Caves of Crimea, open for visits and excursions. Caves of Crimea open to the public: names and photos Which cave is best to visit in Crimea

Holidays in Crimea are a problem of choice: places, accommodation, restaurant, excursions. Having gotten rid of the first lines of this list and approached the item “excursions around the Crimea,” we again find ourselves faced with the need to choose from an immense number of options: there are hundreds of tourist routes on the peninsula. Some people go to see the former royal palaces, some are attracted by mountain gorges and waterfalls, others like leisurely walks through ancient parks and museums. We will take you on a virtual tour of caves of Crimea.

Famous caves of Crimea

It seems that by choosing the “Caves of Crimea” excursion, you can “relax” and start preparing for the trip. However, your carelessness will disappear immediately when you find out how much Crimea caves If you're standing, you better sit down: there are about eight hundred caves in the Crimean Mountains! Fifty of them are recognized as natural monuments and are under state protection. How do you like this range of choice?

Visit all Crimea caves It’s impossible to do it in one vacation, so we’ll take a walk through the humid twilight of the most famous “underground mountain kingdoms.”

Let's start the journey with the most beautiful cave not only of the peninsula, but of the whole world. This beauty is called Marble Cave. Located in the Chatyr-Dag mountain range, near the village of Mramornoe on the lower plateau. It took nature thousands of years to create a cave in a layer of marbleized limestone. They learned about the unique Marble Cave only in 1987, but just 5 years later (in 1992) it was accepted into the International Association of Equipped Caves, including it in the list of the most visited caves on the planet. Vacation in Crimea and not take an excursion to Marble Cave- crime!

- This is a complex system of galleries and halls, which are equipped with tourist routes with a total length of about 1.5 kilometers. What can be seen in the cave:

Gallery of fairy tales;
calcium carbonate crystals;
stalagmites and stalactites (many of them have “names” and names, for example: "Minaret", "Queen", "King");
fantastic stains and drawings on the walls;
corridor "Tiger's Move";
a huge hall that could fit a 9-story house (height 28 meters, length 100 meters);
Palace Hall.

The entrance to the cave is 920 meters above sea level. Take a tour to Marble Cave You won’t be able to do it without a guide – it’s prohibited. The excursion route is divided into three parts: “Tiger Walk”, lower and main galleries. The duration of the caving walk is 1 hour 20 minutes. For 10 hryvnia you will be allowed to take photographs in the cave.

Red Cave

If it is the most beautiful cave in Crimea, then Red Cave (Kizil-Koba) is the largest “limestone” cave in Europe: its length is about 21 kilometers. The area of the Red Cave is about 53 thousand square meters, and the volume is about 200 thousand cubic meters. Kizil-Koba is an extensive system of long galleries, flooded areas, and vertical wells. The Red Cave includes the Griffin source cave and the Pigeon cave. The Su-Uchkhan River flows along the first tier of Kizil-Koba, thanks to whose patient work over centuries the cave appeared. What attracts tourists to the Red Cave:

6-storey galleries;
spacious underground halls 145 meters high and up to 80 meters long;
corallites, stalagmites, stalactites;
cave pearls.

The cost of entry to the Red Cave is 30 hryvnia, the duration of the excursion is 40 minutes.

Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave(aka Emine-Bair-Khosar cave) is interesting because bones of prehistoric animals are found in it. The well-shaped entrance to it was discovered in 1927. The researchers who descended into it were amazed by the large 100-meter hall. Total length of halls and galleries Mammoth caves is 1.5 kilometers. The scientists who discovered the first remains of a mammoth in the cave kept the discovery secret for 50 years, protecting the cave from the invasion of curious “guests.” Then a paleontological museum opened in the cave, closed today due to ongoing archaeological work. A walk through the cave takes place in comfortable conditions: there are rest areas and concrete stairs with railings. Attractions of the Mammoth Cave:

"Treasury";
underwater lake;
hall of idols;
Kecskemet Hall;
hall "Monomakh's Hat";
“White Speleologist” – the good spirit of the cave;
"God's finger"

A tour of the Mammoth Cave lasts about 2 hours and costs 70 hryvnia. Additional expenses: photography – 10 hryvnia, rental of warm linen – 3 hryvnia (constant temperature in the cave +5°C).

Thousand Head Cave

Thousand-Headed Cave - Binbash-Koba. The name of the cave is associated with a beautiful legend. In the old days, people from a local village hid in a cave from hostile nomadic tribes. Many days passed, and thirst made itself known - children cried, and old people died. There was one brave girl who began to quietly go to the source in the nearby Cold Cave for water. Every time she returned, the water from her jug watered the ground, causing grass to grow on it, forming the “Green Path”. This path showed the enemies the way to the shelter. They killed everyone who was hiding in it, and put their heads in the cave. Thousand-Headed Cave...

The cave is 110 meters long. Interesting objects in it:

Big hall;
cramped tunnel;
fragments of stalactites.

We looked at only four Crimea caves, but they also allow us to get a clear idea that the Crimean land is rich in exotic things not only on the surface, but also in its most hidden, underground corners. Everyone who has visited the mysterious depths of the Crimean caves will forever keep their amazing aura in their hearts. And in your heart there is a place for at least one of eight hundred caves of Crimea.

Caves attract with their history and mystery, and the caves of Crimea are an absolutely unforgettable sight. Crimea is a wonderful peninsula where both sea lovers and mountain lovers can find amazing tourist routes. Both active and passive recreation are pleasant here, but the mysterious caves in Crimea are especially interesting. So, what are the caves of Crimea, how to get to them, what are they called, photos, videos, which caves of Crimea are open to the public, we will tell you below.

Weeping Grotto

Danilcha-Koba (Weeping Grotto) is a natural monument that attracts with its mystery and splendor. Several centuries ago, the temple of St. Daniel was located in it, so researchers believe that the name comes from the name of this saint. By the beginning of the twentieth century, the walls of the temple were only 140 centimeters, and then it was completely destroyed. The fact that there was once a holy place here can only be guessed from some traces near the exit.

The Weeping Grotto is one hall, the length of which is 12 and the height is 4 meters. In the middle of the hall there is a pond, the depth of which in some places reaches two meters. The water here is crystal clear and cold (about 7 degrees Celsius). There are also small baths around the perimeter of the grotto where tourists can discover cave pearls.

Binbash-Koba

Thousand-headed Cave - that’s what the researchers called it during the study. During the first reconnaissance, numerous skulls were found in the bosom of Binbash-Koba: these were the remains of both animals and people. According to the legend retold by the local population, residents once hid here from nomads. The barbarians were unable to get inside and decided to set fire to the entrance. As a result of the arson, everyone who sought refuge in this cave died. But researchers have refuted this legend. According to the examinations carried out, the people to whom the skulls belonged were quite advanced in age, which makes it possible to assert that this was a burial ground.

The cave located on Chatyrdag has a very narrow entrance, and then a tight tunnel that turns into a gallery leading to a small hall. From this hall, two corridors lead into a large semicircular hall. Binbash-Koba stretches for as much as 110 kilometers underground.

Bottomless Cave

On the Chatyr-Dag plateau there is a beautiful and mysterious cave - Bottomless. It attracts mainly people who love adventure and danger, since not everyone can visit this miracle of nature. Only a person with specialized equipment can go down into the grotto, and even if this is not the first time, the company of a speleologist or a specially trained person (often athletes) is required.

At an altitude of 1000 meters there is an entrance in the very depths of the karst sinkhole. The length of the entire cave is 410 meters, and its depth is 190 meters.

The dive into the shaft begins with a 17-meter ladder leading to a shelf. The width of the shaft differs in its size: if at the entrance it is 5 meters, then it increases to a maximum of 25. Due to the fact that the cave is vertical, in winter a lot of snow falls into it, which in the spring turns into a fascinating glacier.

Kiik-Koba

Not far from the village of Zuya there is a grotto called Kiik-Koba. The area is 50 square meters. Its name translates as “wild cave”, since it was here that the remains of ancient people were found (a Neanderthal site). Researchers in the grotto discovered the remains of a woman and child, approximately 100,000 years old. Also in the cave were primitive tools of ancient man and bones of extinct animals.

The discoveries that were made in the grotto turned the entire scientific world upside down, so if you want to touch history, be sure to visit Kiik-Koba and other caves of Crimea. Photo:

Iograph Cave

The Iograph Cave, located slightly above Yalta, is very attractive for tourists. At a time when the local population was persecuted by the Turks for Christianity (8th-9th centuries), the church of the Christian martyr Evgraf was founded here. During the first explorations of the cave, parts of lamps, various decorations (mostly copper and glass), an iron cross and fragments of an ancient marble icon were found here.

A visit to the cave will turn into an exciting journey, where tourists will appreciate the beauty of the rather cramped passages and one, but large hall. Also, no matter how hot the season is, the purest drops of water drip from the stalactites directly onto the altar.

Marble Cave

Crimea is a treasure trove of the most stunning places in the world. One of the most beautiful sights of Chatyrdag is the Marble Cave. The duration of all passages and halls is about two kilometers, and the depth is 50 meters. The Marble Cave is one of the five most beautiful caves in the world and is popular among tourists from Europe.

The first advantage of an excursion to this cave is that there is no need to be a rock climber or speleologist in order to move freely and safely along the route. The most important thing is comfortable clothes and shoes.
Having plunged deep into the cave, tourists find themselves in a fairy-tale world: the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites, stone waterfalls, corallite flowers, openwork pools and small baths of water, sagging on the walls. And if you add magical music and lighting to all this beauty, the impression will be indescribable, you will forever remember what the Marble Cave in Crimea is. The official website of the caves, where you can see their prices, is onixtour.com.ua.

Red Cave

The longest cave in Europe, Kyzy-Koba, is also located on the Crimean peninsula. Its length is 26 kilometers, and its total area is 64 square kilometers. The length of the corridors is constantly growing, since a river flows through the lower “floors”, which constantly washes away new and new corridors. It is difficult to follow them, but it is possible if you have a wetsuit (due to the low water temperature).

The cave is rich in various artifacts of the 7-6 centuries BC - these are bronze arrowheads, women's jewelry (beads, bracelets, rings), and remains of ceramic products.

The intricacies of labyrinths and tunnels form six floors. According to research, in front of the caves there was an ancient human settlement. Most likely these were the Cimmerians who lived more than 2500 years ago.

Tourists visiting the cave can plunge into the world of pristine beauty and history. Guides conduct tours from 2 to 5 hours in time. The group size ranges from 2 to 25 people. There are regular routes or extreme ones, where tourists, when equipped, can visit the red caves in Crimea, in which a river flows, and penetrate new halls and passages. The official website where you can find a description and what the Red Caves of Crimea are, prices for visits and schedules - kizilkoba.ru.

Viking cave

This is what the famous Red Cave of Crimea is sometimes called. This is due to the organization of the Viking cinema park, which is necessary for filming the film. The life of the era of brave people of the 8th-11th centuries is clearly depicted in a place located next to the Kizil-Koba cave. It is as mysterious as the Red Cave itself, where in ancient times there was an ancient sanctuary where bloody sacrifices were made to cruel gods. Legend says that a tribe of terrible Cyclops lived in an inaccessible dungeon. They guarded the wealth located in the cave. According to Homer, Odysseus encountered them during his travels.

The specific red color of the cave is explained by the high content of iron oxides. The length of the cave is 17 km. It is the longest underground cavity in Crimea. This is a 6-story labyrinth consisting of several caves. Two routes are organized for tourists. Basic, extreme. Having chosen the first route, you need to have a warm jacket. In the second case, a wetsuit is mandatory. At the bottom of the cave there is an interesting river that is part of the route. The only way to overcome it is by swimming. Groundwater forms the famous Su-Uchkhan waterfall on the surface. Inside the cave there is a waterfall called the Pink Jet. Red Viking Cave (Crimea) is considered to be actively growing. New sinter formations are formed in it, new halls and galleries are formed, created by underground waters. You can get here along the Yalta highway to the Red Caves sign.

Skelskaya

The Skelskaya cave is located in Crimea, along the southern slope of the Ai-Petri mountain range. Not far from the village of Rodnikovoe, which is easy to reach from Sevastopol. A marked path, laid from a place formerly called Skelya, indicates the direction to the cave. It appeared in marble-type limestones during a tectonic fault under the influence of the destructive force of groundwater. Originally it was a large hall, constantly decorated by nature with several separate galleries in the form of three levels, decorated with calcite formations. The structure of the cave resembles a staircase, which suggests that its name originates from the Greek word “skele” or staircase.

The opening of the cave is considered to be 1904. Extreme sports enthusiasts often penetrated into the depths of different levels of the cave. Organized tourist routes appeared in 2004 after the development of safe excursion routes to the underground kingdom, which is several million years old. The existing length of excursion paths is about 270 m with a total length of the cave of 670 m. All levels are connected by vertical wells. Access is possible with a guide. The lower level has deep underground lakes and rivers. The Skelskaya cave is considered to be the supplier of water to mountain streams and the Baydar reservoir.

In Crimea, the official website of the cave is speleotur.com, where you can find all prices and conditions for excursions.

Nowadays, pedestrian paths and unusual bridges are equipped with modern equipment that creates optical illusions that emphasize the mysterious beauty of calcite sinter formations. The fantastic kingdom of figures of strange animals is amazing, from the gopher to the sculptures of the Dolphin Hall, the lady in the Hall of Ghosts, the Phoenix bird, and numerous fairy-tale heroes. The outlines of the famous sights of Crimea, Swallow's Nest, Foros Temple, appear unexpectedly when illuminated, raising questions, delight, and surprise. Looking at this beauty, you begin to believe in the living spirit of the dungeon, created by the outlines of a strange figure in the Fireplace Hall of the cave. Or freeze when looking at the 7-meter figure of the Knight standing in the center of one of the halls of the Skelskaya cave. The unique speleofauna of the cave is listed on the pages of the Red Book. In summer, here you can admire the amazing blooming Comperia orchid, found only in Turkey.

Emine Bair Khosar - cave in Crimea

The cave is one of the five beautiful caves in the world. You can enter it through an artificial entrance located next to a natural vertical well. The Bair Cave (Crimea) contains numerous bones of animals that lived here in ancient times. Now a collection of the remains of a cave lion, mammoth, and woolly rhinoceros can be seen in the cave museum. Since 1999, a route has been opened for tourists, going through the upper halls, next to the underground lake, through the halls of Idols, the Monomakh, Main, Throne, and Dublyansky halls. The length of the cave is 1460 m, the depth is 125 m, the area of the known galleries is about 12,000 sq. m. m, located on five levels. The lower level, covered by a huge boulder, is considered a reserve in order to preserve the natural miracle.

The first description of the cave was made in 1927 after descending into the well and discovering the first, large hall. For many years, the entrance to the cave was specially closed by speleologists to prevent the unregulated invasion of lovers of exotic dungeons. There are 700 m of walking routes for excursions. Bair Khosar Cave (Crimea) - this name comes from the Turkic words: Amy-oak, Khosar-well, Bair-slope. A well on a slope near an oak tree. You can get to the cave along a path leading from the trolleybus line through the village of Mramornoe, a holiday village, and a limestone quarry.

The main part of the cave is considered to be the halls of Nocturne, Red Poppies, and a huge dome. A film was made about the decorations of the cave made of multi-colored crystals of different origins. The journey through the internal halls takes place along a concrete, comfortable path. The walls are covered with cascades of smears, similar to buds of unknown flowers, burning with millions of bright stars in the rays of lanterns. Numerous legends still live about the underground lake of the cave. One of them tells about the fate of the girl Emine, who was thrown into a well by her father because of her love for a guy from an enemy family. To this day, the Emine Cave (Crimea) preserves her spirit, which is interesting to hear about under the arches of the cave.

Mammoth Cave (Crimea)

Another name for the underground kingdom of Emine Bair Khosar is the Mammoth Cave. Finds by paleontologists in the form of a whole mammoth skeleton were made not far from the entrance. They are considered a unique phenomenon requiring scientific research. Until now, scientists from different countries are trying to determine the reasons for the appearance of ancient animals in unusual conditions for their life. Perhaps he fell into a trap set by an ancient man about whom we have yet to learn. An invaluable asset in the form of preserved animal remains, stored in the cave museum, is a testing ground for valuable exhibits for scientific work, using modern knowledge and special equipment. Storing them in cave conditions prevents the rapid destruction of remains in the air. One of them is considered to be taphonomic analysis, which will make it possible to determine the exact time of the death of the mammoth, for example, during the Mousterian era, the Paleolithic. In addition to interesting excursion routes, Mammoth Cave (Crimea) has become a real scientific center for the study of human prehistory.

Soldier's Cave

In Crimea it is considered the deepest, most impassable cave in Crimea. High, steep wells and halls completely flooded with water are accessible only to experienced athletes. During a group visit, you must register with the local rescue service. Before entering the cave, leave a list of all participants. Strictly follow the rules prohibiting lighting fires in cave halls. When starting the descent, it is necessary to bring down weakly reinforced stones and loose rock. Be sure to leave movement marks in the branches necessary for returning.

The cave is located at an altitude of about 980 m near the Egis-Tinas lakes on the Karabi-Yayla mountain range. The cave was named after the soldiers who died in various wars. The path to it starts from the village of Krasnoselovka.

Three-Eyes on Ai-Petri

The cave has three holes through which descent is organized. The cave has been known to the local population for a long time. It was often used for long-term storage of food, prey for hunters and fishermen. Blocks of ice from their caves were supplied to the palaces of Crimea as refrigeration chambers. Sometimes that’s why it’s called Ledyanaya or Vorontsovskaya. Inside the cave there is a huge snowdrift. They throw coins at it as a souvenir, returning here again. The central entrance of the cave looks like an ice palace.

You can see the cave by taking the cable car up to the yayla. Or along the tourist trails Taraktashskaya, Korenzskaya. There are convenient signs everywhere.

MAN on Demerdzhi

The cave, located on the slope of Northern Demerdzhi, was discovered in 1963 by schoolchildren from the Small Academy of Sciences (MAN). The length of the cave is 30 m, the height is from 3.5 to 10 m. There were drawings on the walls that are poorly preserved at present. Experts studying the cave came to the conclusion that its appearance is associated with the bed of an underground river flowing in this place. A huge gorge between the mountains proves this assumption. At the end of the cave there is a vertical 30-meter well. A large number of bones of various animals were found at its bottom. Calcite, deposited in faults and cave cavities, glistens in the diffused light under the rays of the setting sun, creating fantastic pictures.

An altar-like altar-like altar stone formed above the ancient rockfall, creating a special atmosphere in the cave. In ancient times, there was a sanctuary of the Taurians here. MAN does not have organized routes for tourists. You can get here along the path coming from the Angarsk Pass. It is not allowed to visit the cave, located near Alushta, without a guide.

Caves of Crimea (Crimea, Russia) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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Crimea is so rich in interesting caves that many consider it to be the birthplace of domestic speleology in its modern form. The peak of research work in Crimean caves occurred in the 50s. 20th century, and at this time scientists discovered and studied at least a thousand large Crimean caves and a countless number of small ones. And there is no doubt that many more caves in Crimea remain hidden from human eyes and unexplored.

It must be said that those caves of Crimea that are most accessible to visit, alas, today are also the most littered and spoiled by numerous crowds of tourists. And those that are not easy to reach, on the contrary, may be pristine and beautiful, but there is nothing for a person to do in them without special training and speleologist skills. In any case, do not neglect the services of a guide and do not forget to take warm clothes with you when heading to the caves.

Most of the Crimean caves are located in one of four areas: Chatyr-Dag, Ai-Petri, Dolgorukovsky massif and Karabi-Yayla. The most famous caves of the picturesque Chatyr-Dag mountain, one of the symbols of Crimea, are Mramornaya, the entrance to which is located at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level (according to some estimates, this cave is one of the five most beautiful equipped caves on the planet) and Emine-Bair -Khosar, which is part of the general Mramornaya complex and is famous for the legend associated with it. Ai-Petri is famous for the Black Flooded Cave and Ayu-Teshik. The most famous caves of the Dolgorukovsky massif are the Red Cave (Kizil-Koba) and Yeni-Sala. In this massif there are generally leading caves in the sense of underground lakes and siphons. Karabi-Yayla is famous for the Bolshoy Buzuluk ice cave.

Crimean mountain caves often melt inside a lake or river. The largest gallery filled with water is located in the Yeni-Sala-3 cave, its length exceeds 110 m. And the largest of the completely flooded caves is Black, its length is 1300 m. Another option is when the cave is filled not with water, but with snow or ice , and all year long. There are about forty such caves, and the most famous of them is Bolshoi Buzluk, where the oldest ice deposits can persist for half a century, and picturesque ice icicles hang from the roof. The Watering Cave and Three-Eyes on Ai-Petri are also well known.

Other caves are not so interesting purely externally, but surprise with the mysteries and legends associated with them. For example, in the Kapl-Kaya cave, they say that a cradle made of pure gold was once buried.

And in the Thousand-Headed Cave a huge number of human remains from the Middle Ages were found.

Cave Emine-Bair-Khosar.

Many people in Crimea are only interested in record-breaking caves. For example, the largest on the entire peninsula is the Red Cave, 16 km long, where you can also see the maximum number of tiers - six floors. It is also considered the most studied in Crimea, because more than one and a half hundred scientific works have been published about this cave. Or the deepest - the Soldier Mine, more than half a kilometer deep. The highest cave in Crimea is the Crack Cave, whose height above sea level is almost 1500 m. The largest rock hall can be seen in the Marble Cave, its floor area is about five thousand square meters. m. This same cave is also the most visited.

Those who are not looking for easy ways may be interested in the most difficult caves of Crimea - such statistics also exist. The most difficult ones to pass, not surprisingly, are the famous Krasnaya, as well as Soldatskaya. The routes through these caves are assigned category 4B. And the most dangerous cave according to accident statistics is Cascade on Ai-Petri: over 30 years, five tourists were injured here, two of whom died.

Recently, Skelskaya has taken first place among other caves in Crimea.

Many travel agencies specially organize trips here and here’s why: the speleological complex in Skelskaya was created relatively recently, and it is still clean, beautiful and not at all crowded compared to, for example, Mramornaya. Skelskaya cave is located near Sevastopol, and it is easy to get here. At the beginning of the 21st century, the cave was equipped for tourist purposes, and in 2011, the latest electrical equipment was installed here, creating the first precedent of this kind in Crimea. With the help of colored illumination, the bizarre calcite growths of Skelskaya look very beautiful, and you can guess different figures in them: there is definitely a knight and a monk, a monkey and a dolphin, a dragon and a phoenix, and also, what is especially curious, Crimean attractions such as the Foros Church .

Many people who have visited Crimea at least once for the purpose of a resort holiday admire its natural beauty and architecture.

The peninsula can be called a full-fledged open-air museum, but much is hidden underfoot: luxurious caves always fascinate with their mystery, because they were created by nature itself, and this cannot but delight.

Crimean caves are mostly low, which is sometimes not very convenient for travelers, but because of this you cannot refuse to visit them. You can’t help but admire the underground rivers and full-fledged lakes, so you can get more pleasure and vivid emotions than when visiting a geological museum. No other museum has so many luxurious halls and mysterious grottoes that beckon you to go in search of an ancient treasure. The historical mesmerizing setting is complemented by the play of light and shadows, so even skeptical tourists will certainly appreciate it.

The mountain range is considered the richest in various caves, because it is here that the most famous and beloved by tourists are located. By the way, they became accessible to tourists not so long ago, since their existence was first discovered in 1987, but this did not prevent them from taking their rightful place among the five most interesting caves in the world. Marble-like limestones, of course, make the caves incredibly beautiful and mesmerizing; this rare combination of natural resources and beautiful natural landscapes amazes with its grandeur; the special atmosphere allows you to relax for your own pleasure.

For the convenience of tourists, literally two years later the caves were equipped with stairs, paths and lighting, and several unique routes were laid out so that tourists had the opportunity to explore the most luxurious places in the caves. This is what made the Marble Caves the most visited place among tourists and guests of Crimea.

No less popular among guests of Crimea is Emine-Bair-Khosar, which is called the Mammoth Cave. The entrance is designed in the form of a trap for large animals; there is a possibility that mammoths were caught this way in ancient times. Hence the name.

It should be noted, because it is considered one of the largest throughout the Crimea. Its length is more than twenty kilometers; inside there are many routes for tourists, interesting halls and mysterious caves.

Summer holidays in the caves of Crimea are especially pleasant for tourists and guests of the island, since the air temperature here does not rise above 12 degrees Celsius. Here you can not only explore interesting natural attractions, but also take a break from the heat in a comfortable, cool environment.

Crimean caves will be able to diversify your vacation, giving a lot of positive emotions and pleasure from your visit. While in Crimea, do not miss the opportunity to visit at least one natural attraction of the peninsula, created by nature itself.

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A holiday in Crimea would be incomplete without visiting amazing caves. Since the 50s of the 20th century, speleologists have been exploring the Crimean peninsula, rich in underground spaces created in the earth's crust.

The peninsula has many karst cavities of natural origin that appear in limestone rocks. Rainwater slowly but surely destroyed rocks, and mines appeared. Nature has created the underground world over millions of years.

Today in Crimea there are more than 900 caves, wells and mines. Most of them are sports, not excursion, i.e. they can only be visited by people with special training and special equipment. But there are also caves equipped for visiting. Speleologists have developed safe ones and equipped them with paths, stairs, and viewing platforms. All conditions have been created so that tourists can see all the beauty of underground life. Some of the caves are listed in the Crimean Guinness Book of Records.

Marble Cave

Among the Crimean mountains, the Chatyr-Dag massif stands out. This is in the Turkic language, and in Russian it is “tent-mountain”. The mountain is dotted with karst formations, caves, mines and wells, for which it is nicknamed Swiss cheese. not only the most popular, but also world famous. And relatively young, it was explored and discovered in 1987.

Over the course of many centuries, water eroded the marble-like limestone rocks, and as a result a cave was formed. It's always cold here, like in the Snow Kingdom. The temperature, equal to 9 degrees, is constantly kept at the same level. Due to the almost absolute humidity, it is always damp here.

Waiting for tourists at the entrance is the “Owner,” as speleologists politely call a huge stalagmite. Small stalactites grow above it. Over the course of a year, they increase by several microns. Someday they will unite and become a stalagnate, but this will not happen very soon.

The sinter formations in the cave are centuries-old “works” of calcium carbonate, creating fancy stone sculptures on the walls. The names of the cave halls are telling. Collapse was so named because the ceilings separating the halls once collapsed. In the Palace Hall sits the king and queen, as well as their retinue. The Clay Hall is notable for the fact that its floor is covered with clay. You can get from Simferopol to the village. Mramornoe towards Alushta. The cost of visiting is 450 rubles for an adult ticket and 225 rubles. children's

Kizil-Koba or Red Cave

Kizil Koba or Red Cave is the largest cave system on the Crimean peninsula. More than 2.5 million years ago, it was formed by the Kizilkobinka River, which passes through the cave and turns into the Su-Uchkhan waterfall. The cave is named Red because the rocks contain iron oxide. That is why reddish tones predominate in the area.

– these are 6 tiers, galleries with a depth of 135 m and a volume of 230 m. The length of the cave is 26 km, and this is not the limit, because the river tirelessly washes away new holes, resulting in the appearance of galleries, shafts, narrow corridors and spacious halls. Nine water siphons block the way, and only experienced speleologists can get here.

In 1989, the first excursion was held in the Red Cave, and since then everyone can visit it and cover the half-kilometer route. The Indian, Chinese, Argentine and Academic halls amaze with their grandeur.

A.S. once visited the cave. Griboyedov, and in honor of this the main route was called the Griboyedov Gallery. The path is dotted with cascades, lakes and waterfalls, which are formed by an underground river. Stalactites, stalagmites, columns and draperies decorate the underground galleries, creating a unique ambiance. There is a special route for extreme tourists. They are asked to put on equipment and cover a path of 2 to 5 km through water-filled galleries. Those who dare to make such a journey will discover many halls and passages that are inaccessible to ordinary tourists. You can get there by trolleybus from Simferopol to Perevalnoye. The cost of visiting the cave is 300 rubles for an adult ticket and 150 rubles. children's

Cave "Emine-Bair-Khosar"

On the slope of Mount Chatyr-Dag there is a beautiful cave Emine-Bair-Khosar. If you translate the name, you get “a well on a slope near an oak tree.”

The cave is more than 10 million years old, but tourists for a long time had no opportunity to get there because the entrance was not equipped. Then only specially trained people could go down the vertical well. In 1994, speleologists made a convenient horizontal route in the form of a tunnel, and since then the cave has been opened to the public. The tunnel leads to dozens of galleries and halls. An underground kingdom with luxurious decoration opens up to your eyes. Streamline columns of amazing shape, beautiful crystals and carolite flowers, niche-baths, wells and even a waterfall made of stone.

The Main Hall has a stunning underground lake. The Hall of Idols is “populated” with fairy-tale characters formed by stalagmites. The walls are decorated with drips of different shades. In the Treasury room you can find “jewels” if you look carefully. The Kecskemet Hall is notable for the fact that it is equipped with an acoustic system, and the music sounds very melodic and mysterious. In the hall of Victor Dublyansky (karst scientist) there is a two-story dehydrated calcite lake. The walls and roof of the Pink Grotto have a pleasant pink color due to the iron salts contained in the water. These and many more halls are available for visiting. The cost of visiting the cave is 450 adult ticket and 225 rubles. children's

Thousand-Headed Cave (Chatyr-Dag)

Binbash-Koba - Thousand-Headed Cave, translated from the Turkic language. Its location is Nizhny Chatyr-Dag yayla. The length of the cave is slightly more than a hundred meters. The first people who visited the cave, and this was in the middle of the 19th century, found many human bones and skulls in it. These finds turned into souvenirs that were eagerly bought by tourists. Why were there so many remains in the cave?

According to, the nomads attacked the local residents, and they took refuge from the Varangians in a long-discovered cave. They took food and essentials with them, but there was no water. At night, a girl from the tribe went with jugs to fetch water. The water, splashing, irrigated the path, and soon flowers grew on it. The nomads instantly realized where the fugitives were hiding and wanted to take them prisoner. But the locals did not give up. Then the nomads lit a large fire at the entrance, and the people inside died because they could not get out.

There is another explanation for the name, and it is easier to believe. The horizontal portal entrance of the cave leads to a wide platform, then it narrows and turns into a huge hall, where there are stalactites and stalagmites in abundance. A peaceful place to bury the dead. It is possible that people from local tribes were buried here in the past. Skulls of mature, adult people were found in the cave.

Iograph Cave (Ai-Petrinskaya yayla)

The Crimean mountains stretch for 160 km, occupying the southern and southeastern part of the peninsula. Among them is the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla, and on its slope is the Iograph Cave. At one time it did not exist, but there was a natural shaft into which groundwater flowed. The rock, unable to withstand the load, cracked. The water rushed out in a powerful stream and formed a small entrance on the mountain slope. This is how the Iograph Cave appeared. It consists of a large hall and several winding passages. The entrance to the cave is masked by limestone cliffs.

In the 8th-9th centuries, Crimean Christians, persecuted by the Turks, hid in the cave. Believers created small churches in the mountains. One was in Iograph. Many centuries later, researchers found in the cave fragments of an ancient icon with the Face of Jesus Christ, glass and copper jewelry, lamps, and a cross. When the temple lost its need, the altar was dismantled and the cave was abandoned, but later they remembered it again. In 1947, the cave was included in the list of Crimean natural monuments. After another 50 years, the temple was reopened in the cave. In 2000, a Poklonny Cross was installed next to the cave.

Three-Eyes Cave (Ai-Petri)

It soars up, and you find yourself at its top station, Ai-Petri. Then 700 meters on foot, and here it is - the “” cave. And it immediately becomes clear why it has such a name. The entrance is divided into 3 parts, resembling eye sockets. Whichever entrance you enter, you will find yourself in a fairy tale.

Inside is a real ice kingdom. A snow cone in the middle of the cave as a symbol of eternal cold. Tourists are surprised when they see him. The snow doesn't melt in the summer either. Even if it is swelteringly hot outside, it does not penetrate here. The contrast between the temperatures in the cave and outside is impressive. Tourists leave coins in a snowy cone-shaped snowdrift; this has already become a local tradition. For luck.

In ancient times, Crimean hunters kept their prey in a cave, lowering it down on ropes. Since the cave was constantly cold, the spoils did not spoil for a long time. Count Vorontsov was transported ice to the estate, and he used it to cool wines and food. Ice was also delivered to noble people. was not comparable to the ordinary one, so it was highly valued among rich people.

The sad thing is that the miracles created by nature are mercilessly destroyed by man. The Three-Eyes Cave suffered the same fate. Please treat nature more carefully!

Topsyus-khosar (Bottomless well)

The cave looks like a deep well, which is why it is called “Bottomless Well”. It is also called a mine, which is more like the truth. Ordinary tourists are not allowed here. But people with special equipment are welcome. And then only if there is an experienced speleologist or a trained athlete nearby. A 17 meter long staircase leads to the mouth of the mine. It is gradually expanding. You need to go down to the very bottom of the mine. In winter there is sometimes snow here, and in spring glaciers form. Even in summer it is cold here. The snow sometimes does not fall in an even layer, but forms a snow cone up to 10 meters high.

At the bottom of the mine, the journey is just beginning. Three tunnels go from here. The southern one rapidly goes up 30 meters. In the northern passage there are several halls, which are separated by arches. The passage to the southwest is an ancient channel where an underground stream once ran. Over time, it dried up, and rubble and clay took its place. Speleologists considered this area the most convenient for forming a passage. From here you can go to the well, as well as to small halls.

Altyn-Teshik (Golden Hole)

White Rock is notable for the fact that on its western slope there is the Altyn-Teshik grotto cave. And if you translate this name, you get “Golden Hole”. Archaeologists claim that our ancestors were here. This is indicated by the found skeleton of a Neanderthal woman and child who lived in the Golden Hole 150 thousand years ago. Sarmatian tribes also lived here, leaving behind tamgas - family signs. Ancient people took refuge in the cave from bad weather and used it as a pen for animals, which was discovered during excavations in the 1960s.

Legend has it that a snake lived in the cave in ancient times. And inside the Golden Hole there was a long tunnel through which one could get to Feodosia.

Archaeologists discovered mammoth bones and ancient tools in the cave. That the Golden Hole was inhabited is beyond doubt. The cave is located at an altitude of over half a meter, and getting to it is not easy. There is a narrow crumbling path leading to it, which is difficult to maneuver. So in the old days the cave could also serve as a protective structure.

The Skelskaya cave can be found in the southwestern part of Crimea, namely in Sevastopol, nearby is the village of Rodnikovoe. Groundwater undermined the limestone rocks for a long time, and the upper part of the vault, unable to withstand the load, collapsed. A spacious hall was formed, and calcite sinter formations eventually divided it into several rooms.

Skelskaya cave is divided into several areas. The first of them is the “Fireplace Hall”. The influx formed the shape of a fireplace, so there was no need to think long about the name. If you climb the stairs to the second platform, you will see the luxurious Knights' Hall. It is named after the huge 7-meter stalagmite “Knight with a Spear”. Sagging and sagging form interesting patterns, like frost on the windows. Here you can see a waterfall, a dragon skull with eyes and fangs, and a phoenix bird. Nature works wonders.

Stalactites and stalagmites united to form columns decorating the hall. There are also drip curtains and ribs, niches-baths. It takes many centuries to create such beauty. Just think about it: in a hundred years, only 1 cm of sagging is formed! There is even a castle in the cave. Not real ones, of course, but formed by swells, but how cool they look! In the Dolphin Hall there is a stone silhouette of a dolphin that jumps out of the water.

Only 670 meters of the cave have been explored; it is difficult to penetrate beyond them due to the large amount of water. Speleologists believe that in the future they will be able to advance further. The age of the Skelskaya Cave is difficult to determine, but we can safely say that it is several million years old.

According to the official version, the Snake Cave is called so because it has many winding passages that look like snake holes. Legend says that in ancient times the cave was the haven of a dragon. Local tribes threw their defeated enemies to him to be devoured. The historians of Ancient Greece indeed mention wild tribes of the Taurians, but they made sacrifices as gifts to the goddess Virgo. The cave, 350 meters long, is located in the valley of the Salgir and Alma rivers.

In the lower floor of the cave you cannot find stalactites and stalagmites, but the walls are covered with numerous inclusions of calcite. When hit by rays of light, they explode in a riot of colors. It’s like being in a kaleidoscope, only in reality. Indescribable beauty! Connecting passages form halls through which you can stroll.

Archaeologists, exploring the cave, discovered in its depths piles of skulls and bones of animals that ancient tribes sacrificed to the gods. Fragments of ceramic items were found, which also indicates human presence. It still remains a mystery whether dragons and snakes lived here or not. Scientists give a negative answer, but who knows, who knows...