SIGHT SEEING

Garcia Caves (Grutas de García)
Monterrey, Nuevo León

This group of caves called “Grutas de García) is several hundred feet above the floor of the canyon. It's about a 30 - 45 min. drive northwest from downtown Monterrey and 9 km. beyond the village of Villa de García.

These caves were discovered by a parish priest, father Juan Antonio de SobreVilla in 1843 and there are a lot of stalactites and stalagmites as well as petrified sea shells.  Each chamber has a different name such as “The Eagle´s Nest” and “The Eighth Wonder”, etc.

It was developed as a tourist attraction by the Monterrey Lions Club after WW II. For decades there was a traintrack that ran up the side of the mountain (portions of it almost vertically), but just a few years a Swiss firm was hired to install a cable tram. So now you get into the gondola and silently swish up to the entrance. The admission, including the tram ride, is about $5 U.S. If you want to walk up they take about $2 off (It takes about an hour to walk up).}

The tour itself takes about 45 mins. and covers over a mile. Some of the inclines are steep and there several sets of stairs that are more like ladders, so bring good walking/hiking shoes. The tour of the caves itself is not for the physically handicapped!