Caves and Waterfalls around Jardin

We have seen a lot of caves and a lot of waterfalls but never a waterfall inside a cave!

We had read about a hike to a waterfall inside a cave in the mountains above the town. It sounded intriguing, so we headed off to the tourist information office in search of a guide to take us there. As we waited in the office, we met up with a young couple from Vancouver and agreed to share a guide. After a little haggling on price, we were all organized for the next day.

The following morning we all meet on the corner of the plaza and head off into the hills in a jeep. Thirty minutes later we are at the start of the trail and begin our hike up to the cave. The countryside above the town is beautiful, some is wild, some given over to massive maracuya (passion fruit) plantations. Higher up, lots of cattle graze the mountain pastures. After an hour or two, we reach a small finca where we get some refreshments, pay our entrance fee and scramble down the steep hillside through the cloud forest to the cave entrance.

When we arrive it is more a hole in the cliff face than a cave but, nevertheless, the waterfall is very impressive. Even more impressive are the people rappelling down the waterfall in the icy water! I really felt for the lady instructor who looked very cold in her wetsuit, holding the rope up to her waist in the icy pool below the cascade!

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After spending a bit of time in the cave and decling the offers to abseil down the waterfall, we head back uphill for a picnic by the river before heading homeward. An hour or so later we are back to the meeting point where our nice, comfortable, spacious jeep had morphed into much smaller, older version but with twice as many people waiting to get back to town. Twelve of us squeeze into a jeep designed for four! The Canadians and a couple of Colombian guys ended up standing on the step at the back for the trip back. Bent double and jammed into the back of the jeep, standing on the back step, hanging on to the roof may have been the luxury option as they got more space and a view!