Excellent  
    
 Based on 101 reviews 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Jan Bares 
 
2024-02-28
 
 
 Verified 
Great tours with Mario
I booked some transport and tours (Jungle Night Walk) around San Ignacio with Mario. There was no problem with it and I would book Mario again :) The price was also good.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Vicki W 
 
2024-01-31
 
 
 Verified 
Best tour operator in San Ignacio
My daughter (20) and I had the most amazing New Years day visiting Caracol and Rio on Pools with Kin Winik Jungle tours, now operating as M&S Adventure and Archaeology. Mario was an absolutely wonderful guide who made our trip so bespoke and special. He is extremely passionate about his work and incredibly interesting and knowledgeable on Mayan history, we learnt so much. We enjoyed a delicious lunch prepared by his wife lunch before a relaxing stop on the way home at beautiful Rio on Pools. I am so glad we chose this company and thoroughly recommend taking a tour with Mario and his team, it was a trip we will never forget. In addition his tours tend to be better priced than competitors, absolute value for money. A perfect start to 2024.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Thomas C 
 
2022-09-18
 
 
 Verified 
Great day at Caracol and around
We have had a wonderful day exploring Caracol, the Rio Frio cave and a refreshing swimming stop at the river/small falls in the afternoon. Our guide Kisha was super friendly and accommodating our special wishes like an additional stop at a viewpoint. Mario before was very responsive and pricing is fair. Don't hesitate to book with him!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Earl B 
 
2022-04-25
 
 
 Verified 
A day to remember - Noj Kaax Meen Elijio Panti Park, Belize
Mario Castellanos arranged our hiking guide, Jason, to show us through the Noj Kaax Meen Elijio Panti Park. Jason was a pleasure to hike with. He has a great sense of humour and adventure and was super passionate about the park with its beautiful natural provisions. The hike was 14 miles and it was, at times, challenging, however, Jason was patient and accommodating. It was truly a beautiful day filled with lasting memories and vistas of waterfalls, lush jungle and beautiful sounds. Highly recommend it!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 ClimbnRide 
 
2020-01-11
 
 
 Verified 
Professional guides with deep roots in the community
Now doing business as M&S Adventure and Archaeology. As a solo traveller it can be hard to get on tours on the dates you have available. I reached out to Mario and he arranged visits to Caracol, ATM and Barton Creek three days running. Mario guided the Caracol tour and his knowledge and passion for Mayan history and architecture was readily apparent. His brother Renan guided ATM and as one of the first to guide the cave, he too had a wealth of knowledge to share. Even though I was the only client for Barton Creek, Mario made it happen by combining some training with an aspiring guide. He took us deep into the cave system past some very low overheads for a great adventure. I highly recommend Mario and his colleagues for personalized professional services.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Sue 
 
2019-10-26
 
 
 Verified 
Personalized, friendly, helpful, and accommodating
Mario was our host for the 24 hours we spent on the mainland of Belize and he helped us make the most of it. He picked us up at the airport, dropped us at our hotel in San Ignacio, then picked us up for a nighttime jungle tour. It was just two of us, so we were delighted that his wife Channel came along for the jungle tour because she was fun to hang out with. It was an all in the family affair because the next morning, Mario picked us up, then we picked up his brother Renan so we could do the ATM cave tour. Renan is AWESOME SO GREAT AND WONDERFUL. It was, again, just the two of us as we hiked, swam, scooted, climbed through the cave. My friend has a fear of heights, which led to a few tense moments as we navigated the cave. Renan has the patience of a saint. Our cave tour was really magnificent, and we made it out alive! Both Mario and Renan are Mayan, and proud, which made our tours so much more enlightening and interesting. The drive from the airport to San Ignacio, where we were staying is about 2 hours, and Mario filled the time with stories about Belize and the Mayan people and history. He patiently answered all my ignorant gringo questions, and the drive was actually a highlight of the trip. After the cave tour, we had a pleasant picnic that Channel had made for us (with a special vegetarian version for me) After the jam packed 24 hours, Mario got us back to Belize City to catch the water taxi. All this for only $510 (for both of us,not for each). Just amazing.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Tom B 
 
2019-05-28
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing camping trip
We did a 2 day trek and overnight camping trip with Mario and Antonio. The trip was superb. We trekked through the jungle in the Elijio Panti National Park where Antonio taught us the basics of how to survive in the jungle while Mario identified loads of different birds for us. We camped by a beautiful waterfall where we had chicken cooked over a fire and went swimming in the pools. The next day we visited an incredible cave system which the Mayans had used for ceremonial purposes. We were the only ones there, it was amazing. Antonio and Mario were superb. I can't recommend this trip enough. Book it now. (But make sure you take enough water as we ran out on the way back and prepare yourself for walking in the heat!)
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Nikita 
 
2019-03-08
 
 
 Verified 
A real gem of a tour company!
We arranged several tours with Mario to fill some of our time in San Ignacio. We chose his company based off other reviews as we enjoy the knowledge tour guides offer but don't want to feel like cattle being herded through an activity. All our tours were very personal and had their own unique spin compared to the more commercialized tour operations. While Mario is very knowledgeable he isn't afraid to access other local guides to provide you the best experience possible. Additionally, all prices were more competitive for a smaller group which was a great plus. We learned an amazing amount and would highly recommend Mario and his company to any other visitors!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Mike C 
 
2019-03-06
 
 
 Verified 
Super Mario
We are independent travelers and generally don't hire guides, but it made sense to do so for the trip to Caracol... and we feel really fortunate to have gone with Mario. He's thoughtful, well-read, extremely interesting and knowledgeable about Mayan culture, and he presents an inclusive, fascinating, nuanced view of the culture as it developed over time. Mario has clearly spent years studying Mayan language, art, architecture, and archeology, and the way he tells a story is exceptionally thorough and engaging. Mario also times the visit at Caracol so that other groups have already passed through and you essentially have the site to yourself, which leads to a wonderful experience. We learned a lot and found the tour one of the highlights of our trip to Belize. Mario is also considerate and kind, which is nice when you're spending the whole day together. In addition to Caracol, our tour included a LONG drive to and from the site (no other way to get there), lunch at the site prepared in advance by Mario's wife, a stop at Rio Frio cave on the way, and a visit to Rio on Pools to swim at the end of the day. Rio on Pools is a real gem, a beautiful natural series of waterfalls, swimming holes, and slick granite waterslides to cool off when it's about a million degrees in the afternoon. Definitely bring a bathing suit and plan on a dip-- it's a great way to end a really great day. Would highly recommend any trip with Mario, especially one that involves learning about Mayan history and culture.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 AnnieD123 
 
2019-03-03
 
 
 Verified 
Great time in San Ignacio
My friend and I spent two days in San Ignacio. Mario picked us up at the airport (waiting for us when our flights were delayed due to weather) and drove us to our hotel. He also arranged two tours: for our first tour, a visit to Xunantunich and a jungle pontoon ride, he walked us from our hotel in the morning to the tour pick-up location. For our ATM tour, he drove us to the caves and back, patiently stopping as we got out of the car to take pictures along the way. He also arranged our shuttle to Guatemala for the final morning. Mario was great at answering all our questions before our arrival - prompt and detailed. He was well informed about the history and political landscape of the area and we learned a lot from him in our conversations on our various drives, which was an unexpected bonus of using his services to arrange our shuttles and tours. I highly recommend getting in touch with Mario to arrange transportation and/or tours in San Ignacio.