Candelaria Caves National Park

Candelaria Caves National Park is a protected natural area featuring one of the largest cave systems in Central America. It is a karst system formed by the Rio Candelaria, which flows through the underground limestone, carving out mammoth chambers along its path. The cave and its surrounding area constitutes a Guatemala national park.

Understand
Seven caves make up the caverns. The caves are connected by underground rivers (part of the Rio Candelaria). The main gallery is 22 km in length and the total length of the cave system is about 80 km. Along its path, the river continuously carves out new routes and expands existing chambers. Some of the chambers have ceilings as high as 60 meters. Features such as stagmites, stalactites and flow drapes (cave bacon) are found throughout the caves.

History
The caves have a long history with the local Maya civilization, whose communities used the caves for ceremonial purposes many centuries before the Spanish invasion. Guatemala formally incorporated the caves into the national parks system in 1999. It is officially known as Parque Nacional Cuevas de Candelaria.

Flora and fauna
The only animals you're likely to see in the caves are bats.

By bus
From Guatemala City, Fuente del Norte (FDN) operates daily buses that pass through the nearby town of Fray Bartolomé de las Casas. From there, a taxi to the nearest cave entrance will take about 20-30 minutes.

Cave entrances






Fees and permits
The park is managed by local Mayan communities in cooperation with the federal authorities. There are at least three formal entrances to the park, each of which charge an access fee. Visitors are required to hire a local Maya cave guide.

Do

 * Float - In some sections, the river is wide and deep enough that visitors can float through the subterranean rivers in inner tubes.

Go next

 * Semuc Champey
 * Tikal
 * Mixco Viejo