Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

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Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby bigredfoote » Jan 4, 2012 11:11 am

I'm going to Costa Rica with some non-caver friends for a week. But I know I can't just sit on a beach for a week. I saw in a guidebook there were tours to Venado Caves near Arenal Volcano, I'm wondering if its worth it? Is there anything else cavey to recommend?

thanks

Jennifer
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby baa43003 » Jan 4, 2012 12:26 pm

Jen, a friend of mine just got back from her second trip to CR for caving. I'll email you her email.
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby struebe » Jan 4, 2012 1:13 pm

I've been to a show cave there on a geology field trip a while ago (unfortunately the focus was on volcanoes instead of caves!). Quite pretty, but super sketch rigging job + helmets w/o chinstraps to keep us "safe" on a 20m ladder down into the cave. The tour was mostly in Spanish, so if you and your friends don't speak Spanish, check with the show cave operators about whether tours are available in English. Buena suerte!
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby mdmss » Jan 4, 2012 9:05 pm

Our family went to Venado Cave several years ago. It is well worth visiting, markedly different from US show caves, to say the least. Take your own light source- the flashlights provided were fairly dim. Involves stream wading and some scrambling. Our boys were about 8 at the time, so we didn't look into exploring more of the cave, but I'll bet you could find a guide who'd take you throughout the cave for the right price. If you have a rental car, don't book a tour, just drive out to the cave and get a guide, you'll save a lot of money.
I tried to contact the Costa Rican caving group Anthros before we went, but had no luck. Perhaps you will. Check their web site- it's quite well done.
http://anthros.org/english/touristcaves.html
A Costa Rican caver posted in the "Introductions" forum a couple of months ago. You might search that forum and contact her. Looks like there are some caves down near the Osa Penninsula if you are headed in that direction.
Mark
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby bigredfoote » Jan 4, 2012 9:35 pm

Thanks all!

And great webpage, don't know how I missed it!
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby ian mckenzie » Jan 8, 2012 9:29 pm

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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby KeyserSoze » Jan 9, 2012 8:46 pm

From the national park website:
Only about 50% of the complex has been explored to date.


That's an interesting fact. Did a cave psychic come up with that? :laughing:
This signature is really funny
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Re: Has anyone caved in Costa Rica

Postby SarahFredricks » Mar 14, 2013 6:29 am

I haven't found any place for caving there!! As it is rich with gigantic mountains.May it lies beneath them.
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