Ride a horse to the Maya ceremonial center of Xunantunich on a 4-hour private tour from a legendary riding stable in San Ignacio. Follow your guide along the gentle Mopan River, and watch for tropical birds and howler monkeys among the trees. Enjoy a sweeping view of the Xunantunich complex, then spend an hour at the fascinating site; take in the towering El Castillo pyramid and enjoy the serenity of the rural spot as you ride through the partially excavated ruins before returning to San Ignacio.

Informative, friendly and professional guide
Perfect for all ages and skill level
Popular choice with kids
Small group ensures personal service
All necessary equipment included
Free hotel pickup and drop-off included

What's Included

bottle water, riding helmet, entrance fee to Xunantunich
Local, professional guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Ignacio

pickups & drop offs OUTSIDE San Ignacio Town
Gratuities
pickups OUTSIDE San Ignacio Town must be arranged with local provider prior to tour date.

Meeting And Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:30 am

Pickup details

pickup starts 7:30am IN TOWN. Any hotel/resort OUTSIDE of San Ignacio town will have an Additional fees for pickup & drop off depending on its location out of town & pickup time OUT OF TOWN depends on distance out of town. rider's WEIGHT will be confirmed at our St Leonard's stable. NO PICKUPS available for hotels/resorts in BELIZE CITY, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Placencia. Guests are advised to spend an overnight in San Ignacio Town or use own transport or shuttle. TOUR NOT AVAILABLE to cruise ship passengers due to duration of tour and driving distance to & from cruise ship terminals

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not recommended for pregnant travellers
Not recommended for travellers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
min of 2 people; MAX of 6 pax; WEIGHT LIMIT 245 lbs per rider
ATTIRE recommended: Any long pants, comfortable closed toes footwear
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended (NO FLIP FLOPs)

NB: SHARED small group tours - departure times and locations may vary slightly
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travellers

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.

Traveller Photos

Reviews

5.0

86 reviews

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

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 86 reviews

Great day

Jill_h, Mar 2023

We had a great day and our guide cara was really patient and knowledgeable We would recommend this tour as you get 2 experiences

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Thank you for writing a review. We are so glad you had a great day with Carla and the horses visiting Xunantunich. Carla is indeed patient and has a passion for sharing her love of the outdoors with everyone.

Fantastic

Tom_O, Mar 2023

This was a fantastic day, the horses were well trained, and the guide very knowledgeable, and an all round funny guy.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

We are so happy you had a fantastic day with St Leonard's riding to Xunantunich. We are all so glad when everyone has a great ride and we really appreciate your review.

Excellent

Gregory_G, Dec 2022

Great tour guide, very knowledgeable. Right amount of time for the tour. The horses were very friendly.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Your excellent review of your Xunantunich riding experience with us makes us GREAT - you make our team proud and encourages us to keep sharing what we love. Indeed, you all make us GREAT.Thank you.

Amazing time

christinaismith, June 2022

Ellio and Miguel were the best guides. We loved the horse back riding through the jungle. It was beautiful! The ruins were amazing. Ellio gave our family a private tour of the ruins. We learned so much about the Mayan culture. Thank you for the amazing time and taking good care of us.

Response from Host, July 2022

Thank you for sharing your experience with other travelers. Miguel and Elio are amazing guides and work hard to ensure you have a memorable day. We are so glad you had a wonderful day and we look forward to having you join us again.

Amazing horseback ride to Xunantunich Ruins!!

Laura_M, Apr 2022

This was an amazing way to get to Xunantunich ruins!! The ride was beautiful and took you thru the countryside and along the the river. At the ruins we saw spider monkeys and iguanas and beautiful views. Our guides were friendly and very knowledgeable on the Maya history of the ruins. I highly recommend this tour!!

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Thank you for writing a review! St Leonard's is happy you had a memorable tour. We are glad you were able to see some of the wildlife and enjoy a great day at Xunantunich. Our guides very hard to give everyone the best service possible. Thank you once again for your kind words

Very very good

Dean_S, Apr 2022

Absolutely amazing. Ellio was an exceptional guide - very knowledgeable and personable. We felt like we got a lot more out of the trip than we paid for.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Thank you for writing a review. We are very grateful that you chose to go horse riding to Xunantunich with St Leonard's tours and that you had a great day with the super personable Elio. We look forward to having you join us again some day.

Awesome

Kevin_P, Feb 2022

We had an amazing time with Elio! The horses and scenery was great and the site was beautiful! Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Feb 2022

Thank you for taking time to write a review. St Leonard's really appreciates your feedback and we are so happy you had an a wonderful day with an amazing guide.

Memorable Experience

Kennitha_W, Sept 2021

The tour guide Alio was amazing!!! The entire trip, from pick up to the end exceeded my expectations. He was very knowledgeable, humorous, and patient. The horse experience to the Mayan ruin was breathtaking.

Response from Host, Sept 2021

Thank you for riding with us. We are very happy to know you had a great experience with us. Thank you and all the best.

PUT THIS on your bucket list!!

Ariel_M, Aug 2021

I don't think you're going beat riding on horseback through Belizean valley for 1 hour to Xunatunich and then get a full education tour of the temples and ruins. THIS WAS INCREDIBLE. It even RAINED and it was still a gorgeous and life-changing experience. Emilio was informative, kind, respectful, funny, friendly and all-around efficient during our tour. This is not something you should pass up if you're going to Belize. Please book through this amazing group of people!!

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Thank you for taking time to write this review. We are so happy you had a great day riding our horses, enjoying the Mayan site of Xunantunich and having a wonderful time with Elio. Elio is indeed an amazing guide and everyone at St Leonard's is happy you had a memorable time with us. Thank you once again and we look forward to having you join us again sometime in the future.

Must Try

Wendy_B, Aug 2021

This tour was awesome. I planned this to be something special for me and my daughter to do as a memorable experience. Our guide Jose was helpful, and knowledgeable and Mrs. Carla very careful about her seating for her horses, which I appreciated. Mark is Carla’s son and kept my daughter engaged and assisted her in the ride. I would highly recommend. The scenery and ride were awesome. Wear long pants, apply sunblock, and bring cash for the venders that are by the roadside. We enjoyed taking pictures at the top and the guides were wonderful in making this very enjoyable and entertaining.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Thank you for your feedback. It's great to hear you and your daughter had a great time riding with us. Our team is proud to look after your safety and comfort, so you can all enjoy your ride. Thank you for making us part of your memorable experience in Belize. Hope to have you again.

Must Do!

Jennifer_P, Aug 2021

A fantastic trip with patient people for our large group. Our kiddos (9 & 6) were well attended to, and the ride next to the river was peaceful and interesting. This was a slower-paced ride, but great for the beginners in our group. The tour of Xuantunich was amazing - Ellyo (sorry if I spelled it wrong!) was a wealth of information as he has participated in the excavation of the site. He was able to give history along with keep the information fun and relatable for the kids. Highly recommended. Even though you can drive up to the ruins, nothing sets the mood like arriving on horseback.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Thank you for your great feedback; Happy you enjoyed our gentle ride, the green peaceful trails, the ruins and our guide. Thank you for riding with us, but most important thank you for trusting us with your loved ones. We hope to have you enjoy another of our memorable tours. All the best.

Amazing!

Allison_M, June 2021

We had such a good time riding and exploring Xunantunich with Carla. She loves the history and archeology in the ruin. She even knew one of the archeologists working on an excavation so we got to see the artifacts they were finding. The stables were easy to find if you are driving yourself from Sanognacio.

Response from Host, June 2021

Truly a great experience to share with you what we love: our country and our people and our history. Thank you for riding with us, our love for what we do gives us the opportunity to meet people who are always eager to share their work with us and our guests. Thank you for letting us lead the way to that special and unique experience - not always planned, but thank you for trusting us.

Funtime for first timers for horseback riding

Daniel_K, Apr 2021

First time horseback riding and it was a pleasant ride. Guides helpful and made it easy to ride the horses. The ruins were crazy and awe inspiring. Would book with them again.

Response from Host, Apr 2021

Thank you for making us your first riding experience. It's great to hear you had a great time with our horses, our guides and at the majestic Xunantunich. Life is fun, keep enjoying. Once again thank you!!We'd love to have you back.

Great way to see Xunantunich

elvis, Jan 2021

Excellent tour of Xunantunich with a relaxing ride to and from the famous Mayan ruin. Very friendly and engaging guides and chilled horses and a fun river crossing.

Response from Host, Jan 2021

Thank you for riding with us. Great to know you enjoyed every part of your tour, guides, horses, ruins. Indeed, its a great way to visit Xunantunich; Highly recommended for riders with some riding experience. Hope to meet you again and all the best for 2021.

Loved it!

James_R, Jan 2020

Our guide Carla was very nice, patient, and knowledgeable. Neither of us had any real riding experience but her teaching and helpful tips made it an extraordinary adventure. The ruins were magnificent as well!

Scheduled an afternoon tour since we...

MaryElizabeth_F, Mar 2018

Scheduled an afternoon tour since we had arrived the evening prior. Our guide Carla was awesome! She provided water bottles, snacks, was most attentive. Do not need to be an experienced horseback rider.......so much better than visiting Xunantunich on a motor coach bus!

Carla, our guide, was very...

Regina N, July 2017

Carla, our guide, was very knowledgeable and grew up around San Ignacio. Xunichtunich was pretty much her playground and told us all about the history as well as the continuation of archeological discoveries as recent as this year! Highly recommend touring with her, horseback riding was also a blast

This tour was the best tour we went...

Nicole S, June 2017

This tour was the best tour we went on while vacationing in Belize and wish we would've had time to do a longer tour! Carla picked us up from our hotel in the San Ignacio area and took us to their stables where they keep the horses. She was very informative and descriptive about the horses and also Xanantunich as we hiked through the woods to see the Mayan ruins. The horses were all very friendly and had interesting and great personalities! We were able to go off the beaten path a bit and we got to see spider monkeys and howler monkeys. We got to try the allspice leaf, the lemon tree leaf, and sour sap. I highly recommend this tour and if I am ever in San Ignacio again I will be doing the longer tour!

Awesome experience!! I had never...

Msagastizado, June 2017

Awesome experience!! I had never been on a horse and this was perfect! Victor was our tour guide and he made the experience that much better!

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