Best tour to Altun Ha?

[Gary123456]

Going March 29th and would love some advice on the best tour operator for this tour and how much it is and contact info..

[fabuloso]

My family is in love with Action Boys Belize. We really enjoyed the Altun Hu excursion. I am posting parts of my review that I saved. My boyfriend and I want to go back to Belize City and Livingston, Guatemala for a land vacation. We are in 100% agreement that the only tour company we will use for excursions is Action Boys Belize.

 

Donald Ramirez was our guide. He made our tour so fascinating. All 10 of us walked away feeling pleased and happy.

Mr. Ramirez not only gave us great details about the site, but also showed us many plants and their medicinal uses and how the Mayans used them in their everyday lives. We not only received a detailed history of the past culture, but a detailed account of present day life for Mayans and the rest of the Belizean community. I got the sense that Donald takes great pride in his community and people and his enthusiasm is catching. He also seems to really love history, which was great for us tourists. At one point during the walk around the site, I overheard a wife say to her husband, "That guy is waaaayyyy more interesting than our tour guide" and they proceeded to tag along with us for awhile!

We rode in an air conditioned, comfortable van. One member of our party had a little too much fun the night before..........We had to pull over at one point, so he could get rid of that little extra fun. Donald quickly found a store after that, ran in, and came back out with something to help settle his stomach. Within 15 minutes, he was feeling fine!

 

I also appreciated how safety conscious he was. Not just for our group either. You can go up to the top of a temple. There is a staircase provided on the side with a wooden railing. DO NOT USE THIS RAILING. Donald pointed out how flimsy it was and should not have any weight put on it. I almost made it to the top, but my left knee began to bother me, so I chose to go back down. Not one other tour guide (and quite frankly, most of them didn't even go to the top with their groups) warned their people about the railing.

[harryjr]

Going March 29th and would love some advice on the best tour operator for this tour and how much it is and contact info..

We went to Altun Ha back in December with www.experiencebelizetours.com.

Leah Dawson is the contact and her husband, Allen, is the tour guide. Very professional and personalized tour--there were 4 of us and Allen. It was such a contrast to the big bus, big group, megaphone tours. We were able to have one-on-one explanations of historical, archaeological and botanical features in and around the site and Belize City itself. We asked many questions and were never disappointed with the informative answers. Prior to the tour, we made a personal request to visit a missionary home in Ladyville and Allen was more than happy to grant our request. Following the Altun Ha tour, we went to Mayan Wells, a nearby virtual paradise of a setting which also happens to be an awesome restaurant that serves delicious native cuisine. Carl and Martha Simons are your hosts, along with "Toukie" the toucan and their pet howler monkey. You can get a glimpse at www.mayanwells.com. The cost per person is approx. $60 for a group of four or $50 for six. Lunch at Mayan Wells (with Belikin Beer or soda) is also included. It was one of the most enjoyable (and least stressful) excursions we have ever been on.

[simkoreb]

This is the only excursion I have ever booked through a cruiseline (Carnival's River Wallace Altun Ha tour) and loved it. Not sure who you're going with, but both parts were awesome, and I was impressed with our guides. We went in Feb, and it was HOT! Just be prepared for that.

[dcac2]

Does anyone know if we are able to book with either Action Boys Belize or Belize cruise excursions tour when we get off the ship? Or do we have to book ahead online?

[jlypen]

We just did the Altun Ha/Belize City excursion last week with Belize Cruise Excursions and would recommend them. They charge $42.50/pp regardless of the number in your group. Lunch is included; provided in a small restaurant - very plain - but the food and owners were very nice. We traveled in a newer full-sized Ford passenger van that was very comfortable, even with 14 people in it. Our tour guide, Jenny, was excellent; energetic and knowledgeable. As for booking on-site, it would be best to check with them first. We reserved in advance, which required a 20% deposit to a credit card, with the balance payable in cash in person.

[cot427]

We just did the Altun Ha/Belize City excursion last week with Belize Cruise Excursions and would recommend them. They charge $42.50/pp regardless of the number in your group. Lunch is included; provided in a small restaurant - very plain - but the food and owners were very nice. We traveled in a newer full-sized Ford passenger van that was very comfortable, even with 14 people in it. Our tour guide, Jenny, was excellent; energetic and knowledgeable. As for booking on-site, it would be best to check with them first. We reserved in advance, which required a 20% deposit to a credit card, with the balance payable in cash in person.

 

We went with Altun Ha/Belize City tour last week through belizeshoreexcursions.com (Xtreme tours) and I would definitely recommend them, although we asked about lunch and the guide said it was not for this tour. We paid the same 42.50 pp and dont get me wrong the tour was excellent, with tour guide Gus, he was very knowlegable about Belize, and the van was nice and big, a/c etc. But yeah no lunch for us. And yes we too did the 20% deposit and then cash there.

[dcac2]

I think we will go with Belize Cruise Excursions.....all the reviews sound good. I will send my deposit off today. Weird how your tour didn't get lunch provided....it definitely says it is!

[cot427]

I think we will go with Belize Cruise Excursions.....all the reviews sound good. I will send my deposit off today. Weird how your tour didn't get lunch provided....it definitely says it is!

 

Yes I know. Unfortunetly I didn't have the tour description printed out with me, only the deposit email but that paper didn't say tour description. Our tour guide Gus was excellent, we didn't wanna fight him on it either, but let me know if you get lunch or not.

[cpmom]

We were in Belize last Thursday and also had Jennie as our guide. We had booked in advance and being a group of 10 had a private group tour and Jennie was fabulous as a guide. We had lunch at a very lovely small restaurant on the way back that was included in the 42.50 price. Belize was my favorite port because of this tour. Jennie gave us a detailed tour at Altun Ha and then left us on our own for a bit. We all had a great time and I would recommend this tour to anyone.

 

Cathy:):)

[cot427]

We were in Belize last Thursday and also had Jennie as our guide. We had booked in advance and being a group of 10 had a private group tour and Jennie was fabulous as a guide. We had lunch at a very lovely small restaurant on the way back that was included in the 42.50 price. Belize was my favorite port because of this tour. Jennie gave us a detailed tour at Altun Ha and then left us on our own for a bit. We all had a great time and I would recommend this tour to anyone.

 

Cathy:):)

 

Ugg I'm mad now. You were there the same week as us, just two days after and had lunch. We had Gus, a great tour guide, but I guess he didn't know the tour structure because we didnt get lunch. He also didn't give us time on our own, but he never stopped talking about Altun Ha, Mayans, or Belize. Very knowledgable, but no lunch. O well, i did talk to the company to let them know for the future though.

[Ralph120]

We did the Altun Ha trip with Belize Cruise Excursions last week. Paid the deposit online and the balance at the company's office in the harbor. The company's reps were waiting for us as we came off the tenders.

 

If you can get Jenny as your tour guide she's worth her weight in gold (or Mayan jade). She's part Mayan and part Mestizo and she's very knowledgeable about the Mayan ruins, history, medicinal plants as well as the main sights in Belize City.

 

There were only 8 of us in the tour group - as personalized as you can get. When we got to the Altun Ha ruins (after a bumpy ride) we really appreciated our individualized experience after seeing the huge tour buses and really large groups from the ships.

 

We had a delightful lunch at a nearby restaurant (included in the price) just 2 minutes away from the ruins on the way back to Belize City.

 

We got back to Belize City with about 2 hours to spare (just enough time to explore the nearby downtown area) before catching the tender back to the ship.

 

Niña, Pinta, Santa María

[mrpayroll]

Just wondering what the lunch was like at the resturaunt ? Meaning what type of food.

[harryjr]

Just wondering what the lunch was like at the resturaunt ? Meaning what type of food.

 

If its the same restaurant, Mayan Wells, our lunch was a type of curried chicken, plantains and yellow rice with Belikin beer.

[mrpayroll]

Thanks for the info...Going in Jan. on the DREAM..

[Deogee]

My family is in love with Action Boys Belize. We really enjoyed the Altun Hu excursion. I am posting parts of my review that I saved. My boyfriend and I want to go back to Belize City and Livingston, Guatemala for a land vacation. We are in 100% agreement that the only tour company we will use for excursions is Action Boys Belize.

 

Donald Ramirez was our guide. He made our tour so fascinating. All 10 of us walked away feeling pleased and happy.

 

Mr. Ramirez not only gave us great details about the site, but also showed us many plants and their medicinal uses and how the Mayans used them in their everyday lives. We not only received a detailed history of the past culture, but a detailed account of present day life for Mayans and the rest of the Belizean community. I got the sense that Donald takes great pride in his community and people and his enthusiasm is catching. He also seems to really love history, which was great for us tourists. At one point during the walk around the site, I overheard a wife say to her husband, "That guy is waaaayyyy more interesting than our tour guide" and they proceeded to tag along with us for awhile!

 

We rode in an air conditioned, comfortable van. One member of our party had a little too much fun the night before..........We had to pull over at one point, so he could get rid of that little extra fun. Donald quickly found a store after that, ran in, and came back out with something to help settle his stomach. Within 15 minutes, he was feeling fine!

 

I also appreciated how safety conscious he was. Not just for our group either. You can go up to the top of a temple. There is a staircase provided on the side with a wooden railing. DO NOT USE THIS RAILING. Donald pointed out how flimsy it was and should not have any weight put on it. I almost made it to the top, but my left knee began to bother me, so I chose to go back down. Not one other tour guide (and quite frankly, most of them didn't even go to the top with their groups) warned their people about the railing.

I totally agree with all said about Donald and Action Boys Belize. My family used their services and we didn't have any regrets booking through them. Donald is honest, informative, and doesn't rush us through the zip line tour. He assigned a private vehicle to our family and he was our private guide. He also gave us a free tour of the Belize Zoo.

 

D

[lollylew]

We did the Altun Ha trip with Belize Cruise Excursions last week. Paid the deposit online and the balance at the company's office in the harbor. The company's reps were waiting for us as we came off the tenders.

 

 

I'm just wondering if this company charges an additional tax on top of the listed price. Thanks! :)

[Monthend]

We did the Altun Ha trip with Belize Cruise Excursions last week. Paid the deposit online and the balance at the company's office in the harbor. The company's reps were waiting for us as we came off the tenders.

 

If you can get Jenny as your tour guide she's worth her weight in gold (or Mayan jade). She's part Mayan and part Mestizo and she's very knowledgeable about the Mayan ruins, history, medicinal plants as well as the main sights in Belize City.

 

There were only 8 of us in the tour group - as personalized as you can get. When we got to the Altun Ha ruins (after a bumpy ride) we really appreciated our individualized experience after seeing the huge tour buses and really large groups from the ships.

 

We had a delightful lunch at a nearby restaurant (included in the price) just 2 minutes away from the ruins on the way back to Belize City.

 

We got back to Belize City with about 2 hours to spare (just enough time to explore the nearby downtown area) before catching the tender back to the ship.

 

Niña, Pinta, Santa María

 

I am going on this tour on June 18th at 9:20 and I am confused about Belize time vs ship time. If we are in Belize from 8-5 what time would we get off ship in Belize.

[MDSue]

I am going on this tour on June 18th at 9:20 and I am confused about Belize time vs ship time. If we are in Belize from 8-5 what time would we get off ship in Belize.

Find out if the tour is 9:20 time is in Belize time or ship time. When we were there a few weeks back, there was a two-hour time difference [9:20 Belize time would have been 11:20 ship-time]. The ship never strayed from EST because we departed from Tampa. Most tours will know the ship time, but you need to be sure. Another thing you need to consider is that you arrive in belize via tender boats. People with ship-sponsored tours will have first priority for tender tickets. The tenders didn't start leaving until 9 am [ship-time] even though our arrival time was 8am. The last tender for us left at 3pm even though our departure time was listed as 4pm. It ended up being a shorter than expected day for us, but should be plenty of time for your tour.

[modem9]

At this time of the year, Belize is two hours behind Carnival cruise ship time. Belize is also a tendor port and it takes 15 - 20 minutes to get to the terminal. Because of tendering, private tours need to allow extra time to get ashore as ship booked tours get priority over private tours for tender tickets. It took us about 2 hours after arrival before we were able to get to the terminal. We were still back at the ship 2 hours before the last tender.

 

We just returned from our cruise yesterday, including a stop in Belize. We had booked a private excursion with Ignacio Quan to Altun Ha for our group of 6 and it turned out perfect, a wonderful day. The tour took 4 hours from pickup to dropoff. He had a large 15+ passenger van with excellent A/C at each seat. He also had a separate driver so he could concentrate on being a guide and not driving. We included a brief tour of the city and then drove to the ruins at Altun Ha. The roads in Belize are not great and the last 14 miles to the ruins are on basically a 1 1/2 lane road with lots of bumps. Once at the ruins, our guide Nacho led us around and gave us good narrative on the history of the site and the excavation. We were able to climb on all the ruins and totally enjoyed doing so. I highly recomend this as a 1/2 day excursion for those who don't want to spend time at the beach. The ruins are plenty large enough and give a good sample of the Mayan culture. We did not choose do include lunch with our tour but it was an option if we wanted.

[lollylew]

We just did the Altun Ha/Belize City excursion last week with Belize Cruise Excursions and would recommend them. They charge $42.50/pp regardless of the number in your group. Lunch is included; provided in a small restaurant - very plain - but the food and owners were very nice. We traveled in a newer full-sized Ford passenger van that was very comfortable, even with 14 people in it. Our tour guide, Jenny, was excellent; energetic and knowledgeable. As for booking on-site, it would be best to check with them first. We reserved in advance, which required a 20% deposit to a credit card, with the balance payable in cash in person.

 

We have booked a tour to Altun Ha via this company and are looking forward to it!!

[Ralph120]

No added costs. The price as quoted on the web-site is the price you pay. However, if you are satisfied with the tour you can show your appreciation with a suitable optional tip.

[cruisefan0503]

My husband and I just returned from a cruise on Carnival Valor and while in Belize, booked a tour to Altun Ha and the city tour through a company right in the port. It was $35 a person to do these two things, which is much cheaper than purchasing through the ship. My only piece of advice is to make sure you don't take anyone with you that has back problems or is pregnant. This was our first time in Belize and though our tour guide was knowledgeable, we were not warned about the 45 min-1 hour ride to the ruins. The roads were terrible and the driver did not even slow down for speed bumps or oncoming traffic. I have problems with my lower back and this ride caused my back to go into spasms so I was miserable the entire day because the ride to the ruins was awful. And worst of all, when my husband and I tried to talk to the guide to ask him to at least take it a little easy on the bumps, his reply was "we only have so much time to get there and so much time while we are there so we have to go as fast as we can". Sorry, I felt our safety was a little more important. We were riding in a (supposedly) air conditioned van that held 12 people including the driver and the side door would not even open so we had to all climb in the van through the drivers door. It was horrible. Once at the ruins, we had a great time, but I just wish someone had told me about the ride there. I mean, we were meeting huge tour buses on the road and instead of slowing down to let them pass, he would just slam over on the side of the road and then whip it back onto the road once they were past us. (The roads once you get out of the city are only wide enough for one vehicle). Once back on the boat, I had to spend the rest of the night in bed with muscle relaxers and did not even get to enjoy the night on the ship. Hope your experience there is better than mine.

[lollylew]

We were in Belize last Thursday and also had Jennie as our guide. We had booked in advance and being a group of 10 had a private group tour and Jennie was fabulous as a guide. We had lunch at a very lovely small restaurant on the way back that was included in the 42.50 price. Belize was my favorite port because of this tour. Jennie gave us a detailed tour at Altun Ha and then left us on our own for a bit. We all had a great time and I would recommend this tour to anyone.

 

Cathy:):)

 

 

I am going to 2nd this. We too had Jennie and were sooo pleased with our tour with her. She knew her stuff and even drove safely to the ruins!! My husband and I were laughing when we watched another tour guide actually READ from the brochure to his group. Didn't get that with her. The lunch was really good and there was even a monkey that you could go take pictures with at the Mayan Wells restaurant. I would DEFINITELY recommend this tour to anyone (and make sure to ask for Jennie!!:D)