Services Offered
Tours & Activities

Camuy Caverns/Ionospheric Observatory Tour

Upon departing the hotel you will proceed directly to the Río Camuy Cave Park located at the northwest side of the island. Your ride will carry you past the haystack hills that typify karst geography, an area once rich in limestone deposits where over the centuries, the limestone has washed away leaving behind hundreds of mounds of more durable stone deposits covered with extremely dense tropical vegeta-tion, commonly known as “haystack hills”.

The extensive subterranean cave systems of the park are reported to be the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Until the completion of the expanded highway leading west to Camuy, the driving distance discouraged many from seeing this remarkable cave system. Today, a drive of approximately one hour and thirty minutes from San Juan takes you past lush landscape, pineapple farms and jagged eroded limestone cliffs as you near the area of this massive subterranean wonderland.

Your visit to the park begins with a short video as you wait to board the open-air trolleys that twist and turn their way through the road carved out of verdant foliage, before reaching the moss-lined entrance to the cave. After this ten-minute trolley ride, multilingual cave guides will escort you on foot through the enormous 200 feet high and a half-mile long cave. A large opening at one end of the cave allows light to filter through part of the cave, creating beautiful photographic opportunities. From this opening you will see one of the many sinkholes carved out by the Camuy River, the world's third largest underground river. As you walk through the interior of the cave, passing stalagmites and stalactites, you will experi-ence the eerie illusion of timeless steps into the earth's creation. The actual tour of the caves takes ap-proximately one hour.

Head of the line privilege at the park cannot be guaranteed. However, the administration is advised of the group’s intent to visit in advance and in writing, and normally they are quite cooperative. Neverthe-less, there can be waits on some occasions.

Following your visit to this fascinating underworld, there will be time for a luncheon at a nearby Puerto Rican style family restaurant before proceeding to the observatory. After lunch you will then head inland, gradually increasing altitude, until you arrive at the Arecibo Observatory, site of the world’s largest elec-tronic radio telescope, run and operated by Cornell University. The huge 1000 feet in diameter dish is suspended above an underlying karst sinkhole, and has been the site for various Hollywood movies such as “Contact” and “Goldeneye,” plus various television shows.

The personnel at the observatory have arranged a very interesting display in the main building overlook-ing the dish and antennae, one which truly gives you an appreciation for the mission - listening for signs of extra-terrestrial life 24 hours a day - of this unique installation. In addition, you will have an opportu-nity to step out onto the balcony and personally gaze out at this incredible instrument.

Special Conditions:
Upon arrival at the Observatory there is a rather steep set of stairs leading up to the main building; a courtesy van is available for those with a severe health problem that would preclude their making that walk.

This trip should not be offered to guests staying at the Conquistador Resort, due to the excessive travel time required to get there.

Camuy Caverns/Ionospheric Observatory Rates and Driving times from various locations:

Metro San Juan
$86.00 | Recommend 8am – 4:45pm | Driving distance - 1 hour and 30 minutes

Dorado Area
$82.00 | Recommend 8:30am – 4:00pm | Driving Distance - 45 minutes

Westin Río Mar/Paradisus Puerto Rico
$94.00 | 2 hours (not recommended) – 7:30am – 6:00pm

Conquistador
N/A | 2 hours and 25 min. (not advised due to driving time)

Suggested gratuity - $3.50-$5.00 per person
Recommended attire – comfortable walking shoes with rubber soles – it can be slippery!
Days of Operation – closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Camuy should be visited in the mornings, and not in the afternoons.

Lunch option – Lunch is available at a Puerto Rican cafeteria style restaurant following the visit to the Caverns in the morning.

Authorized clients can view current rate and availability information by accessing their online accounts.