An Essential Guide to Visiting Caracol Ruins in Belize

Caracol Ruins was one of the best Maya archaeological sites we visited in Belize. The ruins are found in Western Belize in the foothills of the Maya mountains, just across from the Guatemalan border. Not only is it the largest Maya ruin in the country, getting there was an adventure in itself, which made the whole experience that much better.

In this short guide we’ll summarise our experience and tell you everything you need to know before visiting Caracol Ruins. We’ll answer some common questions about entry fees and opening times, and also detail the different ways you can reach Caracol, with a focus on driving there safely. We’ll also share a little background information about the ruins and list some of the structures within this massive site that you shouldn’t miss. In addition, we’ll also discuss how you can combine your trip to Caracol with a visit to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.

If you’d like to see what we got up to in Belize, make sure to watch our dedicated YouTube video. (We’ve been getting plenty of love on it from Belizeans)!

About Caracol Maya Ruins in Belize

Caracol Maya Ruins are located about a 2-hour drive to the south of San Ignacio, within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District. There are plenty of fantastic things to do in San Ignacio, such as visiting Xunantunich, another Maya ruin in the vicinity. Therefore, we recommend basing yourself in town for a few days.

Caracol is actually one of the best preserved and largest Maya ruins in Belize, covering an area of around 25,000 acres. Just like other Maya sites nearby, it has also been extensively excavated over the years. Apparently the site was in use from around 1200BC until about 950AD, when the Mayan civilisation collapsed.

Records show that Caracol was once a powerful centre of the Maya civilization, winning several wars against other cities like Naranjo and Tikal in Guatemala. In its heyday, the population of Caracol is estimated to have been nearly 100,000.

Caracol Ruins Entry Fee and Opening Times

Caracol is open every day from 8AM to 3PM. Note that the last entry to the site is at 2PM.

Top Tip. We recommend setting off early, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore the site. Plus, you can also visit Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve on your way back and cool down in the natural pools.

The entry fee to Caracol is 15 BZD (7.50 USD) per person.

Facilities at Caracol Ruins

There were toilet facilities but no shops or vendors to buy any food or drinks from.

There’s also a museum close to the entrance where you can learn a bit more about the ruins. It’s worth checking out, because there were no information boards next to the structures.

How to Get to Caracol Ruins in Belize

You can visit Caracol from many places in Belize, such as Belize City and San Ignacio. San Ignacio is definitely closer and, since we spent an entire week in the town, we visited Caracol from there.

The two main ways to get to Caracol are with a hire car or an organised tour. Below we’ll share the pros and cons of each option, so you can decide which one is suitable for you.

1. Hire Car

The best and most adventurous way to visit Caracol Ruins in Belize is with a rental car.

Driving to Caracol will give you the freedom to get there in your own time and even to make a few stops in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve on the way back. Whilst many day tours also stop in the reserve, most of them don’t go to all the cool spots. We could also spend as long or as little time at the ruins as we liked. Lastly, it worked out cheaper for the two of us to rent a car than to pay for a tour.

A word of caution before you run to the nearest car rental shop though. A large section of the road leading to Caracol is unpaved! This means that you’ll need to hire a 4×4, which is better suited to the road conditions.

Below are a few rental companies to consider:

• Belize International Airport: Crystal Auto Rental (the only one that allows you to take the car to Guatemala), AQ Belize Car Rental, Hertz, Avis, and Budget.
• Belize City: Hertz, Budget, and Crystal Auto Rental.
• San Ignacio: Flames Auto Rental (we rented from them and had a good experience).

In order to rent a car, you’ll need to be 25 years old, or pay an additional fee if you’re younger. You also need a valid driver’s license, as well as a credit card for the security deposit. We recommend reading our detailed guide on renting and driving a car in Belize where we answer all the questions you might have about safety, cost, and driving in the country.

Top Tip. Rent a car for at least two days so you can also drive along the Hummingbird Highway, Belize’s most scenic road.

Tips on Driving to Caracol Ruins in Belize

As mentioned above, if you decide that you want to visit Caracol with a hire car, here are a few driving tips based on our experience.

• Avoid driving after heavy rainfall and storms. You really don’t want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere.
• Driving on dirt and gravel roads will take slightly longer. Take your time and enjoy the scenery but also keep an eye out for potholes and thick, sandy areas where you could get stuck. The last part of the drive was probably the worst in terms of potholes.
• There is a checkpoint when you leave the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve going towards Caracol. You need to sign in and then out on your way back.
• Make sure to leave for Caracol with a full tank of gas.
• We recommend downloading offline Google Maps before you set off, as signal can be spotty in rural areas.

It’s also worth noting that the road to Caracol is currently being completely resurfaced. When we visited, a large part of the road through the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve was already paved. Once the resurfacing is complete, you’ll be able to drive a regular car down the road. Until then, we highly recommend having a four-wheel-drive to reach Caracol. Since we have no way of knowing when the road will be finished, it’s worth asking the locals and rental companies who might be able to advise. If you’ve just recently visited Caracol using our guide, we would also appreciate an update on the roadworks so we can keep this guide up to date.

2. Organised Tour

If you don’t want to drive on your own, then you can also visit Caracol with a tour. Your guide will really be able to bring Caracol alive by sharing its history and some interesting facts about the structures. Plus, it’s also a great way to socialise, especially if you’re travelling solo.

This organised tour from San Ignacio includes a visit to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.

Highlights of Visiting Caracol Ruins in Belize

Even though much of the site is yet to be excavated, you can still see many different structures including temple pyramids, over 20 religious altars and carved stelae, three ball courts, plazas, causeways, and even an astronomical observatory. 

The tallest temple pyramid at the site is the 42 m (143 ft) high Canaa, which means ‘Sky Palace’. The pyramid is located within Group B, in the northern part of the core area. It is believed that the Maya used it for religious events and royal gatherings. Luckily, we could climb to the top of it, where we enjoyed panoramic views of the surrounding jungle and mountains, as well as the Belize-Guatemala border. Within Group B we also saw a ball court and other large structures.

To the west of the main area is Group A. This plaza is surrounded by three temples as well as stelae and altars. You’ll also find another ball court here. To the south of the main area is Group C, which was a residential and funerary complex.

Just like at Tikal and Yaxha Ruins in Guatemala, there are hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles and snakes that call the jungle home. During your visit you may see coatis, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and birds.

Don’t feed the animals! We personally didn’t witness this, but please never feed the wildlife at Caracol Ruins, or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

Stop in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

On our way back from Caracol, we stopped in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. It’s a large protected area located to the south of San Ignacio. In order to protect the population of native Belizean pine forest, it was designated a forest reserve in 1944. The area is filled with natural pools, waterfalls and caves.

This means that you can either just cool down in one of the pools after walking around Caracol in the high humidity or do something more adventurous, such as touring a cave.

What to See in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

The main attractions you’ll want to visit within the reserve are:

• Big Rock Waterfalls,
• Rio on Pools, and
• Rio Frio Cave.

We stopped at the waterfall first. There is a small car park nearby. From there, a short trail with lots of stairs leads down to the waterfall. Here we could relax on the rocks, go for a swim and we even saw some people cliff jumping. The waterfall was pretty impressive, even at the end of the dry season.

After that we headed to the pools. There is a car park there too, as well as a toilet and changing facilities. From there, it’s only a short walk to the pools. The rocks can be pretty slippery when wet, so be careful when walking around. Flash floods aren’t uncommon either, especially in the wet season.

The pools reminded us a little of Semuc Champey in Guatemala, apart from the colour. They were incredibly refreshing. We also recommend either taking a short walk or driving up to the viewpoint for a beautiful overview of the pools.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the cave, and since we visited St Herman’s Cave during our drive along the Hummingbird Highway, and Jon also went on the ATM Cave Tour, we didn’t mind giving it a miss.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Caracol Ruins in Belize

Driving to Caracol Ruins was definitely a fun adventure in itself. Even though we’ve visited many Maya ruins in Mexico and Central America, Caracol is the most remote site we’ve ventured to. It definitely felt like we were miles away from civilization. Of course, once they finish paving the road it won’t be as much of an adventure to get there, but until then you can enjoy this remote location with a lot less tourists compared to other sites.

Incorporating a visit to the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve was also a fantastic idea to help break up the driving and make the most of the day.

Have you ever been to San Ignacio before? If so, did you visit Caracol Maya ruins during your stay? If not, would you add this Maya site to your itinerary? Let us know in the comments below.