{"id":35715,"date":"2024-09-30T00:01:25","date_gmt":"2024-09-29T23:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.viva-lanzarote.com\/?p=35715"},"modified":"2024-09-30T00:01:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-29T23:01:25","slug":"explore-lanzarotes-caves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.viva-lanzarote.com\/en\/explore-lanzarotes-caves\/","title":{"rendered":"Explore Lanzarote\u2019s caves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lanzarote hides a subterranean world of astonishing beauty and scientific intrigue. Its 215 catalogued caves, many captured in photographs, offer a glimpse into a realm of molten rock, profound silence, and microscopic life<\/em><\/h3>\n

Beneath the island\u2019s surface lies a breathtaking landscape of vast rock vaults up to thirty metres high, galleries and volcanic tubes saturated with molten lava, colour and silence. An underground world that only a fortunate few have the ability and qualifications to explore. The Canary Islands Speleological Federation confirms the existence of four dedicated clubs. We spoke with two of them: Vulcan Vertical and CDE Hefesto.
\nLaurens Smets, a member of Vulcan Vertical, Speleo Nederland, and the International Union of Speleology, has spearheaded a comprehensive project to explore and document Lanzarote\u2019s cave systems. Collaborating with other specialist groups, Smets has compiled an extensive database of the island\u2019s subterranean formations. His findings are detailed in the exclusive publication, \u201cVolcanic Caves of Lanzarote,\u201d (English-language), available only to researchers dedicated to cave conservation and protection.
\nSmets tells us that Lanzarote boasts 215 recorded caves. Among these, the \u2018Unnamed Cave\u2019, stretching an impressive 11.7 kilometres beneath Timanfaya National Park, claims the title of longest. The Tubo de la Corona follows closely at nearly 10 kilometres long, and the Tinguat\u00f3n, a geyser-type formation, plunges a remarkable 101 metres into the earth.
\n\u2018The geology of the caves and presence of microbial life are particularly intriguing,\u2019 Smets points out. \u2018Recognizing Lanzarote\u2019s potential as an analogue for Mars or the Moon, the European Space Agency (ESA) has expressed interest in these subterranean environments. I\u2019ve been consulted on the location of specific caves for their research.\u2019
\nJos\u00e9 Manuel Rodr\u00edguez from CDE Hefesto explains that Lanzarote predominantly features volcanic tube caves. The island\u2019s northern Corona region houses the most expansive examples, while narrower formations are prevalent in the south. Rodr\u00edguez defines a cave as a subterranean cavity extending at least 150 metres.
\nRodr\u00edguez emphasizes the otherworldly experience of cave exploration. \u2018You lose all track of time and see shapes and colours untouched by erosion and not seen above ground.\u2019 He highlights the inherent risks and the need to take necessary precautions and be equipped with the knowledge and skills to go caving. Furthermore, Rodr\u00edguez expresses concern over the growing number of \u2018daytime dabblers and unprepared visitors with inadequate clothing and little more than their mobile phone for light, chancing their arm just there to get a photo for their social media.\u2019 The policy of the Hefesto club is that all members must be federated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lanzarote hides a subterranean world of astonishing beauty and scientific intrigue. Its 215 catalogued caves, many captured in photographs, offer a glimpse into a realm of molten rock, profound silence, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nExplore Lanzarote\u2019s caves - Viva Lanzarote<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.viva-lanzarote.com\/en\/explore-lanzarotes-caves\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Explore Lanzarote\u2019s caves - Viva Lanzarote\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lanzarote hides a subterranean world of astonishing beauty and scientific intrigue. 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