What is a lava tunnel and how is it formed?

Explore caves in The Galapagos left behind by molten lava

There are many types of caves that one can find on earth, but one of the most interesting are probably lava caves (AKA lava tunnels or primary caves). These caves are formed when a huge lava flow begins to harden on the outside, but the innermost hottest part continues to flow out, leaving behind a big hollow space, or as we see it, a tunnel.

The history of Galapagos includes a lot of volcanic activity, so luckily, now that things have mostly cooled down, we can find traces of this through multiple lava tunnels on different islands. As well, since there is still some volcanic activity here, new tunnels are still being formed to this day.

Walking through a lava tunnel feels mysterious and majestic, and you almost expect to come across some magical creature as you navigate the dimly lit space and marvel at the impressive height that the ceiling gets to in some sections, contrasted by impossible small tight spaces that only experienced spelunkers (cave explorers) venture into.

Though lava tunnels can be found across practically every island to some extent, on both private and national park property, the best are to be found in Santa Cruz. Of the most popular are Los Túneles de Amor (The Tunnels of Love), also commonly referred to as the Bellavista Lava Tubes, named after the town they are closest to. The walkable portion of the tunnel stretches almost 1 km in length, and the highest part of the ceiling reaches up to 15 meters. It is a truly impressive natural wonder.

The incredible topography of the islands never ceases to amaze. Join us as we explore the land and sea of this unique and wonderful archipelago called The Galapagos Islands.