Cueva de los Tayos, Limestone cave in Morona-Santiago Province, Ecuador
Cueva de los Tayos is a limestone cave in Morona-Santiago Province, Ecuador. The entrance opens as a vertical shaft that leads into a network of passages and wide chambers below.
British and Ecuadorian teams explored the cave system in 1976 during a large scientific expedition. Neil Armstrong participated as a member of the geological research group.
The Shuar name the site after the tayos, nocturnal birds they gather once a year for food. Traditional access relies on woven vine ladders and is lit by bamboo torches during the descent.
Visiting requires permits, a flight to Yukianza, a bus ride, a boat trip, and a forest walk to reach the shaft. Descent and ascent are physically demanding and require good fitness.
Oilbirds inhabit the chambers and navigate through the dark by emitting clicking sounds. These birds produce an oily fruity fat that was once used as lamp fuel.
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