Red caves
Strange shapes.
AsterixCBA — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jofrigerio — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jofrigerio — CC BY-SA 3.0 · AsterixCBA — CC BY-SA 4.0 · AsterixCBA — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Ongamira Caves are a set of hollows and rock shelters in red sandstone walls, in a valley formed in the Cretaceous some 120 to 130 million years ago, at the north end of the Sierras Chicas about 25 kilometres from Capilla del Monte and 120 from Córdoba city. In 2008 they were chosen as the «fifth natural wonder of Córdoba». Wind and water have carved the rock into strange, tangled shapes where birds nest, and the area is rich in archaeological sites of Córdoba's Indigenous peoples; the last cave holds old stone mortars once used to grind grain. The place is named after the local chief Onga, and in these rocks the Indigenous people resisted the Spanish invaders. A gentle climb of about three hours leads to the Charalqueta rock, with a wide view over the valley. There is an entry fee; the site opens daily from nine, and the walking is easy and family-friendly.
Strange shapes.
Indigenous traces.
Valley views.
Ongamira valley, about 25 km from Capilla del Monte, northern Córdoba
About 120 km north and 25 km from Capilla del Monte; open daily with an entry fee.