The operator of the Grutas del Rey Marcos charges Q80 per person for the guided cave tour with helmet, lamp, guide and lighting, Q45 for the park alone, Q100 with canopy and a boat ride, and Q170 with lunch, on its price page updated 2 June 2026. The caves are in San Juan Chamelco, 6 km from that town and 14 km from Cobán, and the visit is a walk through a cave with an underground river running inside it. At Banguat’s reference rate of Q7.64 per dollar (2 October 2026), the cave package is about $10.47.
The prices come from the operator’s packages page; we read the date it was last changed from the site’s own page index. The operator says the caves were discovered in 1998 by Óscar and Iván Fernández and that the park has been receiving visitors for 20 years. The Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes’ SIC listing (modified 24 July 2026) adds that the caves are still used for Maya ceremonies.
Three different price lists are online, and the gap matters. The operator’s own older services page still shows the cave at Q30, and the Ministry’s listing shows Q50. If a guidebook, blog or one of our older pages told you Q30, that number dates from 2017. The table below shows all three with their dates.
Tours from Cobán
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What it costs: the operator’s June 2026 card
| Package | What is included | Price | ~USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park only | Park entry; no cave, canopy or boat | Q45 | ~$5.89 |
| Package 3 | Cave with equipment: helmet, lamp, guide and lighting | Q80 | ~$10.47 |
| Package 2 | Cave with equipment + canopy + boat | Q100 | ~$13.09 |
| Package 1 | Cave with equipment + canopy + boat + churrasco lunch and a natural drink | Q170 | ~$22.25 |
| Adventure and relax 3 | Cave with equipment + relaxing massage | Q350 | ~$45.80 |
| Adventure and relax 2 | Cave + massage + sauna or jacuzzi | Q500 | ~$65.43 |
| Adventure and relax 1 | Cave + massage + jacuzzi + sauna | Q600 | ~$78.52 |
Source: grutasdelreymarcos.com/paquetes, updated 2 June 2026. The operator says the per-person prices already include a discount, that there are no refunds once you have used the wristband, and that parking is free. Overnight guests get 10% off the packages. USD at Banguat’s Q7.64136 per dollar, 2 October 2026.
Why you will see Q30 and Q50 elsewhere
| Published by | Date | Cave price | Other prices on it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator, packages page | Updated 2 Jun 2026 | Q80 with equipment | Park only Q45; Q100; Q170 |
| Ministry of Culture, SIC listing | Modified 24 Jul 2026 | Q50 park + cave | Q75 package (canopy, boat); Q100 with churrasco lunch; lodging Q550 a night; camping Q50 on top of the entry package |
| Operator, services page | Last updated Oct 2017 | Q30 with helmet, boots, torch and guide | Balneario Q15 adults, Q10 children; canopy Q15 / Q25; canoe Q15; horse Q10 |
The Ministry’s listing is dated after the operator’s June update but shows lower prices and different package contents, so treat the operator’s own page as the price to expect and confirm it when you reserve. Our own Cobán guide quoted Q30 until today; we have corrected it.
Opening hours
Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the restaurant is closed on Mondays. That schedule is on the operator’s 2017 services page and is the only one published, so check it by phone or WhatsApp before you drive out. The operator lists 5161 0469 and 5308 9307 for reservations on its packages page.
Getting there
| Leg | What the operator says |
|---|---|
| From San Juan Chamelco | 6 km |
| From Cobán | 14 km |
| Road | Mostly paved; any type of vehicle |
| Public transport | Buses leave San Juan Chamelco for the turn-off to the caves (el cruce de las Grutas del Rey Marcos) |
| Signs | Blue signs and boards along the way; the operator says anyone in town can point you there |
To reach Cobán from the capital, see Guatemala City to Cobán.
Staying the night at the park
| Room | Price | Sleeps |
|---|---|---|
| Single | Q285 | 1 (queen bed) |
| Double | Q485 | 2 (queen bed) |
| Triple | Q725 | 3 |
| Triple plus | Q950 | 3 or 4 |
| Large | Q1,325 | 5 or 6 |
| Spa-area room | Q950 | 3 or 4 |
| Forest room (no TV, no wifi) | Q600 | Up to 4 |
| Camping | Q50 per person | — |
Source: the operator’s lodging page, updated 4 December 2025. Rooms include a typical breakfast and taxes; check-in from 2 p.m., check-out at noon. The park and activity package is paid on top of the room. Spa services (massage Q300 for 60 minutes, sauna or jacuzzi Q200 for 30 minutes, full circuit Q750) are by reservation.
If you would rather sleep in town, Cobán is 14 km away:
Where to stay in Cobán
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Pair it with
- Orquigonia — a guided orchid trail at km 206, on the way into Cobán
- Hun Nal Ye — river pools and a cenote in San Pedro Carchá (open Wednesday to Sunday, book ahead)
- Grutas de Lanquín — the bat cave, if you are heading on to Semuc Champey
- Candelaria caves — the 22 km cave system in Chisec
- San Juan Chamelco · Alta Verapaz · All Guatemala activities
Sources read 3 October 2026: grutasdelreymarcos.com packages (updated 2 June 2026), lodging (4 December 2025), contact (11 March 2026), services and history (2017) pages; Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes SIC listing (modified 24 July 2026). Every figure above is dated to the page it came from.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit the Grutas del Rey Marcos?
On the operator’s own package page (updated 2 June 2026): Q80 per person for the cave with equipment (helmet, lamp, guide and lighting); Q100 adds the canopy and a boat ride; Q170 adds a churrasco lunch and a natural drink. Entry to the park only, without the cave, canopy or boat, is Q45. Parking is free. At Banguat’s reference rate of Q7.64 per dollar (2 October 2026), Q80 is about $10.47.
Why do some sites say the Rey Marcos caves cost Q30?
Q30 is the cave price on the operator’s older Servicios page, last updated in October 2017, which also lists the balneario at Q15 for adults and Q10 for children. The Ministry of Culture’s SIC listing (modified 24 July 2026) gives yet another card: Q50 for park and cave, Q75 and Q100 packages. The operator’s package page, updated 2 June 2026, is the newest of the three.
Where are the Grutas del Rey Marcos?
In the municipality of San Juan Chamelco, Alta Verapaz. The operator puts them 6 km from San Juan Chamelco and 14 km from Cobán, on a road that is mostly paved and passable for any vehicle. By public transport, buses leave San Juan Chamelco for the turn-off to the caves.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the restaurant closed on Mondays, per the operator’s Servicios page. That page was last updated in 2017 and is the only published schedule we found, so confirm by phone or WhatsApp before a long drive.
Can you stay overnight at Rey Marcos?
Yes. The operator’s lodging page (updated December 2025) lists rooms from Q285 for one person to Q1,325 for five or six, a forest room at Q600 for up to four, and camping at Q50 per person. Rooms include a typical breakfast and taxes, but the park and activity package is paid on top. Guests get 10% off the packages.
Do I need to bring my own gear for the cave?
No lamp or helmet needed: every cave package on the operator’s June 2026 page includes a helmet, a guide and lighting. On that page the Q80, Q100 and Q170 packages list a lamp, while the spa packages (Q350-Q600) list boots instead; the 2017 services page also included boots. Ask whether boots come with the package you book.
