Aelfgifu Travels

Hi Aelf Crew,

I am dedicating a separate post for the ATM Cave, short for Actun Tunichil Muknal, meaning the “Cave of the Stone Sepulchre”. It’s one of Belize’s most famous (and sacred) archaeological sites, known for ancient Mayan artefacts, ceramics, and human remains – including the glittering skeleton known as ‘The Crystal Maiden’.

This tour was considered ‘moderate’ intensity. Now I don’t know about you but I always find these terms difficult to gauge due to the subjectivity. I am a very strong swimmer and short, so for me this tour leaned towards the easier side but when it comes to hiking up a mountain I would consider this challenging because it’s not something I am actively good at (or enjoy)!

That being said, this trip involves swimming, squeezing through tight gaps, and scrambling over rocks, so if you’re claustrophobic in the slightest, this is absolutely not the tour for you.

The Jungle Trek

You start with a 45 minute hike through the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, with three river crossings through the jungle. The first being at the very beginning of the trek and ‘chest-high’ for most people. As someone vertically challenged, I just swam across instead. There is a rope tied taut across to hold onto as the current can be strong. By the time we arrived at the entrance of the cave, we were already soaked (well, at least the two short females in the group). At the entrance you must leave your water bottles and have nothing else with you but the small lifejacket and headtorch provided. 

This trek is very scenic, with exotic wildlife and plants to look at along the way.

Inside the Cave

The entrance to the cave is into cold, fairly deep, water to swim to the first landing. From there, it’s a mix of climbing, wading, and ducking through narrow passages surrounded by stalactites, crabs, bats, and cave crickets.

Partway through, you climb into what’s called the ‘Dry Chamber’. There’s no equipment involved – it’s all “hand here, foot there” manoeuvring, but it’s very doable with the guide’s help. Once up, you remove your shoes and continue in socks only. This rule was introduced after a visitor once accidentally stepped on and cracked an ancient skull. Cameras and phones have also been banned since one was dropped onto an ancient artifact a few years ago.

The dry chamber opens into a vast, echoing space filled with ceramics, tools, and skeletal remains. The most famous is ‘The Crystal Maiden’ – the glittering calcified skeleton of a young girl who was believed to be around 14 and thought to have been a Mayan sacrificial victim – this part of the cave was used as a sacrifice chamber, after all.

After exploring, you carefully climb back down the same rock formation and retrace your path through the cave. Our guide allowed us to turn all of our headlamps off to immerse ourselves in the darkness. Pitch black, with very little noise but bats flying about. This was so peaceful and just incredible.

What to Bring for the ATM Cave

• Footwear: closed-toe shoes are mandatory (no flip-flops or basic water shoes). Trainers work best as they dry faster.
• Socks: required for the dry chamber.
• Clothing: modest attire swimwear with shorts, or lightweight clothes you don’t mind getting wet. I wore shorts and a t-shirt, and under the heat of the Belizean sun, I had dried pretty quickly on the 45-minute trek back after exiting the cave. Wearing lightweight leggings may be a recommendable option, as my legs were fairly scratched up and bruised afterwards – but if you take it slow and don’t act quite as excitable as I did you may come out scathe-free.
• Snacks: I went early in the morning and with all the climbing and walking, noshing on a granola bar amongst skeletal remains was not only a sight to see, but kept my energy up. A sherbet lemon was unfortunately inappropriate for this trip as it likely would have dissolved in the water!
• Water: bring enough for the hike and bus ride.
• Change of clothes and/or towel: I personally had no need to change after as I was relatively dry, but if you don’t like being damp then this is recommended. 
• Don’t bother bringing a camera as they’re not allowed. All valuables were locked up in our van, but there really is no need to bring it out your accommodation.

An unforgettable mix of jungle trek, cave exploration, and ancient history, the ATM Cave is one of those rare experiences that leaves you both exhausted and enchanted.

Is this something you would consider doing or does the thought of bats and tight spaces terrify you? Let me know in the comments!

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Crawled in curious, emerged enchanted,

Aelfgifu