Patagonia: Day 2

December 17, 2008

San Rafael to Malargüe (187 km – 116 miles)

We were exhausted from yesterday, so we got yet another late start on the day. Today’s big excursion was to Caverna de las Brujas (Witches Cavern Link 1 or Link 2). This is a single entry cavern complex in the Andes that was formed from tectonic plates and the ocean carving them out. Once we arrived, we donned a hard hat and hat light and the guide started us on the tour. The first room we arrived in, we had to turn off all of our lights. It was pitch black! (at the end of the tour 2 hours later after your eyes became accustomed, you could see a lot!) Again, 3rd world country and they let you get away with a lot. My mother will probably kill me when she sees some of the pictures from the cavern with me climbing a slippery rock with no safety rope attached. We made our way through the cavern complex, seeing stalagmites and mineral water everywhere. A few places, Carina scared me when she slipped, but she was good. When we left the cave, we had to exit in stages as our eyes had become accustomed to the darkness.

Next, we drove to Pozo de las Animas (Souls Hole). These are two gigantic sinkholes at the base of the Andes. It gets it name from the legend that Indians use to through women into the hole as sacrifices. Up the road was Las Leñas, a world-class ski resort. We got a hot chocolate and drove back to Malargüe, had dinner and retired for the evening.