Located just south of La Fortuna, the gateway
to Arenal Lake and Volcano, are the Caves
of Venado. Dating back over 7 million years,
the Venado Caves are the direct result of
water currents penetrating and passing through
the surrounding limestone rocks. Over time,
the continual flow of water opened crevasses
and forced sediments to flow throughout the
caves, leaving in it's wake an endless network
of deep tunnels. So complex and deep, absolutely
no light penetrates these caves, except for
a few isolated incidents which are located
in one of the quarters. As a result, it is
mandatory that you carry a flashlight with
you during your trip. (We recommend that you
request an extra battery or two before entering
the caves, as this is not a good place to
find yourself with low batteries.)
The structure of the tunnels vary tremendously
with some displaying ceilings of nearly 20
feet in height, while others requiring that
you slide through like a serpent. While one
can enter on your own, it is highly recommended
that you utilize the services of a guide.
The guides experience and in depth knowledge
of the numerous paths can dramatically improve
your experience in the caves. Depending on
your physical fitness and sense of adventure
hours can be spend crawling from one section
of the caves to another, challenging the most
fit and adventurous. A hard hat is also mandatory
as the walls and ceilings are comprised of
hard, porous limestone; traveling within the
caves without a hard hat would be foolish
and asking for problems.
Within the caves one can find five thousand year old rock formations, such as the "papaya" which is a vertical formation formed by the union of two different rock types; the name is derived from it's shape, which you guessed it, looks just like a papaya. The rock face within the cave grows approximately 3 cm every 10 years. At the same time, there exists in the caves the formation of coral, which if touched will retard the growth process. Covering approximately 2 1/2 km (1.5 miles) in length, the caves contain 10 separate quarters (salas in Spanish), however, the area limited for tourism use is only 600 meters (1,800 ft). Throughout the caves water in continually flows along the floor of the caves, at times a few feet high. In fact, during the height of the rainy season visitors are prohibited from entering the caves due to the current flowing through them. The ever present water creates a moist, if not humid climate within the caves, therefore, the caves remain quite cool as a result. For the most secure footing we recommend that you wear hiking boots for your visit, although a good pair of sneaker will do just fine. While guides commonly use sandals, the footing can be very tricky due to the pitch black surroundings. Expect to get wet and dirty, particularly if you plan on discovering the more intimate places within the caves.
The caves contain four different species of bats and numerous types of spiders, many of which are endemic to the area. Some of the spiders have extremely long feelers, designed to assist them in total darkness. The bats fly endlessly above, sometime clustering in groups of a hundred or so. It is more common to find them attached to the ceiling above than along the walls. When your footing is secure, shine the light above and you should find them looking down on you below.
The time you spend within the caves depends on your agreement with the guide, however, a normal tour normally lasts approximately 2 hours; there is really no limit to the amount of time you spend within the caves. Video cameras and photographs are prohibed from being taken into the caves, post cards are sold outside for US $1.50 per card. The entrance fee is 1100 colones to enter, approximately US $4.40. You pay outside the caves, and after will receive your hard hart and flashlight. Boots are provided, however, if you have large feet don't count on it happening.
How to get there:
Approximately 7 km(4.2 miles) before reaching
La Fortuna from San José, there is a sign
on the right hand side of the road pointing
towards Monterey. Take this right and continue
straight until you reach the small town of
Monterey, where there will be a split in the
road; the distance is approx. 13.6 km(8.5
miles). Stay to the right and continue ahead
towards the town of Venado. About 9 km (5.7
miles) ahead there is a sign for Venado, at
which you turn to the left and up a rather
steep climb; there is a sign which reads "Venado
7 km. When you reach the small community of
Venado the pavement ends and a rocky/dirt
road begins. Continue straight for 2 km(1.2
miles), where there will be a small sign of
the right side where you have to enter for
the caves. The entrance is to a farm where
you will have to pay and obtain permission
to visit the caves, as they are on private
property. From La Fortuna you should allocate
1 hour to complete the trip to the Venado
Caves. The road is generally in good condition,
however, the section between Monterey and
Venado leaves much to be desired.
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