Ventanas de Tisquizoque

Useful Information

Location:	(5.811162, -73.958661)
Open:	no restrictions. [2021]
Fee:	free. [2021]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=200 m.
Guided tours:	self guided, L=400 m.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Ventanas de Tisquizoque, Florián, Santander.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

The Ventanas de Tisquizoque (Windows of Tisquizoque) are a series of three really high waterfalls, which are a quite spectacular tourist site. At the lower end the water forms a blue lake named Charco Azul. The waterfalls fall down a massive escarpment east of Florián, 300 m deep from the spring to the blue lake. But the special thing here is the source of the water, it flows out of a huge cave entrance high up in the middle of the cliff face.

But while this is a typical karst spring, though a rather spectacular one, we listed it as a wild cave. Actually, the real fun is to do a cave trekking tour in the cave behind the waterfall. The tour starts at the other end and is a through-tour, at the end you reach the entrance where the river falls down 300 m. The view towards Florián is breathtaking. However, if you do not have a rope for a 300 m abseil, you might want to return through the cave.

The site was named after Tisquizoque, the chief (cacique) who ruled this land when the Spaniards invaded. Together with his warriors he fought them until he was the last alive. Then he jumped to his death from the cave.