Technical Team

The team

The La Venta association was founded in 1990 by a few expert Italian speleologists -Giovanni Badino, Tullio Bernabei, Ugo Vacca, Tono De Vivo, Gaetano Boldrini, Italo Giulivo, Marco Topani- with the objective of conducting research and expeditions in unknown caves around the world. The team began its activities in various corners of the globe: from Mexico to Patagonia, from Brazil to Central Asia. Later his activity became increasingly multidisciplinary: the speleological aspect is related to the geographical and anthropological context of there the caves are located. At the same time, La Venta "extended the concept of cave", organizing expeditions even inside glaciers and quarzite. Today, La Venta research is characterized by the study of hypogeous phenomena in remote zones and for the development of new techniques for the exploration of inaccessible underground zones.

La Venta in the world

1989-1991- SAMARCANDA PROJECT. The Association's first explorative project. Research was carried out on limestone mountain chains in Bai Sun Tau and Sur Kan Tau (Uzbekistan) The cavities that cross the enormous karstic masses deep under the earth were explored.

1990- RIO LA VENTA PROJECT. La Venta's longest-lived explorative project: fifteen years of research in the wilds of El Ocote, an immense green labyrinth in Mexican state of Chiapas. Dozens of expeditions that blend pure speleology, archaeology, and exploration. Several Pre-Colombian archeological sites came to light in the forest and on canyon walls. An feat crowned in 1993 with the awarding of the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprises for being the first descent into the canyon of the Rio La Venta.

1991-2006  GLACIOSPELEOLOGIC PROJECT. Dozens of expeditions: From the glaciers of Iceland (Kviarjokull) to those of the Alps (Gorner), from the Patagonian giants (Viedma, Upsala, Tyndall) to the ices of Antarctica. Due to their extensive experience, the La Venta team is today counted among the most renowned experts in their field.

1992-TEPUI PROJECT. Objective of the expeditions - in the zones between southern Venezuela, Guayana, and northern Brazil -where the tepui are. These are isolated quartzitic masses (among the oldest rocks on the earth) with sheer rock faces that reach one-thousand meters. Set in an extraordinary landscape that is unique in the world, these wonders can be reached almost only by helicopter. (

2000- CUATRO CIÉNEGAS PROJECT. This project includes a series of hydrological and speleological research in a desert area located in the state of Coahuila in northern Mexico. The three project expeditions keep the team busy in underwater exploration of the hundreds of springs characteristic of this area, inside deep abandoned mines and inaccessible caverns.

2002-JUQUILA PROJECT. A descent into the canyon of the same name in the Mexican state of Oazaca, the exploration of the canyon and the surrounding area with the discovery of ancient cave paintings and Pre-Columbian hydraulic engineering.

2004- DURANGO PROJECT. Exploration of the "Quebradas de Durango" in the Mexican state of the same name: Dozens of unexplored canyons scattered in an area of 40,000 km2. Pioneering descents along the deep canyon walls that surpass 2000 m in height and on which ancient populations constructed "casitas": straw and mud constructions built in inaccessible sites inside spacious caverns and on natural overhanging terraces.

2004-2005- ALBANIAN-MACEDONIAN. With the expeditions in Albania and Macedonia, La Venta widens its horizons by working on projects outside their usual sphere of interest. This new project concerns the study and knowledge of the naturalistic aspects, environmental protection, and territorial management by the La Venta Association. More specifically, it focuses on the exploration and study of the most recent nesting and resting sites of birds of prey and vultures together with expert biologists and naturalists. This in-depth research will be useful for the future survival and protection of these highly endangered species while paying careful attention to the geomorphological aspects of the territory.

2005- MYANMAR PROJECT. In collaboration with the Universities of Bologna and Yangon. The exploration of the central area of Kalaw (Burma) characterized by the presence of a tropical karst where caves used for worship with ancient statues of Buddha inside alternate with immense natural sinkholes into which entire rivers disappear, all surrounded by a mystically timeless atmosphere.

2006 - NAICA PROJECT. In February La Venta concluded the first phase of the Naica speleological project: a three-year cycle of explorations and surveys in collaboration with Italian and Mexican research teams. The selected site was the Crystal Cave (Mexico), which contains giant crystals made of the most beautiful and crystalline variety of gypsum. The project objective is to increase the knowledge on how these crystals form. The scientific results are surpassed only by the satisfaction of having reach an important world record: 80 minutes stay inside the cave, famous for its hostile environment - about 50°C and 100% humidity - which allow only a minimal window for survival.