The caves of Cunday (Colombia, South America)

A short time ago rumors reached Bogota that a big cavesystem had been discovered by some farmers in the southwest of the department of Tolima, between the villages of Cunday and Purificación. This region belongs morphologically and geologically to the Eastern Cordillera, and forms the westernmost spurs of this mountain chain. As the existence of these caves was completely unknown up to that time, and as no limestones were known from that region, a scientific expedition was organized for a first exploration. The geological party of this expedition was formed by Dr. J. A. Bueno, the author and his wife. We went by car from Bogota to Girardot and from there to Cunday. The next day we had a whole day’s walk to the entrance of the eaves. After two days and two nights passed underground, we left the caves some kilometers to the southwest, at the other side of the mountains. From there we had a two-days walk to the nearest-by village on the Magdalena-river, Suarez. From there we returned to Bogota by car. We only could explore some kilometers of the cave-system, but the guide told us that, entering south of Cunday, one can go on to the south and leave east of Purificación, at least ten kilometers southwest of the Cunday entrance. Knowing that there are several levels, these dimensions would place the Cunday-caves among the larger ones of the world.