Where? Cueva Ventana, Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Address

PR 10 Km. 75, Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 00612

Hours of operation at the moment, tours are being offered every day from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. You can find more information on their reservations website here!

IMPORTANT: The trail that leads to Cueva Ventana used to be accesible to everyone for free. After years of too many people visiting at a time, vandalism and poor behavior, the land where the trail sits was bought by a private company.

Fee Tickets for anyone 6 years and older are $19.00. Children between 3 and 6 are FREE. Children under 3 cannot participate due to insurance requirements.

Pets No, pets are not allowed.

Restrooms There are restrooms on site but they were closed when we visited. I was told it was because there wasn’t water at the moment. They do have porta potties at the parking lot.

Also, there were multiple hand sanitizer stations!

Food Cueva Ventana is next to a gas station where you can buy snacks, drinks and light meals. There’s also a food kiosk on the gas station grounds that sells traditional puertorrican food. We didn’t eat there, but just so you know there’s a food option!

As part of the tour, you are given water bottles throughout the hike. The tour company has coolers stationed at different sections of the trail with water bottles for visitors. On your way back, there’s a waste disposal station where you can drop off the water bottles for recycling. But, if you can bring your own water in a reusable bottle, that’s better!

Parking available on site. Back in the day, when access to Cueva Ventana wasn’t restricted, people would park at the gas station. But now, there’s a big lot on site.

What to expect

The experience starts by signing a waiver with every participants name (including minors). Then, they check your tickets and everyone is given a helmet.

We witnessed staff sanitizing the helmets. Make sure your helmet is functioning as it should and that it fits properly. You don’t want to have to change your helmet mid hike or have a helmet that is lose and might fall.

This is a guided tour. Therefore, you go at the group’s pace. You cannot go in front of the group and wander around on your own.

I was very pleased with the organization. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. He explained a lot of things about the backstory of Cueva Ventana, the flora and fauna in the area, and had a sense of humor.

The first trek of the tour will allow you to experience Puerto Rico’s moist forests. You’ll notice how dense and green the vegetation is. It’s a wonderful sight, honestly. Forests in Puerto Rico are so full of life!

You will also experience what is like to hike in high humidity and high temperatures.

Before Cueva Ventana, there is Cueva Clara. The tour guide will make a stop here and talk about the birds living in the cave, swallows (golondrinas in Spanish). These are very small birds and you will definitely see lots of them flying close to the ceiling of the cave.

After taking in all the views at the entrance of the cave, and pictures, you will make your way inside it. You won’t need flashlights in this cave since there’s an opening on both ends that allows light to come in. That’s why it’s called “Cueva Clara”.

While at this cave, the tour guide will talk about petroglyphs in general and the ones found at this site. You will also learn about the minerals that make up the cave and it’s rock formations.

After exiting Cueva Clara, you’ll be at the entrance of Cueva Ventana. Get ready for the real deal!

In this cave you will be given flashlights. These have to be pointed down at all times to avoid impacting negatively the bats that live inside the cave. You also need to speak very low or not speak at all. Bats are sensitive to noise.

You will have the opportunity to experience cave darkness too. That was so much fun and mind blowing. You will literally see nothing. Just plain darkness!

Eventually, you’ll continue walking through the cave. You will pass a wide area where bats seem to gather the most. This spot has been designated as the bats bathroom. There’s a lot of guano accumulated and it smells, which is a good thing that because of Covid-19 masks are being required. You don’t want to inhale a lot of guano.

Later on, you’ll reach the window!

Cueva Ventana translates in English as Window Cave. The name is given because at the end of the cave there is a huge hole

It’s absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. A sight that every single puertorrican, and visitor, should take in.

The best part is that the entire hike is not extremely strenuous at all.

I hope you have a great time visiting this beautiful place. Being in contact with nature is proven to make you feel better and happier. Let me know if you go how it goes and remember that the easiest way to stay on the loop is to follow me on insta, where I also share videos and more on my stories/highlights!

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