Explore The most impressive caves in the world It has been, since ancient times, the target of adventurers and scientists. Not in vain, they constitute the gateway to the interior of our planet and have even given rise to fantastic stories such as Journey to the Center of the Earth, Julio Verne.
In a more realistic sense, these cavities are Providers of valuable geological information and especially authentic natural wondersIn fact, they contain spectacular rock formations, different colours and rare peculiarities. For all these reasons, below we are going to show you some of the most impressive caves in the world.
Skocjan Caves
Skocjan Caves are among the most impressive caves in the world
We travel to Slovenia to learn about these cavities that hold the recognition of HeritageThey are the result of erosion of the Reka River about him karst landscape. When it reaches this point, it not only deepens its channel, but also dissolves the rock and becomes underground.
As a result, we have these caves that are about twenty meters deep and run for approximately five kilometers. In total, there are eleven interconnected cavities and on whose walls you can see all kinds of rock cavities and underground waterfalls. Among them, the impressive one stands out Martelova camera, which is 300 metres long, 123 metres wide and 146 metres high.
As if all this were not enough, the Skocjan Caves are home to species that are unique in the world. For example, the so-called human fishAnd all this in a region of great archaeological importance, since man settled there about ten thousand years ago.
Marble Caves
The whimsical walls of the Marble Caves
We travel now to Chilean Patagonia, specifically to the Aysén region to show you some of the most impressive caves in the world. They are also due to water erosion on karst terrain. In this case, it is the General Carrera Lake the one who does it.
Actually, this area is called Marble Chapel Nature Sanctuary, because it includes caves, islets and other cavities with ceilings and pillars that seem carved and reminiscent of religious temples. Likewise, the turquoise blue waters are projected onto the white and brown marble, creating a unique spectacle for the eyes.
The best way to visit this unique space is by boat. Guided tours depart from Quiet Harbor and, in addition to the caves, they offer a tour of the lake that formed them. You can also choose a trip from Port Sanchez, but getting to this one is harder.
Son Doong, gigantism among the most impressive caves in the world
Inside the Son Doong Caves
We scroll up Vietnam to discover the largest cave in the world. It is the one Son doong, whose dimensions are nine kilometers long, 175 meters wide and 200 meters high. In fact, it is part of a large set of cavities that belong to the Phong Nha-Ké Bang National Park.
In turn, this is located in the province of Quang Binh, about 450 kilometers from Hanoi, the country's capital. Since 2003, it is Heritage and covers almost ninety thousand hectares, including one of the two largest karst areas in the world.
Everything in Son Doog Cave It's colossal. It has stalagmites almost eighty metres high, a river and even a small jungle of its own. Curiously, despite its size, it was not discovered until 2009, when a group of British speleologists arrived there. If you visit it, be sure to also see other cavities in the area such as those of Ten Son or of Paradise.
Reed Flute Cave
Lighting in the Reed Flute Cave
We continue in Asia, but now we travel to China to show you another of the most impressive caves in the world. So much so that it is also called Palace of Natural ArtsIt is located in the city-prefecture area of Guilin, in the southeast of the country.
It is also a karst landscape eroded by the Li River that has given rise to several caves. But perhaps the most impressive is the one with the reed flute, as it is illuminated by lights of different colors and is spectacular. It is about 240 years old and has a length of approximately XNUMX meters. If you visit it, you will not only see impressive stalactites and stalagmites, but also a set of inscriptions in ink dating from 792 AD, in the midst of the era of the Tang dynasty.
Mammoth Cave
Visitors at Mammoth Cave
United States houses some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. And, if we talk about caves, it also reveals several more impressive ones. In our case, we propose the Mammoth Cave, which gives its name to an entire natural park in the southwest of the state of Kentucky. Also, as in some of the previous cases, it is World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
In reality, it is a set of caves that overlap at five different heights and that, in total, reach 676 kilometers of galleries. The deepest part runs through the Echo River, which reaches a width of 60 meters and a length of more than a kilometer before flowing into the Green. The water is combined with labyrinthine passages and a fascinating variety of stalactites and stalagmites.
The park's own service offers tours. The longest tour lasts six hours and passes through such curious places as the Big avenue or Frozen Niagara. You can also choose another two-person route, illuminated only by paraffin lanterns. Even the most daring can take expert routes, which involve crawling through mud and dusty tunnels.
In any case, the visits are led by the park guides, whose tradition dates back to 1812, when the caves were used in the war against the United KingdomThese professionals will tell you their story, as well as some interesting anecdotes about them.
Such is the popularity that the Mammoth Cave has achieved that it even appears in some video games such as, for example, Adventure. It has also been part of some novels and stories. This is the case of the terrifying The beast of the cave, HP Lovecraft.
Jenolan Caves
View of Jenolan Caves
How could it be otherwise, too Australia has some of the most impressive caves in the world. Among them, the most notable are those of Jenola, which are located in the region of the Central Plateaus, near the Blue Mountains and within the state of New South Wales.
It is estimated that they are the oldest in the world among those dated, as they date back 340 million years. In fact, they include marine fossils in their walls. Silurian period. The complex of these cavities follows an underground section of the Jenolan River, which gives them their name. In total, there are 40 kilometres of caves located on several levels, which are accessed through more than 300 entrances.
Among their names, you have the cave of the east, which has some of the most spectacular rock formations in the complex; The Imperial, with numerous fossils; Luke's, which features unparalleled acoustics, or the Jubilee one, which is the longest.
This set of caves receives more than 250 thousand visitors every year. If you want to know them, you have organized excursions from Canberra y SydneyHowever, only ten of the caves can be seen. The rest, due to their difficulty, are only open to professional caving.
Gruta Azul
Despite its small size, the Blue Grotto is still among the most impressive caves in the world.
We return to Europe, specifically to Croatia, to tell you about this other wonder of nature. It is a sea cave that you will find in the balun bay, east of the Bisevo Island, in the heart of the Adriatic. In fact, it is one of its most famous places.
Its main characteristic is that the sun's rays filter into the cavity, giving the water a peculiar and magnificent turquoise blue tone during certain hours of the day. Locals say the best times are from 10am to 12am, but really, any time of day is good.
The Blue Grotto can only be known aboard a small boat which is rented in the same area. In addition, there cannot be many of them inside at the same time, since the cavity is only 18 meters long by six meters high and its access is narrow.
Cueva de los Verdes, Spain also has some of the most impressive caves in the world
The magnificent cave of Los Verdes in Lanzarote
We have left for the end a Spanish representative among the most impressive caves in the world. The hollow of The Greens It is located on the island of Lanzarote and was caused by the eruption of the volcano The crown about 25 years ago.
The length of its tube is about seven kilometers between it and the coast, although it continues under the sea for a kilometer and a half in the so-called Atlantis tunnel. Also, in the part closest to the coast, César Manrique created the famous Jameos del Agua .
Inside the cave there are passages with names as poetic as the Moorish Gate, the Hall of the Aesthetes and Death Gorge. But a building has also been built audience and a geodynamic station was installed. During your visit, if you look closely, you will be able to see the lines that mark the different levels of lava. Finally, as a curiosity, we will tell you that the cavity was used by the inhabitants of the area to hide when they were attacked by the Barbary pirates.
In conclusion, the most impressive caves in the world are as spectacular as they are wonderful. Along with those we have suggested, you also have many others such as, for example, the Lapa Doce cave, which is the third largest in Brazil; The Scarisoara glacial cavity en Romania or Waitomo Hollows, which are in New Zealand and receive their peculiar illumination from a fluorescent worm called Luminous Arachnocampa. If you want to discover these majestic caves sculpted by nature, feel free to visit them.