Learn more about the ancient Mayan culture! Have a scenic sightseeing excursion of Belize City and explore the ancient ruins of Xunantunich. A delicious local lunch is also included.
You'll meet your knowledgeable guides outside your Belize cruise tender terminal and board the transportation to start your scenic city sightseeing excursion of Belize City. Belize City was once the capital of former British Honduras and is the largest city in the country. Your brief drive-through will take you past some of its historical landmarks and buildings where your guides will inform you of its rich culture and colorful history.
The 1.5 to 2-hour drive west of the city brings you to the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. As this site is located away from the crowds at Altun Ha, you can enjoy the natural beauty and surroundings without the swarm from the cruise ships. You'll drive through several small communities and past the new capital of Belize, Belmopan, which was incorporated in 1970. The road leads to the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, former logging towns. But because of their strategic location have become the center of service industries including retail, hotels and restaurants, banking, and other tourism businesses. You'll continue near the western border to San Jose Soccutz, known for its great restaurants and delicious food, where the ruins are located. Xunantunich translates to "Maiden of the Rock" or "Stone Woman".
The drive sounds long but it is full of interesting spots along the way. To reach the ruins themselves, you'll cross the scenic Mopan River on a hand-cranked ferry, and then walk about 1 mile to the site. The road is paved but hilly so you need to be in some decent physical condition.
The center of the ruins is atop an artificially leveled limestone ridge. Towering above all in the middle is the El Castillo pyramid, the highest structure in Belize at just over 40 meters and over 1400 years old. Legend has it that the ghost of a woman can sometimes be seen climbing and entering the pyramid. The center of the site consists of 4 architectural groups and the settlements radiated out from there. Xunantunich thrived as a Mayan civic ceremonial center while other cities like Tikal, Caracol, and Naranjo were collapsing.
You'll walk through the city, up the mounds yet to be excavated, and into the palaces and temples once home to this great culture. Your Belize shore excursion guide will tell you about the people who lived there, and the ceremonies and rituals performed. You will have approximately 2 hours at the ruins.
Before returning to your cruise ship you'll be treated to a typical Belizean lunch of rice and beans cooked in coconut milk, chicken stew, fried plantains, and coleslaw. There's also a vegetarian option available upon request. The transportation will drop you back at the cruise tender terminal in time to catch the boat back to your ship.
NOTE: Due to the distance of the ruins and tendering, this excursion is only available for those ships in port for a minimum of more than 8 hours.
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