When daydreaming of Norway, one may think of fjord laden landscapes, snow-capped peaks, and the midnight sun. Norway is also home to over 5 million people, 72,080 active geocaches, and a thriving geocaching community. This Geocache of the Week, Hagen med det rare i, is located in the town of Steinberg along the Drammenselva river, one of the largest rivers in Norway.
When you arrive in Steinberg, it won’t take you long to spot the remarkable garden filled with wood carvings, metal art and a Signal the Frog® lookalike.
All of these distracting installations may increase the difficulty of finding the cache, including the large troll that guards the yard. In Norse folklore, trolls can sometimes be tricky and unhelpful to humans, so don’t let this troll trick you into going the wrong direction!
Not only is the cache entertaining for geocachers and muggles alike, it also attracts Letterboxers. Like geocaching, letterboxing is another form of treasure hunting that uses clues instead of coordinates. In this case, the cache owner has made their container both a letterbox and a geocache, making it a Letterbox Hybrid. These types of geocaches will contain a stamp that is meant to remain in the box and is used by letterboxers to record their visit.
Of my 200-something hides, this is my personal favorite. The cache is located right outside my grandparents’ garden, a place I spent a lot of time when growing up.
Some of my earliest memories are from that place. And even though there’s some things that are as old as me there, there’s always something new to look at whenever I visit. I am thrilled that I get to share this awesome place with other geocachers! And the best part is that so are my grandparents! I might be a bit subjective here, but they are simply awesome!
I’ve received so many great logs, and I really enjoy telling my grandparents about all the nice words people write. Several people have noted that they see where I get my creativity from after visiting this cache. They’re so right! -Thomfre (cache owner)
Thomfre, the cache owner is also very involved in the geocaching community with an interesting geocaching blog and a website that helps Norwegian geocachers to plan their next geocaching vacation.
While visiting family in Loesmoen we had to make the trip here. Exciting and fun garden with an ingeniously made geocache. Deserves all its blue bows. Fun that this was our first letterbox. Left our travel friend Reflexus, ready to embark on an adventure.—BråtenStabæk
A round after work to grab some caches in Steinberg and Hokksund with jonnyloe28 today. Today’s fourth discovery and our first letterbox. Parked at the zero point to mirror quickly heading to Hagen med det rare i. Wonderful garden and great installation. Certainly today’s highlight this here. Clear favorite points from me.Thanks so much for the cache. —supertoga1
On drive from Hamar to Vegglifjell and only time for one cache. The choice fell on this, and all your favorite points are well deserved! Great box, crazy garden, and now it has another favorite points. Thanks!—Schrøder
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Laguna de los Tres: Maya-treasure-06 — Geocache of the Week
The plains of Patagonia are boundless, for they are scarcely passable, and hence unknown: they bear the stamp of having lasted, as they are now, for ages, and there appears no limit to their duration through future time.” – Charles Darwin
An enchanting, semi-arid plateau with glacier-encrusted Andean peaks, Patagonia is an adventure seeker’s dream destination. Travelers journey to the region for its iconic vistas, and vibrant wildlife, but stay for the delicious Malbecs and rugged gauchos.
The Patagonian town of El Chaltén is named for local peak Cerro Fitz Roy’s Tehuelche name, meaning ‘peak of fire’ or ‘smoking mountain’. Once you arrive in El Chaltén you will find colorful buildings made of corrugated steel, built to withstand the harsh Patagonian weather conditions including forceful winds that will knock you off your feet. Traditional geocache GC5TQT9 will lead you to El Chaltén, where you will begin your journey to the cache location.
You’ll want to allow about 8 hours to complete the full trip to Laguna de los Tres and back. There’s also the option to make it into a multi-day trek with two different overnight camping sites along the way: Camping Laguna Capri and Campamento Poincenot. The last 1.5 kilometers of the hike are very steep and exposed, so many hikers choose to camp below at Campamento Poincenot and then push for a sunrise view of Cerro Fitz Roy.
Once you arrive at Laguna de los Tres, feast your eyes on the cobalt blue waters glowing before the magnificent peak of Cerro Fitz Roy and take in 360 degree views of the entire mountain range. If the weather takes a turn for the worse, which is a very real possibility, there are plenty of boulders to seek shelter underneath and search for the geocache.
This geocache is part of an amazing series that cache owner CacheGert created for his daughter. He hopes to pass his love for traveling on to her by hiding caches for her in all parts of the world. When she turns 18, he will give her a list of all “her” caches, along with an airline ticket to wherever she wants to go. CacheGert is lucky enough to visit this cache often since he travels to Argentina for work.
¡Qué copado! (How cool!)
Recent logs:
What a hike, what a view! Starting in El Chalten, first part is easy. Well maintained hiking paths, beautiful landscape and the FitzRoy in the background. The last 1,5 km you have to climb uphill, the path is also well marked, but steep. The wind blows you away, the knees hurt … but if you reached the edge, this breathtaking view makes you forget everything. We made a little break, enjoyed the amazing scenery and as an extra we get the box! Finally we had around 24 km and 1400 m altitude difference on our GPS. Probably our best hiking tour ever, thanks for hiding a cache there. Of course a favorite point from us, redgecco
What an amazing view of one of the most beautiful mountains I’ve ever seen. I arrived just before sunset on a perfect weather day and watched the evening shadows crawl across the lake. Wish I could stay longer, but since my time in Chalten is limited, I dropped off a geocoin instead. May it travel farther and longer than me!
Quite a hike, especially at the end of a full day trip to Lago Torres, Lago del Madre y Hija and finally up here. But the place with the spectacular view is more than worth the effort! Great place for a cache! Thank you for putting one here! Greetings from Switzerland, we will be back 🙂
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
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Isla del Encanto: Puerto Rico — newest Geocaching souvenir!
A territory of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a paradisal Caribbean destination. Adventure seekers will find it worthwhile to cross crystal blue waters to visit Puerto Rico’s stunning beaches, beautiful mountainous landscapes and one of Puerto Rico’s best-kept secrets: its extensive cave system.
If that’s not enough and you need another reason to visit, we’ve got you covered. You can now earn a geocaching souvenir by finding a geocache or attending an event if Puerto Rico!
When you visit, be sure to meet up with local geocachers. The Puerto Rican geocaching community is famous for its warm hospitality and friendliness to strangers.
Puerto Rico by the numbers:
- Over 1,000 hidden geocaches
- 9103 sq km. (3,515 sq mi) island. ~ 1 geocache every 3 miles
- 3.548 million people
- 6 Olympic Gold Medals
- 13 living, native mammalian species, all of which are bats
- 65 km (40 miles) at its widest part
- 400 years of rum history and contribution to the economy
Here are our 5 bucket list caches in Puerto Rico.
GC1GN4M | by El Surveyor | D3.5/T4.5 | Traditional | 24 favorite points
Hiding this cache required some hard work by the cache owner and friends. A two hour hike takes you to the top of the mountain where you can take in the gorgeous view of the Puerto Rican countryside. You’ll notice an interesting standalone tree that gives this cache its namesake. When you visit this cache, make sure to snap a shot with the Puerto Rican flag as well!
GC2JWTD | by lulusoy | D1.5/T1.5 | Traditional | 73 favorite points
The Cat/Dolphin/Giraffe sculpture at this cache location observes the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista. Alonso Manso, a bishop in San Juan, was responsible for the construction of the San Juan Cathedral in 1521, making it one of the city’s oldest structures. Behind the sculpture, you can find the Museo del Niño (The Children’s Museum), a non-profit organization involved in preserving the island’s cultural heritage and presenting subjects in an interesting way for children.
GC1XB18 | by vocho725 | D2.5/T4.5 | Traditional | 14 favorite points
This cache is located at the entrance to Cueva del Viento in northwest Puerto Rico’s Guajataca Forest. The forest is also the location of Camp Guajataca, the island’s main camping grounds of the Boy Scouts of America. Make sure to bring comfortable shoes, water, and a strong flashlight!
4. Playita Rosada, La Parguera
GC1BBAY | by milton_fmh | D2.5/T4.5 | Multi-cache | 14 favorite points
The Parguera village in Lajas is famous for the beauty of its coral reefs, mangrove islands and channels, and bioluminescent bay. As an ecotourism destination, you can enjoy a simple coastal town where scuba diving, relaxing and swimming all take place. The cache may bring you to Playita Rosada (Pink beach), but the views and warm water will keep you there.
5. Karate Kid
GCXBH7 | by outsidegroup | D2.5/T3.5 | Traditional | 14 favorite points
Located along Road 333, Karate Kid is located on Playa del Tamarindo in Guanica. This area is home to many threatened and endangered species, including the dry forest anole (a type of lizard), the hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles, the Puerto Rican crested toad, the blue-tailed ameiva (another type of lizard), and the brown pelican. Don’t be fooled by the D/T ratings as the 4.8 km (3 mi) round trip and the intense heat and sun make it more challenging. If you enjoy bird watching and staring off into the ocean, this is the cache for you!
We’ll unveil one or two new souvenirs every week until all FIVE are officially released and awarded by mid December. Souvenirs that are currently available can be found here. A list of currently available geocaching souvenirs and even the ones you’ve already earned can be found on Geocaching.com. And, if you’ve already found a geocache in Puerto Rico, we will automatically add this souvenir to your profile.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or right here on our Blog to find out which countries are next.
Have you found a geocache in Puerto Rico? Tell us your experience in the comments below!
Welcome to Jurassic Park Cache— Geocache of the Week
- Traditional
- GC962E
- by Team Aloha
- Location:
- Kauai, USA
- N 22° 03.556′ W 159° 27.384′
Aloha! Have you ever dreamed of visiting the Jurassic Park set?
If you search for the Welcome to Jurassic Park Cache, you can come pretty close to the real thing! Just like the movie, this geocache location’s scenery is seriously epic and requires an adventurous drive through flowing streams and dense jungle. The movie Jurassic Park was filmed on Kauai and the geocache will make you feel as if you’ve been transported to the movie set, or even to the Jurassic period.
Nicknamed “the Garden Isle” for the tropical rainforests that blanket most of the island, Kauai is known for the Na Pali Coast, and Waimea Canyon, both ripe for a movie backdrop. This island is also home to over 150 geocaches that will take you to breathtaking sites. It may be difficult to pick a “bad” geocache on Kauai, but this cache is in the top 10 most favorited geocaches on the island so it is well worth the visit.
Once you have prepared for and set forth on your journey, you will encounter two main streams that run over the road and at high rainfall could be rushing high enough to prevent passage.
Conditions permitting, you may also encounter a third washout that requires caution even with a 4×4 vehicle. If you can’t make it in your vehicle, then get out and start hiking. This cache definitely earns its T4 rating, whether you off road or hike in.
Once you near the geocache, make sure to make note of the cement posts marking the original Jurassic Park Entrance. Looking through this window to the mountains and waterfalls before you will give you a sense of relief that you can enter safely without fear of rogue dinosaurs on the loose.
Talk about a cinematic experience!
Excerpts from recent log posts:
TFTC. What a ride!! Put my 4-wheel to a test today. Did its job going through pot holes, puddles and a knee deep pond without a hitch. Fun adventure with my other half in tow. Got to GZ and found the cache easily. Old logs beyond repair and newest one kind of damp so I left a dry one. Stuffed everything back with zip locks. Also left a path tag. Please log it if you take it. Thanks. –Ilikelooksee
Sure glad we had a 4×4, it was raining and windy. My favorite cache yet. Had to watch the movie again to see the sights. Thanks for a awesome cache.- Wirelessone
Wow! A dream comes true, driving through the original gate into the jurassic park, awesome! !! You definitely need a 4×4 when it’s raining, the second river almost flushed me away on the way back Thanks for showing this magical spot!! I dropped a dinosaur, he is finally back on his track and can stay a couple days with his friend in the park 😉 sorry for keeping him so long, but I think this is the best place for him to rest –oliver.baitz
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
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Halong Bay Floater — Geocache of the Week
- Traditional
- GC1Q54N
- by thetourguide
- Location:
- Halong Bay, Vietnam
- N 20° 51.047 E 107° 05.280
“Roads? Where we’re going we don’t need roads.”
—Doc Brown
Halong Bay is known as the most beautiful destination in all of Vietnam. There are no roads to the geocache Halong Bay Floater, only multi-day junk boat and kayak tours. This will allow you to maneuver emerald green waters between countless limestone karst formations. Talk about a D5/T5 adventure of a lifetime!
After hopping onboard your vessel, take time to marvel at the unique landscape filled with majestic Sea Eagles and the extremely rare Cat Ba Langur. Pro Tip: once you dock south of Ti-Tov (Titop) Island, kayak as close as you can to the coordinates then search for the cache from there. You’ll undoubtedly pass one of the countless fishermen who live in floating villages within about 579 square miles (932 km) of Halong Bay.
Although Halong Bay is a World Heritage Site, there are still locals that dump their trash in the bay. For this reason, it is important for geoachers to represent the tourism and geocaching communities well and show their best Cache in and Trash Out skills. If you have any questions, Cache Owner, thetourguide, has led thousands of people to this gorgeous location and may be able to answer them!
On a wonderful holiday we visited this place and found this cache. We love Vietnam and say thank you to the owner of the cache for showing us this place. Halong Bay was awesome and we meet some friendly people. We did a 3 day boat trip and had plenty of time.
Best wishes from German cacher
Asia Adventure Tour!!!!! Amazing place. It is incredible, fantástic, magic…Found with my love Xuxu.mafas and our Portuguese good friends and Geocaching godfathers: Ladas112, scosta911.TFTC
Thanks
We stayed anchored on a boat very close so we were able to hire a kayak and take a paddle to this cache, the waters here are mirror surfaced making paddling very easy and enjoyable. As we were paddling we saw a school of 5 very big fish swim past us.
Everywhere you look there are picture opportunities. TFTC
What has been the most exotic location that you have found a geocache?
Continue to explore some of the most amazing geocaches around the world.
Check out all of the Geocaches of the Week on the Geocaching blog. If you would like to nominate a Geocache of the Week, fill out this form.
