Xunantunich & Cahal Pech

Take a tour of the archaeological site of Xunantunich, located on the banks of the Mopan River. Xunantunich means "Stone woman" in Maya.

It was a thriving city near the end of the Classic period, with large plazas ringed with pyramids. The tallest is the 43-metre high "El Castillo", which is only exceeded in Belize by the tallest pyramid at Caracol. The centre of the site comprises six major plazas surrounded by more than 25 temples and palaces.

Next you continue on to Cahal Pech — "Place of the Ticks" — just outside San Ignacio. The site centre sits on the crest of a steep hill on the west bank of the Macal River with the central acropolis providing a commanding view of the Maya mountains to the south and the fertile valleys of the Belize River to the northeast.

The ceremonial centre includes pyramid temples, palaces and a ball court. The site indicates probable occupation running through the entire Classic period.