Marble caves in Chile - a wonderful creation of nature. It is unlikely that a stone shimmering with all shades of blue can be found anywhere else in the world. The bright blue grottoes and caves are partially hidden under the same turquoise waters of Lake Carrera. The lake is located on the border of Argentina and Chile. Actually, the lake itself is a natural border. It belongs to both states and has two universally recognized names. But the Marble Caves themselves are entirely in Chilean possessions.
The three main grottoes of the Marble Caves are the Cathedral (El Catedral), the Chapel (La Capilla) and the Cave (La Cueva). You can endlessly admire the graceful marble patterns on the walls. Although the caves do not consist of marble at all, but of lime rocks - shades of white and blue, as well as characteristic stains, gave this place a stuck name. The vaults carved by water and wind in the thickness of the rocks are not inferior in beauty to the results of the work of the greatest architects. Locals do not call this natural formation other than the Cathedral or Temple.
Thousands of tourists, who share the opinion of Chileans about the beauty and grandeur of the Marble Caves, come to the town of Chile Chico every year. From here, pleasure boats take travelers to the walls of the "shrine" on the water. A large boat can no longer get to the labyrinths in the thickness of the rocks. You can explore the interior of the caves by boat or small kayak. However, for the excursion, you will have to wait for calm weather, when the waters of Lake Carrera completely calm down.
In the waters of the lake, near the marble caves, there are innumerable numbers of trout and salmon. So the place is famous not only for geological attractions. In addition to lovers of inspiring landscapes and natural beauties, more pragmatic fans of the art of fishing also come here.
Getting to the Marble Caves is not so easy. From the Chilean capital Santiago, the path lies in the nearest big City Koyayke is 1300 kilometers, neither more nor less. Then you will have to overcome another 300 kilometers to the south, where the wonderful lake is located.
The existence of this miracle of nature is threatened by plans to build several dams. But while the Marble Caves are safe and sound. Their pristine beauty, to the creation of which man did not have a hand, combined with the crystal clear water of Lake Carrera and the delightful surroundings, makes you believe that heaven on earth can exist. And if this is true, it is located near the Marble Caves of Chile.
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Location: Chile, Lake Buenos Aires
Coordinates: 46 ° 39 "52.6" S 72 ° 38 "02.4" W
Short description
One of the most beautiful places on our vast planet is located on the border of Chile and Argentina in the Patagonian Andes. A fabulous creation, which was created by nature itself, is located in South America in one of the deepest lakes in the world - Buenos Aires.
Locals majestically call it the Marble Cathedral, but in many tourist avenues it is referred to as Las Cavernas de Marmol or the Marble Caves of Chile. This is the most striking and memorable attraction of Patagonia, which is visited annually by tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world.
The pristine beauty of blue-blue rocks, shimmering in the crystal clear waters of the lake, according to most travelers who saw this miracle of nature, makes one believe that heaven on earth does exist. I would like to note that in some sources you can find information that Las Cavernas de Marmol are located in the waters of Lake General Carrera (Lago General Carrera). This is not a mistake or a typo, it's all about the territorial location of the marble caves: General Carrera is the Chilean name, Buenos Aires, as you might guess, is Argentine.
Chile's marble caves: a beauty created by nature itself
The intricate labyrinths of the Marble Caves will not leave indifferent any traveler. The grandeur and some kind of unearthly beauty of the carved marble vaults, which on a sunny day is emphasized by the bright rays of the sun peeping through here and there, is a truly unforgettable sight. Reflections of light in the emerald-blue water, as if playing in a lake, every second create amazing optical illusions. That is why Marble caves look different both on a bright sunny day and in cloudy weather.
The variability of the water level, which is due to the seasonal melting of glaciers, also contributes to the "reincarnation" of the cave's fantastic tunnels.
Travelers who have already visited this amazing corner advise all those who just decide to go to Chile to the marble caves to make their excursion even before the beginning of spring.
During this period of time, the low water level in the caves allows curious tourists to take advantage of the pleasure boats provided local guides and enjoy the splendor of nature inside the caves. A walk under the arches of the miraculous Marble Cathedral on the water allows you to see this miracle of nature up close, to look into the so-called "dark windows" of the cave, more reminiscent of an endless tunnel. However, who lives there remains a mystery for tourists, because a boat can no longer reach the depths of the caves ...
As mentioned above, the color scheme of the caves changes depending on the time of year and day, but various admixtures of minerals in the walls give Las Cavernas de Marmol an unearthly splendor. During the period of melting of glaciers, the lake water becomes turbid and therefore the rocks and caves are "painted" in muted tones. Some travelers in cloudy days see in the Marble Cathedral a resemblance to a dark and mysterious ghost. All shades of blue adorn the Chilean caves in summer, when mountain lake glitters in the rays of the bright sun.
Tourists from all over the world are attracted by this paradise not only with the opportunity to enjoy and touch the splendor of the picturesque caves created by nature itself, but also with the opportunity to spend their free time doing their favorite pastime - fishing. Lake Lago Buenos Aires is famous all over the world for its variety of fish, including salmon and trout, which can only live in the purest water.
Marble Caves in Chile recognized as the largest marble deposit on earth... Some scientists believe that the weight of the precious marble available here is about 5,000,000 tons (!).
Marble caves in Chile: a memo to the tourist
Travelers need patience and time to find themselves in this amazing place, because the Marble Caves are located at a considerable distance from the Chilean capital Santiago. Tourists who decide to visit Las Cavernas de Marmol will first need to cover the distance of 1,300 kilometers from Santiago to Coyayque, and then another 300 kilometers (!) To the location of the Marble Caves. However, all the difficulties associated with the flight and travel, the accumulated fatigue are instantly forgotten and disappear as soon as the traveler is in close proximity to the majestic and magnificent Marble Caves, created by the invisible "breath" of nature.
One of the deepest lakes on the planet is located high in the Andes, on the border of Argentina and Chile. This lake has two names: Argentine Lago Buenos Aires and Chilean Lago General Carrera. Both names are official, so if you are not a native of one of these neighboring countries, you can call the lake whatever you like. We will use the Chilean name, because the most amazing attraction is located on its Chilean coast, not far from the city of Chile Chico.
We are talking about the so-called Marble Cathedral (Las Cavernas de Marmol or Marble Cathedral) or the Marble Caves of Chile Chico. In fact, the walls of the amazing labyrinth, washed in the rocks, challenging the waters of the Lago General Carrera peninsula, are not at all made of marble - the rocks of the peninsula are limestone. However, in the color gamut of the vaults of deep and through grottoes, white and bluish shades prevail, which looks very impressive against the background of turquoise water.
Enfilades of picturesque Marble Caves attract thousands of tourists to Chile Chico. Small pleasure boats take guests of the city to the miraculous Marble Cathedral on the water and even go under the arches of the spacious outer halls of the cave labyrinth, allowing tourists to admire the magnificent creation of nature up close, look through the windows that seem to melt in the walls into the depths of the labyrinth of Marble Caves, where the boat can no longer reach.
However, not all tourists tend to Lake Lago General Carrera just for the sake of the picturesque Marble Caves of Chile Chico. Many people prefer to devote time to fishing - Lago Buenos Aires is also famous for the fact that its waters are home to innumerable fish, including salmon and trout.
To get to the Marble Caves, tourists need to overcome 1,300 km from the Chilean capital Santiago to the nearest major city - Koyayke... Then there is a path to the south of 300 km, which will lead to a lake with wonderful caves, given to us by nature.
The Chile Chico Marble Caves consist of several blue grottoes, which are partly under the water of Lake Carrera. The bright blue colors of Patagonia's caves and turquoise water simply excite the imagination of any person who sees this creation of nature for the first time.
The lake itself is located on the border of the two countries Argentina and Chile, but the marble caves are located in Chile. Chile Chico has three main grottoes: the Chapel (La Capilla), the Cathedral (El Catedral) and the Cave (La Cueva).
Tourists can visit Chile Chico in a small boat (2-4 people + helmsman) or kayak, but only when it is calm on Lake Carrera. Marble caves in this moment the human factor threatens - the construction of 5 large dams in the area of \u200b\u200bthe lake.
Location: Chile, Aysen region, Lago General Carrera lake.
Coordinates: 46 ° 39 ′ 32 ″ S 72 ° 37 ′ 36 ″ W
The pristine beauty of the marble rocks, combined with the crystal clear water of a high-mountain lake, creates the impression that heaven on earth does exist.
Scientists have found that the grottoes, entirely composed of natural marble, are composed of metamorphosed limestones. Moreover, this component is so strong that marble can be used to create sculptures. Besides their mesmerizing beauty, the Marble Caves are the largest marble deposits on the planet. The reserves of this natural mineral are estimated at 5000 million tons. Lake Carrera itself is one of the ten deepest lakes in the world - its depth reaches 590 meters, and its area is approximately 1,850 square kilometers. The Chilean government has long been using caves for the extraction of marble. According to geologists, in the near future, the extraction of marble should be stopped so that this amazing place on earth could still be seen by tourists from different countries the world.
