Caving in the Labyrinthine Terciopelo Cave in Barra Honda National Park

Barra Honda National Park in Costa Rica is renowned for its unique limestone caverns, with Terciopelo Cave being a standout attraction for caving enthusiasts. The cave system features narrow passageways, striking stalactites and stalagmites, and an underground world that showcases thousands of years of geological history. Visitors who venture into Terciopelo Cave experience an immersive journey through formations rarely found in other parts of the country, making it an essential destination for thrill-seekers and nature lovers.

Adventure Guide to Caving in the Labyrinthine Terciopelo Cave

Descend into the depths
Terciopelo Cave requires a vertical descent of approximately 17 meters (55 feet) via a ladder secured by a rope system. This initial drop immediately sets the tone for the adventure, requiring both physical agility and mental focus. Inside, the air becomes cooler, and the rock formations shift dramatically, creating an awe-inspiring subterranean landscape.
Remarkable formations and chambers
Visitors encounter spectacular structures such as the Columna de la Paz (Column of Peace) and the delicate Soda Straw stalactites, which are thin, hollow mineral formations that take thousands of years to develop. The cave also features dripstone curtains, a rare formation resembling cascading sheets of stone. The presence of ancient fossils embedded in the limestone walls hints at the cave’s prehistoric origins.
Wildlife in the darkness
Despite the absence of sunlight, Terciopelo Cave hosts unique fauna, including blind salamanders, cave crickets, and colonies of insect-eating bats. Guides explain how these creatures have adapted to the extreme environment, making the experience both an adventurous and educational journey.

Local Insights

The cave’s name, Terciopelo, refers to the fer-de-lance viper, one of Costa Rica’s most dangerous snakes. However, the name is purely symbolic, as these snakes are not found inside the cave.
Barra Honda is home to more than 40 limestone caves, but only Terciopelo and Cuevas de Pozo Hediondo are open to the public due to safety concerns and conservation efforts.

Visitor Tips

Best Time to Visit: The dry season (December to April) is ideal for caving, as heavy rains can make trekking to the entrance difficult.
What to Bring: Gloves, sturdy shoes, long pants, and a flashlight. Helmets and safety gear are provided by tour operators.
Getting There: From San José, drive approximately 4.5 hours north via Route 1 to Nicoya, then follow signs to Barra Honda National Park. Guided tours must be arranged in advance.

Reviews

Leo Aquarius5 months ago

The park is beautifully situated with an ideally located viewpoint/restpoint from which there is a vast landscape. A rather steep approach only for the able-bodied.

Rockin Anim (RedEyeFlightPlan)9 months ago

The caving trip was actually pretty short, and not too deep/far underground but it's still got some great rock formations and is very pretty! Great experience if you're not sure how you'll feel about spelunking in general. Guides were super friendly and were able to accommodate multiple languages for the group that went together. The viewpoint is a must see! Cute little gazebo and fantastic vista

L Sa month ago

Stopped by on our way from Monteverdi to Montezuma. As we didn't have much time for caving, we only hiked. It was a nice hike, dry trails, coatis and howler monkeys. The guy at the entrance, probably a guide too, was friendly and helpful.

Michael Schmitt6 months ago

July 2024: nice people, good guide, spent 5 hours in the park. For a family of three with the caverns visit, we paid a total of 160 USD. The most exciting part of the caverns is the descent by the first ladder. The stalagmites themselves are interesting only if you've never seen any before. Not to miss: the lookout/ mirador gives you a breathtaking sight of the surroundings. A fine ending of your visit: the waterfall very close to the entrance.

Julian Aguilara year ago

Pretty cool experience, it was a really nice hike all the way up to the entrance of the cavern. The guide took us to an amazing view point and shared a lot of interesting facts during the hike. I'd recommend to visit this place on a 4x4 or at least an SUV, a sedan might not go all the way up to the parking lot where the hiking starts, this means you'll have to walk from the entrance of the national park all the way up where the guided tour starts and this will take time (35-45 minutes maybe) Once inside the national park, the whole trip took us about 4-5 hours, driving up hill to the parking lot, hiking, resting at the view point, going in and out the cavern, walking back to the car. If you wanna go inside the cavern, you must pay the guided tour which was about $30 p/p. The schedule for going down the cavern is 8am-1pm, if im not wrong you must arrive to the entrance of the cavern before 1pm (double check by calling to the national park).

Climbing

Caving in the Labyrinthine Terciopelo Cave in Barra Honda National Park