MessageToEagle.com – Incredible underground caves made entirely of marble are among the most beautiful and spectacular caves on our planet. It is not easy to reach General Carrera Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in South America and the caverns but it’s worth the effort.
They are located in the Patagonia, the southern region of South America and to many people this is the most beautiful cave network in the world.
Credit: Public Domain
Known as Marble Caves – The Marble Caverns are three different structures: the Cave, the Chapel and an intricate system of water-filled caverns – the Marble Cathedral.
Lake Carrera, which spans the Chile-Argentina border, is one of ten deepest lakes in the world and its maximum depth is 586 meters.
The Marble Caves are located approximately in the middle of the lake, on the Chilean side.
They have been formed by flowing water over 6,000 years and are one of nature’s miracles and their beautiful color is due to a reflection of the lake’s azure waters.
It is the water that formed the unique shapes of the marble walls, explained landscape photographer and environmentalist, Linde Waidehofer in her book on the caverns, ‘Blue Light‘.
“Originally great ice-fields blocked the western end of the lake – today its glacier-fed waters drain into the Pacific Ocean.
Geologists have a simple explanation for the breath-taking blue of this giant lake. They talk of finely ground glacial silt which makes the water an unearthly blue and crystal clear. These waters are magic.
Credit: Wescottm – CC BY 4.0
Sadly, Lake Carrera is under threat from development. Chile plans to build five hydropower dams in Patagonia. Of course, this is going to disrupt the habitats of many unique and endangered species in the area as well as potentially disturb the beautiful lakes, including Lake Carrera.
There is a public movement that is trying to stop the plans which you can learn more about here.
Patagonia’s enchanted underworld of azure caverns is a must if you truly want to experience true beauty on Earth. However, to reach this remote place, located in the far southern tip of the country, visitors must fly from the capital Santiago, 800 miles to the next nearest large city, Coyhaique, and then drive on challenging dirt roads 200 miles south to the lake.
If you want to explore the site, you’ll need to check the weather first. The caverns can be explored by boat at certain times of the year when the water level is low enough.
The Marble Caves are without a doubt a fabulous site to explore whenever you happen to be in Chile. This place is simply breathtaking!
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