Santuario de Vida Silvestre Cavernas de Repechon

Cavernas de Repechón - Caverns of Repechon - Cuevas De Los Pajaros Nocturnos - Cave of the Night Birds


Useful Information

Location: San Rafael, Parque Nacional Carrasco, Chapare.
30 km from Villa Tunari. From Villa Tunari 10 km (20 minutes by car) south west towards Cochabamba. Turn left/east at Cruce Paractito.
Open:
Fee:
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave
Light:
Dimension: Cave 1: L=50 m, H=30 m.
Cave 2: L=150 m, H=40 m.
Cave 3:
T=12-17 °C
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address: Fremen Tours, Casilla 1040, Calle Tumusia 0-245, Cochabamba, Tel: +591-42-47126, Fax: +591-42-48500.
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

Cavernas de Repechon are three small caves, only 50 to 150 m long. These rarely visited caves are found in the Chapáre region of the Cochabamba Dept. They are home to over 2000 Guacharos or oil birds (Steatornis caripensis), locally also known as lucero. Because of their big fluorescent eyes they are sometimes called blind birds.

These birds are a rare species of nocturnal bird which navigates by echo location. The young were once hunted for their fat content. The oil birds were first described and named by Alexander von Humboldt at the ShowcaveCueva del Guácharo in Venezuela. See this page for more information about the birds.