Candelaria Caves, Cave system and national park in Raxruha, Guatemala.
The Candelaria cave network stretches across 80 kilometers through limestone mountains, featuring multiple chambers with heights reaching 60 meters.
French explorer Daniel Dreux discovered these caves in 1974, leading to their recognition and protection as a national park by the Guatemalan government in 1999.
The Q'eqchi Maya communities maintain these caves as sacred spaces, considering them passages to the underworld according to their ancestral beliefs.
Visitors can access the caves through three main entrances, each managed by local Q'eqchi groups who provide guided tours and equipment for cave exploration.
The underground Candelaria River connects seven separate caves, allowing visitors to navigate sections of the system using inner tubes.
Location: Raxruha
GPS coordinates: 15.86624,-90.04339
Latest update: March 4, 2025 01:09
Guatemala offers Maya ruins, volcanoes and colonial buildings for photographers. The landscape features lakes, rainforests and beaches. Cities display Spanish architecture and indigenous markets.
Guatemala contains several photographic subjects within its borders. Maya ruins such as Tikal, Yaxha and Quiriguá stand in the tropical forests of Petén and Izabal. Colonial architecture appears in Antigua Guatemala, where the Santa Catalina Arch and painted facades line cobblestone streets. Lake Atitlán sits between three volcanoes, with towns like Santiago Atitlán and San Marcos La Laguna offering different perspectives on the water. Active volcanoes including Pacaya and Acatenango provide opportunities to photograph lava flows and crater landscapes. The highland areas of Alta Verapaz hold Semuc Champey, a natural limestone pool, and the caves of Lanquín and Candelaria. Hot springs at Fuentes Georginas lie near Quetzaltenango in the western highlands. Chichicastenango Market documents textile trade and indigenous ceremonies. Livingston on the Rio Dulce shows Garifuna culture on the Caribbean coast, while Monterrico offers black sand beaches on the Pacific. Less visited sites like Dos Pilas, Takalik Abaj and Iximche add pre-Columbian contexts. The collection covers both well known and remote locations across Guatemala's varied geography.
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