Sótano de las Golondrinas

tags: cave of the swallows, Sótano de las Golondrinas, pit caves, cave diving, streaming video

The Cave of the Swallows is an enormous pit cave in a rainforest in San Luis PotosÃ, Mexico. The cave is known by the native name of Sótano de las Golondrinas, which means Basement of the Swallows, because of the large number of birds living in holes in the cave's walls. The low point of the entrance provides a 1094 feet (333 m) freefall drop to the bottom of the cave while the high point provides a 1220 feet (372 m) freefall drop. To free themselves from the cave, the birds fly in circles around the cave, gradually flying upwards until they are able to reach the surface and the sky. [2:06]