By Ramón Morales Castel
After a two-hour trip from Maturín, the biggest city of Monagas State, you head to the longest cave of Venezuela. Near the beautiful country side town Caripe, you will find "El Guácharo" Cave, a wonderful and natural way to enjoy your weekend. "El Guácharo" Cave is commonly considered to be the longest cave of the country. Its entrance is
"El Guácharo" Cave is located in the lap of Cerro El Guácharo, which is part of the National Park El Guácharo. This area was the first natural site declared Venezuelan Natural Monument in 1949. The German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt -brother of the linguist and politician Wilhelm von Humboldt-, explored the cave in September 18th, 1799, as part of his exciting journeys throughout the New Continent. Alexander von Humboldt stated that the very cave was a landscape jewel, both geological and biological.
In its interior, "El Guácharo" Cave keeps plenty of curious, sinuous stalactites and stalagmites in which tourists and frequent visitors can see familiar shapes. Exotic flowers, catholic local saints and sanctimonious persons, giant phalluses and vulvas, all this as a reflexion of the very colourful imaginative point of view of Venezuelan people. The cave is inhabited by a nocturnal bird by thousands, called "guácharo" (Esteeathornis caripensis). This strange bird has whiskers, living in the dark of the cave, comes out at night to look for food. The cave`s floor is covered by the bird`s excrements and it is necessary for visitors to wear a special outfit and footwear to go safe into the deep. They are lead in and out by a trained guide.
Near the entrance of the cave there is a small museum on the biological and geological wonders of the area and details about the bird. There is also a modest restaurant and a statue in memory of Alexander von Humboldt. This interesting tour to the venezuelan underworld could take easily three to four hours and it is quite an experience.
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