The asteroid believed to have killed the dinosaurs was the size of Manhattan and crashed to earth near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago. The resulting unleashed energy killed 90 percent of life on the planet.
Things are a bit calmer now in this part of Mexico: By day, the region is more threatened by overdevelopment, tourists, and renegade oil slicks. However, the geological changes brought about by the killer asteroid remain in the form of sinkholes, or cenotes, that formed around the impact crater.
Río Secreto is a tourist attraction in the Riviera Maya that thrills visitors with a visit to a natural underground river and the limestone cave system that it runs through. Discovered in 2007, the cave is part of a 7.5-mile-long network that is still being explored and mapped.
Most underground river networks like these are limited to trained cavers as there are sections completely underwater that require scuba gear. However, Rio Secreto can be experienced on foot in a few hours, with no swimming experience required, and enjoyed by all ages.
The cave is just south of Playa del Carmen
Located about 10 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, on federal highway 307 Cancun-Tulum, the entrance to Río Secreto is an area to drop off buses and buses. A 20 minute van ride down a bumpy jungle road takes you to the cave. Here your guide greets you (ours was called Moisés), he was equipped for safety equipment and asked you to shower before entering the caves. (Rio Secreto is a local source of drinking water, so bathing with suntan oil, makeup, etc., ensures that the cave and river water remain pristine.) All guests are fitted with a wetsuit, helmet with light, water shoes, and life jackets and lockers are provided for their valuables.
Mayan religious ceremonies in the caves and cenotes of Yucatan for centuries
The caves and cenotes of the Yucatan have featured in Mayan religious ceremonies for centuries, and Moisés shared extensive knowledge and passion for the history, spiritual significance, and environmental significance of this unique underworld setting. Along the way, you will see and learn about stalagmites and stalactites, natural limestone columns, cathedral ceilings, and the small wildlife that inhabits the caves, such as bats and small fish. (Some visitors may think they see snakes on the pathways, but these are just roots that roll along the cave floor.)
The entire experience lasts about 90 minutes, and a second guide will accompany you as a safety precaution and to take photos of your group. A little natural agility and firmness come in handy when entering and exiting pools of water along slippery rocks, and dodging low ceilings and stalactites that can ring your bell (hence the helmets). There is a small part of the route where you are floating and stepping on water in a deeper pool; some swimming ability is useful, although not strictly required, in this segment.
An interesting part of the Rio Secreto experience
One of the most interesting parts of the Rio Secreto experience came when we were lounging on some rocks after the deep water portion of the tour. Moises asked us to turn off our helmet lights, and we were immediately in total darkness for a few minutes. The sound of water dripping from the ceiling and the beating of your heart in the darkness and stillness of the cave make you really appreciate the invention of the lantern and a guide who can find the way out of the cave.
There are vantage points along the route that are set up for individual photos. As this is a cave without natural light, the folks at Rio Secreto have established a lighting system for flash photography that produces excellent results. At the end of the tour, you are given the opportunity to view and select photos of your excursion, you are served a light meal at the snack bar, and given the opportunity to relax before the bumpy ride.
It is not often that you experience a place where very few have gone and very few have seen. Millions of years in the making, Rio Secreto lets you appreciate the natural wonders forged by Mother Earth and a mountain of space rock.
Information
Address: Federal Highway Chetumal – Puerto Juárez. MZ 122 Lote 4 Local 12, Playa del Carmen Quintana Roo 77710, Mexico
Website: http://www.riosecreto.com/
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