Cueva del Oso de Tella

BVear Cave of Tella


Useful Information

Location: Tella.
From Aínsa north on A-138 17 km towards French border, turn left at Hospital, 8.5 km to Tella.
(42.574359, 0.184441)
Open: after appointment.
online booking available.
[2021]
Fee: Adults EUR 12, Children (6-12) EUR 5, Children (3-5) free.
Cave Bear Museum: Adults EUR 12, Children (6-12) EUR 5, Children (3-5) free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: T=12 °C, A=1,600 m asl.
Guided tours: D=2.5 h, Max=20, MinAge=3.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:
Address: Cueva del Oso, Avda. Ainsa, 22, 22364 Lafortunada-Tella-Sin, Huesca, Tel: +34-608-104-525, Fax: +34-974-504-098. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History


Description

Cueva del Oso de Tella (Bear Cave of Tella) is actually a museum, which is dedicated to the nearby bear cave. This is the highest bear cave in Western Europe, located at the gates of the Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park), at an altitude of 1,600 m asl. A guided tour to the undeveloped cave and the bear deposits inside is offered by the museum after appointment.

Tours start at Tella, visitors are transported to the cave by small busses. The tour starts with an ascent of about 500m/15 min to the cave, the portal offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Norte del Castillo Mayor mountain and the Escuaín gorge. The huge cave is illuminated by daylight, nevertheless we recommend to bring a torch or headlamp. During rainy weather the trail may be slippery, good walking shoes are recommended. Bring sun protection, a hat, and enough drinking water. The Tella Town Hall offers other tours, for example to the famous Dolmen de Tella or the hermitages Ermita de San Juan y San Pablo.

The cave was used for hibernation by cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) between 30,000 BP and 9,000 BP, this is when they went extinct.

The Museo del Oso de las Cavernas (Tella Cave Bear Museum) is located on the top floor of the Casa del Molino de Tella An exhibition shows some of the most important aspects of the cave site, the excavation and study technique. It explains the geographical situation, the scientific laboratory, processes, and tasks performed by the researchers. There is an exhibition of cave bear remains including a full reassembled skeleton and a reconstructed cave bear mother with child.