Caves of Crimea: a mysterious underground world. Caves of Crimea The largest caves of Crimea

The beautiful Crimean land is famous for its numerous caves, of which there are about one and a half thousand. And this is not surprising, because most of the peninsula is occupied by mountains: Chatyrdag, Ai-Petri, Dolgorukovskaya yayla and Karabi yayla. A great many secrets are hidden in the mountains of Crimea; interesting legends are written about them; ufologists and psychics come here every year in search of the unknown. Local caves and grottoes, with many floors and halls, attract thousands of tourists vacationing on the island with their completely unearthly fabulous underground world: beautiful stalactites, stalagmites, underground rivers, waterfalls and lakes. We invite you to take a trip with us to the most interesting caves of Crimea. To begin with, it is worth saying that a large number of caves have already been studied by professional speleologists, and therefore they are open to tourists, many are even equipped with stairs and lighting. And yet, on the peninsula there are still a lot of hidden underground grottoes, the most popular among fans of caving tourism. For the most part, Crimean caves are not very long and occupy no more than half a kilometer in length; of course, there are exceptions to the rule. The most interesting and frequently visited caves in Crimea are: Marble and Emine-Bair-Koba, also known as Mamontova, on Mount Chatyr-Dag; Red or Kizil-Koba; Kiik-Koba in the grotto near Zuy; Skelskaya; Thousand-headed on Bin-Bash-Koba; Three-Eyes and Geofizicheskaya on Ai-Petri; MAN; Emine-Bair-Khosar; Bottomless Well; Soldier's and so on. Today we will get acquainted with some of the listed Crimean caves in more detail.

Marble cave on Mount Chatyr-Dag- The Marble Cave is located on the lower plateau of the Chatyr-Dag mountain, in the area of ​​the village of Marble, which belongs to the territory of the Simferopol region of Crimea. This cave is a branched labyrinth of horizontal dungeons that were pierced millions of years ago by the waters of the ancient Tethys Ocean. A lot of time has passed, and now the local underground rivers have become shallow, and the Crimean climate has become dry, so the water drops inside the Marble Cave flow very slowly, in no hurry at all. This two-kilometer cave, sixty meters deep, is recognized as one of the most beautiful on the territory of the Crimean Peninsula and is open to tourists. She is approximately eight million years old. As the guides say, the discoverer of this underground miracle was an ordinary shepherd who lost one of the sheep of his flock. This happened in 1987, and Mramornaya has been equipped and open to the public since 1988.

There are well-developed excursion routes there, but you cannot visit it on your own, because despite the fact that professional scientists are trying to preserve the microclimate of the cave, harmful green algae have begun to appear on the walls of the natural formation, which destroy stalactites and stalagmites. Therefore, the cave is tightly closed with a heavy door in order to somehow preserve and thus conserve this unearthly beauty. Once inside, you realize that you are in a completely surreal world, and everything around amazes you with its incredible charm.

The tour of the Marble Cave starts from the “Fairytale Gallery”, where you can admire the absolutely amazing figures of mythical creatures, the images of which are suggested to you by your imagination. These miracle inhabitants of the cave were formed by growths in the form of stalactites, stalagmites, and stalagnates. For ease of perception, some particularly impressive natural formations received names: Master of the Cave, Minaret. Next, tourists are escorted along the long Tiger Passage, it was named so in a hurry, after the discovery of the remains of some large predatory animal, initially mistaken for a saber-toothed tiger, the name was immediately fixed, but after an examination in 2002 it was established that it was a cave lion, who fell into the whirlpool of a stormy underground river and could not get out, and they no longer began to rename the corridor. Next, tourists freeze in admiration as they enter the largest hall of the dungeon - the Perestroika Hall, which was formed during an earthquake that collapsed the ceiling separating the second and third floors. The hall, two hundred and fifty meters long and twenty-eight meters high, is considered the largest both in the Crimea and throughout Europe. Throughout your entire journey, the surrounding beauty amazes with its sophistication; among this luxurious chaos generated by sinter formations, you can count hundreds of beautiful stalagnates that appear when stalactites and stalagmites fuse together. Guides are sure to show tourists the most famous stalagnate of the Marble Cave - “The Kiss”, these are practically fused growths, between which there are only ten millimeters left before complete fusion. This stalagnate has a sign that if two lovers kiss next to it, they will soon be married. The Nadezhda Hall is also very interesting, where the growths hanging from the ceiling formed graceful carved arches, and the lower altars shimmered with gold. The Pink Hall is also wonderful, it is named so due to the color of the growths decorating it - soft pink. A place that definitely needs to be photographed is the two-level Balcony Hall, moreover, its upper and lower parts are connected by a staircase, the height of which is twelve meters. The next Chandelier Hall attracts visitors with calm, soft lighting, making the surface of the walls seem to be covered with velvet; passing into the depths of the hall through massive stone growths, you suddenly encounter a completely sudden stream of bright light, which is absolutely surprising in this kingdom of darkness and twilight. In the Mramornaya Cave there are also halls that are not yet equipped; they are also magnificent with their pristine charm: Helictite, Obvalny, Ruslovy, Chocolate. It is worth saying that scientists are intensively equipping and exploring new halls and passages, so completely new routes will gradually appear, where completely unfamiliar wonderful underground formations and figures are still hidden.

When going on an excursion to the Marble Cave, keep in mind that it is cold there, the temperature does not rise above nine plus degrees, so wear something warm on your feet and take care of jackets. But, if you don’t have outerwear with you, this won’t be a big problem, because at the checkout there is also a rental of jackets for tourists.

The Marble Cave is open year-round from nine in the morning to seven in the evening. Ticket prices vary depending on the route you choose and the duration of the excursion. The approximate price for an hour and a half excursion is seven hundred rubles.

Getting to the Marble Cave on your own is a little difficult, but it is possible: take trolleybuses 1, 51 or 52 to the village of Zarechnoye, it is located seventeen kilometers from the city of Simferopol, then buy a ticket and take a bus to the village of Marble, then you will have to walk along the quarry eight kilometers, with high-voltage wires serving as your guide. It is best to purchase an excursion from specialized travel agencies, of which there are many in neighboring Crimean resorts.

Cave Emine-Bair-Khosar or Mammoth Cave on Mount Chatyr-Dag - This stunning Crimean cave is located eighteen kilometers from the city of Simferopol. It is worth noting that each cave in Crimea is individual and attractive in its own way, Emine-Bair-Khosar also has a feature - the unique composition and colors of the sinter formations, and also, it has as many as five levels, as if it were a multi-story building built by mother herself - nature. The lower halls lie at a depth of one hundred and eighty meters, and the uppermost ones at a depth of thirty meters. The length of the cave is about one and a half kilometers. The cave was found in 1908, but an equipped expedition visited it only two decades later, having studied only one hundred and fifty meters of dungeons. Then, in 1970, a more active study of the cave began, when corridors, halls, huge galleries, several levels were discovered, as well as a collapsed well - “Khosar's Window”, its depth reaches sixteen meters, with a diameter of eight meters. This hole is called a window because you can get out through it. The bones of ancient animals were found in this pit, including an almost complete skeleton of a mammoth, which was missing only the skull and shoulder bones. Scientists assumed that this animal accidentally fell into the well and was unable to get out on its own until it was discovered by ancient people who finished off the mammoth, cut off its head and took away the meat that they could separate. This version fully explains the absence of part of the animal's skeleton. The found remains gave rise to a second name for the cave – “Mammoth”. Gradually, the water washed the mammoth bones into an internal well, where they were sealed with layers of mud and silt until speleologists found them. The natural underground complex has been open to tourists since 1994.

All twelve luxurious halls of the cave amaze you with their luxurious beauty, however, tourists are not allowed into all the halls, some of them are completely reserved. At the moment, visitors can walk a kilometer through halls and corridors equipped with lighting and stairs, and even here they can choose from three options for the proposed excursions: - a half-hour through the Northern Gallery; - one hour and twenty minutes in the Northern Gallery, the Hall of Idols and Kecskemet; - the entire kilometer route takes an hour and a half.

During the excursion you have to go down to the very bottom of the cave, because the journey begins from the lower Northern gallery. You will see the beautiful Main Hall, as well as the delightful Lake Hall, where there is a natural reservoir, the depth of the emerald water reaches six meters. The hall of idols, as if assembled from three parts, the height of one of them is fifty meters - it’s like a modern sixteen-story building, we are talking about the most beautiful part of “Kecskemet”, it attracts with the amazing growth “White Speleologist”, in the shape of a volcano formed by stalagmites over many millennia. And also a white wall, with calcite growths, very similar to a giant organ. Being here, you involuntarily imagine yourself on another planet: without sun, grass, trees, but with a completely unique, and, moreover, self-sufficient world. The Dublyansky Hall is an amazing place where previously the water of an underground lake splashed on two levels; now it has dried up, but the natural pit remains. The hall with the stalagmite “Monomakh’s Cap” is no less attractive due to its mystery.

When visiting the Mamontova Cave, you need to know that the air there is never warmer than five degrees, so you need to dress warmly, although there are jacket rentals here. The Emine-Bair-Khosar caves are open all year round from nine in the morning to seven in the evening.

Getting to the Mamontova Cave is difficult: first, take route bus 142 from the Simferopol railway station to the Mramornoe station, then walk about nine kilometers to the cave itself. The easiest way is to take an organized excursion to the cave with a transfer.

Cave Emine-Bair-Koba on Mount Chatyr-Dag- This cave is a cavity with three different entrances, which is located on Mount Chatyr-Dag, more precisely on its lower plateau, two and a half kilometers from the village of Mramornye. The cave is about ten million years old, and it was formed as a result of erosion of limestone rock subsoil by water during mountain-building processes. Over time, a large cave with numerous halls and corridors formed here. The peculiarity of this Crimean cave is that throughout the year the temperature here remains at zero degrees Celsius, so the ice in Emine-Bair-Koba never melts. Even the ancient people realized that if you store meat inside this cave, it will not spoil, despite the heat outside. Speleologists learned about this when they stumbled upon the remains of such supplies. In the nineteenth century, Count Vorotsov, who built a beautiful ice cave in Crimea, started mining ice in this cave to cool his wines and other products in the pantries. The fact that there is a cave nearby, inside which the ice never melts, was told to him by local shepherds, who had noticed it long ago while grazing their flocks. But scientists began to study this cave only in 1927, having explored only about a kilometer of dungeons to this day.

Tourists can see only two hundred and forty meters of the cave, and then, for unprepared visitors, it is possible to get acquainted with only seven tens of meters of passages and halls, where there is lighting and stairs with railings, and the next one hundred and fifty meters of the dungeon is the place where training for speleologists is held, it is unrealistic for a person to get there without experience and equipment.

The entrance to the cave is double, it consists of two funnel-shaped cavities, but nearby there is another arched cavity. Next, tourists descend the stairs to a depth of thirty-eight meters into the gallery leading to the main hall. Under your feet there will be ice mixed with pebbles and crushed stone. There is a very nice underground lake below, its depth does not exceed three meters. A little higher there is a small trough-shaped depression, also filled with water.

The excursion to the cave is carried out strictly with a speleologist guide, because exploring this little-known cave on your own is dangerous. Despite the fact that ordinary visitors have the opportunity to see only seventy meters of the cave, it is worth it, it is very beautiful. The walls are decorated with natural flows of calcite, hardened into fantasy patterns. Excellent photographs are taken here.

To get to the cave, the easiest way to get to the cave is to use the trolleybus route connecting the Crimean capital with Alushta, then transfer to a bus going to the village of Mramorny, and then walk. You can travel from Simferopol by bus to the village of Krasnolesye, but then you also need to walk. It’s easier to buy a tour with transfer; there will already be a paid guide there.

Three-Eyes Cave on Mount Ai-Petri- This is a karst cave, which is three and a half million years old, located on the Ai-Petrinskaya Yayla. The cave is named Three-Eyes for its three shaft-shaped entrances, similar to the eye sockets of a skull. A huge plus of such entrances is the presence of natural light in the dungeon, but there is also a minus - in winter snow gets through them and at temperatures around zero it almost never melts completely, and with the onset of winter the floor of the cave turns into a real ice skating rink. This thirty-meter cave is closed to tourists during the cold months of the year; even in summer, some of its passages are closed, because there are so many caves there and you can break something if you accidentally slip. After passing through the entrance and passing the tunnel, tourists find themselves in the main hall with a cone-shaped ice stalagmite in the middle.

The uniqueness of the cave is that in its depths there are both ice and stone sinter formations. Local residents have long known about the peculiarities that the cave is icy from the inside; they even say that when Empress Catherine the Second traveled through the Crimea, it was in the Yalta Three-Eyes Cave that ice was mined to cool her drinks.

The cave was opened to tourists only in 1989. It is small - about six hundred square meters in area. This dungeon has its own belief: if a tourist throws a copper coin into the melting cone in the central part of the Three-Eyes Cave, he will pay off all the troubles and gain good luck.

Entry price: for adults - one hundred fifty-five rubles, for children - eighty rubles.

You can get to the cave yourself by using the cable car running from the village of Miskhor to Ai-Petri or by hiring a taxi at the resort of Yalta and its surroundings. Of course, you can purchase a complete excursion at any travel agency. By the way, nearby on Ai-Petri there are the Geofizicheskaya and Yalta caves.

Skelskaya cave near Mount Ai-Petri- Skelskaya Cave is considered one of the most beautiful in Crimea, but it is unsafe for tourists to visit on their own, so you can only get there with a guide. It appeared millions of years ago, and over many centuries nature itself decorated its underground with bizarre stalactites and stalagmites. The Skelskaya cave was discovered only in 1904, but the residents of the village of Skelsk knew about it for a long time, and only at the beginning of the twentieth century an inquisitive and inquisitive school geography teacher made a descent into this underground cavity, finding the entrance to the cave in a crack in the rock. Afterwards, archaeological scientists and speleologists came here to examine the internal contents of the dungeon. To date, the Skelskaya cave has not been fully studied, but the space that scientists have already examined has provided enormous food for thought. The bones of animals that became extinct centuries ago were found - saber-toothed tiger, forest cat, saiga, and so on, and new levels and hitherto unknown cave cavities were discovered, which have yet to be explored and landscaped for tourists to visit.

Only since 2003 has part of the Skelskaya Cave been fully prepared for visitors: lights have been installed, stairs and railings have been installed. The cave stretches for a distance of about seven hundred meters, it has several levels: at the top the temperature is thirteen degrees, at the bottom - eight degrees.

Those tourists who have visited this cave at least once, even though only five halls are now open to the public, say that they visited a real underground natural palace, the interior of which resembles a fairy-tale castle from a book cover. There are halls with telling names: Knight's, Organ, Fireplace, Dolphin, Ghost Hall - they are named so not by chance, but in honor of unusual stone formations created by time, water and chemical salts. The fireplace room attracts with massive columns that are similar to a real fireplace, only it is huge in size, and after placing lighting there, the similarity only intensified. The Knights' Hall will surprise visitors with a stalagmite in the form of a figure of a knight in chain mail, armed with a spear, as well as a stalagmite similar to the figure of a monk, whose head is covered with a hood. The Hall of Ghosts is famous for its absolutely fantastic, blurry forms of stone formations, which is why it was given such an ephemeral name. The “residents” of the underground castle - Skelskaya Cave are mythical characters and animals: dragon and phoenix, dolphin, monkey, gopher.

It is worth mentioning once again the danger of an independent tour of the cave, since there are many sharp cliffs communicating with the lower levels. The underground water system is also dangerous, especially in the spring, when the snow melts in the mountains, and in the fall, during heavy rains, because water fills the cave cavities, it overflows and water rushes out of its outlet in a rapid stream, dumping into the river. In the summer, it’s not so dangerous in terms of water, but you shouldn’t forget about warm clothes, it’s always cold here and never gets warmer than eight degrees.

You can visit the equipped and open Skelskaya Cave in summer from nine in the morning to eight in the evening, in winter from ten in the morning to six in the evening. The ticket price for an adult is five hundred rubles, for children from five to twelve years old - two hundred and fifty rubles, for children under five years old - free.

You can get to the Skelskaya Cave on your own by car, because the road to it is excellent. From the city of Sevastopol you need to take the highway “H19” to the village of Goncharnoye, then turn left, reaching the village of Orlinoe, turn east and drive through the small villages of Pavlovka and Podgornoye, get to the village of Rodnikovskoye.

You can get to the cave from Yalta by buses: 37, 41, 182, 37a, 41a to the “Fifth Kilometer” bus station on the Balaklava highway in the city of Sevastopol, and then take buses going to the village of Rodnikovskoye, from where you need to walk a kilometer following the signs, leading to the cave.

Kizil-Koba Caves or Red Caves on Dolgorukovskaya Yayla - Kizil-Koba Cave, formed two and a half million years ago, is a whole complex of underground voids-cavities connected to each other, which have another name for the fiery red color of the mineral that forms the walls of the dungeons - “Red Caves”. The caves are hidden in the western part of Dolgorukovskaya Yaila, in the Simferopol region, three kilometers from the village of Perevalnoye.

The six-level Kizil-Koba caves occupy twenty-seven kilometers in length and an area of ​​sixty-five thousand kilometers, therefore they are recognized as the largest in Europe. The lower level goes to a depth of one hundred and forty-five meters, above it rise numerous corridors, passages, halls, galleries; for people who have never been there, this is a complex labyrinth where you can easily get lost and even die.

The red caves are karst, as they were formed by the underground river Kizil-Kobinka, the waters of which burst to the surface and appear before us in the form of the beautiful Su-Uchkan waterfall. The process of washing out new karst voids is not completed; the river continues its centuries-old work, regularly increasing the area of ​​the caves. The underground kingdom of the Red Caves impresses with its beauty; the reddish stone on the walls in the rays of artificial light seems golden, which enhances the already strong impression of visitors from the underground beauties they see: stalactites, stalagmites of various shapes and sizes, with bizarre tints and shades. There are many charming grottoes, interesting halls - Chinese, Indian, Argentinean, as well as underground lakes and waterfalls, Viking stone natural figures, the Master of the cave, giant columns.

People began to settle in the depths of the Red Caves in ancient times, but to which people did the remains discovered by archaeologists dated back to the seventh century BC belong, and what kind of culture these people represented, scientists cannot say for sure to this day, so they called it “dogwood” -Kobinskaya". An extremely large number of finds were made here, including weapons, jewelry, household and household items - it was stated about these artifacts that the people who created them had a fairly high level of development. Some scientists make assumptions that the people could relate to the Cimmerians, who were forced to hide in the Red Caves from the steppe inhabitants who were pursuing them - the warlike Scythians.

I would like to talk about the mystical component of this place, because the Crimean caves of Kizil-Koba and the valley around them are, according to psychics, a place of power. There is a geomagnetic fault and an underground river flowing here, which attracts otherworldly forces here, which can be seen at night in the form of luminous energy balls moving in the air. It is said that four times a year, during the change of seasons, a glowing ghost of a girl with wings appears near the cave, which the locals call the “Firebird”; they say that seeing her is considered a good omen.

The excursion to the Red Caves starts from the main entrance, where there is a stone tower. The road goes along the underground river Kizil-Kobinka, through the gigantic Near Halls - Kharanlykh-Kaya, Ilye-Koba, through majestic lakes, waterfalls, and water cascades. At the same time, do not forget that the river is underground, and you are walking through an ancient cave, the walls of which are covered with graceful patterned growths of quartzite; along the way you will meet fantasy growths on the floor and ceiling, created by nature itself. The largest eight-meter stalactite in Europe, eight thousand years old, grows in the Red Caves.

A tourist group gathers at least five people; if desired, you can also book an individual excursion, which will be much more expensive. Don’t forget to dress warmly, because the cave doesn’t get warmer than nine degrees. There are also extreme tours to this cave for trained and experienced amateur speleologists, when the five-kilometer route goes through galleries and halls that are completely unsuitable for travelers, here you will have to overcome steep, narrow paths, bottleneck-shaped passages, and also dive into the icy river water in wetsuits with special equipment.

You can get to the Kizil-Koba caves yourself from Simferopol by buses, trolleybuses, minibuses moving in the direction of the cities of Alushta or Yalta, you need to get off in the village of Perevalnoye, and the stop will be called “Red Caves”.

Scientists rank the Crimean Mountains among the oldest mountain systems in the world. Changes in the earth's crust, natural disasters and water contributed to the formation of karst cavities in them, which are now known to tourists around the world as the caves of Crimea. Many of them are worthy of being included in the list. Let's consider those that are worth the attention of both ordinary vacationers and speleologists.

Stalactite caves

Stalactites are drip-drop formations hanging from the ceilings of caves in the form of fringes, icicles, tubes, etc. Similar formations that grow from the floor are called stalagmites. These creations of nature have been growing for thousands of years and can turn an ordinary cave into an underground labyrinth of unique beauty.

Marble Cave (Chatyr-Dag mountain range, near the village of Mramornoe). This place is included in the list of the most beautiful caves in the world. It is a complex system of halls and galleries. One of the halls is even capable of housing a 9-story building. Fairy-tale figures are imprinted in stalagmites and stalactites. All this is complemented by music, beautiful lighting and fancy drawings.

Skelskie caves (Baydarskaya valley, between the villages of Rodnikovoe and the village of Kolkhoznoye). This fantastic kingdom of stalactites and stalagmites is equipped with stairs, observation platforms and special lighting. All this creates stunning optical illusions. The calcite sinter formations of these caves resemble animals and people imprinted in stone. Also here you can see the “kiss”, which is a meeting of a stalactite and a stalagmite. The 7-meter stalagmite, reminiscent of the figure of a knight, is especially popular among tourists.

Red Caves or Kizyl-Koba (Perevalnoe village, Simferopol district). The named natural monument is a complex labyrinth of several caves with a total length of 25 km. There are also lakes and waterfalls here. The described place became world famous thanks to a stalactite 8 meters long and 8000 years old.

Mammoth Cave. The underground galleries of this cave stretch for 1460 m and descend to a depth of 120 m. This natural monument is also known as the Emine-Bair-Khosar cave. Light enters the cave through a hole 17 m deep. At different times, many animals fell through here. Now you can see the bones of reindeer and baby mammoth here. The walls are decorated with multi-colored calcite crystals.

Other karst caves of Crimea

Crimea is a real paradise for caving tourism, because there are hundreds of karst caves here. There are not many miraculous wonders in the world that can compare with the caves of Crimea. Excursions through the underground world will not leave you indifferent. But in addition to stalactites, it is worth seeing the natural monuments described below.

Snake Cave (10 km south of Simferopol). The length of this underground kingdom is 320 m. People knew about it back in the 7th-6th centuries. BC. Fascinated by the beauty and mystery of this place, the ancient inhabitants of Crimea made a sanctuary here. In addition, in this Crimean cave, you can find out from a local guide how to get to it, there is a unique population of bats.

Cave MAN (northern slope of Demerdzhi). The length of this cave is only 30 m. However, in ancient times it was a sanctuary of the Tauri. These are not the Emine Bair Khosar caves, but here you can see ancient rock paintings and many animal bones. This means taking good photos. The caves of Crimea will remain in your memories for a long time.

Underwater caves of Crimea. Many such places can be found in the Sudak region. Among them, it is worth highlighting the “Legend” cave, known for its interesting sinter formations. This is a great gift for experienced divers. But even they should be careful, because the underwater caves of Crimea, a map with their location can be asked for in special diving centers, have so far been little explored.

Unique properties of natural salt caves

Interestingly, the salt caves of Crimea have healing properties. The air of natural underground areas, saturated with mineral salts, soothes, relaxes, and also treats pulmonary and allergic diseases. This is one of the most ancient aero-therapeutic treatment methods. Therefore, there are many artificial salt caves on the Crimean peninsula.

The Crimean mountains hide many secrets and mysteries, among which are numerous caves and grottoes. They are unique natural museums that have been created over millions of years. The unknown world of the dungeon is in no hurry to reveal its riches. But thanks to the work of professional speleologists, some of the amazing treasures can still be admired by taking an excursion to the underground kingdom. So, let's look at the most beautiful caves of Crimea, open to the public today.

8. Yalta - a beautiful cave near Yalta

• Coordinates: 44°27′22″N (44.456111), 34°3′23″E (34.056389).

Three karst cavities are located on the famous. Discovered in 1997 completely by accident, a decade later, thanks to the enthusiasm of three speleologists who laid out the excursion route and lighting, the Yalta Cave opened to tourists. Leading down to the only yet equipped hall (the length of the entire complex is 180 m), stone steps are limited by railings for safety. Here you can admire stalactites, stalagmites and sinter rock formations that resemble fancy stone flowers. For the convenience of visitors, benches, information boards, road signs and trash cans are installed.

7. Three-Eyes Cave - ice palace on top of Ai-Petri

• Coordinates: 44°27′24″N (44.456646), 34°3′18″E (34.054911).

- This is a large cavity with the remains of an ancient glacier. Through three gaps (hence the name), an entrance built in 1989 leads down. The snow falling to its bottom gradually compacts and turns into ice, which at one time was mined here for needs, as evidenced by its two other names - Ledyanaya and Vorontsovskaya. A six-meter snowdrift formed on this ice field hides coins thrown there by tourists “for good luck.” In general, in the list of “the most beautiful caves of Crimea” it is a worthy 7th place.

6. Geophysical – open cave with the largest stalactite

• Coordinates: 44°27′21″N (44.455943), 34°3′12″E (34.053232).

In the area, in the 70s. last century, a gallery of several halls, decorated with magnificent sinter formations, was discovered. Consisting of several wells with a depth of 28 to 60 m and one 100-meter horizontal shaft, it has become accessible to the public since 2009. Along the spiral staircase, which is equipped with a vertical shaft, you can go down to the Pearl Hall and see columns of stalagmites or a six-meter one - considered the most long in Crimea - stalactite.

5. Skelskaya – a cave that is best visited with a map

• Coordinates: 44°27′39″N (44.460825), 33°52′8″E (33.868972).

Located in the Sevastopol region, far from crowded tourist routes, this landmark in the southwestern part of the peninsula stands apart. It is located between two villages - Rodnikovskoye and Razdolnoye. And although it was discovered back in 1904, it was only in 2003 that its amazing world was revealed. It is divided by sinter formations into several areas, which received such original names as “Fireplace Hall”, “Knight’s”, “Dolphin”, “Ghost Hall”. Thanks to successful illumination, the calcite formations turned into stone figurines of animals and people: a gopher, a monkey, a dolphin, a monk and a knight with a spear - the main attraction here, formed by a huge stalagmite, about 7 m high. There is a church of its own, reminiscent of, and a castle, where without labor you can recognize the famous. The mysterious Phoenix bird and the fabulous Dragon look at the enthusiastic visitors.

4. Kizil-Koba (Red) – the largest cave in Crimea

• Coordinates: 44°52′12″N (44.870058), 34°20′36″E (34.343426).

On the map, the caves of Crimea that are open to the public are marked just below. And we continue our rating. Before going up the mountains of the Simferopol - Alushta road, 3 km from, on the western slope, there is the largest Crimean cave -. The six-story labyrinth, stretching for a total of 17 km of the explored part alone, includes many lakes, cavities filled with water (siphons), magnificent waterfalls, and a river flowing below. In each room there are stalagmite formations and growths, reminiscent of either a stern, bearded old man nicknamed “The Master”, or the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

3. Emine-Bair-Koba - the most unusual cave of Chatyr-Dag

• Coordinates: 44°48′3″N (44.80071), 34°17′44″E (34.295536).

You can see with your own eyes the three most beautiful caves of Crimea. In third position - . Equipped back in the Soviet era, it was later abandoned, which led to the destruction of a priceless natural monument. Gradually the cavity is being restored and even what remains is worth seeing. In the cave, 150 m deep and about a kilometer long, there are two routes: speleological and excursion. The second lasts 20 minutes and leads into a large, high hall with hanging stalactites, which can be reached by going down steps carved into the rock. Interestingly, some sinter formations resemble coral reefs in appearance.

2. Emine-Bair-Khosar – Mammoth Cave

• Coordinates: 44°48′6″N (44.801757), 34°17′22″E (34.289477).

It is distinguished by a variety of calcite formations painted in different colors, striking in splendor and beauty. There are 12 halls in total, but not all of them can be visited: some of them are protected areas. In one of the most beautiful ones, “Kecskemet”, there is a sinter formation in the form of a volcano. And in the “Hall of Idols” you can see stalagmites, sometimes reaching 10 m.

1. Mramornaya – the most beautiful cave, opened in 1984.

• Coordinates: 44°47′50″N (44.797276), 34°16′46″E (34.279566).

At the 17th kilometer of the highway from Simferopol to the South Coast, the road goes to the right to the famous one. Thanks to the richness of natural decoration, it is not the most beautiful in Crimea, but it is also one of the five famous cave cavities in the world. Excellently landscaped, it attracts a lot of tourists, being the most visited on the peninsula. The length of the equipped routes here is more than 1 km. In five galleries you can admire up close the countless number of amazing stalactites and stalagmites, bizarre sinter formations reminiscent of stone flowers. It is advisable to take the full route, which begins in the Fairy Tale Gallery; the price difference is small, but the most interesting grotto, the Tiger Grotto, is located at the end.

Open caves on the map of Crimea

Photos partially convey the splendor of all this unusual, truly “unearthly” beauty, but are not able to convey the mixed feeling of amazement, admiration and awe that covers people in the caves. To create this fantastic world, nature needed only water and time. A lot of time! Millions of years! To all this, bus excursions are organized at very reasonable prices, and some places provide free entry for children. But they are easy to visit when traveling by car. Have a nice trip!

Are you vacationing on the Crimean peninsula? Don't miss the opportunity to look into the caves of Crimea, which are open to the public. Some of them are so beautiful and unique that they were included in the Guinness Book of Records.

If you are an active tourist, being in Crimea, you did not walk through its mountain dungeons, then such a vacation can be considered incomplete. Well, is it possible to ignore such beauty!? The study of the peninsula has been going on since the 1950s. Many karst caves have already been found, which naturally appeared in limestone rocks. One can only guess how many thousands or millions of years it took for rainwater to affect the rock to such an extent.

Currently, speleologists have discovered more than 900 underground natural creations. Of course, most of it is, so to speak, “sports interest” - an unprepared person simply will not be able to navigate through them. You will need special knowledge, equipment, equipment. But there are also safe routes on which paths are laid, observation platforms and stairs are built. Everything possible has been done so that an ordinary person can see the natural attractions of Crimea without danger to life.

Where are they located? Most of it is concentrated here:

• Ai-Petri,
• Chatyr-Dag,
• Yaily Karabi, Dolgorukovskaya.

The cheapest tickets from Moscow to Simferopol and back

Marble Cave - “a global star”

Included in the TOP of the most beautiful in the world. In addition, it is one of the most visited and is a “participant” of the International Association of Equipped Caves.

Marble Cave

Located in Chatyr-Dag mountain. There are so many karst dungeons here that it resembles Swiss cheese. We are interested in the Marble Caves, 2 km long (there are several of them, which is why we speak in the plural), discovered in 1987. The history of their discovery is not at all connected with speleological searches. The shepherd just lost his sheep, he went looking for it and accidentally found this miracle of nature. At that time, the find was called “Afghanka”. But according to the official version, it was discovered by Simferopol speleologists. Experts conducted research and found out that the walls consist of marble-like limestone, and came up with a new name.

There are several levels with halls. On the top is the Gallery of Fairy Tales, from which all underground walks begin. At the entrance you will be greeted by the “Master of the Mountain” - a huge stalagmite. Along the way you will see other bizarre formations: Mammoth, Baby Elephant, Frog Princess.

Moving deeper, we find ourselves in the Tiger Move. Here the remains of an animal were found that resembled a saber-toothed tiger, hence the name “Tiger”. True, it later turned out that the bones belonged to a cave lion, but they decided not to change this “name”.

To get to the lower level, we return to the Gallery of Fairy Tales. Not everything here is accessible to tourists either. It is only possible to visit the Luster, Pink, Theater, Vernadsky and Hope Halls.

How to get there: by bus or car, Simferopol area. We choose a regular bus to the village. Mramornoe, then 8 km on foot to the lower plateau. By car we drive along the Simferopol - , turn off at the sign “s. Marble."

• Gal. fairy tales - cost 350 rubles, 30 minutes.
• Gal. fairy tales - Pearl Lakes - cost 400 rubles, 50 min.
• Gal. fairy tales - Tiger's move - cost 450 rubles, 1 hour.
• all routes - cost 500 rubles, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Children under 5 years old are free; children under 12 years old are half the price of an adult ticket.

It's cold inside, even in summer about +9 degrees. You need to take warm clothes with you. A jacket can be rented on site (RUB 10).

Schedule: from 8 to 20 hours, without breaks and weekends, website onixtour.com.ua. The schedule may change due to unfavorable weather conditions. In summer, you can only get here in a group accompanied by a guide. In winter, individual service is possible.

Kizil-Koba or Red Caves: the longest in Crimea

They are located on the slope of Dolgorukovskaya Yayla. Their walls are painted with iron oxide, so they have a rich red color. Kizil-Koba stretches for 25 km, the highest arch is 145 m. A river flows along the bottom, which at the exit turns into the Su-Uchkhan waterfall. Kizil-Koba has three separate entrances.

Red Caves

Excursions take place in the Griboedov Gallery, Indian, Argentine, Chinese, and Academic halls. In them you will see unique creations of nature, among which it is worth noting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Weeping Dwarf, and the Cave Master.

Usually the inspection ends at the first passage (siphon), flooded with water. Then the extreme begins - swimming in a wetsuit, the water temperature is no higher than +10 degrees, the air temperature is about +11. Having overcome the siphons, you can get to the Northern Harbor, see the Gallery of Fairy Tales, an eight-meter stalactite, and the Pink Jets waterfall 20 m high.

Another attraction of this place is the Viking Village. It is located on 6 hectares of land next to Kizil-Koba and is completely identical to the Borg (large medieval city) of the Vikings. A walk through the village lasts 1.5 hours. During this time you will get acquainted with the life of the Vikings, medieval crafts, and you will be able to buy a ready-made souvenir or make it yourself.

Village opening hours: from 8 to 20 hours. Price for adults 450 rubles, children 300 rubles. Purchasing an entrance ticket gives you the right to stay in the park from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you wish, you can become a participant in the evening program with interactive entertainment, a buffet table, and filming. Such pleasure will cost adults 2400 rubles, children 2000 rubles.

The fabulous valley of the Red Caves is a place where you can have a great rest after an excursion. This is a Landscape and Recreational Park, on the territory of which gazebos, barbecues, and playgrounds are equipped. Here you can ride a fairy-tale train, ride horses, and look into the zoo corner. The list of services is impressive; you can view it at skazka-lrp.ru.

How to get there: by trolleybus or minibus we go to the village of Perevalnoye (Simferopol district), stop “Pervalnoye-2”, landmark - football field. Further along the asphalt road we go to the village. Krasnopeschernoe (3 km). Then along the dirt road over the bed of the Kizilkobinki River, another half hour of travel and we are there.

The cost will depend on the chosen route:

• main - price 400 rub. adults, 200 rub. children 6-14 years old,
• extreme - price 4000 rub.,
• jacket rental - price 10 rubles.

Job: daily from 9:00 to 19:00. Detailed information can be found on the official website kizilkoba.ru.

Skelskaya Cave with Foros Fortress and Swallow's Nest

S. Rodnikovoe, Baydarskaya Valley - it is here, on Mount Kara-Dag (there are several Kara-Dags on the peninsula!), that the Skelskaya cave is located. The entrance to it is from the Karadag forest. The walls are made of marbled limestone. There are 3 levels here, but two are available for inspection. Only speleologists have access to the lower one, since it is almost completely filled with water.

The main feature is the bizarrely shaped stalagmites: phoenix, Foros Fortress, Swallow's Nest, as well as several unique sites:

• Fireplace room - it has an influx in the form of a fireplace.
• Knight's - a staircase leads to it from Kaminnoye; a huge stalagmite “Knight with a spear” 7 m high was formed here.

How to get there: by bus from Sevastopol to the village. Rodnikovoe. The drive takes about 1 hour. Having arrived in the village, follow the signs.

Job: every day from 9 to 19 hours. Currently, visits are temporarily suspended due to the re-registration of documents. You can find out about the opening time and new prices on the official website speleotur.com.

A visit before the cave closed cost 300 rubles.

Emine-Bair-Khosar or Mammoth Cave in Crimea

It is located near Mramornaya, stretching for 1460 m. Initially, a vertical well 16 m long led here. Today, the entrance is a 12 m tunnel passing along the river bed.

Mammoth Cave

Bones of a cave bear, mammoths, and woolly rhinoceros were discovered here. These finds formed the basis of the paleontology museum. This is where the inspection begins. It is followed by the Main Hall, height 42 m. Next, tourists move to the Dublyansky Hall with a two-tier lake (to the left), the Throne Hall (to the right) with figures in the shape of a Stone Flower, Monomakh's Cap.

During a tour of the upper levels, you will see underground lakes, the Hall of Idols with stalagmite formations in the shape of statues of ancient gods. Having overcome the 28 m tunnel, you can return to the Dublyansky Hall. The final destinations are Kecskemet with various sintered figures, the Organ Hall.

How to get there: from any resort we head towards the village. Mramornoe or Krasnolesie (Simferopol district). Then we walk 8 km along a dirt road.

Job: daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., onixtour.com.ua.

The cost of the excursion depends on the chosen direction:

, "Coral",

We invite you to a virtual walk through the Crimean caves:

We talked about the most popular caves in Crimea, which are open to the public. It will be no less interesting to visit the Ice Cave, Lake Cave, Snake Cave and several dozen other natural creations. The Crimean peninsula is beautiful both on the ground and under the ground, you should not miss the opportunity to see it from all sides in all its glory!