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.
Located near Corozal Town, Santa Rita is a fascinating Maya archaeological site that offers a glimpse into the rich history of the northern Belize region. Once a thriving trade and political center, Santa Rita played a key role in connecting the Maya civilization with other Mesoamerican cultures. Unlike the grand pyramids of Caracol or Xunantunich, Santa Rita is smaller but historically significant, as it is believed to be the ancient city of Chetumal, the capital of the region during the Postclassic period.
Today, Santa Rita is one of the most accessible Maya sites in Belize, making it an excellent historical stop for visitors exploring Corozal and the northern districts.
Explore the Ancient Structures: Santa Rita features ceremonial temples, altars, and residential buildings, giving visitors an insight into Maya daily life, politics, and religion.
See the Well-Preserved Murals and Artifacts: Archaeologists have uncovered beautiful painted murals and intricate jade artifacts, including the famous jade mask of the Maya Sun God, Kinich Ahau.
Learn About the Maya Royal Wedding Tradition: Santa Rita is believed to be the site where a royal Maya princess married a Spanish conquistador, marking the first recorded intermarriage between the Maya and the Spanish in Belizean history.
Enjoy the Views of Corozal Bay: Santa Rita’s elevated structures provide stunning views of Corozal Town and the Caribbean Sea, making it a great spot for photography and relaxation.
Santa Rita is conveniently located just outside Corozal Town, making it one of the most accessible Maya sites in Belize. The Journey From Belize City to Santa Rita would be Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours with our shuttle, following the Northern Highway.
Santa Rita dates back to the Preclassic Period (around 1200 BC) but reached its peak during the Postclassic Period (1000–1500 AD). It was one of the last major Maya cities to thrive before the Spanish arrival.
The city played a crucial role in trade and cultural exchange, connecting the Maya with Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and Central America. It was a center for jade craftsmanship, cacao production, and maritime trade, with goods moving between Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
During the Spanish conquest, Santa Rita was one of the final strongholds of the Maya resistance, but it was eventually abandoned as European influence grew in the region. Today, much of modern-day Corozal Town is built over the ancient ruins of Santa Rita.
If you’re visiting Santa Rita, there are several other attractions nearby worth exploring:
Cerros: Located across Corozal Bay, Cerros is a stunning waterfront Maya site featuring temples and pyramids with breathtaking views of the sea.
Corozal Town: A charming town with a mix of Maya, Mestizo, and Caribbean cultures, offering local markets, seaside parks, and delicious Belizean food.
Chetumal, Mexico: Just across the border, the Mexican city of Chetumal is home to museums, shopping centers, and Maya heritage sites, making it an easy day trip.
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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