24 Jun 2024
Visiting the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave in Belize, which means “Cave of the Stone Sepulcher,” is probably one of the coolest adventures I’ve done throughout my travels across the globe.
After heavy rains and short closure of the cave, I was lucky to explore Xibalba, the gateway to the Mayan underworld. The cave is believed to be a site for human sacrifice with skeletons (some were under 18 yo) and pots strewn throughout, melded, and fused with the cave undisturbed for thousands of years.
The trip was not for the faint of heart - 3 river crossings across a jungle and a 3-hour hike into the darkness neck deep in water, free climbing up rocks, and forcing myself (and my head) through extremely tight spaces multiple times just so I can keep hiking. On the way in, I was greeted by 2 boa constrictors, and on the way out, a giant wolf spider hanging out by the cave wall!
My tour guide, Francisco, aka "Panchito", was amazing and knowledgeable about the site. Our group was small and we didn't have a lot of questions (because Francisco gave us a lot of information). Francisco was very interested in the history and gave us different theories as to why the skeletons and pots were inside the cave. He was very passionate about guiding us through the cave and he was very detailed about all the safety precautions we needed to know prior to, during, and after the hike. I didn't have any injuries - no scrapes or bruises - just some bug bites while hiking through the forest. The lunch was also delicious!
Phones and cameras are not allowed inside, and I highly recommend wearing water shoes AND socks (for when you walk barefoot in a certain section of the cave). Only a tiny portion of the cave is open to the public.