GRUTA DE SAN PEDRO “CHUSSEK UTA”

It is about 10 km north of Sorata, about 3 hours walk (the same time for the return trip). "Chussek Uta" means "House of Owls", as the cave was once home to a large number of these nocturnal raptors. Take some food and enough water with you, as it is difficult to get it during the trip. We leave the main square and join a dirt road that leads to the small village of San Pedro. The road, winding and generally deserted, passes through a few hamlets nestled in small valleys. As you approach San Pedro, you will first see its church. The cave is located 1 km after the village, a 20-minute climb from the new car track. On the way up, a small white house will serve as a landmark. On arrival, you will find someone at the entrance who will turn on the light bulbs inside the cave. The cave is interesting without being an extraordinary site, and constitutes a very good pretext for a pleasant walk on the mountainside. Boots can be rented at the entrance of the site. Being an easy walk, it is ideal before embarking on a more demanding hike to the Laguna Glaciar.

There are many stories about this cave. According to the legend, a huge treasure was hidden there, somewhere at the bottom, by the conquistadores. It is even whispered that it was voluntarily flooded to definitively prevent any attempt of research (whose rare enterprises ended in fatal accidents).

What remains true is that at the bottom of this cave flows an underground lake. If you feel like swimming and adventure, don't forget to bring a towel and possibly a headlamp. Also, be careful where you point your torches or lanterns, because you risk triggering an avalanche of bats. After 20 minutes of swimming (you can also do the crossing by pedal boat if you want to stay dry), you reach the end of the main tunnel (about 400 m). At least, that's the impression you get. The truth is that in front of you, on the right, there is a narrow passage to the next part of the underground. It is possible to slip through the stalactites if the water level is not very high. So, we strongly advise you to take a guide to visit the cave and never venture in alone.