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Speleology and volcanic speleology have in La Palma some very interesting possibilities for practice. Good example is the continuing coming of fans who want to know the entrails of this island. Villa de Mazo is home to the most important set of caves, in the Salto de Tigalate on the east side, with many volcanic tunnels.
However, the most active cave is the cave in Todoque, which cause of its configuration, its length and fauna, has become the favorite cave by both amateurs and professional people into the knowledge of the underground cavities . These are some of the caves we can visit:
Cueva de Todoque
The Todoque Tunnel, produced by the historic eruption of the San Juan Volcano in 1949, is probably the best known in the island. It is certainly the longest. Its many vaults make an easy excursion for amateur potholers who are venturing into the underground world for the first time. To go deep inside this cave, admiring its caverns and eye-catching mixture of colours (mosses and lichens) will an unforgettable experience in the isla bonita.
Distance: 2km
Level of difficulty: easy
Time needed: around 2 hours
Cueva Benisahare
This is a volcanic tunnel full of twists and bends, incorporated within the rope-lava of Bejenado massif. This very old cave houses beautiful stones formations in the shape of mushrooms and toadstools. This is an example of a cave which has remained isolated but preserved in perfect condition, leaving common geological remains like rock falls and sedimentation.
La cueva del Perdido
Situated in Tazacorte, this labyrinthine cave has been known by the local people for a long time. This cave presents various grades of difficulty, depending on the itinerary you choose. Certainly, there are areas which are considered very dangerous, including those with a risk of rock falls. There are other labyrinths which can mislead inexperienced people, or those who do not have sufficient light. During its exploration, another narrow passage was discovered, now called El Sucucho Supremo, which gave access to some hundreds of additional metres, and another two entrances. An excursion suitable only for experienced potholers would be to enter the system at the southern mouth, explore the labyrinths, and abseil down to the northern mouths of the cave, which are inaccessible without ropes.
El Salto de Tigalate
Nowadays, the most important set of caves on the island. They consist of two tunnels which come were originally a single one which has been cut in half by erosion. These caves are 911m and 1136m long, but hundreds of metres of the caves have not yet been mapped. So the biggest cave may well be more than a kilometre and a half long. There are excellent examples of every kind of igneous rock formations to be found inside these caves, some of them very beautiful. Places such as Galería del Seat Panda, Sala de los Churros, Sala de los Chocos, or Paso de la Guataca are clear signs of the importance of this set of caves for explorers, photographers, biologists, archaeologists and topographers.
--- PHOTOGALERIE ---
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