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The
Cave of "Guácharo" is located in the states of
Monagas and Sucre, 4 Km. away from the town of
Caripe. You can arrive at this park following the
road of Caripe, from Maturín, Cumaná or Carúpano.
The Cave of "Guácharo" represents the biggest cavern
in the country, with a surface of 15.500 hectares.
It was initially decreed Natural Monument in 1947
with the German scientist's name Alejandro Von
Humboldt. This famous scientist visited the cave in
1799 for scientific motivations. In 1816 he gave to
know the most excellent cavern of the 1.500 caves
inventoried in our country. Later on, this cave was
decreed National Park in 1975 when the protection
area was enlarged with the purpose of preserving its
ecosystem and to guarantee the biological processes
of the cavern.
This fantastic natural monument have 10.2 kilometers
long. Some people consider that this is one of the
most complete cave ecosystems to be found anywhere
in the continent. Everyday, this cave offers the
visitors during the trips views of spectacular
beauty. The strange formations in the walls of the
cave and the sound of the birds (Guácharos) howling
give the visitors a reminding impression.
Exactly
the exit in flocks of these birds (Guácharos) in
hours of the afternoon is one of the most important
shows to view in this cave. During the twilight
these birds come out in search of foods like fruits
and seeds of some species of palms and other trees.
Its intolerance to the light explains that these
birds has chosen to inhabit the darkness. The
guácharo (Steatornis caripensis), is a nocturnal
bird, the only one of its kind in the world. It
inhabits caves in various parts of tropical America,
living in total darkness and leaving the cave only
at night for food. The guácharo has a radar-location
system similar to that used by bats, which enables
it to get around in the dark. The birds inhabit
mainly in the Salón Humboldt, where they pass
digesting the food gathered during the night.
The Cave of Guácharo has an entrance 23 meters of
high and 28 of wide. All the visits to the cave are
by guided tours, in groups of 10 people. A first
portion of 1,500 meters of the cave is normally
visited, crossing the Salón Humboldt and the Gallery
of the Silence (with formations baptized as the
Cardón, the Carmen's Virgin, the Guard's Angel)
until arriving at the Salón Sublime where the
stalactites and stalagmites can be appreciated
formed by the constant action of the water in the
rock. The people who want to visit the cave's
galleries beyond the usual public access (to the
next 7.513 meters), will need a special
authorization from the Inparques.
We want to invite you to be one of the thousands of
people that have ventured to explore this
fascinating Cave of Guacharo.
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