Cave 16 km southwest of Maní
Yucatán's largest known cave system, with ancient Maya reliefs and handprints; closed since 2020, with a reopening set for October 2026.
The Loltún caves, whose Maya name means "flower stone," open into the Puuc hills about 7 kilometers south of Oxkutzcab and a short drive from Maní. They form one of the largest cave systems in Yucatán, with huge chambers linked by passages and lit by openings where the roof has collapsed and tree roots hang down.
People used these caves for thousands of years. Archaeologists have found evidence of human presence going back to the end of the Ice Age, along with bones of animals that lived in Yucatán at the time. Later the Maya left paintings, handprints and carvings on the walls, and at the entrance there is a carved relief of a richly dressed figure from the Late Preclassic period, more than two thousand years old. The caves also sheltered people fleeing the violence of the Caste War in the 19th century.
Loltún has been closed since 2020, when Tropical Storm Cristóbal flooded it and damaged its paths and lighting. After a long rehabilitation, Yucatán's tourism authorities announced a reopening for mid-October 2026, pending INAH approval, so confirm that it is open before you go.
What to see and do
Follow the guided route through the main chambers and passages.
See the carved relief at the entrance, one of the oldest Maya sculptures in Yucatán.
Look for painted handprints and figures on the cave walls.
Stand under the openings in the roof where light and tree roots come down into the cave.
Stop in Oxkutzcab afterward for fruit at the market.
Getting there
From Maní, drive about 10 minutes to Oxkutzcab and then south on the road toward Labná and the Puuc Route; the caves are about 25 minutes from Maní in total. Visits have always been guided, in groups that leave at set times. Because the reopening date has shifted more than once, check with INAH or Yucatán's tourism office before making the trip.
16 km southwest of Maní
Directions from Maní on Google Maps
Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.
Plan your trip
Places to stay in Grutas de Loltún
Compare hotels, posadas, and rentals in and around Grutas de Loltún.
Tours & activities
Guided tours, tastings, and day trips in and around Grutas de Loltún.
Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.
Photos
Weather warm
Grutas de Loltún shares the climate of Maní, 16 km away. The best months to visit are Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec.
Make Maní your base
Grutas de Loltún is an easy trip from Maní, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.
Also close to
- Tekax · 18 km away
More around Maní
-
Chumayel
· Town · 10 km away
The village where one of the Chilam Balam books, a key Maya chronicle, was kept; a quiet stop with a colonial church. -
Mama
· Town · 10 km away
On the Convent Route: a stone church with an ornate bell gable and what is said to be the largest baptismal font in Yucatán. -
Oxkutzcab
· Town · 10 km away
The fruit-growing center of southern Yucatán, with a big, busy market of oranges, mangoes and local produce. -
Teabo
· Town · 11 km away
A Convent Route village whose 17th-century church and former convent of San Pedro y San Pablo stand out for their deep red walls. -
Ticul
· Town · 15 km away
The "Pearl of the South": a busy Maya town of shoemakers and potters, and a base for Uxmal and the Puuc Route. -
Tekit
· Town · 17 km away
Yucatán's guayabera capital, with hundreds of sewing workshops, and a large 16th-century church on the Convent Route. -
Santa Elena
· Town · 27 km away
A Puuc village near Uxmal with a hilltop 18th-century church and a small museum of mummies found beneath its floor. -
Mayapán
· Archaeological site · 28 km away
The last great Maya capital of Yucatán, with a round observatory and painted stucco; closed since early 2024 over a land dispute. -
Kabah
· Archaeological site · 31 km away
Uxmal's sister city on the Puuc Route, with a palace façade covered in hundreds of masks of the rain god Chaac. -
Labná
· Archaeological site · 31 km away
The Puuc Route site with the famous carved Maya arch and a temple crowned by a tall roof comb. -
Sayil
· Archaeological site · 36 km away
A Puuc Route city in the forest, known for its three-story Great Palace with columns and masks of Chaac. -
Uxmal
· Archaeological site · 40 km away
The finest Puuc-style Maya city, a World Heritage Site with the oval Pyramid of the Magician and carved stone façades. -
Hacienda Sotuta de Peón
· Landmark · 44 km away
A henequen hacienda that still processes sisal fiber with its old machinery, with a mule-drawn cart ride and an underground cenote.
Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.