Most of you have heard of ATM, but it Belize it doesn’t mean Automated Teller Machine, here is means Actun Tunich Muknal. At Tsunami Adventures we offer an unforgettable day exploring the rainforest in the foot paths of ancient Maya as you pass through the hourglass-shaped opening of this cave system in the Roaring Creek Valley. Actun Tunichil Muknal- the Cave of the Stone Sepulcher is one of the most thrilling caving experiences Belize has to offer.
 A beautiful hour glass entrance |
 left for centuries untouched |
Your caving adventure begins with a hike through the tropical forest at the edge of Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. The heat and humidity will be forgotten once you swim across the deep pool at the gateway of the underworld. Wading through the cool water of the Muknal stream, climbing over rocks, and crawling through narrow passageways requires a good level of fitness. If you are up to the challenge you will be greatly rewarded.
Actun Tunichil Muknal was a sacred place to the Maya people, who used the cave during the Classic period (AD 250-909). The Mayas believed that gods, who provided rain and agricultural fertility, resided in this underworld. The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave offers a unique historical perspective; as you will see many of the artifacts are exactly as they were when the cave was first explored by archaeologists. Visitors also enjoy beautiful stalagmites, stalactites, and flow stones.
The Stelae Chamber is a major archaeological interest in the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave. It contains two slate stelae in front of which high status individuals performed rituals, where they cut themselves with obsidian blades to offer their blood to the gods.
 crystal maiden |
 pottery ATM |
The Crystal Maiden was a young woman of about 20. It is believed she was clubbed and left for dead, and with the passage of time she has been encased in calcite. The Mayas sacrificed humans in the hopes of appeasing the gods and bringing fertility to the land. The skeletal remains of 14 have been discovered in Actun Tunichil Muknal’s Main Chamber.
The History of ATM
Actun Tunichil Muknal was discovered in 1989 and opened to the public in 1998. Dr. Jaime Awe, a Belizean archaeologist was the first to explore the cave. Dr. Awe and his Western Belize Regional Cave Project (WBRCP) conducted archaeological research at Actun Tunichil Muknal from 1993-2000.
In January of 2003, it was decided that 455 acres of the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve would be re-designated as a natural monument. Official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Belize Audubon Society and the Institute of Archaeology (IoA) occurred on June 10, 2004. This agreement was the first of its kind to be signed by the Society for the co-management of an archeological site.
Stop by Tsunami Adventures today and set yourself up for an amazing adventure. We only need two people to conduct this tour. Departing at 6:30am from Caye Caulker and returning on the last boat back.
