading rapids. After lunch, there is a a forty-five minute scenic drive to the breathtaking Big Rock Waterfalls in the Mt. Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This combination tour is slow paced, educational, and fun for all ages.

180 min

After lunch, there is a a forty-five minute scenic drive to the breathtaking Big Rock Waterfalls in the Mt. Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This combination tour is slow paced, educational, and fun for all ages.  Things to bring along: Cool, Comfortable Clothing, Hiking / Tennis Shoes, Camera, Bug Spray, Sun Block Lotion, Swimwear. Inclusive of: Transportation, park fees, equipment, professional guide, purified water, sodas and lunch

Highlights

Equipment
Professional guide
Bottled water
Lunch
Transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)

What's included

Included
Equipment
Professional guide
Bottled water
Lunch
Transportation
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
Not included
Gratuities

Pickup Locations & Times

We provide complimentary pickup at place of accommodation within a 10km radius. Pickup at places located further away may be pre-arranged at a surcharge or a central meeting location can also be pre-arranged.

Traveller Ratings

4.9
14 reviews
5
12
4
2
3
0
2
0
1
0

Important Information

  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • A minimum of 2 (two) people per booking is required
  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or the option to do a different tour (surcharges may apply)

Reviews(14)

D
D1635XBamandam
April 30, 2026
Fun day of culture and swimming

Burn was such an amazing, detailed, laid back guide. The Xunantunich and Big Rock combo was so much fun! Just the right amount of hiking, swimming, sunshine and history.

Operator response

Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re really glad you had such a fun and balanced day exploring Xunantunich and cooling off at Big Rock Falls. Burn will be happy to hear your shoutout—he truly loves sharing the history and making the experience relaxed and enjoyable. It’s great to know the mix of adventure, culture, and sunshine hit the mark for you. We’d love to have you back for another Belize adventure soon!

S
S4325USlenap
July 15, 2025
Be careful!

We had a great day at the Mayan site… truly surreal walking into history. We then went to Big Rock Falls. It was a perfect activity to do on a very hot day. The water was perfect and refreshing. The waterfalls were beautiful. Just a heads up, there are no lifeguards, so it is swim at your own risk. Also, the rocks are very slippery. There was a smaller rock that was perfect for jumping. Also, there was a very tall cliff that some people were jumping. It was very dangerous to climb up the cliff walls while your feet are wet. I did it… the jump was great … But I wouldn’t recommend it. It was extremely dangerous and I slipped twice… because the rocks were slippery and steep. it would’ve been very hard to Get help if god forbid, I got hurt. Afterwards I heard that people do get seriously hurt there. Also, I would recommend asking your tour guide for Lifejackets if there are any weak swimmers in your group. We didn’t think to ask beforehand…

Operator response

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring Xunantunich and cooling off at the beautiful Big Rock Falls—both are truly special places, and it’s wonderful that you were able to experience the history and natural beauty in one day. We also sincerely appreciate you sharing helpful safety notes for future travelers. Big Rock Falls is an unmonitored natural site, and while it’s an amazing spot for swimming and enjoying the waterfalls, the rocks can indeed be very slippery. We are grateful that you pointed this out so other guests can be more mindful. We’re relieved that you are okay, and we fully agree—cliff jumping or climbing wet rock surfaces can be extremely dangerous and is never encouraged on our tours. Thank you as well for mentioning lifejackets. Our guides gladly provide them upon request for anyone who prefers additional support in the water, especially for weaker swimmers. We’ll continue to remind guests of this option to ensure everyone feels comfortable and safe. Your feedback is truly valuable to us, and we appreciate you choosing Cayo Inland Expeditions. We hope to have the pleasure of hosting you again on future adventures—always with safety and enjoyment in mind.

D
Diverchickrn
May 6, 2025
Xunantunich & Big Rock Falls

Had the best time with Pedro from Cayo Inland Expedition to Xunantunich and Big Rock Falls! Pedro was very informative and answered our questions and then some. He graciously took pictures of us and went with our flow so we can enjoy every minute. Great meal at Benny’s Kitchen in between! This was a great combo trip!

M
Mark_C
February 28, 2025
Great small group tour with Josh

Josh was knowledgeable, helpful, and good to talk with. Xunantunich was impressive though not a huge site. It was a fun trip, crossing the river, swimming at the falls, and a delicious lunch at a local restaurant too (try the Pibil). Just a few of us on the tour, so very personal service.

J
jessiem783
January 2, 2025
Great combo

The combo tour was perfect--first the temple with all the historic context. Our guide, Dimas, included facts and stories that made the place come alive. As birders, we especially appreciated his knowledge not only of the place but about its ecology. The Bog Rock swim hole was the perfect aftermath. There were lots of places to jump, slide and climb. The drive to and from provided additional opportunities to see this beautiful place.

R
Rohit_N
June 18, 2024
Great private tour with ONeil

We booked this trip and asked Cayo Inland if we can add a lunch at the Gaia Riverlodge. They accommodated our request at no additional cost as we were the only ones on the tour. Our tour guide O’Neil was fantastic! He took his time to bring to life the Mayan culture by involving our family in the storytelling which kept it interesting for the kids. He was patient when we took our time at the falls and helped the kids navigate the trail safely. I would highly recommend this tour particularly with ONeil!

J
Jennifer M
October 24, 2022
Nice Little Day Trip

We came during the off season (July) so it was just the two of us on the tour. We were picked up from our hotel in San Ignacio and driven to the ruins. Our Guide. Bemas (not sure on spelling) was awesome! This was our favorite tour of the trip purely because Bemas was so great. He was kind and welcoming. He also had extensive knowledge about the Mayans and the site. After the Mayan site we stopped at a local restaurant where we picked our lunch. I had the black soup which tasted exactly like chicken noodle soup. My boyfriend had a pork dish and said it was delicious. We then drove to the falls. It required bit of a hike down, there were some stairs, not too long of a walk but it was a bit of an exercise. Once there, Bemas gave us tips on how to swim closer to the waterfall. You are swimming against the current so be prepared. We had fun jumping off rocks and into the refreshing water. We were told we could stay as long as we wanted (probably since it was just the two of us) but once a large youth group showed up we decided it was time to leave. We still had a fun time swimming. Then we changed into dry clothes and were dropped off back at our hotel. It felt like a chill version of what we had already done, it's good for when you want something but not too much.

Operator response

Thank you for taking the time to post a review on your tour experience with us. It was a pleasure hosting you during your visit to San Ignacio Town. Our guides are all professionally trained, knowledgeable, friendly and always accommodating. We pride ourselves in providing custom-made experiences tailored to our guests' needs. We look forward to hosting you again in the future!

9
970shellyl
May 27, 2022
Knowledgeable guide, peaceful but yet fascinating scenery!

Didn't take the tour but was here with another tour guide. It's good information to hear about the ruins and the history known so far. It's a fantastic place for anyone who really is keen to see and learn more about the Mayan ruins. My son couldn't wait to run up to the top of the structures.

M
Michelle_W
May 11, 2022
Awesome experience

Our guide O’Niel was amazing and very knowledgeable. He brought everything to life. The falls were spectacular nestled away in the jungle. We had a fantastic time and are looking forward to our next tour

1 people found this helpful
J
jessicatL4382ML
March 26, 2022
This company has the best guides—HANDS DOWN!!!

On the surface, this company provides the same service as many others and I have been hard pressed to find a bad guide in our previous trips to Belize. That said, the guides in this company are the best we have ever come across and Dimas takes the Gold. His knowledge of the sites, gentle and attentive approach with kids and seemingly endless well of patience with our challenging group whose ages ranged from 7 to 80 years old was astounding. His willingness to slow down or speed up according to our needs left us with a completely customized experience. The seamlessness of pickups and drop-offs maximized our time seeing the wonders of Belize without any waiting around. At the site itself, my children were sometimes more interested in the surrounding flora and fauna—so after helping us climb the pyramids, he easily switched gears and sat with the kids at a tarantula den for nearly an hour. He sat and gently twirled a blade of grass at the entrance until this beautiful, black spider with brilliant bolts of blue popped out to investigate. Over and over. He gave each kid a try and never became impatient. As we walked, he would stop at an ant hill or at a line of leaf cutter ants and let the kids examine and help to teach the kids about their ecology. For my dad, an old farmer, he answered exhaustive questions about the economy and farming practices. He also took us on a side trip to Lamanai where another guide was the lead person, but it was always Dimas who lagged behind with the kids to let them explore at their own pace and help them find such hidden wonders as a coatimundi who was stealthily sneaking up a nearby tree or a howler monkey Jumping high above us. It’s impossible to quantify all the wonderful things that Dimas brought to the table. I will say this. We were traveling with a family group of rowdy children and aging grandparents—and not one moment of that trip was negative. Not once did we feel like a burden or a problem. We were allowed to explore at our pace, and because of it we experienced so many unexpected wonders and no one felt exhausted or rushed.

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