Cueva del Guacharo

Venezuela'S First Declared Natural Monument (1949), And The Type Locality Where Alexander Von Humboldt First Described The Oilbird (Steatornis Caripensis) In 1799; A Resident Oilbird Colony Still Roosts Deep In The Cave, Alongside Stalactite Formations And An Underground River Reached On Guided Tours · Caripe, Monagas

Alexander von Humboldt first described the oilbird here in 1799, giving the species its scientific name Steatornis caripensis after the nearby town of Caripe, and the resident colony he recorded still roosts deep in this limestone cave system in the Monagas highlands. Venezuela declared the cave its first-ever natural monument in 1949, and guided tours still follow much the same route Humboldt's description implies: into chambers hung with stalactites, past an underground river, and into the darker sections where the oilbirds - a strange, nocturnal, echolocating fruit-eating bird found nowhere near most of the rest of the Americas - cluster on rock ledges above the visitor path. The cave sits in cool highland country near Caripe, a welcome contrast to Venezuela's hotter coastal and Llanos destinations, and a visit here combines a genuine scientific history with real cave scenery rather than offering only one or the other.

A limestone cave system near Caripe in the Monagas highlands, with guided tours entering from a visitor centre at the main entrance, Caripe, Monagas, Venezuela

The cave is open for guided tours through the daytime, with a visitor centre at the main entrance selling tickets and organising groups; independent entry without a guide is not permitted, both for visitor safety and to protect the oilbird colony from disturbance. Tours run at set times through the day with group sizes limited; arriving earlier in the day improves the chance of a smaller group and a calmer visit. Confirm current tour times and whether the deepest sections remain open, since access to certain parts of the cave has varied to protect the colony during sensitive periods.

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