El Naranjo Cave
Many have been the rumors and legends that have been told from generation to generation about the mysteries of the El Naranjo caves. The crowing of a rooster that is heard at dawn and the supposed presence of strange beings inside the caves have been commented on by residents of the region, who in many cases fear going up to the paradisiacal site.
El Naranjo Cave is located in La Esperanza mountain, Bella Vista community at almost a thousand meters above sea level, in Olanchito, Honduras.
Neighbors from different communities that are distant from the mysterious place claim to have heard music until a few years ago, sounds of wind coming from the top of the mountain, which was constant, which caused fear and gossip among men, women and children.
Various angles of the Cave: To get to the site requires a total determination and make the journey in a vehicle with four-wheel drive, to go up from the community of Trojes Aldea to Buena Vista, which is at a driving distance of approximately one hour. uphill, on rocky roads, which have as an attraction, a beautiful view that allows you to see the Aguán valley almost in its fullness. Upon reaching a point where the vehicle is left, which is about 1,000 meters above sea level.
From there, an arduous walk begins, along paths that have been marked with yellow paint, so as not to get lost in the undergrowth, where there are snakes, birds, butterflies and a rich flora that reveals flowers, tubers, shrubs and huge trees that clothe the narrow roads. The history of the caves dates from the 1930s to the 1940s.
«These caves are very old, the people of the place discovered them, because music was always heard in the sky … a rooster also crowed and the natives were clearing it until they reached the place, which drove away the charm of the caves.» The journey on foot lasts an hour and a half, until you reach a gigantic stone, in which are the caves, «there is a ladder to go up to the entrance, otherwise it would be difficult to enter.»
The dimensions of the caves have not been disclosed due to the fact that they have not been fully explored, where a sovereign darkness prevails, to such a degree that only strong illumination allows us to see inside, the divisions and space typical of the dark place. The El Naranjo caves are a charm in this area of the Aguán valley.
To reach the top of the mountain, and enter the cave and see everything majestic inside, is an experience that can only be measured while on site. Until now, the people of Trojes Aldea have pinned their hopes that the site will be recognized as a Tourist Heritage Site, to initiate a process of community recognition.
