Top Hopkins Art & Culture

Combine the best of Belizean nature and culture on this combo tour that includes a visit to the Xunantunich ancient Mayan ruins and the Inland Blue Hole — a beautiful jungle lagoon. The ruins can be difficult to navigate on your own, but a guide explains the site’s fascinating history and helps you safely climb the highest stone temple in Belize. A picnic lunch and all transfers are included for a stress-free adventure.

A must-visit, even when on the shortest stays in our beautiful country. Xunantunich is a national treasure that fills its visitors with a sense of time travel. You’ll depart from your Hopkins where our guides will meet you before your drive to this temple. You'll know you're arriving when you spot the little falls of the Mopan River winding alongside the road through the village of San Jose Succotz. You're hit with how green and lush everything is. Some visitors will get to see a group of women doing laundry in the river while their children swim nearby.The temples are nestled in between lush rainforest whose trees may bloom vibrant red, yellow, orange, or pink in season. Bring along a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, along with an open heart to experience simplicity and visiting another world for a few hours.

Prepare for a day filled with adventure on this guided tour from Hopkins. First, head to Xunantunich, located close to Belize’s western border. Here, catch panoramic views of the Cayo District and nearby Guatemala from atop El Castillo, the main temple of the archeological site. From there, travel to Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve for a cave tubing and ziplining adventure.

Our Mayan Ruins and Inland Blue Hole tour starts off with a scenic drive from Hopkins to San Jose Succotz in Cayo District. This 2 hours drive will take you on the famous Hummingbird Highway, through the capital city Belmopan and San Igancio Town, then on to San Jose Succotz, where we will be crossing over a river on a hand-cranked ferry to access Xunantunich Site. After the Xunantunich Site, your guide/driver will take you to experience an authentic Belizean lunch at Hode's Place in San Ignacio Town. After lunch, we will head to the Blue Hole National Park for a refreshing swim in the Blue Hole cenote, a one-hour drive from San Ignacio. Your guide/driver will also give you the option to stop at gift shops near the ruins and stop at Country Barn Ice-cream on the Hummingbird Highway. Tour Duration Time 8 to 9 hours: Travel Time (round-trip) - 4 hours Xunantunich Mayan Ruins - 2 hours Hode's Place (lunch) - 1 hour Blue Hole National Park - 1 hour

Take an air conditioned van on a beautiful ride through the jungles of the Maya mountains on your way to the ruins. After the tour of the site, you can shop for cultural gifts and souvenirs at "The Orange Gallery". Then a stop at one of our favorite local restaurants for authentic Mayan cuisine before a stop at the Blue Hole for a swim in crystal clear waters. (Not the Blue Hole that Scuba divers visit in the ocean)