The ATM Cave Tour: Reviewing My Thrilling (and Terrifying) Experience with MayaWalk

Are you considering the ATM Cave tour in Belize after hearing it’s the ultimate adventure experience in San Ignacio, but you’re feeling nervous about whether you’re actually capable of handling the river crossings, cave climbing, and swimming through dark passages without panicking?

Having completed the ATM Cave tour despite being terrified of heights, climbing, and snakes—experiencing everything from cave spelunking to climbing rock formations and seeing the famous Crystal Maiden in person—I can provide honest insights into what this world-renowned adventure actually requires.

I’m the type of person who prefers listening to audioguides while leisurely strolling through museums, so when I signed up for this “Indiana Jones-y” cave adventure, I had no idea I’d be literally climbing rock faces with my bare hands or squeezing through tight spaces in near complete darkness.

My heart was racing so loudly I could hear it in my ears, and I spent most of the tour trying not to panic about how I’d ever get back out!

But discovering 1,000-year-old Maya artifacts scattered throughout the cave, seeing the crystallized remains of the mysterious Crystal Maiden, and realizing I survived one of the world’s most incredible archaeological adventures transformed my terror into absolute triumph—which is why I’m sharing every terrifying and thrilling detail so you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

What Does ATM Stand For?

ATM stands for Actun Tunichil Muknal and translates to “Cave of the Stone Sepulcher” in Mayan.

The History of the ATM Cave

The ATM cave, or Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, was initially explored by the Mayas between AD 300 and 600.

It wasn’t until the late period of AD 700 to 900 that the Mayas ventured deeper into the cave for ceremonial purposes, which is one of the reasons the cave is famous today.

The cave is an ancient Maya sacrificial site with skulls, pots, and ceremonial altars, which have gone virtually untouched for centuries!

The Mayas consider ATM a highly sacred location, especially as it is the final resting place of the famous “Crystal Maiden,” who was thought to be a sacrifice victim.

After years of exposure to the elements, the skeleton’s surface now has a crystalized finish, which is where the nickname came from. However, it is unknown who this victim was.

The presence of “kill holes” (holes deliberately made by the Maya) in pottery and other artifacts found here further supports the idea that the skeletons were victims of ritual sacrifice.

The cave was officially opened to the public in 1998 and is now ranked as one of the Top Ten Caves Of The World and the #1 Sacred Cave destination in the world by National Geographic.

Doing an ATM Cave Tour from San Ignacio

The Belize Tourism Board, in collaboration with the Belize National Institute of Culture and History and the Institute of Archaeology, issues licenses to a select group of agents to offer tours of this cave.

The goal of this is to strike a balance between ATM’s preservation and the influx of tourist revenue.

If you are staying in San Ignacio, it’s pretty easy to book a tour of the ATM cave, as several tour operators offer them.

Even if you aren’t, several companies will take you there from as far as Belize City and Placentia. However, I do highly recommend checking out San Ignacio, as there are several amazing things to do aside from ATM.

Why Book with MayaWalk Tours?

One of the reasons I booked with MayaWalk Tours for my own ATM cave tour was that they donate part of their profits to conservation efforts.

ATM is located within an area known as the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve.

Aaron Juan, the owner of MayaWalk Tours, is the founder and acting Executive Director of the Belize Karst Habitat Conservation (BKHC), the organization responsible for managing and protecting the reserve.

MayaWalk actively supports various initiatives to preserve the Reserve’s biodiversity and cultural heritage.

These include facilitating educational programs for visitors and locals alike, supporting scientific research and infrastructure development, and assisting in raising much-needed funds to carry out their various programs.

I love knowing my admission fees are going toward a good cause!

My Experience Visiting the ATM Cave

My cousin and I were originally scheduled to do the ATM cave tour on our first full day, but due to an increase in the river water level because of all the rain, they closed the cave.

However, we were offered alternative tours or could reschedule.

Since I’d heard SO much about the ATM cave on all the blogs I read before going, I just couldn’t bear to do an alternate tour if I had the chance to see ATM. So we decided to reschedule.

A few days later, and one cousin down (she got injured, they gave us a refund for her), it was finally time to head out!

Because we were staying a bit outside of San Ignacio, we had to pay an extra fee to be picked up, but since it was a 7:30 a.m. pickup, I figured it was worth it rather than trying to organize a taxi. Plus, taxis into town were only a bit more than we paid.

Arriving at the MayaWalk Office

I was then taken to the MayaWalk office in San Ignacio, where I checked in and then shuttled to another larger bus with our guides, Emil and Francis.

From there, it was about a 45-minute to an hour drive to the ATM cave.

They stopped along the way at a small market where we could pick up snacks before arriving at the parking lot where the ATM cave tour officially begins.

Once we exited the bus, we were encouraged to use the facilities, as they were our last ‘good’ chance to. We also ditched most of our stuff in the bus.

I have a packing list below, but essentially, we only took what we were wearing, our snacks, and our water bottle. Everything else is left on the bus, which is then locked.

We were then outfitted with a helmet with a light and a life jacket with a pocket for our water bottle.

From there, the adventure began!

Getting to the ATM Cave

In order to get to the ATM cave, you have to cross three rivers.

And the first one is merely hundreds of feet away from the parking lot.

They have a rope tied taut across to hold onto as the river is fairly rushing. It’s not terrible, but we all did have to hold on.

It’s also good that it’s there as the river has a rocky bottom, so if you step down unsteadily, at least you have something to hold onto!

I stepped down at one point and got unsteady, but luckily didn’t hurt my ankle and was able to proceed.

Between these rivers are flat areas you walk through. They were muddy when I was there, so rather slick.

It took maybe 30 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the entrance of the ATM cave, but just before it, we stopped at an area with a bathroom, but only the women were encouraged to use it. Guys had the ‘facilitrees.’

None of the women before me in line seemed all too keen on the shape of the bathroom, so we also used the ‘facilitrees.’

After that, we were instructed to take any last sips of water. Our lovely guides had told us to sip before as well; this was just our last chance as we had to leave our water bottles behind since you cannot take them into the cave.

Entering Into the ATM Cave

To enter the ATM cave, the first thing you have to do is climb down some rocks into the entrance.

Since we had a group of eight people, we had two guides, four for each. One of them went to the front and showed us how to climb down, while the other brought up the rear.

It was slippery as it was wet, but the climb down wasn’t too bad.

From there, you get straight into the water. Nothing too deep, and you have the life jacket, after all!

I really thought this entrance was really cool to go straight into some water rushing out of the cave! It was very cinematic!

We then moved in, and our guide instructed us how to move. The main thing you have to remember is points of contact. Basically, keep grounded so you don’t fall or hurt yourself.

One point of contact can be your foot, another point your other foot, and your hand balancing yourself on a wall a third point of contact.

Don’t Touch the Stalactites

Now, they will tell you not to touch some walls as they are stalactites, a type of speleothem (mineral deposits formed from groundwater within underground caverns) seen only in limestone caves.

Those cool-looking rock formations in these photos, yeah, those things!

I will say I probably touched one of them while trying to get my balance at times. It’s gonna happen. I’m sure other people on my tour did as well, but we did the best we could.

Moving Through the Cave

As I was rather nervous, I put myself at the front of the pack, right behind our leading guide because I know how the game of telephone goes and didn’t want to misstep or anything due to delayed info.

However, this meant I started the game of telephone as our guide would instruct me to stay to the left, watch out for this rock under the water, don’t touch this stalactite, etc. that I was then responsible to pass along.

I think I did rather well! The guide even asked if I’d done the ATM cave before. I said no, but he replied I moved well through it so that’s why he had thought so.

Honestly, I was shocked by this as my heart rate was kinda thumping 😅.

I calmed myself by imagining it was some Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider adventure. It looks very much so, so it didn’t take much imagination.

Animal Life Found Here

As we moved through the cave, our guide pointed out some wildlife, some of which had evolved over time to adjust to the darkness.

We saw bats, a crab, a cave cricket, and an assassin bug, which we were firmly told NOT to touch the latter.

Climbing Up into the ‘Dry Chamber’

Now, I was perfectly fine on my own little Indiana Jones adventure until… they told me I had to climb up.

And by climb up, I don’t mean with gear or anything. It’s literally place your hand here, your foot here in this crevice, and pull yourself up.

I am a museum girlie! This whole going into a cave thing was my Lara Croft moment, but I didn’t expect to be climbing anything.

This is really my fault. Of the reviews I had read, I mostly focused on how amazing people said this experience was—how once-in-a-lifetime it was. I did not read the fine print.

Before you get too worried, I’m fine. I’m just not used to this. Usually, I’m listening to an audioguide while leisurely strolling a museum, so this was just a lot for me.

But I put my metaphorical fedora on and went up… now I just had to worry about how to get back down, which started to itch at the back of my brain as we moved into the dry section.

Exploring the Artifacts Scattered Throughout

Once up, we removed our shoes and explored the ‘dry’ section in our socks.

I can’t say this was very comfortable at times, but I understand the reason for it.

A visitor once broke a skull by accidentally stepping on it. Since, all visitors are now required to remove their shoes and wear socks when reaching the upper dry chamber to help minimize foot traffic impact.

The dry chamber is also where the cave really starts to expand!

We were in huge, expansive rooms that had floors that kind of looked like the cross-section of a brain since they weaved in thick sections.

And scattered throughout were loads of Maya artifacts—ceramics, stoneware, and skeletons!

To protect these artifacts, they have lined the areas with tape that sections off where the artifacts are located, so as long as you’re mindful, you should not accidentally step on any.

The guides were also very diligent about telling us where it was safe to stand. I was also rather impressed everyone on our tour listened.

Many of the Maya artifacts and remains are completely calcified to the cave floor, giving off that crystalized look I mentioned earlier.

The Maya also shaped cave formations in this area, sometimes to build altars for their offerings.

Our guides mentioned that it is thought that they also altered formations to create silhouettes of faces and animals that’d then project a shadow image into the cave walls. Think shadow puppets but in the Maya era.

The Crystal Maiden

As we continued into the cave, which was is rather deep, we continued to see more and more artifacts and skeletal remains.

You also have to continue to climb over rock formations. I was not keen on that part as, once again, the thought of how the heck am I going to get out of here was racing through my mind.

In the final section of the cave, they’ve installed a metal staircase that leads up to a small area where “The Crystal Maiden” is found.

It’s so tiny that only so many people can go up at a time.

The Crystal Maiden is the best-known artifact in the ATM cave and is believed to be a 17-year-old boy, possibly a sacrifice victim.

The ‘maiden’ came from someone online, we were told. They do not know who this person is and don’t plan to exhume them anytime soon, so they are likely to remain a mystery.

As I mentioned before, the ‘crystal’ in the name is due to the fact that the bones have been calcified to a sparkling, crystallized appearance over the years.

I’m just glad it didn’t have any weird alien tech like in that Indiana Jones film we’d all like to forget about.

The Terrifying Part of My Adventure

Now, I mentioned that the idea of climbing back out had been itching at the back of my brain.

Well, by the time we reached the end of the cave it had really started to race through my mind.

Like so much so that I could feel that my heart rate was increasing.

I had distracted myself with two thoughts up to this point

1. This is not a Disneyland ride. You cannot ask to just ‘get off.’
2. Because it was four people per guide, if I bailed, I would be screwing over three others since they can’t just let you wander out of the cave yourself.

These two thoughts kept me moving until I could practically hear my heart beating in my ears.

But I didn’t want to tell anyone just how much I was panicking as all I could think of was if I pass out, how the heck are they going to carry me out of here.

I had been told the guides had been trained for such instances since people do sometimes get dizzy or strain their ankle and such, but I did not want to be that person.

So, instead, I talked to everyone on the group tour! Thank god for the two lovely British women who chatted with me for most of it since I was solo and had no one to blab to.

Talking about absolute nonsense distracted me from my worries and I could feel my heart rate going down.

The other notable thing that happened here was that we realized we were the last tour group in the cave, so our guides suggested we turn off our lights for a moment.

It was hella dark! Like so dark I’d likely never find my way out dark!

Exiting the Dry Chamber

The last hurdle in this experience was climbing back down the rock you have to ascend to reach the dry chamber.

On the way up I was nervous, but on the way down I was even more so.

You have to remember that you’re in a wet bath suit and wet shoes in a wet environment, so the thought of sliding and falling off this boulder was not out of the realm of possibility.

And that’s all I could really think about, so I asked our lovely guide to repeat all the instructions slowly and to be patient with me. He was.

He very nicely told me what to do, step by step, and I got down without any incident.

I was so relieved that I turned to the cave, tossed my arms out, and bowed, thanking whatever Maya god allowed me to survive.

I don’t think anyone on the tour realized I had been that nervous until this moment as someone said, ‘You were doing so well before,’ meaning the time before the dry chamber.

Once down, it’s merely the reverse of going back through the wet section of the cave.

With the two notable differences being when we saw the assassin beetle and when we had to reroute on the way out and push our life jackets down to squeeze between two rocks as the water levels were too high to go the way we came in.

Walking Back to the Parking Lot

After exiting the cave, we climbed back over the rocks and picked up our water bottles.

We then had to cross back over the three rivers. Which honestly wasn’t a problem. What wound up being an issue for me was the slick ground.

As it had rained even more while we were on the ATM cave tour, the ground had gotten muddy and very slippery. So much so that a man on the tour and I both fell.

We both wound up with minor scrapes from bushes we hit on the way down, but no major injuries.

I had a ‘soft landing,’ as I had started to call it on the tour. Meaning, yes, I fell, yes, I hit a rock with my knee, but no, I was not injured—just bruised.

“Snakes. Why’d It Have to Be Snakes?”

I also spotted a snake on the way back.

I am terrified of snakes! Yes, maybe one too many Indiana Jones viewings did it for me.

But you have to remember I’m in the jungles of Belize at this point. I don’t know what is poisonous and what isn’t, and we’d just been told the assassin beetle was bad.

So, like anyone in their right mind, I shouted ‘Snake!’ Until the guide came over.

If I recall correctly, he said it was a tropical rat snake, which my cousin says people keep as pets. But pets or not, I wasn’t getting near that thing, so I made a beeline out of its way and moved along.

Our guide then informed me that he ‘forgot’ to tell us there is usually an eyelash viper at the entrance of the cave.

For one, I am GLAD he forgot, as my heart would have started to race well before the dry chamber then.

A quick Google after this ATM cave tour revealed eyelash vipers, aside from being curious-looking creatures, are venomous!

Ending This ATM Cave Tour

Once we crossed the last river, we got to the parking lot and changed into our dry clothes that had been stored in the bus.

We then dug into the picnic provided by the tour.

I’ll tell you, I would have darn near eaten anything they’d give me because I was just so thrilled I had survived!

I dug into the lunch with such a smile on my face!

You can see it in the photo I have of me, one of our guides, taken before I got changed. I wanted proof I’d survived and to record the elation on my face!

We then drove back into San Ignacio, then were moved again to another vehicle to be dropped off at our respective hotels.

What to Wear to the ATM Cave

What I’ve listed here comes from their official email sent before the ATM cave tour. However, I’ve placed my notes beside each item.

• Hiking Shoes/Trainers/Water Shoes (will get wet, and toes must be protected): Bring either sneakers you’re okay getting wet or Crocs. One of the men on the tour had them, and honestly, I never thought I’d be jealous of Crocs, but at least they dry far faster than my sneakers did. I brought water shoes with me, but I was told they didn’t have toe protection and thus couldn’t use them, which honestly makes sense with all the rocks you can bump into.
• Socks (mandatory for preservation purposes)
• Extra set of dry clothing (to change in after the tour) 
• Small Backpack: to put your stuff in and store on the bus.
• Re-usable water bottles
• Litre of Water: they do have a jug on the bus, but that’s the only place to refill.
• Snacks: Some people ate theirs in the cave. I didn’t, but it’s nice to have the option.
• Swimwear with shorts (must be modest, no bikinis allowed): I wore a one-piece with a skort over it (shorts under a skirt). This allowed me to move without fear of exposing anything, as you are really active during this tour.

The only thing I wish I’d worn is some sort of leggings or water pants, if there is such a thing, as my knees were kind of banged up by the end of the tour.

Why You Can’t Bring a Camera

You may have noticed, there was no camera on the list above.

That’s because, in late May 2012, a tourist accidentally dropped a camera and fractured a skull estimated to be over one thousand years old.

As a result, all cameras without a permit are banned from the cave.

Honestly, this was fine with me because if I had to be clutching my phone the entire time while also trying to maintain points of contact, I would have lost my phone or lost my footing at one point or another.

Final Thoughts on Visiting the ATM Cave

My mini-panic aside, I really am SO proud of myself for going on this ATM cave tour.

It is something I don’t normally do as I’m much more of a museum-goer, but I’m thrilled to say that I survived the ATM cave and pushed myself to do so.

If you’re looking to live like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft for the day, this is your chance! Though it’s not a filming location, it’s just as cinematic!

I highly recommend it to those looking for things to do in San Ignacio.

🎟️ Tickets: I highly recommend the MayaWalks company due to their conservation efforts and the professionalism of its guides, which kept me safe and feeling good throughout the tour.

Many of these images are courtesy of MayaWalks, with a few exceptions that I took.

ATM Cave Tour FAQs

Related San Ignacio Travel Guides

• The ATM Cave Tour: My Thrilling (and Terrifying) Experience
• How to Get from Belize City to San Ignacio on a Budget
• 18 Things to Do in San Ignacio Belize for an Amazing Trip
• Is San Ignacio Worth Visiting? 11 Reasons to Love This Town
• How to Visit Xunantunich, the Maya Ruins of San Ignacio, Belize
• How to Visit the Caracol Ruins in Belize Without a Car

Want to remember this? Pin this The ATM Cave Tour: My Thrilling (and Terrifying) Experience article to your favorite Pinterest board!