Road Trips 5 min readSep 12, 2026by Tropical Car Rental
Top 5 Day Trips from San Ignacio by Car
Xunantunich, Caracol, the ATM cave and more. Cayo is Belize's adventure capital and a rental car unlocks all of it.
San Ignacio is the kind of town where you need wheels. Tours are great, but with your own car you can leave early, beat the crowds and stop for a cold Belikin on the way back.
1. Xunantunich (20 min)
Cross the Mopan River on the hand-cranked ferry (free, car and all) and climb El Castillo for a view into Guatemala.
2. Cahal Pech (5 min)
Right in town, on the hill above the market. A compact Maya site that takes an hour.
3. Rio On Pools and Big Rock Falls (1 hr)
Up in Mountain Pine Ridge. The road is gravel, so take a 4WD Jeep or 4Runner. Granite pools, waterfalls and pine forest at altitude.
4. Caracol (2 hr 30)
Belize's largest Maya city. The road is now mostly paved, but a 4x4 is still recommended. Leave early and check in at the Douglas D'Silva forestry station.
5. Barton Creek Cave (45 min)
Canoe through a cave the Maya used for ceremonies. The access road is rough, so again, go 4WD.
Pro tip: book the Jeep Wrangler or the 4Runner TRD for a Cayo week and you will never have to say no to a dirt road.
