Cueva de los Guácharos

Cueva de los Guácharos refers to the cave and surrounding protected area in Huila Department, southern Colombia, established to conserve important karst cave habitat and montane forest. The name references the oilbirds, locally called guácharos, that use the cave.

Visitors encounter karst caves with internal chambers that host oilbirds and other cave-adapted fauna, plus a surrounding zone of cloud forest and montane vegetation with marked biodiversity. Access to caves and interior roosts is managed for conservation and safety, so visits are commonly guided and limited in scope.

The area was designated for protection in the 20th century in response to the conservation need for the cave roosts and the surrounding montane ecosystems. Scientific interest has focused on the ecology of the cave-dwelling oilbirds and the diversity of the adjacent cloud forests.

The cave system and protected area are located in the Andean foothills of Huila Department in southern Colombia, within a mountainous, forested landscape rather than on the lowland plain.

• Oilbirds: Oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis) are the feature species associated with the cave; they roost and nest in dark caverns and are the reason for the protected status.

What to See #

• The cave complex: The primary cave complex hosts roosting sites and karst chambers that give the park its name; visitor access is managed and usually requires a guide.
• Cloud-forest sector: High-elevation cloud forest and montane trails within the protected area support a diverse assemblage of Andean flora and fauna and form the buffer around the cave system.