Candelaria Caves, Cave system and national park in Raxruha, Guatemala.

The Candelaria Caves are a karst system in the limestone of the Alta Verapaz highland-lowland transition, between Chisec and Raxruhá. Its main gallery runs 22 km, 12.5 km of it following the underground Candelaria River; with secondary and upper passages the network reaches about 80 km. Stalactites, stalagmites, columns and flowstone drapes fill the chambers, and collapsed ceilings open pits that let daylight in.

The caves lie near the Classic Maya Great Western Trade Route linking the Guatemalan highlands with the Petén lowlands; pottery fragments and rock paintings show they were used for ceremonies. The K'iche' Popol Vuh places an entrance to the underworld here. Guatemala declared the Candelaria Caves a national park in 1999, and the Q'eqchi' communities later gained management of tourism through their Candelaria-Camposanto association.

Local Q'eqchi communities view these caves as sacred passages connected to their ancestral spiritual beliefs. This perspective shapes how people interact with and care for the site today.

The site has three main entrances, each managed by local Q'eqchi communities who lead guided explorations. Visitors should plan for wet conditions and bring appropriate footwear for walking through underground passages.

Sections of the cave system can be explored by floating on inner tubes along an underground river. This uncommon way to navigate the passages draws visitors seeking a different kind of adventure.