El Castillo: A Glimpse into Ancient Mayan Civilization

Getting There

• Car

  If you are driving from San Ignacio, head west on the George Price Highway (also known as the Western Highway). After about 6 miles, turn left onto the road to Xunantunich. Follow this road until you reach the ferry crossing at the Mopan River. Take the ferry (cost: approximately $5 BZD per person) across the river. Once on the other side, continue straight for about 1 mile until you see the entrance to Xunantunich. Park your car and walk about half a mile to the entrance of El Castillo, which is part of the Xunantunich archaeological site.

• Public Transportation

  From San Ignacio, you can take a local bus or a shared taxi (also known as a 'collectivo') to Xunantunich. Buses leave from the San Ignacio bus terminal and typically cost around $2 BZD. Ask the driver to drop you off at the ferry crossing. Once you arrive at the ferry ($5 BZD per person for a round trip), take the ferry across the Mopan River. After crossing, you can either walk or wait for a local taxi to take you the remaining mile to the entrance of Xunantunich. From the entrance, it's a short walk to El Castillo.

• Taxi

  If you prefer a more direct option, you can hire a taxi from San Ignacio to take you to El Castillo. This will be more expensive, typically costing around $25-$30 BZD for a one-way trip. The driver will take you to the ferry crossing, where you'll take the ferry ($5 BZD per person) across the river, then continue to the entrance of Xunantunich. The taxi will wait for you while you explore El Castillo and the surrounding site.