Xunantunich horseback riding tour
Description
Experience a special combo of amazing horseback riding and Mayan ruins. Relax on your horse, away from the crowds while enjoying a ride on well-trained Appaloosa, Criollo and Quarter horses in the company of local professional guides. Ride at a gentle pace on ancient Maya land, open savannah, riverside & jungle trails where you may encounter exotic wildlife and enjoy the beautiful scenery along part of the Mopan River to the Majestic Xunantunich Maya site. Let this Maya site ignite your imagination of who built these impressive stone structures as you explore ancient pathways like the ancients of yesteryear. After an hour tour of the site, you will be more than happy for your ride back to St Leonard's Stable. (RECOMMENDED for persons with some outdoor riding experience) Horses & Maya site, the perfect tour of the countryside. please call for availability of groups of 11-12pp
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
pickup starts 7:30am IN TOWN. HOTELs/RESORTs OUTSIDE of San Ignacio town will have an Additional fees for pickup & drop off depending on its location out of town & pickup time OUT OF TOWN depends on distance out of town. rider's WEIGHT will be confirmed at our St Leonard's stable. NO PICKUPS available for hotels/resorts in BELIZE CITY, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Placencia. Guests are advised to spend an overnight in San Ignacio Town or use own transport or shuttle. TOUR NOT AVAILABLE to cruise ship passengers due to duration of tour and driving distance to & from cruise ship terminals THIS is a SHARED TOUR, tours can be 2-14ppl, (groups of 10-14ppl are rare but can happen during high season)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- min of 2 adults; MAX of 14 pax; WEIGHT LIMIT 245 lbs per rider
- ATTIRE recommended: Any long pants, comfortable closed toes footwear
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended (NO FLIP FLOPs)
- NB: SHARED group tours start with 730am pickups in town OR earlier if OUT of town
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Reviews(169)
The trip was great for the whole family! Jose and Carla were great with our kids who had never ridden a horse. Jose worked very hard to get our kids engaged with both the horse riding and the history. Our daughter was super scared at first, but they were patient and reassuring. Beautiful view from the top and super informative! Would not hesitate to recommend this trip to others. All of the staff for this trip were friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about their work. Thanks!
It was amazing! Our guide Jose explained everything about the maya culture and gave us an amazing experience! The horses are easy to ride, even for beginners and from the start to the end everything was well organised!
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We know that when you are planning a vacation, finding an adventure that is completely stress-free and well-organized from start to finish is a huge relief. At St. Leonard's Tours, our goal is to handle all the logistics so you can simply relax, unplug, and fully enjoy the adventure. We are so thrilled that you felt completely comfortable and confident in the saddle. Providing safe, beginner-friendly horseback riding here in the Cayo District is something we take great pride in, and our gentle horses are perfect for showing new riders the ropes. Exploring the jungle is always beautiful, but having a guide like Jose who is so passionate about bringing the rich history of the Maya culture and the Mayan ruins to life makes the experience so much more meaningful. Thank you for trusting us with your Belize vacation. We would be honored to welcome you back to San Ignacio for another amazing ride anytime!
As a family of four with two teenagers, St Leonard’s horseback ride was an excellent way to see Xunantunich. We had the knowledgeable Carla and her son Mark as our guides. The horses were amiable and in good shape due to the love they receive from Carla’s family who live on site with them. One of our fellow tourists was a competitive horseback rider who sought out this stable because of good reviews about the conditions for the horses. The 90 minute ride passed through beautiful fields and then along the river through trees. We saw a nesting Tucan peeking out of a tree as well as other birds. During the ride we chatted with Carla about her life growing up visiting the Xunantunich ruins since she was a young child. At the ruins, Carla had an engaging style of drawing attention to aspects of each location by asking tour members to imagine themselves taking a role in events from ancient history. This was very engaging for us and our teenagers who elected to stay listening to Carla instead of breaking off to wander nearby. At the end of the tour we enjoyed some coconuts from Carla’s trees and gave her a hug goodbye. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful reflection on your time with us. Reading this truly touches us! We are so incredibly proud of Carla and Mark; they are a cherished part of our team, and Carla’s deep, lifelong connection to Xunantunich is something we love being able to share with families. As any parent knows, keeping teenagers captivated enough that they actually want to stay and listen is the ultimate compliment! It also means so much to us that you—and the competitive rider in your group—noticed the condition and spirit of our horses. We pour our hearts, careful nutritional planning, and daily care into their physical well-being because they are our true partners. We are so thrilled you got to experience the magic of the riverside, the nesting toucan, and a sweet coconut to cap it all off. Sending a warm hug right back to you and your family from all of us here. We hope our trails cross again someday!
This was such a fun experience! The horses were gentle and our guide was great! We saw several birds and monkeys on our horse ride. I definitely recommend this experience!
Thank you for taking time to write a review. We are so happy you enjoyed your time with us and were able to spot the monkeys and birds. We look forward to having you join us again some day.
We had an incredible day out horse riding with Jose. He made it so much fun and was really passionate and knowledgeable about all the local wildlife as well as the Mayan archaeology. We saw some wonderful birds and animals while riding along the river to the temple. We had howler monkeys hanging from the trees above us, we saw toucans nesting and even spotted a Pygmy owl and a grey fox. Jose even managed to coax a tarantula out of its hole for us to see. A truly magical experience. L’ban and Sarah were very gentle horses and Jose ensured we travelled safely together with another lovely couple from America. Could not recommend more!
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful reflection of your journey with St Leonard's. Reading about your experience truly warmed our hearts. There is something incredibly soul-nourishing about connecting with nature from the backs of gentle sweethearts like Laban and Sarah, especially when surrounded by the quiet of the jungle. Jose takes pride in creating a safe, welcoming space where you can fully immerse yourself in the hidden wonders of the Mayan ruins and our vibrant wildlife. Sharing those unforgettable glimpses of nesting toucans, playful howler monkeys, and the peaceful river trails with wonderful guests like you is exactly why we do what we do. We hope the peace of this magical day stay with you long after you've returned home, and we would be absolutely thrilled to welcome you back anytime.
Jose was very funny, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable! It was around a 5 hour experience with 7 people in your group. The cost included transportation to the stable from the resort/hotel and water for the trip. Riding gear was provided. This was a very informative and adventurous experience where we learned about the Mayan people, their temples, medicines and their culture. There is also plenty of wildlife along the river where you can see beautiful Tuscans and giant iguanas. I would highly recommend!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with St Leonard's. We’re so happy to hear that Jose’s humour and enthusiasm made your day both fun and unforgettable. There’s something really special about connecting with the history of the Mayan people while surrounded by such beautiful wildlife—it’s a moment that tends to stay with you long after the ride ends. We love creating experiences that feel both adventurous and meaningful, especially for guests who want something deeper than just a tour. Your recommendation means the a lot to us, and we’d be honoured to welcome you back to St Leonard's anytime
Mark was a knowledgable, professional, and personable tour guide. He had a breadth of knowledge of all the wildlife and greenery in the area. Really tried to get us to see everything! My first time horseback riding too! Could not have asked for any better.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review of your experience here at St Leonard's. We are absolutely thrilled that we were able to make your first time horseback riding such a memorable one. We will be sure to share your kind words with Mark, as he takes great pride in sharing his vast knowledge of the local wildlife and greenery with our guests. We hope to welcome you back to St Leonard's for another perfect adventure soon!
What a fantastic experience. The guide was super knowledgeable and friendly, the ruins of Xunantunich are magnificent, and riding by a river to get there just makes the experience unique. Thumbs up!
We are absolutely happy to read that you had such a fantastic experience with us! Knowing that our friendly, knowledgeable guide could add magic to your visit to the magnificent Xunantunich makes us happy. That unique river-side ride is designed to create truly special, picturesque moments, and we are so glad you felt that uniqueness, too. We hope the wonderful memories you made here stay with you, and we’d be honoured to welcome you back for another dream adventure soon!
The stables carefully matched riders to horses taking account of experience and comfort levels. As well as the man and horse leading, there was a second staff member (owner and guide) who walked with us, giving advice and checking on us. The ride is mostly along the river and we saw a huge iguana a d a howler monkey! The guide was very knowledgeable at the ruin and we learned a lot.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with St Leonard’s—it means a lot to us to know you felt comfortable and well cared for throughout the ride. We love carefully matching each rider with the right horse so everyone can relax, enjoy the beautiful river trails, and experience special wildlife moments like spotting iguanas and howler monkeys. Hearing that you also enjoyed learning about the ruins makes us incredibly happy, because at St Leonard’s we hope every ride leaves our guests with both wonderful memories and a deeper connection to Belize.
Super fun riding the horses, beautiful trail, and very informational about Xunantunich. Jose was a great guide and made sure we all has a fun safe time
Thank you for taking time to write a review. We are so glad you had a wonderful day with St Leonard's and Jose riding to Xunantunich. Thank you and we look forward to hosting you again some day.
