Sorbas Cave, an amazing underground palace
When you visit places like Sorbas, a small town in Almería, it's hard to believe that there can be incredible treasures right under your feet. More than a thousand caves are hidden underground in this incredible site formed over millions of years. During all this time, the water has been filtering between the rocks, forming lakes, rivers, immense rooms, stalactites and stalagmites. But the cave's walls are their main unique feature, as they are made up of millions of gypsum crystals that sparkle when you shine your torch on them.
Visiting Sorbas Caves is a real adventure. It will make you feel like a film character, like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft, looking for treasures in the most remote corners of the earth. This karst complex is practically unique in the world, especially because of how well preserved it is.
First of all, you have to put a helmet on with a light at the front to be able to see when you walk through the galleries. This is a sign of the kind of experience you're going to have! It is a journey that is suitable for both adults and children, which is not extremely difficult. Although, sometimes, in some parts you may have to crouch down or crawl to get through the narrow passages between the rooms and galleries.
Exploring the corridors and rooms is an amazing experience. It doesn't matter where you shine your torches: thousands of tiny crystals sparkle as you go by. The walls of Sorbas Caves are covered with millions of small gypsum crystals, waiting in the dark for you to arrive. It is an amazing effect that, sadly, can't be captured with a camera. The only way to discover this stunning spectacle that is hidden in Sorbas is to come in person.
During this amazing underground walk, you may even come across some fossils. Yes, that's right! Three million years ago, this part of the Iberian Peninsula was covered by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Until the Cenozoic Era, which is when the continents as we know them today began to form and the sea receded.
There are several routes of varying difficulty to visit Sorbas Caves. If you go with family and friends, the most recommended one is the basic one. It takes between an hour and a half and two hours and is perfect as an introduction to the world of caving. If you are a bit more experienced, you can even visit the Cueva del Agua or go on the technical route. An exciting adventure that will be hard to forget.
