Nelson Maya Adventures
Alluring Mayan Site Tours and Outstanding Transfers Service for the Insightful Traveler.
With our team of expert travel agents and tour operators, we ensure your experience is truly unforgettable.
Price varies by location - Can be done during a transfer.
Easy - Walking and Climbing
Guide, Entrance Fee, Round Trip Transportation, Lunch, Water, and (full day tour).
Bug spray, Hat and Sunglasses.
Altun Ha is one of the most famous and accessible Maya ruins in Belize, located just 31 miles (50 km) north of Belize City. This ancient city was an important trading and ceremonial center, known for its well-preserved temples and the discovery of the iconic Jade Head of Kinich Ahau, the largest carved jade artifact in the Maya world. With its close proximity to Belize City and its rich history, Altun Ha is a must-visit destination for history buffs and adventure seekers alike.
Explore the Archaeological Site: Altun Ha consists of two main plazas with 13 structures, including towering temples and pyramids. The most famous structure, Temple of the Masonry Altars, stands at 54 feet tall and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding jungle when climbed.
Learn About the Jade Head: Discovered in 1968, the Jade Head of Kinich Ahau represents the Maya sun god and is considered one of Belize’s national treasures. While the original is securely stored, visitors can learn about its significance and see replicas at the site and local museums.
Wildlife and Nature: The site is surrounded by lush tropical forests, making it a great spot for bird watching. You might see toucans, parrots, and even howler monkeys during your visit.
Shopping for Local Handicrafts: Near the entrance, local vendors sell handcrafted souvenirs, including wood carvings, jewelry, and traditional Maya art—perfect for bringing a piece of Belizean culture home.
Altun Ha is one of the easiest Maya sites to visit from Belize City. The drive takes about 1 hour along the Northern Highway and through scenic villages. The roads are well-maintained, making it accessible by car, taxi, or guided tour. Many visitors choose to visit Altun Ha as part of a day trip, often combining it with a tour of the nearby Belize River or the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
Altun Ha was a major city during the Classic Period (250–900 AD) and is believed to have been home to around 10,000 people at its peak. Unlike military-focused Maya cities like Caracol, Altun Ha was primarily an economic and religious center, involved in trade networks that stretched from the Caribbean to Central Mexico.
The discovery of the Jade Head in Tomb B-4 suggests that Altun Ha was a place of great spiritual significance, with elite rulers buried alongside valuable offerings. The presence of imported goods like obsidian and jade indicates that Altun Ha was a wealthy and influential city in the region.
If you’re visiting Altun Ha, consider exploring these nearby destinations to make the most of your trip:
Lamanai: Another remarkable Maya site, Lamanai is located along the New River and is famous for its towering temples, including the Mask Temple, adorned with massive stone carvings of ancient Maya rulers.
Belize City: If you’re heading back to Belize City, take some time to explore its historic sites, such as St. John’s Cathedral, the Swing Bridge, and the Museum of Belize, which showcases Maya artifacts and Belizean history.
My husband Joe & I had a great tour with Josh as our guide. He took us to the Community Baboon Santuary to see the Black Howler Monkeys, the Belize... read more Prison Gift Shop where there are beautiful hand carved items made by the prisoners, and to Caves Branch Outpost for some excellent zip lining. Josh is a wealth of knowledge and really took the time to make sure we had everything we needed. We would give him 10 out of 10 stars if we could.
While visiting Caye Caulker with friends we decided to visit the Xunantunich ruins. Booking was seamless and our guide Auner met us at the water taxi.
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Our day with Auner was perfect! He is a wealth of information and ensured all of our questions were answered. Cold water was readily available along with a delicious traditional Belizean lunch. Highly recommend this tour company, we will definitely use them again.
We decided to arrange a private tour for a family of four to Tikal with Nelson Maya Adventures after reading a couple of reviews here and on a couple of... read more other platforms. We like to give our business to smaller companies whenever possible, and we rarely regret it. We were extremely impressed with the service: the drivers (Wilbert in Belize and William in Guatemala) were very professional and friendly, and the guide who met us for our transfer at the Guatemala border and accompanied us to Tikal (Oliverio) was outstanding. The entire process went very smoothly, and Nelson Díaz was great at keeping in touch and providing details about the adventure.
My family of 4 was picked up at 7:00 at our lodge near San Ignacio and were driven to the Guatemalan border by our first driver. There, we were met by our guide (arranged by Nelson) who walked us through the border-crossing process and then took us to our next van on the Guatemala side that drove us the 2.5 hours to Tikal. The van was brand new and very comfortable, and the driver was super friendly and professional. Our guide (Oliverio) was amazing. He was extremely knowledgable (spoke English and Spanish) and provided lots of interesting information during the drive and at Tikal: he was an expert in the flare and fauna of Tikal and also knew a great deal about the history of this incredible place. He was also extremely helpful when it came to negotiating the lines at the border and at the entrance to Tikal. He easily saved us a couple of hours and made it clear to us that driving our rental vehicle and trying to do this on our own would have been a real hassle.
Our guide and driver were also very flexible allowing for several short stops to take photos, buy a snack, visit an artisan shop, etc. Lunch was included in the price of our day-long trip, and they took us to a fabulous roadside restaurant - Restaurante González - outside of the park. We opted to stay in the park till early afternoon and have a late lunch on the way back to Belize.
The price that we paid for our family to spend the day at Tikal was significantly less than we would have paid through our lodge and through other companies in San Ignacio, and it was great to have the private tour. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Nelson for any of your transportation needs in Belize.
We decided to arrange a private tour for a family of four to Tikal with Nelson Maya Adventures after reading a couple of reviews here and on a couple of... read more other platforms. We like to give our business to smaller companies whenever possible, and we rarely regret it. We were extremely impressed with the service: the drivers (Wilbert in Belize and William in Guatemala) were very professional and friendly, and the guide who met us for our transfer at the Guatemala border and accompanied us to Tikal (Oliverio) was outstanding. The entire process went very smoothly, and Nelson Díaz was great at keeping in touch and providing details about the adventure.
My family of 4 was picked up at 7:00 at our lodge near San Ignacio and were driven to the Guatemalan border by our first driver. There, we were met by our guide (arranged by Nelson) who walked us through the border-crossing process and then took us to our next van on the Guatemala side that drove us the 2.5 hours to Tikal. The van was brand new and very comfortable, and the driver was super friendly and professional. Our guide (Oliverio) was amazing. He was extremely knowledgable (spoke English and Spanish) and provided lots of interesting information during the drive and at Tikal: he was an expert in the flare and fauna of Tikal and also knew a great deal about the history of this incredible place. He was also extremely helpful when it came to negotiating the lines at the border and at the entrance to Tikal. He easily saved us a couple of hours and made it clear to us that driving our rental vehicle and trying to do this on our own would have been a real hassle.
Our guide and driver were also very flexible allowing for several short stops to take photos, buy a snack, visit an artisan shop, etc. Lunch was included in the price of our day-long trip, and they took us to a fabulous roadside restaurant – Restaurante González – outside of the park. We opted to stay in the park till early afternoon and have a late lunch on the way back to Belize.
The price that we paid for our family to spend the day at Tikal was significantly less than we would have paid through our lodge and through other companies in San Ignacio, and it was great to have the private tour. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Nelson for any of your transportation needs in Belize.
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