Incredible experience that introduces us in the magic atmosphere of the caverns, in front of the geologic dimension of the time, where the phenomena take place in cycles of thousands and millions of years. Extension option to the Petrified Forest and The Gangplank.

Circuit of 134 round trip km from Malargüe to the cavern, having 16 more km the extension to the Petrified Forest . The route is paved and it presents short consolidated deviations. Walk for a minimum day, with possibility of making a rural camping site. Take picnic and fill the tank in Malargüe.

For the visit to the cavern should request permission and to contact a guide in the city. It is necessary to use nonskid footwear, raincoat, helmet and to take lantern and photographic camera with flash.

The deviation toward the cavern is 65 km to the south of Malargüe, on the RN 40, where it leaves a consolidated road of 8 km toward the west that ascends for the mountain range. When entering there is a place to camp, beside a crystalline canal of the stream Chelquenco.

Then, the route ascends serpenteante, with splendid panoramic views toward the Big river and the volcano Flat Payún, to the southeast. The land that is trafficked is constituted by a thick layer of accumulated marine silts it makes millions of years, when the area was still low the ocean, before the great rising that formed the mountain range of the Andes .

Among the pedregullos witness of those times are that they leave to the light when the machines repair the road.

Before going into in the caverns pays attention to the sky, where it is probable that a condor overcomes his majestic flight, because these birds nest in the high of the rocky murallones.

Park their vehicle in the playón against the hill Moncol, leaving guided him with the motor toward the first floor, with hand control, change and stones in the wheels. The entrance about 200 m is above ( 1.930 meters ); you should ascend on foot to the Cavern of The Witches.

It is a group of different Interconnected spaces, of forms and different sizes, where absolute silence and darkness reign.

From remote times, the water of snow and rain infiltrates difficultly for the thick calcareous walls, dragging carbonates and silicatos.

When dripping in the interior, it solidifies building extraordinary dripped, mantels, stalactites, stalagmites, columns and other a thousand capricious forms. Their growth is so slow that 1 stalactite cm requires about 1.600 years. You should not play them.

The formations have suggested the name of some rooms that you are part of the journey, as those of the Virgin, the Pulpit, the Flores and The Glasses.

In this last one, those fond of the picture can carry out interesting experiences using flash.

The tourist circuit doesn't visit all the spaces; it has a longitude of about 259 m and it only descends to 6 m of depth. But, when returning to the exterior, one has the impression of having intruded for the same bowels of the earth.

This type of cavernous relief is denominated kárstico, for its likeness with the solid of Karst, to the northwest of Yugoslavia , where they were carried out the first scientific studies of recognition of these formations.

To finish the walk, you can return to Malargüe for the same roads or to opt for the extension toward the Petrified Forest of Araucarias, to 6 km of distance, and The Gangplank, both explained in the Walk RN40, from Malargüe to Chos Malal and lakes of the south .