Ancient Cave Kayaking Adventure: Explore Sacred Sites & Nature Trails with Expert Guides
4.8
374 Ratings
Belize City
Embark on an ancient cave kayaking adventure to explore sacred sites and nature trails. Expert guides provide equipment and share fascinating insights along the way. Join us now!
Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve - Align your tour with the ship’s schedule. Secure your spot and disembark one hour post-arrival. Experience our excursions, with all transit and gear disinfected daily. Traverse the Nohoc Chen Caves, where the Caves Branch River meanders. The first three caverns are explored via Cave-tubing, while the pristine upper caverns remain largely untouched, accessible only through our Kayaking Cave Tour. Kayaking offers access to more caverns and the chance to witness the pristine beauty of the cave’s interior. Discover both the upper and lower caverns. The journey includes a 20-minute hike through the tropical rainforest, kayaking in the shadowy caves, and marveling at the stunning formations within Nohoc Chen Park. Enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear waters amidst the sparkling cave formations.\nEach visiting ship has dedicated guides and vehicles, so book the 8 am excursion, disembark at the earliest opportunity, and our guides will be prepared to commence the tour within an hour of the tendering process starting.
What's Included
  • Choice of single or tandem molded heavy-duty sit-on-top kayaks
  • Kayaking gear provided, including paddles, PFDs, helmets, and jackets
  • Punctual tour schedule aligned with Ship Time, ensuring a timely return
  • Comfortable transportation via air-conditioned minivan
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Our forefathers found practical and sacred uses for cave systems for millennia, using them for habitation, spiritual practices, and food storage. Embark with us on an excursion into this subterranean realm. We provide the essentials - headlights, helmets, life vests, kayaks, and a seasoned guide. Fully equipped, our guides will lead you through a forested trail, explaining the local botanical lore. Upon arrival at the caves, our guide will brief you on the seven-cave layout, kayak handling, and planned route. Here, you’re welcomed by grand cave entrances with a pristine river flowing through them. As you navigate, you’ll pass through a series of caves, and witness an array of intriguing formations. Our guide will identify suitable spots for rest breaks, and even a revitalizing dip. You’ll continue your voyage through the vast cave complex, finally greeted by glistening sunlight on the water’s surface, and the melodic twittering of birds on the river bank at the exit. We’ll then safely store our gear, avail the amenities, and gear up for our journey back.

  • we pick up at FSTV cruise port, Terminal One Exit, street side, San Pedro Express water taxi, hotels
  • A moderate amount of hiking is involved
  • Not recommended for children aged 8 and under
  • Inclement Weather Concerns: we get hourly weather updates as to the condition of water levels at the rivers.
  • sometimes its raining around the cruise line and coastal areas, and the rivers are fine.so we go ahead and do the tour as scheduled. only if the rains are in the mountains and right now the rivers are low and we need more water in the rivers then the float will be better, last week the kayaks were getting stuck in the lower parts of the rivers. if the rains are in the mountains and more than normal and the water rises and we can not take up the kayaks , then we use tubes to do cave tubing…. if the rangers in the mountain top measure more than usual water then the caves system are closed for all activities….we have the zipline tour. or the altun ha Maya site tour or refund for not participating on the alternate tour.
  • participants must know how to swim
  • bring a reusable water bottle, disposing of empty plastic bottles is not allowed
  • for helmet cam use, bring helmet attachment
  • cruise guest stay on ship time and arrive early, checkin with us as soon as possible , play more , arrive early
  • restaurants, river shoe rentals, available at the park
  • bring towels, change of clothing, swimwear, insect repellent, footwear with thick soles used to walk on gravel path and do the river crossing.
  • Reserve Online and come ashore early, we dispatch as the vans fill up
  • The Tour vans and staff are near the Belize sign by the lighthouse.
  • practice paddling, join a local kayak club and practice
  • NOT available from NCL Harvest Caye Port
Location
Baron Bliss lighthouse
Fort Street
Cruisers, V.i.V. will meet you at Belize City FSTV cruise port, Terminal 1 Exit, street side, terminal 1 Exit street side. V.i.V. Guest staying in Belize City Hotels, we pick you up at the hotel. San Pedro Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker guest, we meet you at the water taxi terminal in Belize city
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(374 Ratings)
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Rodney_s
Jun 16, 2024
Cool Caves - The experience was fantastic. Sharon, Edgar and Edgar Jr. are great at their jobs. Take the tour and ask for them. They will take care of you. The caves themselves are wonderful to experience. Rodney J. Smith
Review provided by Viator
Sandra_w
Jun 9, 2024
Great guides, amazing site - The caves were magical and our guides were very knowledgeable and kind. My mom was turning 80 and needed just a touch of extra help. The two guides were watchful and made sure that she was safe when she had to walk over particularly slippery or rocky areas.
Review provided by Viator
Mcntraveler
Jun 8, 2024
Amazing cruise stop in Belize! - Rock and Freddy are exceptional hosts! Our family sailed on Enchanted Princess with a stop in Belize. We booked VIV tours for our group of 9, including adults and children. We did the kayaking tour through the caves and lunch at a kiosk in the park. All transportation and equipment was provided. Everyone in our group had the BEST day!!! The river was incredible and the cave experience exceeded all expectations. Rock and Freddy were super knowledgeable and accommodating. We are so grateful to them for creating all these memories for our family and making it so easy to organize this wonderful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sanna_w
Jun 6, 2024
Awesome experience 🤩 I... - Awesome experience 🤩 I am so happy I took the opportunity! Mother Nature is amazing in so many ways.
Review provided by Viator
De_r
May 31, 2024
Jr & Rock were awesome! - Rock & Jr were wonderful guides. The walk was a bit harder than expected and my mother struggled with forging the rivers/steams. Jr actually stayed back with her and helped her cross. When she became very tired, he had another guide give him a tube and pushed her through the water so that she wouldn’t slip and slide on the rocks while crossing. Above and beyond to ensure that we all had a grand time kayaking the caves.
Review provided by Viator
Linac_b
May 28, 2024
Ride and swim on the cave - It was beautiful to ride to the deep zone of the cave and swim at the pool on the open and deep área of the cave ..fantástic.....
Review provided by Viator
Kelly_m
May 30, 2024
Amazing excursion & Guides, unfortunately poor transportation - Similar to Maria’s review the cave excursion was amazing, would do it again. Sharon and Abner were amazing tour guides. The transportation was terrible and it was very hot with a commute to the caves for over a hour and 15 min. Two vans were in bad condition no AC. Our van had a fan blowing hot air, the other van broke down at the caves and we were all delayed getting back to the ship. They were trying to figure out how to get everyone back. My hubby and others were trying to help fix the broken down van. We had to drive the other driver to another location to pick up an alternative van. They only had one newer van. I hope this gets resolved for future bookings. Besides that the tour was amazing!!!
Review provided by Viator
Amy_m
May 27, 2024
Great Trip!! - we had a great trip!!! Beautiful caves. Staff was very friendly. Drive was over an hour and the van was a little warm. But overall we had a great time!!!
Review provided by Viator
218debh
May 14, 2024
Keeping cool! - We enjoyed kayaking through the caves very much. Would have given it a 5, but they didn't have enough smaller helmets, so mine kept slipping forward.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariat_i
May 25, 2024
Kayaking through caves in Belize - The caves are really a natural wonder and worth visiting. Our tour guides Sharon and Abner were great! Both friendly and able to share a lot of information about Belize and the cave system we visited. The vehicle that they operate didn't do any justice to the tour as it was old and in poor condition. The 1 hour plus ride to get to the caves was rough. I would probably not schedule this tour if I knew about that detail beforehand.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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