Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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95 reviews
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Sue P
5 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
The crystal cave tour was phenomenal. Our guide, Marcos Cucul, had exemplary knowledge of the mayas, the cave system, plant life, the birds and overall tour. This tour was certainly a challenge. The climbing, down, up and side the rocks was exhilarating and heart pounding. It’s a tour not to be underestimated! Definitely get tennis shoes with good traction and be prepared to get dirty. Marcos was very kind, patient and helpful with one of our participants who twisted an ankle and had to take her time to get back to camp. This tour requires focus and listening to your guide. It’s definitely worth doing
Written April 19, 2024
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.
Katherine B
1 contribution
Dec 2023 • Couples
This was the most incredible hike/cave experience. We did the hike through Maya walks and our guides were Pedro, Marcos and Jose- all incredibly knowledgeable and excellent guides.
I almost cancelled the night before, after reading trip advisor reviews, and psyching myself out thinking I wasn’t fit enough to do this hike or adventure. I am SO glad that I ended up doing it after some convincing from my boyfriend.
It definitely does require some agility and strength, but you 100% can do this if you’re just in decent shape. The 45 minute hike up was muddy and a bit slippery, but not the hardest hike ever.
Once you enter the cave, it is absolutely incredible. You will get dirty so wear clothes you don’t care about. The guides know the ins and outs of the cave and will tell you exactly where to put your feet/hands when climbing.
Would recommend this hike to anyone who wants a unique and challenging adventure!
I almost cancelled the night before, after reading trip advisor reviews, and psyching myself out thinking I wasn’t fit enough to do this hike or adventure. I am SO glad that I ended up doing it after some convincing from my boyfriend.
It definitely does require some agility and strength, but you 100% can do this if you’re just in decent shape. The 45 minute hike up was muddy and a bit slippery, but not the hardest hike ever.
Once you enter the cave, it is absolutely incredible. You will get dirty so wear clothes you don’t care about. The guides know the ins and outs of the cave and will tell you exactly where to put your feet/hands when climbing.
Would recommend this hike to anyone who wants a unique and challenging adventure!
Written December 15, 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.
EcoTravellersToronto
Toronto43 contributions
This caving excursion is for the ultimate caver. This cave is only accessible by via tour companies. We went with Hun Chi'ik Tours from San Igancio. The cave takes expert cavers about 3 hours to tour and inexperienced cavers 6 hours. Althought it is a very technical cave to climb, so I only recommend the experience cavers to go. Since there are no man made foot holds, ropes or ladders inside of the cave (like ATM aka Actun Tunichil Muknal). You basically have to climb with what nature gave you and use your muscle to pull yourself up. The whole cave is filled with calcium carbonate formations from floor to ceiling and when the light shines on the formations they sparkle like diamonds. The actual caving experince is very rewarding as you climb up rock walls, slide thru small crevices and crawl thru tiny gaps. The area nicked named "Wonderland" is fantastic and even more spectacular than the rest of the cave. It is a dry cave with little puddles of water in it. so expect to get dirty. There are bats, blind crickets and spiders in the cave. So it's not for the weiry.
Written August 14, 2008
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.
Corinne G
Derendingen, Switzerland2 contributions
Nov 2015
We did go to crystal cave today as a daytrip. We where briefed that its going to be rough but i really underestimated it! First of all you have to walk to the entrance of the cave which takes about an hour (its in the middle of the jungle mosquitos eat you!!!)
Then you get dirty (like a pig rolling in the mud! Seriously) the caving is really hard work and it was slippery all over the place so we had to be really careful not to fall! There is no safty ropes so if you slip you can end up in a deep hole. I dnt want to imagen what could have happend.
The guides were really professionel but because alot of our group didnt think its going to be that taff we were moving really slowly.
Due to the fact that you have to be back at the park entrance by 4.30 only the fastest 3of us could go to wonderland.
Well all in all the cave looked really nice but i would not do it again ever its only for very fit people who caved many times before and are not scared of very!!! Narrow spaces and heights!
Then you get dirty (like a pig rolling in the mud! Seriously) the caving is really hard work and it was slippery all over the place so we had to be really careful not to fall! There is no safty ropes so if you slip you can end up in a deep hole. I dnt want to imagen what could have happend.
The guides were really professionel but because alot of our group didnt think its going to be that taff we were moving really slowly.
Due to the fact that you have to be back at the park entrance by 4.30 only the fastest 3of us could go to wonderland.
Well all in all the cave looked really nice but i would not do it again ever its only for very fit people who caved many times before and are not scared of very!!! Narrow spaces and heights!
Written November 25, 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.
Gearjunkie
12 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
This cave adventure is not a sight-seeing tour. This is full-on cave exploration. Unless you are a spelunker, you’ve probably never done anything like this before. It’s physically challenging. It’s dirty. It’s dangerous. It’s AWESOME! We booked through a third party vendor and they did a very poor job of preparing us for the excursion. We were told we didn’t need a backpack, water, or food. Instead, the guide would carry our water and lunch would be provided. We were told to take a change of clothing because we might get dirty. So, my wife and I threw a change of clothes in a backpack, grabbed a bottle of water for the drive, and jumped in a truck that took us to the cave.
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS BEFORE YOU GO:
1. You need a backpack. Your guide isn’t carrying things for you. This backpack will be muddy and wet when you’re finished. Don’t expect to use it again for the remainder of your vacation. The pack I took happened to be the one I planned to use as my carry-on bag for the flight home.
2. You need water. Bring at least 2 bottles per person.
3. The cave is slippery and muddy. You will spend 3 to 4 hours in the cave making sure you have 3 points of contact with the rock… that is both feet and a hand. At least half of the time you will need 5 points of contact… both feet, both hands, and your bottom.
4. Wear long pants. Make sure the bottom is sturdy. One person on our trip ripped the seat out of his pants. You’ll spend a significant amount of time sliding on your butt down slippery surfaces.
5. A short sleeve shirt is fine. The cave is very hot.
6. You need sturdy shoes. The 45 minute hike to and from the cave is muddy. The cave is muddy. Don’t expect to wear these shoes for the remainder of your vacation. They will be covered in mud and completely wet.
7. Bring a snack. You will be in the cave for several hours. We started at 10 and finished at 3:30. Lunch doesn’t happen until after the adventure.
8. There are many tight spaces. You’ll be squirming through areas and crawling through others.
9. If you are physically able, your guide will take you on the “long tour”, which has another hour or so of the best cave formations you’re likely to see. But it’s tough to get there and tougher to get back out. Our guide said that only about 30% of tourists go there. If you have hopes of doing this section, pack another bottle of water.
10. Bring a complete change of clothes and a towel. Don’t expect to be able wear anything that you wore in the cave ever again.
YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS BEFORE YOU GO:
1. You need a backpack. Your guide isn’t carrying things for you. This backpack will be muddy and wet when you’re finished. Don’t expect to use it again for the remainder of your vacation. The pack I took happened to be the one I planned to use as my carry-on bag for the flight home.
2. You need water. Bring at least 2 bottles per person.
3. The cave is slippery and muddy. You will spend 3 to 4 hours in the cave making sure you have 3 points of contact with the rock… that is both feet and a hand. At least half of the time you will need 5 points of contact… both feet, both hands, and your bottom.
4. Wear long pants. Make sure the bottom is sturdy. One person on our trip ripped the seat out of his pants. You’ll spend a significant amount of time sliding on your butt down slippery surfaces.
5. A short sleeve shirt is fine. The cave is very hot.
6. You need sturdy shoes. The 45 minute hike to and from the cave is muddy. The cave is muddy. Don’t expect to wear these shoes for the remainder of your vacation. They will be covered in mud and completely wet.
7. Bring a snack. You will be in the cave for several hours. We started at 10 and finished at 3:30. Lunch doesn’t happen until after the adventure.
8. There are many tight spaces. You’ll be squirming through areas and crawling through others.
9. If you are physically able, your guide will take you on the “long tour”, which has another hour or so of the best cave formations you’re likely to see. But it’s tough to get there and tougher to get back out. Our guide said that only about 30% of tourists go there. If you have hopes of doing this section, pack another bottle of water.
10. Bring a complete change of clothes and a towel. Don’t expect to be able wear anything that you wore in the cave ever again.
Written November 17, 2018
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.
johnH6698TG
Wellfleet, MA9 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
This was a lot of fun, the tubing great, but you are a bit rushed. The cave guide was very nice and knowledgeable. He kept saying that the water would be VERY refreshing (cold) but it wasn't bad at all, probably mid sixties. You wear a helmet with a miners light, as it is very dark in the cave. It's cool to shine it way up on the ceiling and see the formations. The tubing is only about a 1/4 mile, then you walk a short distance through the cave looking at stalagtite and stalagmite formations which are very cool, before getting back in the tube back to the starting point. This is the lagoon area and you are rushed through here, not given the chance to stay and swim if you want. You change after walking back about a 1/4 mile to your rented locker ($7 for a large one), then there is a long line for the included lunch. At this point the bus tour guide is rushing you to get back on the bus and you haven't even gotten your food yet! (Get it to go they said.) Eating messy chicken and rice, which was delicious, on the bus was impossible. The bus guides were fun, the cave guide was great, the tubing was fun, I just would have liked to spend more time there. There is a long bus ride to and from the site, they said its 1 - 1 1/2 hours based upon traffic.
Written March 1, 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.
DrFeelAwesome
San Ignacio, Belize5,291 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
We were lucky enough to get to explore Mountain Cow Cave a few weeks ago. I've been to ATM scores of times, and always thought it was one of the best...it is. But Mountain Cow Cave really does put ATM to shame. It's a dry cave, although you will get muddy, which is part of the fun.
It's located behind St. Herman's Cave and the inland Blue Hole. There's a 30 or so minute hike to the entrance, and then a quick repel into the mouth of the cave. There are hundreds, no thousands, of really amazing formations in there. Flow stone of all colors! Stalagmites and Stalactites everywhere. Pillars too. Amazing!
There are some technical climbing routes you can take if you want to. Having an amazing guide, Luis from Hun Chik, really helped make the day memorable. I would recommend him to everyone. Great with the kids, and adults, and he knows that cave like the back of his hand.
Definitely a must do! I'm planning the next trip already!
It's located behind St. Herman's Cave and the inland Blue Hole. There's a 30 or so minute hike to the entrance, and then a quick repel into the mouth of the cave. There are hundreds, no thousands, of really amazing formations in there. Flow stone of all colors! Stalagmites and Stalactites everywhere. Pillars too. Amazing!
There are some technical climbing routes you can take if you want to. Having an amazing guide, Luis from Hun Chik, really helped make the day memorable. I would recommend him to everyone. Great with the kids, and adults, and he knows that cave like the back of his hand.
Definitely a must do! I'm planning the next trip already!
Written February 15, 2012
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.
captain_tahoe_steve
South Lake Tahoe, CA264 contributions
Jan 2017 • Couples
Such a unique and educational tour. Very beautiful. We highly recommend going with Marcos and if you can staying at his place the Yaxche Jungle Lodge. He was one of the people that first discovered the cave so you really can't beat his knowledge. There was one other group that got to the entrance at the same time as us and they needed to use Marcos' rope to get down in the cave (it seemed like he often has to help other guides). Also, some people in the group were very poorly dressed/prepared for the difficulty of the tour. They booked from a tour group in San Ignacio. After our cave tour, Marcos took us a different way back where we ate oranges from an orange grove and used the juice to clean our hands and help prevent mosquitoes. He then took us to the Blue Hole to go swim.
Written February 25, 2017
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.
Margie J
Eagle, Idaho, United States97 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
We went all the way to the river before getting our guide. Ruth is a freelance guide and provided my husband and I with a fantastic afternoon. Don't just do a river tube adventure - see Crystal Cave. Sturdy river shoes (not water socks) and prepare for some uneven terrain. Not slippery. Great fun!
Written April 13, 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.
Mark_Victorville_CA
Victorville, CA757 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
Start at 7:30am with hotel pickup. About 1-1/2 hour drive from San Ignacio to Blue Hole national park. Walk 30 minutes to get to Crystal cave and its HOT walk in the jungle. Get cave introduction by caving guides on safety. Get cave equipment of hard hat and head lamp. The cave is very high humidity (no air movement). I'm sweating buckets for entire time in Crystal cave. Several areas are HIGHLY techancial with hand and foot positions. Caving guides are excellant in helping people to do it right and NOT get hurt. The inside of Crystal Cave is wet and slippery making three point contact very common. Really hard work to get to end of cave and the Wonderland area of cave. Great rock formations in the six rooms of Wonderland. I took three bottles of water and it was barely enough due to sweating. Inside Crystal cave for 4-1/2 hours. This is Extreme caving activity and not for anyone who doesn't really want work hard inside the cave!
Be sure you really want to do this before starting!!
The payoff is great rock formations!!!
Get back to San Ignacio at 6pm - whole day adventure!!!!
Be sure you really want to do this before starting!!
The payoff is great rock formations!!!
Get back to San Ignacio at 6pm - whole day adventure!!!!
Written January 26, 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.
Ester
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
is this dangerous ? like is there a high risk of dying from this cave
Written September 22, 2022
hclark2018
Toronto, Canada
A few people have mentioned narrow passages for this cave. If you have visited both this cave and ATM - are the passages any narrower in this cave than in ATM?
Written April 14, 2018
The passages at Crystal Cave are no comparison. Some of them are narrow enough for an average sized person like me to have to take her small backpack off to climb through. There are no tunnels or passages in ATM that you need to squeeze through. If you are moderately claustrophobic ATM is completely enclosed but might be ok. Crystal Cave is a whole different ballgame.
Written April 22, 2018
I am planning my trip to go to San Pedro and wanted to go caving. So I wanted to know the best way to go about planning this and where I should stay to avoid such long drives.
Written September 30, 2015
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