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When visiting Patagonia and the Torres del Paine National Park, The Cueva del Milodón / National Monument will be easy to visit at the same time. The Monument is located approx. 25 kilometres from Puerto Natales. Since this town is so close to the national park, it might be the most convenient place to stay when the plan is exploring the national park.

When we were on our way to Torres del Paine National Park, to spend a day, we passed the caves. We made a stop to explore the cave that is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Americas. The monument includes several caves, that became a National Monument in 1993. Archaeologists and paleontologists have found the remains of both humans and animals in all these caves. These finds have added a great deal of knowledge about when the first humans arrived this area.

We were on a guided tour and simply followed the guide to entrance and into the depths and darkness of the cave. Wooden boardwalk led us on a tour around the cave. Only parts of the cave has been excavated. There might still be some hidden treasures. That's why it's important to only walk on the boardwalks. By walking directly on the floor of the cave we could destroy some bones.

The Milodón Cave is the largest of the caves that are part of the monument. It has a length of 200 meters was discovered by a German in the 1890s. He found what is left of bones from prehistoric herbivorous called Milodón. This animal was close to 4 meters tall. The remains proves that this species lived in the area approx. 14.000 years ago. The Milodón was extinct sometime between 10.000 -14.000 years ago. The cave is up to 30 meters and a length of 200 meters, so this herbivorous could easily fit into the cave. Excavations have led to the findings of tools that has belonged to humans. Thes can be dated back to 6000 BC.

At the end of the tour, near the entrance where there is lighter, we could read the boards with information about the excavations and boards.

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U.J

Kristiansand, Norway

All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)

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