Explore an Underground Caver & River in our PLUS experience

South of Playa del Carmen, the jungle hides a network of caves and an underground river known as Río Secreto, and this PLUS experience is built for travelers who want more than a quick peek at the entrance. Rather than a short walk-through, it combines a jungle stretch, a bike ride through the caves, an on-foot cavern tour, and a swim through the underground river in a single extended outing, rounded off with a regional buffet.

The day begins with hotel pickup in a sanitized van that carries you to the reserve in the heart of the Riviera Maya. On arrival, staff walk you through safety instructions and fit you with the gear you will need before the activities start. The itinerary is sequenced so you first explore the surrounding jungle, then take the caves by bike, riding through passageways carved into the limestone rather than simply viewing them from a platform.

From there the pace shifts to a walking tour of a series of caverns, giving you a closer, unhurried look at the stalactite and stalagmite formations that have built up over a very long span of time. The excursion closes with a swim and snorkel through the crystal-clear underground river, using the snorkeling equipment provided, before the group gathers for the regional buffet included in the package. Along the way, guides frame the site within Maya cosmology, describing the caves as part of what is often called the Underworld Maya.

Because the day mixes biking, walking, and swimming across roughly nine hours, it suits travelers with at least a moderate level of fitness rather than those looking for a passive sightseeing stop. The listed guidance excludes people with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, and anyone with poor cardiovascular health, and sets a minimum recommended age of 7 and a maximum recommended weight of 120 kg (250 lb). What sets this version apart from a standard cave visit is the added rappel activity and the multi-discipline structure — bike, foot, and swim — layered into one continuous route rather than a single fixed path.

Bring a swimsuit and a change of clothes, since lockers and towels are provided on-site along with the snorkeling equipment for the underground river section. The buffet is included, so a full meal is part of the day, though photos and souvenirs are not covered and would be an out-of-pocket add-on if you want a professional record of the visit. Round-trip transportation from your hotel is arranged directly, and if your hotel is not on the standard pickup list, the operator asks that you provide it in advance so a representative can confirm the exact pickup time and location by email or text, since schedules vary by property.