Colombia - About the Country


Colombia is a country in South America with coast on the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. In between is the border with Panama, so Colombia actually connects South America with Central America. It is divided into two completely different regions, the Andes mountain range and the Llanos plains.

The Llanos plains are shared with Venezuela and are divided into three subregions: northern plains, Macarena Mountains area, and southern area. The river basins of Meta, Vichada and the Inirida rivers drain to the east into famous rivers like the Orinoco River, Vaupés River, Caquetá River, Putumayo River and Apaporis River. The plains are flat, with massive sediments, and groundwater right below the surface. These are the worst possible conditions for cave formation, mining, and even for digging a cellar.

The caves and mines of the country are found in the other region, the Andean region. This is the northern end of the mountain ridge, full of complex geology, deposits of valuable ores of volcanic origin, and even some caves. The mountains are formed since the Paleozoic era, when the Nazca plate collided with the South American plate pushing it under the Caribbean plate. The Colombian Massif is split into three mountain ranges: Cordillera Oriental (Eastern mountain range), Cordillera Central (central mountain range), and the Cordillera Occidental (Western mountain range).

Colombia has no show caves, the caves are completely undeveloped, the trips are caving trips. However, they call it ecotourism, which sounds much better. Save the climate by caving!