ADVENTURE

Underground Attractions: Caves and Abysses

They may be dark and damp

yet they are a perfect tour-
ist attraction – caves, grottos,
abysses lure thousands of tour-
ists every year. Explore the Ice
Age caves in France, one of Ire-
land’s oldest caves or the lost
tunnel in Laos.

France's Ice Age Art Caves
There is no country in the world that com-
petes with France when it comes to caring for
its pre-historic cave art sites and presenting
them for public viewing. Most of these jewels
of Europe's Paleolithic Era have slept peace-
fully and well preserved behind rock falls that
sealed them for thousands of years. In the late
19th and early 20th centuries archaeology
became a science and cave hunting became a
recreational pastime continuing to this day.
Seeing images in books or on DVDs offers
no clue to the enormous efforts of Early Man
to produce the engravings or paintings we so
admire. The limestone cave entrances were
mainly small and hard to reach, tunnels deep
inside could be crawling height or as tall as
cathedral ceilings, and the interior tempera-
tures were consistently cool.
Once inside, the area was pitch black but
for the equivalent of a small animal fat lamp's
flickering light which had better not go out!
Tools, ochre for red paint, and possibly wood
for a fire to create the black charcoal used in
many drawings had to be carted along, usually
for hundreds of metres before a suitable space
was chosen for the artwork. And then there
was the danger of the cave bears, Paleolithic
giants of the species that occupied Europe
until 15,000 years ago.
Contrary to public perception, our ancestors
did not use caves as dwellings and they were
every bit as intelligent and creative as we are
today. We are rightly astonished at the ability
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clustered in the Dordogne/Lot region and the
Midi-Pyrénées. Though they have been modi-
fied to accommodate visitors to walk safely
and upright, the caves still provide graphic evi-
dence of how uncomfortable and even perilous
many of the stone engravings and paintings
would have been to execute. Where the work
is located in some cases, artists would have had
to lie down or crouch, or conversely build a scaf-
fold and climb high up a dark wall to accomplish
their artwork. Artists often used irregularities
Cougnac Cave combines stunning back-lit chambers of
stalactites and stalagmites with Ice Age cave paintings.
Photo credit: Alison Gardner
and anatomical accuracy of these early artists
over tens of thousands of years and hundreds
of cave sites in France alone. They etched and
painted deep into a "grotte" (cave) barely lit
by the feeble flame of a stone oil lamp, per-
spective and shadows on the wall continually
changing. Was it merely a Picasso urge that
drove them on or was there a spiritual dimen-
sion to these creations? Why are there only
a few humans and no scenery represented in
their art over millennia, and yet so many ani-
mals? For fascinated visitors, these are com-
pelling questions.
France's Ice Age caves that are open for view-
ing are mainly 25,000 to 10,000 years old and
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Dating to 17,000 years ago, Lascaux Cave has a daz-
zling display of animals and a multitude of geometric
symbols. Photo credit: jj Brochard/CRTA
of the wall, both concave and convex, to add
startling three-dimensionality to their images.
When our guides switched off the electric cave
lights and played small flashlight beams from
different angles, the art danced off the walls!
France is very protective of its Ice Age caves
and the Ministry of Culture has no hesitation
in closing to the public those caves whose art
is too fragile to sustain. Some caves, such as
Font de Gaume, are getting close to the end
of their public access, so do not delay if you
want to see the real thing and not a replica
like Lascaux II. Other cave sites restrict tours
to small numbers; for example, the fragility of
Combarelles cave allows entry to only eight
people per day.
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Quite a number of cave sites are on privately-
owned land and operate as businesses, with
monitoring by the government to ensure that
the heritage is protected. Rouffignac Cave,
near Les Eyzies, is a case in point, offering a
mini-train tour of its 250 painted and engraved
animal figures, riding deep into the cave sys-
tem before the art is even revealed.
The original Lascaux Cave, with art dated at
17,000 years, is the best-known cave in the
world. Because of measurable deterioration
after its discovery, it was closed to the public.
In 1983 the replica cave site Lascaux II opened, Near Tarascon-sur-Ariège in the Midi-Pyrénées, Niaux
Cave has 2 km of painted galleries.
the result of 11 years of painstaking work by 20 Photo credit: CRT Midi Pyrénées–Dominique VIET
artists and sculptors using the same methods
and materials as the original cave painters. Up at Rouffignac. Entrance fees are a modest
to 2,000 tickets are issued per day, making this €6-10 (US$8-13) for most sites, with reductions
worthy attraction very crowded in the summer for students, children and groups. Some caves
and the art work and exhibits, especially in the offer tours only in French; some offer one Eng-
tunnels, difficult to appreciate. lish tour a day or only during the summer sea-
Visiting caves where our human ancestors son. Open hours change with each season, and
have so graphically left their imprint is excit- some caves are closed for the winter.
ing tourism for travelers from every walks of
life and many countries. Sturdy footwear and
warm clothing should be part of each cave By Alison Gardner
explorer's wardrobe, regardless of season, Editor/journalist, Alison Gardner, is a global expert
because caves are a cool 6 and 10 degrees  C. on nature-based vacations and cultural/educational
travel. Her Travel with a Challenge web magazine, is a
year round. There are age restrictions on young recognized source of new and established operators,
children. accommodations and richly-illustrated feature articles
Neither are most cave tours friendly to peo- covering all types of senior-friendly alternative travel.
ple with disabilities except the mini-train tour http://www.travelwithachallenge.com
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Kong Lor Cave:
Laos’ Lost Tunnel
Located a half-day drive south of Vientiane in
Khammouanne Province, Kong Lor Cave is an
amazing 7.5 km-long limestone tunnel formed
by the Hinboun River, which flows through the
cave year-round. You can take a boat ride right
through the main cavern, which is up to 90
meters wide and 100 meters high.
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The Hinboun River fills the entire width of
Kong Lor passage except for a large white sandy
beach located about halfway through the cave.
Villagers also have names for rock features
seen along the way: Frog, Soft-shelled Turtle,
Owl, Buddha, and Fish Trap. The dry season
from November to April is the best time to
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view these stone oddities as you can step from
the boat onto the shore and enjoy the “Beauty
in the Dark”.
Along with a paved road that leads to Kong
Lor Village from Route 8, the cave riverride can
be reached via a 40-km overland trek from Ban
Na Hin Village, the “Gateway to Kong Lor” or
by taking a slightly longer but more adventur-
ous boat trip up the Hinboun River beginning
in Napouk Village.
Home stay accommodation is available in
both Kong Lor and Natan villages. Before head-
ing to Kong Lor, stop at Ban Na Hin for a walk
to That Mouang and That Namsanam water-
falls. Tours to Kong Lor and Ban Na Hin can be
arranged from Thakhek, the provincial capital,
through the Khammouane Guide Service Unit
or directly with local guides stationed in Na Hin
Village.
The popular two-night/three-day “Kong Lor
Cave & Home Stay” tour departs Thakhek by
local transport with an English-speaking guide
onboard for the three-hour trip to Na Hin Vil-
lage to explain the upcoming adventure.
After checking into a guesthouse, a local
guide takes you to a protected forest to visit
That Mouang and That Namsanam waterfalls.
The guide teaches you about the forest and its
wildlife and non-timber forest products, and
organizes a picnic lunch. In the late afternoon,
you return to your guesthouse in Ban Na Hin,
with time to explore the town and its market.
Following breakfast, you travel by local
transport for three hours to Kong Lor village.
After exploring the village, you walk to the
cave entrance, board a local long-tail boat
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and travel through the 7.5-km cave/tunnel to

the valley beyond, stopping along the way to
observe stalactites and other limestone forma-
tions. The tunnel is still used by local villagers
as a communication route.
Following a picnic lunch, you continue to Ban
Natan (or return to Kong Lor) for an overnight
home stay with a local family. There is ample
time to wander around the village and observe
traditional activities such as weaving and rice
polishing. In the evening the villagers organize
a traditional baci ceremony. The following day,
you return to Na Hin and your next destination.
Other accommodation options for visitors
to the Kong Lor Caves include guesthouses
in Khoun Kham Town on Lao Route 8. More
upscale eco-lodges are also available in Kong
Lor Village.
There are also several nearby caves to
explore. Nam Nyaeng Cave leads to an under-
ground river that runs all year round. The
Tham Nam Cave, or “Water Balance Cave, has
a permanent pool of water fed by an under-
ground spring. Near Kong Lor village’s Sala
Hinboun Lodge is Tham Kee Cave surrounded
by the remnants of mysterious centuries-old
structure.

By Bernie Rosenbloom
http://www.ecotourismlaos.com

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Grotta Gigante:
The World’s Largest Tourist Cave
It might seem as if no matter where you go in
Italy, you’re likely to see something old. But to
see some of the stuff that’s really been around
awhile, you need to go underground. There it’s
possible to see natural formations of rock that
have been growing for several hundred thou-
sand years or so.
One of the best places to do so is within an
easy drive of Aviano Air Base or Vicenza. Grotta
Gigante (“giant cave”) is just north of Trieste,
near the Italian border with Slovenia. Accord-
ing to its publicity, it has been called the world’s
largest tourist cave and is listed in the Guinness
Book of Records.
Italians knew about the cave long before
there was an Italy. But there wasn’t much writ-
ten about it until a series of explorations con-
ducted in the 1800s. That’s probably because
the cave wasn’t easy to explore until modern
spelunking techniques and equipment were
introduced. Before that, it’s possible that some
people got in but didn’t live to relate the tale.
The original entrance had a steep drop: The
first step, as they say, was a doozy.
It wasn’t until 1908 that the first groups of
tourists had ready access at another entrance.
Since then, it has become a popular tourist
attraction of the Trieste area.
These days, it’s not necessary to take your
own flashlight, ropes and climbing gear for a
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trip inside – in fact, that would be frowned
upon. Just wear a good pair of shoes and
maybe a jacket, as temperatures (around 11°C)
below tend to be cooler than those above.
There’s a series of prohibited items, includ-
ing cameras and cell phones. No smoking. No
dogs – or other pets, presumably. It probably
wouldn’t make sense to take small children
who can’t walk a lot on their own, either.
Strollers won’t work, and visitors have to navi-
gate about 500 steps down and back up during
the trip. Visitors follow a guide along a cement
pathway lined with metal railings and featuring
step after step after step (it might seem as if
there are even more on the way back up).
Know and Go
To visit, you must take a tour, and unless prior
arrangements were made, it will be in Italian.
From April through September, the 45-minute
tours start on the half-hour from 10 a.m., with
the last one beginning at 6 p.m.; during the rest
of the year, tours begin on the hour, with the
last one at 4 p.m. The cave is closed Mondays
except in July and August, when it’s open daily.
Admission is 7.50 euros; for groups of 25 or
more, it is 6 euros each. An overview of the
cave, in Italian, is available at www.grottagi-
gante.it. Call ahead to reserve a tour in English
or if in a large group: phone, 040-327-312; fax:
040-368-550.
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The most impressive aspect of Grotta Gigante
is the sheer size of the place. According to vari-
ous web sites, it is about 925 feet long, 215
feet wide and 350 feet high. Pick just about any
size building you know – St. Peter’s Basilica in
Rome, for instance – and it would fit inside.
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The cave is well lit in most places, allow-
ing visitors to see the variations in colors that
range from white to red, with a lot of general
shades of “rock” thrown in. There are stalac-
tites (formations going down) and stalagmites
(formations going up) in abundance – some
are 30 m long.
The most noted features are various named
stalagmites. It takes years of dripping water
to form the oddly shaped creations. The larg-
est, named Ruggero after an early explorer, is
thought to be about 200,000 years in the mak-
ing. So plan a second visit in a few decades.
Maybe you’ll notice half an inch of new mate-
rial.
By Kent Harris (Stars and Stripes)
http://www.stripes.com
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Aillwee Cave: One of the Have you seen a waterfall in a cave? Aillwee
Cave is one of the many thousands of ancient
caves beneath the karst-landscape of the Bur-

Oldest in Ireland
ren in northwest Country Clare, Ireland. The
cave is Ireland's premier show cave and is
the most famous. Visitors are guided on a 35
minute stroll through caverns, over bridged
chasms, beneath weird rock formations and
alongside a thunderous waterfall.
The name Aillwee is derived from the Irish
Aill Bhuí which means yellow cliff. The complex
consists of over a kilometer of passages lead-
ing into the heart of the mountain.

History
Aillwee Cave is one of the oldest caves in Ire-
land. This cave was formed by the glacial melt
waters of an early ice age. The erosive power
of the waters carved out a subterranean river
deep underneath Aillwee mountain. This river
has subsided since the last ice age, leaving
behind one of Ireland's most stunning caves.
The cave was discovered by Jack McGann, a
local herdsman, in 1940. One day, Jacko was

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looking after his sheep at the foot of Aillwee
Mountain with his dog. The dog gave chase to
a rabbit, following it up the mountain and into
a small opening in the rocks. Jacko explored
this opening with nothing but a candle to guide
his way, finding his way right as far as the Great
Cascade.
The cave was left alone for 33 years after
this. In 1973, Jacko talked to group of cavers
and told them of his find. The group, from Bris-
tol University, under the leadership of Dr. Trat-
man, explored the caves as far as was possible.
A massive fall of boulders sealed the passage
beyond the Cascade chamber.
Open to Tourists
In 1975, the land surrounding the cave was
sold to two local families interested in open-
ing the cave to the public. December saw the
entrance tunnel lowered a little to make access
easier and rails, lighting, cabling and pathways
were laid as far as the Cascade. This section
now remains visually much as it appeared to
Jacko and the first explorers.
The rock pile from the passageway between
the Cascade and Midsummer's Cavern was
excavated in 1977, revealing a further 350
meters of cave. This was opened to the public
after continuing the lighting and path system.
In 1991, it was decided to join the final stop
on the tour, the highway to the entrance of the
cave via an alternate route to create a circular
tour. Marine Blast Company together with Nick
Barnes undertook the massive task of drilling
and blasting through 255 meters of solid lime-
stone.
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Life in the Cave
Caves have always provided refuge for wild
animals and indeed for humans, but few ani-
mals actually live all of their lives underground.
This is because the dark, cool, cave environ-
ment lacks a supply of food.
Aillwee Cave was inhabited by animals for
thousands of years prior to its discovery by
man. The bones of a brown bear were found
at Bear Haven, together with a series of shal-
low excavated pits. These may have been
used as hibernation pits scraped out by bears.
Bears have been extinct in Ireland for over
1000 years so the Aillwee bear may be of
great antiquity.
The "Praying Hands"
There are many splendid examples of forma-
tions in the Aillwee Cave. Calcite formations in
the form of a "Wasps Nest" and the "Praying
Hands" and "the Carrots" are to be seen as well
as many others including a magnificent display
of Straw Stalactites.
In the Aillwee Cave most of the formations
are very recent in the history of the cave itself.
The small knobbly stalagmites on the floor of
Mud Hall took over 1,000 years to reach their
present size 8,000 years ago. The larger stalag-
mites in Midsummer Cavern took 5,000 years
to form. Some samples of calcite taken from
deep inside the cave started to form 350,000
years ago.
http://www.aillweecave.ie
http://www.nci.ie
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