Belize
Caracol via the Mountain Pine Ridge
A full day to Caracol in the Chiquibul Forest, the largest archaeological reserve in Belize and home of Caana, its tallest building.
Caracol lies about 50 miles from San Ignacio, deep in the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. It is the largest archaeological reserve in Belize, and at its height the city was home to roughly 80,000 to 100,000 people. Its great pyramid-palace, Caana ("Sky Place"), is still the tallest building in the country at about 140 feet.
The road climbs through the pine forest of the Mountain Pine Ridge, so this is a long day out. Plan an early start.
Pickup at your hotel in San Ignacio.
Photos: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Guide language
- English · Spanish
- Pickup
- At your hotel in Belize (other areas on request)
What's included
- Private transport with hotel pickup
- Guide
Not included
- Entrance fees, meals, equipment and boat: to be confirmed when we reply to your request
Sample itinerary
- 1Early pickup at your hotel in San Ignacio
- 2Drive through the Mountain Pine Ridge
- 3Guided visit of Caracol and Caana
- 4Return to San Ignacio
Good to know
Why the early start?
NICH lists Caracol as open daily 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, but the last entry is at 2:00 pm and visitors must leave by 3:00 pm (checked September 2026). The drive is long, so we leave early.
How tall is Caana?
Official figures vary slightly (NICH gives about 139 feet, the Belize Tourism Board 143 feet). Either way, it is the tallest building in Belize.
