Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave) — Attraction in Cayo District

I thought this experience was incredible. I will be writing with hopes of helping other people who have claustrophobic tendencies, and who may have some reservations about choosing this adventure. After hearing about this experience from numerous people during our 6 month stay here in Belize, it was placed on our "must do" list. Once we booked the trip with the tour guide company, I began pouring over the reviews for evidence as to what may trigger one of my (somewhat rare and unpredictable) panic attacks. I have overcome numerous obstacles in my lifetime. I am 52 years old, and enjoy scuba diving, rock climbing (multi-pitch sport), mountain biking, snowboarding, climbing 14er peaks, and even jumping out of an airplane. In other words, I am no stranger to adventuring. I have had panic attacks in very specific places-wedged too tightly in the back seat of a car, crammed into a packed elevator, free-climbing one of the flatirons in Boulder, CO (really bad spot to have an attack btw). The ATM Cave experience was not one of them. I had some anxiety leading up to our trip, which is basically fear of the unknown, and trying to gauge how people were quantifying the frequently mentioned "most adventurous experience of my entire life" (it wasn't for us). For someone with claustrophobia, the areas that could be potentially problematic are in the beginning of the cave (fortunately). To be clear, there is more than one way through this section, and we took the "easier" way going out, and the "harder" way as we were nearing the exit toward the end of the tour. The majority of the cave is very spacious. It was only in those areas near the entrance of the cave that I felt nervous-and hoped it would not continue like that for long (it didn't). I grew up a swimmer, and though you definitely walk in a lot of water, there really isn't any actual swimming once you pass the entrance of the cave, where you swim several feet to a boulder. If you are short in stature, or don't like putting your feet on the ground in the water, sure, you can swim a little bit. Most of the time, however, you are just wading through the water. The stream was comforting to me, I appreciated that it was there pretty much the entire time. I did tell our guide that I was a bit nervous before we started our tour, particularly about the tight spaces, and therefore was a bit surprised when, toward the end of the tour, he led us through the tighter (harder) passageway, and had us turn our lights off (he did this periodically to demonstrate something with his own light-often shadow play on the walls as the Mayans may have seen it-really cool), and then he disappeared, playing a trick on us. Fortunately, I had already made my mind up that I was safe, and fine, and therefore was only a bit surprised that he would do that when someone expressed that they were nervous (not cool). It was pitch black, cannot see your hand in front of your face dark, when you turn your headlamps off. The bouldering was understandably easy for my partner and I, given our experience with climbing, but we did see other people struggle with it a little bit. My advice would be to sit down in areas that appear scary because it looks to be too big to safely step down to. The age old "sit and scoot" works pretty well throughout this cave. We went at a time when the tourism is extremely low (September), and were among only a small handful of other groups. I may have had more difficulty had the cave been packed with a lot more people. They do limit the number of participants to 125 total each day, but the idea of having to wait my turn for long periods of time may have induced some anxiety-I like to have a means to "escape" quickly in order to feel most comfortable. I do get cold fairly easily, and wore a long sleeved rash guard and yoga tights, and did feel a little chilly at times. I had on running shoes, which were perfectly fine, you do not need to buy special shoes for this adventure. It is super fun, and definitely worthy of pushing...

I've been to 62 countries and 47 US states. I've seen 5 of the 7 wonders of the world.

This was the single greatest experience of my life.

Seeing the Colosseum and the Acropolis, standing where the Colossus of Rhodes was, being inside the Hagia Sofia, Eiffel Tower...those were all great. This was an ADVENTURE. Exploring a cave, wading three rivers to get there climbing rocks, seeing the most beautiful cave formations in the world, THEN getting to the history part with pottery, blood letting vessels, and remains of human sacrifices....all while wading through crystal clear river water with beautiful stones and minerals lining the bottom.... It was definitely Goonies meets Indiana Jones, with a sprinkle of Disney-like magic. Except it's all nature made! And nature is a better artist than any person ever could be. Spend the money and go. 1000% worth it.

Tips: do NOT wear anything you're not willing to part with. You'll get wet, dirty, sand, and muddy. However, you need to wear sturdy shoes that you don't mind getting wet. Hard bottom for sure. I had aqua socks, and I still stepped on some things that hurt my feet. I also bruised the bones on top of my foot when my foot slipped and smashed into a rock underwater...aqua socks are thin elastic on top. Old pair of sneakers, cruddy shorts and an old t-shirt is perfect. Something you would mow your lawn in. Definitely something to protect your whole foot.

Leave earrings, watches, rings, necklaces, etc at home. Easily lost or damaged here. No sunglasses required.... You're either under canopy or in a cave.

You will get to a part where you can only wear socks (or go barefoot). Again.... Don't wear new socks. I wore a hole in mine, and they were heavy duty Dickies work socks. Again... Something you don't mind throwing away afterwards.

Bring a complete change of clothes and a towel. There are "showers" (and I use the term loosely) that you'll be dying to use when you get back. Soap would have been nice but I didn't think of it. Steal a bar from your hotel or get a small bottle of liquid. Bring a towel, and a plastic bag for your wet dirty clothes.

If you're claustrophobic, well, you're gonna have to quell your fear at some parts. Tight squeezes through rock formations are part of cave exploring.

Final note: The tour will provide life vests and a helmet with a light on it. I know this is going to sound nitpicky and you won't belive me, but if you have your own life vest consider bringing it. Let's just say that the hygiene of the equipment they provide is less than stellar. The smell of old, wet life vest, body odor, and sweat (not your own) will be with you for 3 hours. They spray their stuff with Lysol, but.....after 2 showers at my hotel, I still smelled it. Take that for what it's...

Unforgettable ATM Cave Adventure with Maya Walk Tours

TLDR:

Incredible tour with The Maya Walk Tours and our guide Josiah. Highly knowledgeable about Mayan history, making the experience deeply enriching. Be prepared to get wet, and wear appropriate footwear. If you do one thing in Belize, make it this tour.

We recently had the pleasure of exploring the ATM Cave in Belize with The Maya Walk Tours, and it was an unforgettable experience. Our guide, Josiah, was exceptional. With over ten years of guiding experience across Belize, his knowledge of Mayan history was truly impressive. Josiah expertly connected the Mayan religious practices, drought history, the significance of pottery in the caves, and the progression of desperation leading to ultimate sacrifices. We had a huge amount of questions and he was able to answer every single one. He even delved into the social status and beauty standards of the Mayan civilization, providing a thorough understanding of their culture.

Having visited Caracol recently, we were delighted that Josiah could answer all our questions and link the insights between these significant sites. He also enlightened us on the origin of the Mayans, explaining their original name, “the corn people,” and why they are called Mayans today.

The cave exploration was thrilling. Be prepared to get wet and stay wet for hours. You are in at least calf deep water for 85% of the cave. We saw people in tennis shoes, water shoes, and sandals with straps – just ensure your footwear is comfortable for walking and swimming.

We are in our 20s and found the physical aspects of the tour manageable, and it was heartening to see people in their 60s navigating the caves without issues. Note that there is a height limit for younger children to participate.

If you do one thing in Belize, make it the ATM Cave tour. It’s a must-do.

Pro Tips:

• Start with your socks on. • Bring a change of clothes. • If driving, have a towel handy to avoid drip-drying. • Leave your keys, wallet, passport, and other valuables in the van/bus; they will be safe.

Overall, this tour is a fantastic blend of adventure and historical insight, made even more special by a guide like Josiah. Highly...