Discover the history and natural beauty of the Barton Creek cave system on a canoe trip through its twisting passages. Glide through jungle riverways and under cathedral cave ceilings as an experienced guide shares information about the history and culture of the area while you look for stalactite formations and ancient artifacts in the cave. After the canoe journey, enjoy a picnic lunch and stop for a refreshing swim before returning to San Ignacio.

Canoe through the Barton Creek cave system
Discover ancient artifacts throughout the cave
Learn about the region’s ecology, geology, and Mayan history
Enjoy a picnic lunch and an opportunity to swim

What's Included

Air-conditioned vehicle
Snacks

Meeting And Pickup

You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.

Meeting points

Select a meeting point

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Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:30 am

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Pickup details

We do pick ups from hotels and Airbnb's within San Ignacio Town, Cayo. Hotels that are not listed are out of San Ignacio town limits there will be a service fee for pick up and drop off. We will contact you regarding the additional fee.

What To Expect

Barton Creek Cave

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Infant seats available

Most travellers can participate
Please disclose honestly all pre-existing relevant medical conditions accurately and fully when booking a tour or service, which may impact your ability to participate or travel to remote areas without access to medical facilities or may adversely affect the experience of others on your tour. We will maintain your information in accordance to the company privacy policy.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travellers

Operated by Tukan Shuttles & Adventures

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

This is one of the least frequent activities around San Ignacio, and so there is a chance you'll be one of the only people on site.

Reviews

5.0

15 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-4 of 15 reviews

Perfect Family Tour

Amy_B, Feb 2023

We are extremely satisfied with our Barton Creek canoe tour. Our guide Rudy was incredibly knowledgeable, and also patient, as we brought our 4 year old daughter with us. He began right away when he picked us up, explaining the local culture and wildlife. We were so impressed with his extensive knowledge of the local flora and fauna, as well as the Mayan history and culture. His narration was interesting and created a calming, even spiritual experience for our family. Finally, we really appreciated his patience and kindness. Even when our daughter began to fidget and squirm (she was sitting in the canoe for over an hour), he stayed calm and allowed her to splash in the water. I would recommend this tour to anyone traveling with children- it was much more accessible and gentle than other cave touring options.

Informative and Peaceful Canoe Ride!

Melissa_M, Jan 2023

Rudy was an incredible tour guide offering lots of historical information and facts about the local flora and fauna that have impacted the lives of Belizeans for generations. Rudy shared all of this information while artfully navigating the canoe and pointing out key elements. We learned a great deal and would certainly recommend!

BEST TOUR GUIDE EVER. Fascinating cave tour!!

Ashley_P, Dec 2020

Rudy was one of the most knowledgeable and kind people I’ve ever met. When he picked us up, he spent the entire drive to Barton Creek teaching us about the ecology of the jungle, about local culture, and about Mayan history. Every question we asked, he had an answer and often a story. Once we arrived at the cave, Rudy told us captivating Mayan creation stories that explained why the Mayans adventured into the caves and held the beliefs they did. His narration was so enrapturing that our entire group was silent for most of the tour. We saw several Mayan ceramics and one skull in the cave. Once we left the cave, we swam in the blue hole outside which was an absolute blast. I would 100% do this tour again, especially if Rudy was our guide.

Response from Host, Jan 2021

Hello Ashley, We are happy to hear you had a great time. Rudy loves to share his knowledge with others. Thank you for allowing us to help you enjoy your vacation in Belize.

Secluded and private

Tessa_J, Dec 2019

This is one of the least frequent activities around San Ignacio, and so there is a chance you'll be one of the only people on site. To get there, you'll have to travel on a dirt road across the Mennonite territory. Because of the road conditions and limited interest, we were escorted in a pickup truck and given what was pretty much a private tour. The cave was beautiful, and there are Mayan cultural remains you can spot from the canoe. Our tour guide, Rudy, had a hypnotic way of describing the cave environment, geology, and Mayan mythology. If you're looking for something like the ATM cave but would prefer not to have to go through the entire adventurous ordeal of hiking, wading, swimming, and enduring hours in soaking wet clothes, this is the perfect place to experience it!

Response from Host, Dec 2019

Dear Oparaola, Thank you so much for your review of the Barton Creek Tour. We do agree with you, it is one of the least frequent activity which makes it a unique experience. We are glad to hear you learned so much from Rudy and your comparison of Barton Creek Tour to the ATM Cave. We do hope you visit Belize in the future and explore more of our beautiful country. Kind regards, Celine