San Ignacio Itinerary (3 Days): Full Day-by-day Breakdown

San Ignacio is Belize’s second-largest city and a common transit destination between Belize and the Tikal ruins in Guatemala. But it’s far more than a transit point! San Ignacio is a uniquely charming place in Belize, surrounded by Mayan history, jungles, and wildlife. And although it may not conform to the stereotype of sandy beaches and coral reefs, this 3-day San Ignacio itinerary will show you exactly why it should not be missed from your Belize itinerary!

San Ignacio Itinerary in Short

• Day 1: Iguana Conservation, AJAW Chocolate Workshop and Cahal Pech
• Day 2: Actun Tunichil Muknal Caves
• Day 3: Farmers Market and Xunantunich Ruins

San Ignacio Itinerary in Full

How many days do you need in San Ignacio?

Despite being the second largest city in Belize, San Ignacio feels rather small. Hence why many backpackers skip it altogether. There isn’t a vast amount to see locally and you could quite easily walk around town in a day. However, it’s the activities that take up your time.

3 days in San Ignacio should be sufficient to see the main sights and get a reasonable feel for the area. The town’s relaxed atmosphere does entice some people to stay longer as it also acts as a fantastic hub for exploring the more remote surrounding areas.

3-Day San Ignacio Itinerary

Day 1: Iguana Conservation, AJAW Chocolate Workshop and Cahal Pech

Most people will arrive in San Ignacio from either Caye Caulker in the east or Flores (Guatemala) to the west. Therefore the perfect first activity is something low-energy and local. Let’s be honest, you’d rather not get straight back in a vehicle after travelling all day!

Green Iguana Conservation Project

Located a short walk from the centre of town is the Green Iguana Conservation Project. Take a guided tour around the sanctuary to learn about the green iguana and the critical work being done to protect this endangered species. You’ll find out about their breeding program and how it works with the incubation, hatching, rearing and releasing processes. It may help you understand why you see so many iguanas around downtown San Ignacio.

You will get to feed and handle the iguanas, both large and small. Though watch out, the small ones can get tangled in your hair!

Overall, it’s a really fun, unique and educational activity and worth spending an hour there if you have an interest in wildlife. The tour costs 22.50BZD which goes towards the rehabilitation work they are doing at the conservation centre.

Times: Every day, 8am-5pm
Duration: 1 hour
Price: 22.50BZD

AJAW Chocolate Workshop

Have you ever fancied making chocolate? San Ignacio might be one of the best places to try it out and satisfy your sweet tooth!

There are chocolate workshops scattered all over Central America, however, this particular one stands out as one of the best! AJAW, which in Mayan translates to ‘Elite’, teaches you the traditional Mayan way of making chocolate.

The chocolate-making and tasting tour lasts around 1 hour. Starting with a brief history of how the Mayans made chocolate (using a cacao-based drink), you are then taken through each step of the chocolate-making process. Of course, you get to taste your product as you go through the preparation process!

Times: Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm
Duration: 1 hour
Price: 28BZD

Cahal Pech

There are not many cities in the world that can boast a Mayan ruin, thousands of years old, just a stone’s throw away from the centre of town. But San Ignacio is one of them!

Take the short walk uphill to the local ruins, Cahal Pech. From AJAW Chocolate Workshop at the edge of town, it takes around 20 minutes to walk up to the entrance. Cahal Pech is quiet most of the day so I wouldn’t recommend a particular time to avoid crowds, but walking up just before sunset ensures that it’s a little bit cooler.

Cahal Pech costs 10BZD for foreigners to enter (5BZD for locals) which gives you access to the museum and the ruins. It is one of the smaller ruins in Belize but hidden within the jungle it is still beautiful, particularly since restoration was completed in 2000. Climb up to the top of the ruins to get a peek at the sunset through the trees.

NOTE: Don’t expect to be able to see a clear sunset as the ruins are in the forest.

NOTE: Some parts of Cahal Pech are signposted to not be climbed. Please respect the rules.

NOTE: It gets dark quickly so you may want to bring a headtorch.

Times: Every day, 6:30am-5pm
Duration: 1 hour (approx)
Price: 10BZD (foreigner), 5BZD (local)

For dinner, check out Ko-Ox Han Nah restaurant. This is probably the most popular restaurant in San Ignacio. They serve traditional Belizian cuisine for a reasonable price with huge portions! I still can’t describe the size of their quesadillas! (That sounds like an innuendo, but I promise you it’s not).

Day 2: ATM Cave Tour

Located deep in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave is an adventure you won’t forget. This tour is an all-day activity that combines a short hike to the cave; navigating through the cave, wading and swimming through its waters; and observing ancient Mayan artefacts and the calcified remains of those sacrificed to Mayan gods.

The ATM cave network on its own is hugely impressive. Add on the adventure of tunnelling into it with nothing but a headtorch. Then add on your knowledgeable guide’s incredible stories to bring the cave to life. Personally, this tour had a bit of everything – adventure, culture, history, nature and lunch included too!

I’m not going to deny that it’s a full-on day. You will need some level of physical fitness as you will be on your feet most of the day scrambling over and squeezing in between rocks. Also, a word of warning for all the claustrophobics out there: this activity is probably one to sit out as there are a couple of sections where it can get quite tight.

NOTE: You will need a guide to enter this cave. There are less than 30 trained guides for the ATM cave in the whole country.

Sadly many travellers miss the ATM cave from their San Ignacio itinerary because of the somewhat hefty price tag of 100 USD. Admittedly, I was also sceptical given the price and lack of photos available of the cave but it turned out to be the highlight of my time in San Ignacio.

Check out my detailed post on the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave, which covers whether or not it’s worth it.

Times: All Day tour. Can be cancelled due to heavy rains (rarely).
Duration: 7 hours (approx)
Price: 100USD
NOTE: My tour only accepted payment in USD

Day 3: Exploring town and Xunantunich Mayan Ruins

For your last day in San Ignacio take a wander around the town to absorb the local culture.

San Ignacio Market

If you’re lucky, your trip will coincide with one of the main market days: Tuesday or Saturday. If possible, visit the Farmers Market in the morning as there are more stalls, stock, and people which creates a better atmosphere.

Inside the San Ignacio market, you’ll find plenty of fresh produce, far cheaper than buying in a shop or supermarket. It’s a great opportunity to speak to the locals who I found to be incredibly friendly and welcoming. Beyond fresh fruit and veg, it’s a great place to find cheap and authentic street food (pupusas were my favourite but tacos also looked good)! You can also find clothes, souvenirs and a variety of other items depending on which stalls open up each day.

Times: Every day, 6am-6pm
Duration: N/A
Price: Free

Xunantunich Mayan Ruins

Xunantunich is an impressive, Mayan archaeological site located a short distance from San Ignacio, on the border with Guatemala. The main pyramid, El Castillo, has several well-preserved carvings and is one of the few Mayan structures that you are still allowed to climb. It’s also the second tallest man-made structure in Belize, making the 360-degree views from the top absolutely incredible. You can even see across the Guatemalan border!

Xunantunich is different from Cahal Pech, plus it is larger and has better views. It’s well worth the journey out of town even if you’ve already been to other Mayan ruins.

I recommend getting the short chicken bus from the bus station in the centre of town. Take the bus heading towards Benque which costs 2BZD in each direction (return bus towards San Ignacio). Once there, cross the free hand-crank ferry and start walking up towards the Xunantunich. It should take you around 30 minutes to walk to the top and reach the ticket entry. If you have a vehicle, you can also drive up to the top.

When exploring the site, I suggest checking out the visitor centre as you enter first. This will give you an idea of the history behind the ruins and enhance your experience as you’re walking around. Guides are also available at the site. You should expect to pay around 60 BZD for 2 hours (for 2 people). You can also book a visit to Xunantunich as part of a tour (some even include horse riding).

Times: Every day, 8am-4pm. Hand-crank ferry stops at 4:30.
Duration: 2 hours (approx)
Price: 10BZD

San Ignacio Itinerary Mapped Out

San Ignacio Budget

You’re probably wondering how much should you expect to spend during this 3-day itinerary.

As a backpacker, I spent 379.5BZD (189.75 USD) during my three days in San Ignacio. Note that more than half of this amount is due to one activity. The breakdown is approximately as follows:

For Belize, San Ignacio is relatively cheap and you can get by on around 50 USD per day. The main expense from this trip was visiting the ATM Cave which takes out a large chunk of your daily budget. This can be balanced out by reducing the cost on other days of your trip by cooking your own food or taking public transport.

What to do if you have more time in San Ignacio?

If you are not on a strict timeline and want to experience more than just the ‘highlights’ of San Ignacio, there are a few more options for your San Ignacio itinerary. Here are some of your best options:

Caracol Mayan Ruins

Caracol is the largest Mayan ruin site in Belize and hosts the tallest man-made structure in the country (El Caana – Sky Temple). Located in the Vaca Plateau just south of San Ignacio, it makes a great day trip if you want to see the lesser-explored parts of Belize.

Rent a car and explore

Further out of San Ignacio, there are loads of beautiful natural sights including Pine Ridge, Big Rock Falls, and 1000-foot falls. Turn this into a little road trip and do something more off the beaten track. If you are feeling adventurous, you can try hitchhiking and camping out near some of these spots.

Cave Tubing at Barton Creek

If the ATM tour sounds like too much for you but you still want a cave experience, try floating through a river cave on an inner tube or renting a canoe. The best place to do this near San Ignacio is at Barton Creek where its cave network is famed for its impressive rock formations. It costs around 50BZD for a two-hour tour through the Barton Creek caves.

There is also the option to canoe or swim through the cave chambers.

Ziplining at Calico Jack’s

If you want something even more exhilarating you can head out to Calico Jack’s for one of their tours. Here they offer various ziplining experiences to immerse you in the jungle. Some of their tours include hikes, cable walks, swings, or you can even zipline at night!

Canoe the Macal River

The slow-flowing Macal River passes right by San Ignacio and makes a great activity as you glide through the jungle.

Visit the Belize Raptor Centre

Get up close with these awesome birds of prey and learn about their conservation programme as they rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned raptors.

Before you go

Thank you for reading my 3-day San Ignacio itinerary. If guides, itineraries and travel content like this interest you, head over to my blog page to find out more.

If you are new to Matt’s Next Steps, check out the About Me page to find out a bit more about who I am, my travel adventures, and why I wanted to become a travel writer.

Please comment below and let me know your thoughts and experiences, or if there is anything else you want information on.

Happy travelling!