Rafting
4–5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 93% of travelers
93% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$75
per adult
Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
4.9
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Full view
About
Charlie's Tours are very educational, ecological-oriented and adequate for school kids and students of all ages. Charlie offers an excellent ecological tour on the trails just prior to having to tube through the mysterious caves where the Maya priests once prayed to and worshiped the Gods of the Underworld. At Charlie's Cave Tubing we cater especially to our Eco-friendly guests. We are very serious about the conservation and preservation of the caves. We are sure you will find this a very relaxing and pleasant experience.
Tours and Tickets by Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours
Rafting
5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$135
per adult
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.9
495 reviews
Excellent
461
Very good
26
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
3
Dave
Riverside, CA235 contributions
Mar 2022
Charlie Chan (Mayan) is the founder/owner of this WONDERFUL business. We are a 74 year young couple from California who at the last minute communicated with Charlie and received a very prompt and affirmative response. We emailed on a Sunday night, received a response early Monday and had our adventure the very next day. Charlie is one of the most pleasant, caring, informative and fun guides we have had during our many, many independent travels. We had a very pleasant, easy walk through the rain forest with Charlie, learning a great deal about the flora and fauna. Charlie even carried our tubes for us, This was a tandem cave tubing experience where Charlie pulled us along the very easy current in the caves and river. He was extremely safety conscious, patient and a genuine pleasure to spend the several hours we had with him. At the end of the adventure we were very pleased to have lunch included in a very local and pleasant restaurant. His son also runs tours under his business. They do cruise ship groups as well. If you want to go tandem cave tubing, you must connect with Charlie. Nothing scary at all!
Written March 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole R
Palm Beach Gardens, FL73 contributions
Mar 2023
Highly recommend this tour. Book directly through Charlie, at charliescavetubing@yahoo.com. He is a local of Mayan decent and has been giving cave tubing tours for over twenty years. We were picked up outside of the port by Charlie who drove us to the archeological site where the tubing takes place. We had time to change into our swimwear and water shoes in changing rooms/restrooms. Charlie locked our bags and dry clothes in his car. We then received a helmet and lifejacket (Charlie had our tubes sent ahead so we didn't have to carry them all the way to the start of the tubing area like other groups were doing). We then walked about 30 minutes crossing the river at a few waist level or below spots with Charlie giving us a history of the Mayans and the significance of the caves. The tubing itself is amazing and fun, our teens also loved it. After we changed back into our dry clothes and since we only had a half day at port and no time for lunch, Charlie drove us back to the cruise port. A great day overall!
Written March 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ah_decker
Morehead City, NC2 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
We had the most incredible day with Brett as our guide! He met us at the port terminal and was an informative guide from the time we departed. We learned much about Belize, its people, and its history on our drive to/from cave tubing. While walking to our launch point, he stopped several times to point out ecological features of the rain forest. Once we started our cave tour, he pointed out significant formations and shared elements of Mayan history. One of the best parts - we continued our float down river after cruise bookings had ended. Lunch at Teaky Tavern was authentic and delicious. We arrived back to port in plenty of time to tender back to our ship. Our friends said in their four trips to Belize, this was by far the best excursion they have taken. We cannot recommend highly enough!
Written February 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ntrpriz1701e
Yardley, PA19 contributions
Nov 2020
There is a reason that Charlie Chan is rated #4 (currently) and most likely should be rated higher. We may be the first review since the opening of Belize. While we did not go cave tubing, we had Charlie for our own private excursion for my family and I. Charlie has been doing this for 25 years. It is easy to understand why he is the best. Not only is he friendly, informative, knowledgeable, etc., he is invested in your enjoying your day - it is as important to him as yourself.
Interested in safety in today's world? he is Gold Standard certified and took our family's "COVID safety" seriously. What does it say when Belize is doing it better than the US?
Anyway - no hesitation to use Charlie's org...This is the person to see!
Interested in safety in today's world? he is Gold Standard certified and took our family's "COVID safety" seriously. What does it say when Belize is doing it better than the US?
Anyway - no hesitation to use Charlie's org...This is the person to see!
Written November 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rzrbck
Arkansas17 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
Book this excursion right now. Do not hesitate for a second. Charlie is a gentleman and a scholar of all things Belize. He took our family of 7 on a cave tubing/ zip lining tour during our recent Carnival cruise. He was on time, honest, trustworthy and had us back on the ship in plenty of time. Send him an email to book: charliescavetubing@yahoo.com
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim B
Hot Springs, AR97 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We were so happy to be Charlie’s first group out since Covid. We did the zip line & cave tubing. The tubing is so unique. You will never forget it. He and Leo took great care of us from start to finish. Highly recommend.
Written August 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michell
Fort Worth, TX1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
We met Carlos at the port who then left us with Captain Chino. We had the best time in Belize!! We got to swim with sharks and stingrays in the most stunning waters I have ever seen! We also snorkeled by the barrier reef and stopped in for a fabulous lunch in Caye Caulker. This team was amazing and so friendly. I'd definitely book with them again!
Written November 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a positive review! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experience here in Belize. Your kind words mean a lot to us and motivate our team to continue delivering excellent service.
We're delighted that Captain Chino met your expectations. It's customers like you that make our job so rewarding.
We look forward to serving you again in the future.
Thanks again!
Best regards,
Carlos
Written November 23, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
754JJ754
Southside, AL50 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Our Family of 6 recently went here for an excursion while on a Norwegian Cruise. We had 2 adults, 2 teens and 2 under the age of 10. Depending on the excursion, we sometimes book through the cruise line and sometimes don't. We did NOT book this through the cruise line and I'm glad we didn't. The price was $50 per person when you book directly through Charlie's. The booking process was simple. You will send him an email on his website with the date/time you arrive at port, cruise ship line/name of ship and number of people. He will confirm back to you via email. No need to pay until you get to port. Once you get to port, walk off the cruise ship and meet at the designated spot. His guys all have on blue shirts that look like superman shirts. They will want to be paid in cash so make sure you bring cash with you from the boat.
I would suggest wearing your bathing suits to the location and bringing a change of clothes for when you're finished. There is a large bathhouse where you can change after your finished tubing. We all wore our Chocco sandals, which worked out perfectly for both walking to the area where you put in and for wearing during the tubing. If you don't have a pair of choccos or other type of water shoe, then they will rent a pair to you for $3 USD.
I didn't bring my smart phone but wish I had. There are no meaningful rapids so if your phone is in a life proof case, otter box or other water resistant case then you should be fine. I would recommend putting your phone in a zip lock freezer bag that you tuck in your shirt under your vest and then taking it out once your in your tube to take pictures of the cave and the sights along the way. You can always stick it back in the zip lock bag and tuck it back inside your shirt under your life vest when you want to put it up.
The ride was about 45 minutes and was included in the $50 pp fee. Once you get there, they provide you with a box lunch. Ours consisted of chicken, beans and rice and slaw. Not bad for a free lunch. They also provide you with a life jacket and helmet with light on top. As a bonus, when you book through Charlies, you do NOT have to carry your tube to the drop in location. This is a HUGE plus because its about a 20-30 minute walk to get to the drop in point. I'm not aware of any other companies that do this.
The ride lasts about 45 minutes and you will have a guide with your group who will talk about the rock formations in the cave and other stories behind the cave. Once your out of the cave, you'll float for about 15 to 20 minutes to the take out point. It's a very short walk back to the van from the take out point...maybe 5 minutes.
There is one other bonus. A the take out point, there is a rock that you can jump off that's about 20 feet above the water. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me and our two teenage boys! Just be sure that no inner tubers are passing under the rock when you jump.
For the price point, this was an EXCELLENT excursion for the money and one of the better value excursions that we've booked over the years. Also, one side note, we learned that Norwegian Cruise Line is going to discontinue the Belize Port as a destination as of February 2016. They claim it is because of crime. I haven't researched this issue but we never felt in danger while we were there. With that in mind, I wouldn't venture past the cruise port. I can also tell you that, from what we saw, it didn't look nearly as bad as the ports in the Bahamas where you feel like your in a bad scene from the movie "Blackhawk Down" and your hoping reinforcements will show up to dimply walk to the bathroom with you. If you're on Norwegian, I'm not sure if you'll be able to take a ferry from another stop or not but I would check with Norwegian if you're sailing with that cruise line. As far as I know, the other cruise lines are NOT discontinuing this port. Please click on the helpful button if this review was a benefit to you. Happy travels!
I would suggest wearing your bathing suits to the location and bringing a change of clothes for when you're finished. There is a large bathhouse where you can change after your finished tubing. We all wore our Chocco sandals, which worked out perfectly for both walking to the area where you put in and for wearing during the tubing. If you don't have a pair of choccos or other type of water shoe, then they will rent a pair to you for $3 USD.
I didn't bring my smart phone but wish I had. There are no meaningful rapids so if your phone is in a life proof case, otter box or other water resistant case then you should be fine. I would recommend putting your phone in a zip lock freezer bag that you tuck in your shirt under your vest and then taking it out once your in your tube to take pictures of the cave and the sights along the way. You can always stick it back in the zip lock bag and tuck it back inside your shirt under your life vest when you want to put it up.
The ride was about 45 minutes and was included in the $50 pp fee. Once you get there, they provide you with a box lunch. Ours consisted of chicken, beans and rice and slaw. Not bad for a free lunch. They also provide you with a life jacket and helmet with light on top. As a bonus, when you book through Charlies, you do NOT have to carry your tube to the drop in location. This is a HUGE plus because its about a 20-30 minute walk to get to the drop in point. I'm not aware of any other companies that do this.
The ride lasts about 45 minutes and you will have a guide with your group who will talk about the rock formations in the cave and other stories behind the cave. Once your out of the cave, you'll float for about 15 to 20 minutes to the take out point. It's a very short walk back to the van from the take out point...maybe 5 minutes.
There is one other bonus. A the take out point, there is a rock that you can jump off that's about 20 feet above the water. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me and our two teenage boys! Just be sure that no inner tubers are passing under the rock when you jump.
For the price point, this was an EXCELLENT excursion for the money and one of the better value excursions that we've booked over the years. Also, one side note, we learned that Norwegian Cruise Line is going to discontinue the Belize Port as a destination as of February 2016. They claim it is because of crime. I haven't researched this issue but we never felt in danger while we were there. With that in mind, I wouldn't venture past the cruise port. I can also tell you that, from what we saw, it didn't look nearly as bad as the ports in the Bahamas where you feel like your in a bad scene from the movie "Blackhawk Down" and your hoping reinforcements will show up to dimply walk to the bathroom with you. If you're on Norwegian, I'm not sure if you'll be able to take a ferry from another stop or not but I would check with Norwegian if you're sailing with that cruise line. As far as I know, the other cruise lines are NOT discontinuing this port. Please click on the helpful button if this review was a benefit to you. Happy travels!
Written January 5, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChipDerek
Grand Rapids, Michigan9 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
It was okay, nothing spectacular. It's definitely worth doing once but I wouldn't go back and do it again. The guides were pretty great though, nothing against them.
Written January 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cooljewel
Canada52 contributions
As cruise ship passengers destined for Belize City, we booked a tour with Charlie (http://charliescavetubing.com/index.html) through http://www.ecotoursbelize.com/. Charlie was standing where our tender docked even before we pulled in, holding a sign with our name on it. I'm so glad we went with him, instead of the ship. He was professional, knowledgable, and fun, and never once did we feel unsafe.
At the time of booking we requested an additional hike be added on to our regular cave tubing tour. For a small additional fee (still WAY cheaper per person than tours through the ship) we got a phenomenal tour unlike anyone else that went cave tubing that day. For one thing, our tour was private: just the three of us and Charlie, our extremely knowledgable guide. Charlie explained lots about Mayan traditions, and flora and fauna of the rainforest during our hike. It wasn't long before we'd gone far past the wide, perfectly groomed pathways, and past the place where the rest of the cruise ship passengers had entered the river. We stopped along the way to eat some termites live out of the nest (they tasted surprisingly good!) and we walked a narrow, muddy path in the rainforest, with no sign of other humans anywhere in sight. All of a sudden, a call in the rainforest caught our attention: we'd found some howler monkeys. Charlie explained all about the howlers, and ensured that it was safe for us to venture off the path a few feet so we could clearly see the monkeys high up in the canopy.
Afterwards, we entered the caves and briefly jumped into the refreshing water for a quick swim, before getting in our tubes. Charlie guided us through the caves --and since we'd walked further than any other cruise ship passengers, we had the first two caves totally to ourselves-- all the while explaining all about Mayan traditions and beliefs. We asked Charlie if he could find us some bats in the cave, so he did...but if we hadn't asked we never would have seen any of them. The caves themselves are incredible, and we covered about two miles of them. When we finally arrived back where we'd started, we wished we could turn around and do it all over again.
At the end of the tour, we sat down to a satisfying meal of chicken, beans and rice, before getting back into the air conditioned van and driving back to the cruise terminal. All in all, a perfect tour, filled with experiences we never would have had if we had booked through the ship.
At the time of booking we requested an additional hike be added on to our regular cave tubing tour. For a small additional fee (still WAY cheaper per person than tours through the ship) we got a phenomenal tour unlike anyone else that went cave tubing that day. For one thing, our tour was private: just the three of us and Charlie, our extremely knowledgable guide. Charlie explained lots about Mayan traditions, and flora and fauna of the rainforest during our hike. It wasn't long before we'd gone far past the wide, perfectly groomed pathways, and past the place where the rest of the cruise ship passengers had entered the river. We stopped along the way to eat some termites live out of the nest (they tasted surprisingly good!) and we walked a narrow, muddy path in the rainforest, with no sign of other humans anywhere in sight. All of a sudden, a call in the rainforest caught our attention: we'd found some howler monkeys. Charlie explained all about the howlers, and ensured that it was safe for us to venture off the path a few feet so we could clearly see the monkeys high up in the canopy.
Afterwards, we entered the caves and briefly jumped into the refreshing water for a quick swim, before getting in our tubes. Charlie guided us through the caves --and since we'd walked further than any other cruise ship passengers, we had the first two caves totally to ourselves-- all the while explaining all about Mayan traditions and beliefs. We asked Charlie if he could find us some bats in the cave, so he did...but if we hadn't asked we never would have seen any of them. The caves themselves are incredible, and we covered about two miles of them. When we finally arrived back where we'd started, we wished we could turn around and do it all over again.
At the end of the tour, we sat down to a satisfying meal of chicken, beans and rice, before getting back into the air conditioned van and driving back to the cruise terminal. All in all, a perfect tour, filled with experiences we never would have had if we had booked through the ship.
Written February 19, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, two questions:
(1) what time is the pick up at the cruise docks - we are booked on January 9, 2025, cruising in Holland America.
(2) is it possible to request two vegetarian lunches. Is there someone I can email about this?
Thank you
Margo Singer
Written January 2, 2025
How long (in time) for trip one-way - how long to walk to cave and how long is the actual tubing trip
Written July 16, 2019
It was about an hour drive each way. The walk to the caves is about 20 minutes. But is an easy walk and informative. The tubing itself lasts for a little over an hour. But is worth it. The lunch after was also quite good. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Written July 17, 2019
I understand it is about an hour ride. how long to walk to cave and how long is the actual tubing time?
Written July 16, 2019
It was actually a beautiful walk. We did pass a couple that was elderly and having a hard time making the walk.
Written July 26, 2019
We are coming in on Tuesday this week on Carnival Breeze. CAn we book directly with you for cave tubing?
Written March 16, 2019
To book please send me a message on my whatsapp number 501 6072128
Written May 31, 2019
We did Xunantunich and cave tubing and it was all day from 8 until after 5. It was 125$ per adult and $100 per child.
Written February 27, 2019
How do I book this and the cost....arriving NCL cruise ship onJanuary 23rd
Written January 10, 2019
Definitely book it through Charlie. He will give you the best deal and he can custom make your trip. He's the best!!
Written February 7, 2019
Hello !!
RE: Boat Taxi from NCL's Harvest Caye to Belize for Charlies Cave Tubing
May I ask you how did you go about getting a tender or water taxi from the ship (NCL's Harvest Caye) to Belize ?
Thank you so much for your responses !!!
Written December 30, 2018
We were on Carnival Cruise Line and they provided the tenders into port. Charlie meets you at the port.
Written December 31, 2018
We will be arriving on October 25 and trying to find out what the price would be for 2 adults? Can you purchase tickets after we get off the ship? Thx
Written September 30, 2018
I contacted the company directly and they meet me at the port. I would book in advance directly from the company and yes we paid about $50 a person for a party of six. The experience was admazing. You will love it. They are organized and professional as well fun loving.
Written October 12, 2018
What city is this located in? we are booking a trip to belize to stay in a hotel a few days. Do you offer just cave tubing? how much time in the water and the price. I will have a party of 7.
Thank you
Written June 17, 2018
Hi we operate from Belize city. We can pick you up at your hotel, cruise ship port area, water taxi or airport. Prices differ depending on tour, location and number of guests.
The length of your cave tubing depends on your fitness. Thanks for checking with us. Charlie
Written August 26, 2018
Does Charlies provide lunch as well
Written May 30, 2018
Yes, a delicious chicken and rice lunch is provided at a local restaurant after the tubing fun.
Written June 8, 2018
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