- Address: Ruta 3 (trazado antiguo) km 236 Flores, Uruguay
- Phone: +598 4360 4473
- Website: www.uruguayignorado.com
- Opening hours: Wed-Sun 09: 00-17: 00
Ancient caves in Uruguay , Grutas del Palacio, were previously used by Indians as housing. Some believe that their creation belongs to the Indian tribe. To date, they have been recognized as the only one of its kind in the world and listed in the list of sites under the protection of UNESCO.
What awaits tourists in the caves?
Grutas del Palacio belong to the department of Flores and are located near its administrative center of Trinidad, which is in the south of Uruguay. The total area of caves is 45 hectares. They refer to the Cretaceous period. Fully composed of sandstone. The first mention dates back to 1877.
At the moment Grutas del Palacio is a huge picturesque geopark, a variety of flora and fauna which make it an attractive object for thousands of tourists. Every day there are guided tours. On the South American continent it is the second geological park after the Brazilian Araripi.
The height of the walls inside the caves is 2 m, the width is 100 cm. The smallest depth is 8 m, the largest is 30 m. The composition of the local rock includes oxyhydroxide of iron, and therefore the walls have a characteristic yellowish color.
How to get there?
From Montevideo , you can get here by car for 3 hours on the roads number 1 and number 3 to the north-west.