Santa Caverna

Useful Information

Location:	Area Protegida - Cerro Tres Cerros, Cavernas 14 de Julio y Santa Caverna. (-22.2516510, -57.8718513)
Open:	After appointment. [2023]
Fee:	yes. [2023]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=2 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Santa Caverna Franartour, Tel: +595-351-230-052, Tel: +595-971-929-556, Tel: +595-984-817-664. Arvatur, Tel: +595-351-230-657, Tel: +595-985-170-952, Tel: +595-976-815-062. Ikatu Adventure Tourism, Tel: +595-986-363-324, Tel: +595-984-473-199. Vallemí Tour, Tel: +595-971-856-680.
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

The Santa Caverna (Holy Cave) is on one of three important caves at the small reserve Area Protegida - Cerro Tres Cerros, Cavernas 14 de Julio y Santa Caverna. The Tres Cerros (Tree Hills) are three limestone hills, after which the village Tres Cerros at the Rio Paraguay was named. From the village a single lane gravel leads to the middle hill, where numerous abandoned quarries are located. The area has numerous caves, and is today a nature preserve and limestone mining is abandoned. As a result the road is not maintained any more and only the first part is accessible by 4WD to the last farm. From here it's a 1.5 km walk with an elevation gain of about 90 m.

The cave was named after a stalagmite which is about 50 cm tall and looks like the image of Virgin Mary. The cave has some nice speleothems. The entrance to the cave is a rather small pothole. There is a sort of iron railing across the shaft, a rusty iron tube down into the cave which are both not very safe or even helpful. However, the guides provide a ladder for the entrance shaft.

The cave is a real cave and caving gear is necessary, you will get dirty and there are narrow sections which require crawling. The guide Francisco Narvaez provides helmet and headlamp, we suggest to bring clothes to change, a towel, and a plastic bag for the dirty clothes. Also, gloves and knee pads are helpful. If you have an overall, otherwise old clothes with long sleeves, gum boots or trekking shoes.