Cavernes de Tulum, Ancient cave system in Tulum Municipality, Mexico.
Cavernas de Tulum is a limestone cave network throughout the Tulum region featuring interconnected chambers and passages. The underground passages contain fresh water at steady temperatures year-round.
The cave system was inhabited by early humans in ancient times, as shown by archaeological discoveries of four skeletons from the Late Pleistocene period. These findings, including the Naharon woman dated to around 14,500 years ago, reveal how far back human presence extended in this region.
The chambers held deep spiritual meaning for Maya communities, who gathered water here and performed rituals in the darkness below ground. These spaces wove together practical survival with religious practice in their daily lives.
Trained guides lead tours through specific cave sections and provide all required safety gear before exploration begins. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and prepare for cool, damp conditions underground.
The caves hold mineral formations including stalactites and stalagmites that developed over many thousands of years and mark ancient water levels. These visible structures tell the geological story of how the caves changed shape over deep time.
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