Cueva del Indio

The cave carries a stream and the route goes upstream through it - wading, swimming short sections, ducking under low roof and passing formations, with helmet lamps as the only light. It is shorter and generally considered easier than Cueva de la Vaca nearby, which makes it the one most people do first, though it still involves cold water to the chest and darkness. What distinguishes the trip is the exit: rather than returning the way you came, the route climbs out through a different opening on the hillside and a zip line runs from there back across the valley, so the cave and the flight are sold as one activity. Operators from Paramo and San Gil run it. Rain closes it.

The landscape

• An upstream route through a river cave - waded and partly swum.
• Formations lit only by helmet lamps - no installed lighting.
• An exit on the hillside - rather than a return the same way.
• A zip line back over the valley - part of the standard trip.

When to go

December to March; closed after heavy rain. Half a day.

What to expect

Cold water, darkness and low sections rule it out for some people, though it is easier than La Vaca. Water levels close it after rain. Operator standards vary - check helmets and lamps. You will be soaked.

Nearby

Cueva de la Vaca is close; San Gil is north.