Price
Xunantunich Tour
- 2-3 Pax: 135 USD Per Person
- 4 or more: 120 USD Per Person
Description
If you are hearing the word Xunantunich for the first time, you might ask “what is Xunantunich?” It is a small area of archaeological ruins located near the Mopan River, in southern Belize. Xunantunich means “stone Woman” or “Maiden of the rock” in the Yucatec dialect. These names are derived from the image of a woman depicted in one of the paintings.
These ruins represent the period of AD 650- 1000 of Mayan civilization when the people had mastered the art of construction. Residential structures spread over 22 acres were found in this site. It seems Xunantunich was abandoned in AD 900 and was again occupied in post classic period. Castillo, a 40m tall building, is one of the tallest Mayan buildings in Belize. The causeways, ball courts and platform mounds excavated here prove that they were far ahead of their generation.
Xunantunich was the first excavated Mayan site in Belize that was opened for the public. Though it is smaller compared to the other Mayan sites, it consists of the tallest structures. The huge statue of the Sun God, El Castillo, and the 130-foot tall pyramid are a couple of structures that attract visitors.
In the 1800s, Thomas Gann excavated Xunantunich. He used dynamite to blast the site; this destroyed most of the artifacts. Other excavations after this were equally unreliable with most of the artifacts being destroyed or vanishing. It was only in the 1990s that careful excavation began. Archaeologists discovered 2 altars and 8 stelae. Stelaes found at various other locations were carved and designed, but the ones found at Xunantunich were plain.
The three most remarkable segments of Xunantunich are the elite residential structures, the middle class residential structures and the ceremonial center. The six plazas of the city were surrounded by 25 palaces and several temples. Very brutal games were played in the ball court complex where the losers were put to death.
This particular tour allows you to travel on 3 of the 4 major highways in Belize. It also allow you to see the true country side of Belize while enjoying the breath taking view of the mountains.
Tour Duration
- 7am to 5pm
Tour Includes
- Lunch
- Drinks
- Snacks
What to Bring
- Bug Repellant
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Bathing Suit
- Towel
Book Now
Booking Tours & Cancellation Policy
How to confirm a tour:
- Contact us at dgoldentours@gmail.com or call or WhatsApp us at +1(501)660-7879 or Call
+1(501)608-8937. - Depending on your mode of communication, we should be able to respond to you within 24hours.
- A 50% deposit is required to confirm a booking.
D-Golden Tours requests that our guests make full payment the day before or the
day of scheduled tour. - Please note that tour prices may be subjected to changes at any time before a tour is confirmed.
- Here at the office/Gift Shop, we accept both Belize
dollars or USD, Master or Visa cards.
Things to note:
- Our prices are in US dollars and we require a minimum of 2 person per tour.
- Prices include all Park fees unless indicated by guide or upon reservation for customised tours.
- Prices include transfers, water and snacks/lunch when applicable.
- Please let us know ahead of time if you have any food allergies.
- Prices do not include gratuity, though not mandatory, please feel free to tip your guides/drivers for a job well done.
Cancellation Policy:
- Here at D-Golden Tours, we understand that unexpected changes can occur. We will do
our best to accommodate you. - D-Golden Tours require that a cancellation request is placed at least 48 hours before
your departure time. This gives us the opportunity to fill your seat. If you do not cancel prior to the 48-hour deadline, your deposit will be forfeited. - Cancellations made seven days or more in advance of the tour departure will receive a 100% refund. If cancellations are made within three to six days, a 20% fee will be
taken out of the refund. Cancellations made within 48 hours will incur a 30%
fee. To make sure bookings are available for other clients, no refunds will be
permitted within 24 hours of departure. - If D-Golden Tours has to cancel a tour and cannot reschedule due to inclement
weather or any other natural disasters, we will refund full deposit.
Rescheduling a tour without penalty:
- If you have an existing reservation with us and want to change to an alternate day, you may do so within a 1 year span.
- There will be no additional charges if you are booking the same tour.
- A reservation change request must be made at least 48 hours of scheduled tour.
