Authentic Belize Cave Tubing, Mayan Ruins & Horseback Riding Adventures
Your Belize Adventure Starts Here
Hi there, and welcome.
If you came looking for real Belize, not the polished brochure version but the off the beaten path, river-spray-in-your-face, “tell-me-that-story-again” Belize, you’re in the right place.
St Leonard’s Tours didn’t begin as a company. It began as weekends with family and friends riding out to the old Nabitunich mayan site, following game trails to hidden lookouts, and cooling off in jungle creeks on the way home. People who visited asked if they could come next time. Then their friends asked. Before we knew it, our family’s hobby had become a calling.
Those early horseback rides grew into full days exploring the great Maya cities that anchor western Belize: Xunantunich at sunrise when the stone gleams, Cahal Pech tucked above San Ignacio, and the deeper expeditions across the borderlands of the Cayo District. Curiosity kept pushing us farther. We started floating the underground rivers at Nohoch Che’en (often known as Jaguar Paw) and later added the legendary Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave) cave for guests ready to combine history, geology, and a little splash of adrenaline. Today we guide thousands of travellers each year, but the spirit hasn’t changed: every tour still feels like taking friends out to our favourite places (just look at our reviews and you will see).
Our guides are not seasonal hires reading from a script. They are licensed Belizean professionals, many of them family, who spend their “days off” attending archaeology symposiums (BAS) in San Ignacio, scouting new cave passages, night fishing in the Macal river, checking trail conditions after a storm, and hunting out waterfalls we’ve heard about from farmers upriver. That constant exploring is why our guests often see more wildlife, reach quieter viewpoints, and hear fresher stories than they expected.
If you don’t mind getting wet, muddy, sun-kissed, and grinning in most of your photos, come along. Whether you want to glide through cathedral-size caverns on an inner tube, climb temple steps once walked by the ancient Maya, or ride a sure-footed horse through village farmland into rainforest, we’ll help you make a day you’ll talk about for years. Kindly scroll down and look at our adventures, we’d be honoured to guide it.
Our Most Popular Belize Tours
In all sincerity, we use the word "tours" because that’s what travellers generally type into Google, but what we really offer are moments that stick. Moments like catching your first glimpse of Xunantunich’s El Castillo just as the howler monkeys start their dawn chorus, or laughing with new friends as cool river water splashes over the rims of your tubes inside Nohoch Che’en (Jaguar Paw). Every guest arrives with a different story, and our guides shape each day around it, swapping the script for instinct, curiosity, and a good dose of Belizean humour.
The adventures below are the ones guests ask for again and again, not because they’re pre‑packaged, but because they leave room for the unexpected: example an orchid blooming out of season, a shy motmot flashing turquoise in the canopy, a rain shower that turns a sunset ride into something cinematic. Think of them as "trusted starting points". Tell us what stirs your sense of wonder, and we’ll tune the pace, the stories, and the quiet pauses so your own memories rise to the surface and take centre stage.
Horseback Riding in Belize | Xunantunich & Jungle Trail Adventure
We started as farmers, not tour operators, so horses have been family long before they became part of our business. Our horses are gently trained by the same hands that cared for them as foals, they’re steady, sure‑footed, and they perfect partners for first‑time horseback riders and seasoned horse‑lovers alike. Our tours always start with a crash course in horseback riding in Belize to teach the basics before we ease out of the corral and into open country.
After the farm, the trail soon trades pasture for rainforest shade: giant ceiba trees arch overhead, orchids cling to their trunks, and toucans call along the Mopan River. Shallow crossings keep the horses cool and give you the thrill of splashing water without dismounting. Farther downstream we board the hand‑cranked San Jose Succotz ferry, horses and all, for an unforgettable river crossing, then climb the limestone ridge to Xunantunich. Your mount waits patiently while you explore El Castillo’s summit views, then carries you home on a different path so nothing feels like repetition.
Belize Cave Tubing | Nohoch Che’en Underground River
If you’re up for a brief jungle walk and don’t mind getting pleasantly soaked, this adventure is probably a right fit for you. A short rainforest walk brings you to the cool mouth of Nohoch Che’en (Jaguar Paw), an ancient limestone labyrinth the Maya once called, Xibalba, the doorway to the underworld. Once you clip on your headlamp and settle into your tube, the gentle current carry you beneath vaulted chambers where crystal formations glitter with each sweep of light.
The river does the work while you lean back, watch roots dangle from the ceiling, and feel the day’s tension dissolve in the clear, spring‑fed water. By the time you emerge into sunlight, the hike has filled your lungs with fresh jungle air and the float has left you calm, refreshed, and ready for whatever Belize adventure comes next.
Belize Mayan Ruins | Xunantunich & Cahal Pech Tours
Xunantunich sits just outside San Ignacio, its jade‑faced temple El Castillo rising above the treetops like a silent lighthouse. Most visitors cross on the hand‑cranked ferry, climb the pyramid, snap a selfie, and tick the box. That’s fine, but linger with one of our guides and the site shifts: the frieze of the Sun God becomes a calendar in stone, the sealed tomb beneath your feet reveals how Maya kings prepared for the afterlife, and the ridge‑top view stretches all the way to Guatemala, linking city‑states that once traded cacao and obsidian.
Because we attend Belize’s Archaeology Symposium every year, the stories we share aren’t lifted from placards; they’re the latest digs, the newest glyph translations, the debates still warm in scholars’ notebooks. Ride in on horseback along the Mopan River or book a private, crowd‑free dawn tour, either way, you leave knowing Xunantunich not as a postcard, but as a living chapter in Belize’s history.
Actun Tunichil Muknal | ATM Cave
If you are looking for a full-day adventure that blends rainforest trekking, river wading, and underground discovery into one unforgettable experience. After an hour’s hike and three stream crossings, you swim through the cave’s cool entrance pool and follow your guide into vaulted passages where pottery shards still mark ancient offerings.
Deeper in, the chamber opens onto calcified skeletons left by Maya priests over a thousand years ago. The most striking is the “Crystal Maiden,” the glittering bones of a teenager whose surface now sparkles with mineral deposits. We carry only head-lamps and respect: no cameras, no flash, just quiet footsteps and expert narration drawn from the latest archaeological findings. By the time you emerge into sunlight you’ll understand why National Geographic ranks ATM among the world’s top sacred caves, and why a day spent here feels like time traveling rather than touring.
Review from Our Guests
Every adventure has a story, and ours are best told by the incredible guests who embark on them. We're honored to share a collection of genuine feedback from travelers who have explored Belize with us
A
Amelia Kolk
a month ago
★★★★★
We did the horseback tour to Xunantunich and had the best time! Our guide Carla was amazing, so much energy, super passionate about the horses, and made us feel really comfortable (my boyfriend Nick is more experienced on horses and felt right at home). We booked really last minute and ended up being the only two on the tour, which was such a bonus. The horses were really well trained and easy to ride, and going on horseback is definitely the way to do it, you get to move at a slower pace and see so much wildlife along the way, like iguanas and tons of birds. At the ruins, Carla shared so much about Mayan history and made it all really interesting. It was such a fun mix of riding, wildlife, and history—definitely one of our favorite experiences.
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Whether it was venturing deep into ancient Maya ruins, discovering the mysteries of the "Crystal Maiden," and navigating our lush jungles and pristine rivers on horseback. These reviews reflect the heart and soul we pour into every tour, showcasing our commitment to providing authentic, educational, and thrilling experiences. Whether it's the thrill of an ATM Cave expedition, the tranquility of a river journey, or the exhilaration of a horseback ride, our guests' words paint a vivid picture of the unforgettable moments and the lasting impact of their time in Belize. Read on and imagine your own adventure unfolding.
A huge thank you to all our amazing guests for choosing St. Leonard's Tours for their Belizean adventures. Your incredible reviews truly mean the world to us and help fellow travelers plan their perfect trip!