10 Reasons to Tour Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave in Belize Now

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October 18, 2024

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave) in Cayo District, Belize

Every cave in Belize is unique--even among the variety of Mayan caves in Central America. But, some are more spectacular than others, like the cave located near San Ignacio Town bearing the quirky nickname of ATM. Actun Tunichil Muknal has everything a curious tourist could want and more: folklore, splendor, history and skeletons, and since Cahal Pech Village Resort staff is unsurpassed when it comes to arranging in-person visits, you'll book your tour with experts. Not sure if a visit to ATM is worth the journey? These 10 reasons will convince you that you must come now.

1. The National Geographic Society proclaimed the ATM Cave the number one sacred cave in the world. If you book accommodations at Cahal Pech, you can have as much access to this landmark as your time in Belize allows.

2. High-profile broadcast documentarians, internationally known archaeologists, curious travelers, Mayaphiles and tourism professionals flock here because it’s so spectacular. Discover what brings them back repeatedly.

3. ATM is a living museum that has no equal, a designation given by social and physical scientists who study here because the cave’s interior and artifacts are so bountiful and unusual.

4. You can see dead people. Victims of sacrificial ceremonies remain where they died to this day. Witness the full or partial skeletal remains of 14 Mayans brought to this sacred place circa 700 to 900 AD.

5. ATM is a geology hobbyists’ dream. Bodies of water challenge visitors to walk deeper into the cave to see an extensive and rich heritage of the artifacts and cultural relics abandoned by Mayans centuries ago.

6. If you’ve never seen stalagmites and stalagtites, your time has come. They bear witness to untold numbers of ceramic vessels, stone artifacts, ritual items and skeleton parts plus the piece de resistance: a complete skeleton of a young male encased in crystalline travertine deposits that make his remains sparkle.

7. Check out authentic Mayan tools. They won’t look like your wrenches and screwdrivers, but they will give you an idea of sophisticated pre-Columbian tools manufactured by Mayans to undertake agricultural work.

8. Learn about mysterious practices. Expect your Cahal Pech-arranged guide to be a font of knowledge—some guides are trained archaeologists. From “ghost stories” to facts, figures and esoteric data, learn more from one visit than you would sitting in a classroom for weeks.

9. See ATM while you can! Because the interior of this national landmark is fragile and sensitive, if archaeologists determine the cave must be sealed off to protect it, you could miss your chance to see this natural wonder.

10. Who knows how long this extraordinary place will be around? The Mayan civilization vanished without a trace. Anthropologists have still not figured out why. That could happen to the cave itself. Changing weather patterns, global warming and rising seas might someday flood ATM, perhaps the biggest reason of all to visit now!

About Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

More than 1,000 years ago, high priests of the Maya empire descended into what is now known as Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave in a desperate effort to appease the gods by performing human sacrifices. After the Maya empire collapsed, ATM cave was forgotten, lying undisturbed for more than a millenia before it was accidentally rediscovered in 1989.

Following a careful survey, archeologists discovered ceramics, stoneware, obsidian blades, ritual objects, an enormous stone sepulcher and the intact remains of several human victims, including those of young children. One skeleton in particular, originally thought to be of a young adult woman, has become infused with the minerals of the cave, known locally as the Crystal Maiden.

ATM cave is currently situated in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve in Belize's western Cayo District, about an hour's drive from the town of San Ignacio. In order to preserve the integrity of the site, only authorized tour guides are allowed to bring visitors into the cave.

In order to enter the cave, visitors must first hike through the jungle for about an hour, occasionally fording shallow rivers. The cave's entrance is guarded by a spring-fed pool, obligating visitors to swim in and then wade up a subterranean river for approximately one kilometer (half a mile).

After passing through a series of enormous boulders, visitors enter several large caverns, including one known as the "Cathedral" where a number of undisturbed Maya artifacts are visible, including a soaring altar carved from the native stone. One of the cave's sobriquets is "The Cave of the Stone Sepulcher" due to this magnificent piece of religious artistry. Although the original name (if any) for the cave is unknown, the current name of Actun Tunichil Muknal is a Maya term that translates to "Cave of the Crystal Sepulcher".

From there, participants must make their way up a slippery ledge in order to reach the sacred labyrinths where ancient Maya priests performed their grisly rituals. Visitors can see the intact skeletons of children and young adults whose lives were sacrified in a desperate effort to appease the gods during one of the most turbulent and difficult times in Maya history.

The youngest individual whose remains lie in the deep interior of ATM cave is estimated to be just 1 year old. Archaeologists have determined that the majority of the victims were killed by blunt force trauma, resulting in their skulls becoming crushed. Near the skeletons, visitors can see a collection of pottery, including ritual vessels containing food and other offerings for the gods. The Crystal Maiden lies at the rear of this section, and archeologists have dated her death at just over 1,000 years ago. Other interesting artifacts include carvings of faces and animals.

Archeologists are still working to discover exactly why these children and young adults were sacrificed and left unburied. The current theory is that their lives were offered to appease the rain god Chac or perhaps the victims were suffering from some sort of mental ailment, the Maya priests wanting their unclean spirits to be trapped in the cave.

Although the cave is protected by the Belize Institute of Culture and History, visitors can expect to encounter a few of the country's more interesting wildlife in the cave, including several series of predatory spiders like the Amblypygi, commonly known as a "whip spider", freshwater crabs, catfish, and tropical fish.

Archeologists believe that caves like ATM were important ceremonial sites because the ancient Maya believed that they were a nexus between the world of humans and the underworld of the gods. Maya legends refer to caves as a gateway to a kind of hell where 12 maleficent deities with names like "Skull Staff" and "Stabbing Demon" ruled.

Visitors to the cave must be careful not to disturb the sanctity of the site, as none of the pottery, artifacts, or skeletons are roped off. Exploring the cave is usually a full-day activity, so be prepared for an early morning start in order to properly appreciate the unique atmosphere of the cave. Photography is prohibited, but visiting the site is sure to create truly special memories as the cave is one of the few Maya sites that escaped the ravages of time.