Caves in Yucatan The Yucatan Peninsula is a porous limestone shelf that boasts no aboveground rivers of lakes. What we do have are underground rivers, lakes, sinkholes and caves that snake through the limestone. The caves of the Yucatan were sacred places for the Mata and are quite impressive. When visiting the caves is important to always enter with a guide. Lol-Tun Caves This name is derived from two Mayan words Lol (flower) and Tun (stone). Located in the Puuc region, 100 kilometers from Merida, these are the largest caves on the Yucatan Peninsula. They are also the ones that have been studied the most. The one kilometer route through the caves has been set up to make the going easy. Mamut bones have been found along with frescoes paintings on the walls. At the end of the route there is a majestic open dome. Calcehtok Caves These are also very large caves. These caves have a rather complicated series of tunnels, making it obligatory to use a guide. The name is derived from the Mayan words “Cal” (neck), “Ceh” (deer) and “Tok” (stone). Within the caves are a great number of pre-hispanic findings, such as intact plates, quartz hammers, arrow tips, stone sculptures and “haltunes” stone type receptacles for water collection. Withing the chambers you will see natural formations that resemble different objects such as water walls, elephant, faces, animals, etc. Tzabnah Caves It is located 40 kilometers south of Merida, in the village of Tecoh. The name in Mayan means “the king’s palace”. There are stalactites, stalagmites, columns, deep crevices and 13 cenotes within. On the route through the caves is a huge chamber known as the Cathedral Cupula. Legend has it that a Mayan prince and a princess that he kidnapped, escaped to these caves and were lost.
