Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
San Ignacio, Belize
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore the ancient Maya city of Caracol with a full-day tour from San Ignacio that includes the Río On pools and the Río Frio caves. Follow your guide through the vast archaeological site, stand in the field of the ball court, and take in sweeping views of the jungle from the peak of the sky temple pyramid. Follow the history of Caracol in the glyphs, stelae, and carvings throughout the site, and then finish your day swimming in natural pools and visiting a vast limestone cave system in Pine Ridge.
- Learn about the history of the archaeological site
- Climb to the top of Caana Temple for a panoramic view of Belize and neighboring Guatemala
- Belizean-style picnic lunch with rum punch
- Finish the day with a swim at Rio On Pools and Rio Frio Cave
What's Included
- National Park fees
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Picnic lunch with a drink
- Guide
- Round-trip transportation
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Rio Frio Cave
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
The Maya Ruins of Caracol
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
4
Rio On Pools
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate
- What to bring: Hiking sandals or trainers, towel, small backpack, liter of water, bug spray, snacks, swim wear with shorts, camera
- There is no minimum age. All are welcomed
- Infants must sit on laps
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 266 reviews
Nora_T, Mar 2026
Our guide, Jesar, was great. His passion and diverse knowledge made this a trip not just about Mayan archaeology, but also about birds and Belizean culture.
japat8113, Feb 2026
This was an amazing experience. I wish we got more time at the Rio on Pools but our guide Isael was so knowledgeable and was engaging with the kids. Great tour!
Asif_Q, Feb 2026
Very good small group tour to the ruins, cave, and waterfall. Knowledgeable guide. Will pick/drop at any points in town. Lunch included but avoid the juice diluted in local tap water.
Karen_S, Jan 2026
Jory, the guide for Caracol was very knowledgeable and a well versed story teller. I thoroughly enjoyed the informative trip.
Gerry_J, Jan 2026
It was the best tour I could have gone on. The ruins were fantastic and Israel was the best guide ever! He was patient, kind and easy going. I was relaxed and had such a good time exploring. The information given was informative and very interesting. The pick up at the hotel made it easy for me. The lunch of chicken and rice was delicious and plentiful. Everyone was so nice and helpful. I would highly recommend this tour to travelers, especially first time in Belize travelers.
Lauren_D, Jan 2026
Great day at Caracol with a knowledgeable guide. The day was broken up well with a hike to a cave, then the ruins and then a dip in the Rio On pools. Lunch was decent and served on time. I would use MayaWalk tours again for other trips. Well organized and well executed.
Wing_L, Dec 2025
So happy that I chose this tour. The experience is much more intimate than any other Mayan ruins. Not crowded at all’ at times, we have the place all to ourselves. Out guide Leo was excellent. He is experienced and knowledgeable, made this tour much more worthwhile.
James_M, Nov 2025
We loved this tour. I think the company that does this tour is great. This was our second tour with them. We lucked out with a very small group and we were in a nice new van. It’s a very early start, but worth it. Bring a snack. The first stop was a stunning cave. Then Caracol, which was amazing. The guide gave us time to explore an area by ourselves, so that was cool. The last stop was the pools. Be careful because the water can be strong, but it was so cool. A great time was had by all.
Renata_D, Oct 2025
The tour was perfect. It was much more than we expected. The site was incredible, and the lunch was delicious. We learn a lot about the Mayas and El Caracol. I highly recommend this tour. Our driver (Jaheem) and tour guide (Ed) were great. Thanks for everything.
Thomas_H, Sep 2025
100% would recommend. Our guides Irvin and (I apologize for not remembering the other name) were very knowledgeable on the history of not only the ruins and what was in our tour but gave us a lesson on Belize as a whole. Very kind and accommodating people.
Andrew_S, Jul 2025
This was our third Mayan ruin tour and I admit that I was worried that it would be one too many. However, I was happy to be wrong. The drive up to Caracol is winding and beautiful and we saw a couple of Toucans (which was exciting). Our guide, Edioni, was friendly and knowledgeable and made the history come alive. The lunch was delicious traditional Belizean food that we greatly enjoyed. The road to Rio Frio Caves was closed so he offered us the choice to hike back in (an hour each way) or to go swimming at the base of Big Rock Falls. Because I had researched the falls and learned that tourists really can’t get to the bottom (without local connections), we jumped at the chance. We did stop by to see Rio on Pool and it looks like a fun place to swim and hang out, but we didn’t actually get in (because of swimming at the waterfall). I would recommend this tour for anyone wishing to experience an incredible Mayan ruin while also getting to enjoy one of Belize’s natural wonders
Dagmar_R, Jun 2025
Jason was very nice and helpfull. Very informative about everything. What ever you was asking. He was very patient . He did a good job. A Guide with experience.
Thanks again.
venice_d, Jun 2025
Great tour! We had a small group, only 4 people in this tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable and professional. The maya walk pick up and drop off service was very convenient. The itinerary was very good, we got to see the cave, explore the Caracol ruins and cooled off on the way back under a small water fall😊 our guide was Izzy and he did an awesome job👍🏼 the packing list they send you was very helpful to prepare for the trip. Oh and lunch was very hearty, belizean stew chicken.
Lindsey_C, May 2025
This was such a great experience. Learning the history and culture of the Mayans was topped off perfectly with a trip to the Rio Frio Cave and Pools. Jason was our guide and helped answer all of our questions along the way.
Juleigh_D, Apr 2025
The guide was so knowledgeable. He customized the tour to accommodate the range of mobility and interest of the group.
IreneDellAnna, Mar 2025
Mayawalk tours are the best. The local guide, Ed, was fantastic and really well prepared for any question.
Devinda_A, Feb 2025
Great trip. The guide was fantastic. Very informative and made sure all the people on the tour were looked after.
3 hours spent at Caracol and then a cooling dip in the Rio pools. Lunch was a typical Belizean meal - Rice, beans and stew chicken.
Denise_C, Feb 2025
Amazing day! Eddie with MayaWalk tours was a fantastic guide. There were 6 of us in the group and almost no one else at Caracol, so we basically had the whole archeological park to ourselves! He was very knowledgeable about Caracol and gave great information on the tour. It has been raining for a few days so he suggested the hike to the cave might not be a good idea so we opted to spend more time at the Rio On Pools which was fantastic. Great day and would very much recommend!
Sonia_A, Feb 2025
The tour was very interesting.
It has to be said that the trip to Caracol is pretty long, but admiring the buildings of Caracol is worth it.
Our guide and driver was Jason.
He was very kind, helpful, and gave us a lot of information on Maya culture in Belize.
He also talked to us about modern-day life in the country.
Finally, having a splash in Rio on Pools was a very "refreshing" ending after climbing in Caracol.
Amy_B, Jan 2025
Great experience. Guide was very informative. Transport was on time. Lunch was simple but tasty. Rio on the pools was gorgeous.
Huseyin_A, Jan 2025
Probably best Mayan ruins in Belize.
Temples are reached by traversing a scenic mountain road. First a pine forest is passed through then a jungle (broad leave trees)
Isabella_H, Jan 2025
Caracol is a great introduction to Mayan history, with brilliant panoramic views across the canopy. Our guide Andy was brilliant and informative. Mountain Pine Ridge is very beautiful and has it's own history, having housed a logging community. Rio On Pools is a great swimming spot with shallower pools fine for kids and plenty of deeper ones too.
Angela_B, Jan 2025
Jason was a great tour guide! He took the time to educate us not just about the site we visited, but about Belize history, its people, plants and animals. Caracol was a fascinating place, swimming in Rio on pools was great and lunch was delicious. Highly recommend!
Ashley_B, Jan 2025
We took the tour from the Maya Walk office, since we had a rental car and parked in a lot next to it for the day. Jason was our guide, and state was the driver. It was a blast from the beginning. Take some good walking shoes, insect repellant, sunscreen, a water bottle, something to swim in, and towels. We stopped on the way to grab gas and got some beer for the return trip (for us, not the driver) that we put in their cooler. There are restrooms at Caracol but only changing rooms at the river, so plan your bathroom stops accordingly. The ride out was pretty smooth. There is a current road project, so much of it was paved, and more will be paved as time goes on. The tour was amazing, and we couldn’t believe we could just walk all over these ancient structures. We learned a ton, laughed a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We had a little cloud cover most of the day, but it was pretty warm when the sun came out. On a sunny day, I’m sure we would have needed to reapply sunscreen and drink more water. Jason took any photos we wanted and allowed us our time to explore. We never felt rushed. The river stop was about halfway back to town, and it was refreshing! River shoes would be nice, but not necessary. It’s moving water, but there are calm spots too. Plenty of space to sit under a tree if you don’t want to swim. I am so glad we booked this trip, and we’d happily do it again with Jason. It was the best day!
Vishwas_P, Dec 2024
Pick up was on time
Bus ride was comfortable
Check in process was very efficient
Staff is professional and knowledgeable
Jason (guide) was very informative and friendly
Total Tour time was about 10 hours or more
Amy_T, Dec 2024
Really great tour of caracol. We were the first visitors of the day there and had the place almost to ourselves. Guide was really knowledgeable and interesting. Lunch provided was very good. We skipped the cave because the guide warned us the road there has washed out and it would be a very long, muddy hike. But he gave us the option and let us choose that or more time swimming in the pools, which we all chose.
Amanda_M, Dec 2024
This was a fun excursion. It unfortunately was raining during our tour, but that of course couldn't be prevented. The downside with that though was we were not able to reach the Rio Frio Cave during our tour due to road conditions from the weather. The Caracol Ruins were great, our guide gave us sooooooo much information, he was very knowledgeable on the culture. It was really cool to be able to climb up onto the ruins and see the views from the top. Special shoutout to our driver Jaheim and our tour guide Ediano. Ediano gave us a great background on the Belizian culture while we were driving, he was a wealth of knowledge!
Denis_G, Dec 2024
The office staffs were nice and helpful, the tour guides very pleasant and attentive Jason especially. The lunch was ok , Tate the driver was fantastic
Sharice_M, Nov 2024
The guide was absolutely expert knowledgeable. We saw toucans and howler monkeys. Ruins were great and you climb the original structure not wooden stairs like Tikal.
I thought the Rio Frio pools at the end was perfect because you can use the cold water to combat inflammation from all the activity.
connor_h, Jul 2024
This was a very fun trip. The trip to Caracol is very long and bumpy but worth it. We saw some cool monkeys there and learned a lot. The Rio frio part was semi disappointing. We didn’t see the cave and just visited the pools for like 30 minutes. Still worth it, but keep that in mind.
From $135.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Caracol Maya Ruins Tour Including Rio On Pools, Rio Frio Cave and a Picnic Lunch
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