Deep underground, where the sun does not shine and people rarely appear, the unknown lurks, mysterious world where amazing shimmering insects live, incredible gems, stone formations of magical shapes and any size, marble columns, halls and grottoes, the creator of which is not man, but nature itself.
Blue Grotto, Italy
The blue grotto is practically the emblem of the Italian island of Capri. This magnificent sea cave, located on the coast of the island, is known to all tourists.
The Blue Grotto is unique in that its walls glow and sparkle with blue and emerald hues. This breathtaking glow comes from two sources of light: one is a small entrance to the cave, located above the water, where bright daylight penetrates, and the other is a large wide opening that is immersed in water and from which a muffled bluish light flows into the cave.
Cave of Crystals, Mexico
First, in 1910, the Cave of Swords was discovered, which is located just above the Cave of Giant Crystals. In the Cave of Swords, the crystals are much smaller, about one meter long, and the temperature is colder. Perhaps that is why the crystals in the upper cave have stopped growing.
The Cave of Giant Crystals was discovered in 2000. Its level is covered with completely transparent faceted blocks. The cave contains the largest natural crystals ever found in the entire world. The largest crystal found here was 12 meters long and 4 meters in diameter. The usual temperature in the cave is 50-58 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is 90-99%. Due to such conditions, the cave remains relatively unexplored and people without special equipment can stay in it for a maximum of 10 minutes.
Cave Krubera, Abkhazia
Krubera Cave, or Crow Cave, is located in the Caucasus Mountains and is the deepest famous cave in the world. Its depth exceeds two thousand meters. Crow cave is called due to the fact that during its study, speleologists had to drive away entire flocks of crows from the entrance.
Fingal's Cave, Scotland
This is a sea cave located on desert island Staffa in Scotland. It is formed entirely from hexagonal columns of basalt and was washed out by the flow of water in the coastal rock. Inside, the cave resembles a Gothic temple, which is only emphasized by the size of the grotto, the high ceiling and the sounds that create waves rolling on the rock.
Eisriesenwelt ice cave, Austria
The name of the cave means "World of Ice Giants". It is a naturally formed limestone cave and is the largest of its kind. The Eisriesenwelt stretches for 42 kilometers and falls 400 meters deep. The ice is kept all year round. Since the entrance to the cave is open all year, cold winds freeze the snow that gets inside. During the summer, the ice sheets persist and do not melt due to the cold winds that circulate inside the cave.
Although the cave is relatively long, only the first thousand meters are open to tourists and covered with ice. Most of the caves are simple limestone.
Underwater river Puerto Princesa, Philippines
Puerto Princesa - underground river named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. She is recognized as an object world heritage UNESCO.
In 2010, a group of ecologists and geologists discovered that this underground river has a second floor and there are many small waterfalls in the cave and a hall with a 300-meter dome, where you can see not only sinter formations different shapes but also large bats. The river is divided into several streams and canals and goes deep into the cave, where tourists can no longer get due to lack of oxygen.
Mammoth Cave National Park, USA
Mammoth Cave National Park is the largest cave system in the world and will probably stay that way forever, because breaking the record of 52,830 hectares is next to impossible. The second largest cave system barely covers half of this area.
The national park offers several cave tours to visitors. The longest of them takes six hours and passes through the main attractions. Also, the guests of the park have the opportunity to go on "wild" tours, where you can see the unlit parts of the caves, climb dirty and dusty tunnels and examine the sinter formations in the light of lanterns trembling in your hands.
Skocjanske Jame, Slovenia
This limestone cave system is one of the most remarkable underground phenomena in the Slovenian karst region. This cave also ranks among the most important caves in the world and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. International scientific circles are also considering it for the title of natural treasure of the planet.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, USA
This is one of the most visited cave parks in the United States. The attraction of the caves is the Great Hall - a huge grotto made of natural limestone, a kilometer long, 190 meters wide and 80 meters high.
Numerous tourist programs can be enrolled in the caves, including the popular bat-watching. They are followed at sunset, when they fly out of the depths of the caves, and at dawn, when they fly back. It is even possible to stay in the cave for the night, spend the night in tents or without them, but this requires permission.
Waitomo Cave, New Zealand
This cave is popular all over the world due to the fact that the fireflies that live in it turn the ceiling of the cave into a starry sky that is directly above your head, literally.
Fireflies arachna luminosa live only in New Zealand and only in this cave. They are about the size of a normal mosquito, and millions of individuals live in the Waimoto cave. The cave tour begins with a boat ride on an underground river where the ceiling of the cave is lit only by these spectacular glowing mosquitoes.
The Cave of Crystals was discovered in 2000 by the Sanchez miner brothers, who were digging a new tunnel in the mine complex. It is located at a depth of 300 meters under the city of Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. The cave is unique in the presence of giant crystals of selenite. The largest of the found crystals has a size of 11 m in length and 4 m in width, with a mass of 55 tons. This is one of the largest known crystals. It is very hot in the cave, temperatures reach 58 ° C with a humidity of 90-100%. These factors make it very difficult for people to explore the cave, making it necessary to use special equipment. Even with equipment, being in a cave usually does not exceed 20 minutes.
Waitomo Glowworm Cave, New Zealand:
The Waitomo Caves are truly a masterpiece of nature, over which she has worked for many millions of years. For many centuries, the ocean has ruled here, creating bizarre limestone outgrowths and mysterious intricacies of passages. And then the water receded, forming a system of about 150 caves. The most famous of them is Glowworm Cave. It is inhabited by amazing creatures - Arachnocampa Luminosa. These are fireflies that can only be found in New Zealand. Their green-blue glow makes the roof of the cave look like starry sky on a frosty night.
Blue Grotto (Grotto Azzurra), Italy:
This beautiful cave is only accessible from the sea. The name "Blue Grotto" comes from the bright blue color of its waters. The entrance to the cave is very small and lets in a small amount of light, which gives the water its bright color.
Vatnajokull Glacier Cave, Iceland:
Sunlight, scattered over the surface of the Svínafellsjökull glacier, draws amazing pictures on the vaults of the ice cave, creating the illusion of being on sea depth. Depth underground passage does not exceed 50 meters, and the width of the cave is only 10 meters. During the winter months, a crackling sound is heard inside, caused by the movement of the glacier.
Such pure azure and blue shades- the result of the absence of air bubbles in the ice. You can see colored ice at certain weather conditions; one of them is the absence or minimal amount snow on the surface. Intense sky blue ice is best seen in January and February; it is during this period that shades of azure, framed by snow cover, look fantastic.
You can get into the cave only in the winter months: narrow ice passages are accessible to tourists only with the onset of frost. At other times, being here can be dangerous; melting ice vaults often collapse under a mass of snow.
Phraya Nakhon, Thailand
It's not actually a cave, but a huge valley that is 65 meters deep and 50 meters wide, with overhanging walls covered in plants and stalactites. AT certain hours day light enters, illuminating a small temple
Marble Caves of Patagonia, Chile:
Despite their name, they are made of ordinary limestone, but there is an opinion that in the depths of the caves there are the purest deposits of marble. The walls of the Chilean landmark have a surprisingly beautiful bright blue color, and blue water lake doubles the impression of what he saw. It is also worth mentioning that the caves consist of many labyrinths and tunnels, over the creation of which the coastal waves worked hard.
Ice caves near Mutnovsky volcano, Russia:
A small and very beautiful snow cave on the slope of the Mutnovsky volcano.
Dongzhong Cave, China:
Dongzhong Cave (whose name is simply translated as "cave") is located in the village of Mao in the Chinese province of Guizhou. Since 1984, the cave has been equipped as an elementary school.
Fingal's Cave, Scotland
Famed sea cave washed into the rock sea water, on the island of Staffa, part of the Inner Hebrides group. The walls are made up of vertical hexagonal basalt columns 69 meters deep and 20 meters high. For three centuries it was a place of artistic pilgrimage and inspired the work of many famous artists, musicians and writers.
Reed Flute Cave, China:
Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) is an amazing creation of nature, located in the city of Guilin (China). A special type of reed grows around the cave, from which the best flutes in all of China were made in the old days, this fact served as the basis for such beautiful name. Ludi Yan Cave, like Waitomo Cave, has illumination, but not natural, but "artificial" - artificial. With its help, the Chinese successfully emphasize the beauty of the flawless creation of nature. Multi-colored lights playfully paint stalactites, stalactites and other bizarre rock formations, making the cave even brighter and more fabulous.
Fantastic Pit at Ellison's Cave, Georgia, USA:
If you are an extreme, and besides, an amateur speleologist, then Allison Cave is ideal for you, namely its Fancy Mine, 179 meters deep.
Kyaut Sae cave in Myanmar:
Few people know about this cave, but nevertheless it impresses both with its size and the fact that a Buddhist temple is located in it.
Son Doong Cave, Vietnam:
The largest cave in the world. It is located in Central Vietnam, in the province of Quang Binh, in national park Phong Nha Kebang, 500 kilometers south of Hanoi and 40 kilometers from the provincial center - Dong Hoi. For local residents this cave has been known since 1991, in April 2009 it was discovered by a group of British speleologists. The cave has an underground river that floods some parts of the cave during the rainy season.
Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave, Austria:
The Eisriesenwelt caves are the largest system of ice caves on our planet available for viewing. In translation, Eisriesenwelt means "giant ice world." The caves are located in the Alps in Austria at an altitude of 1641 meters and consist of 30 thousand cubic meters. meters of ice. These caves were formed by the waters of the Salzach River, which eroded limestone rocks over thousands of years. Currently, the riverbed is below the entrance to the caves.
The Eisriesenwelt caves were discovered by accident as early as 1849. For a long time only hunters and poachers knew about them. The date of the official discovery of the Eisriesenwelt caves is considered to be 1879, when the Austrian naturalist from Salzburg, Anton von Posselt-Czorich, first penetrated 200 meters deep into the caves. A year later, he published a detailed account of his discovery in a mountaineering magazine, but this information did not arouse due interest.
Orda Cave, Russia:
Orda Cave is the longest underwater gypsum cave in Russia and one of the longest in the world. This place is a real paradise for divers. The cave begins with the Crystal Grotto. In the northwestern corner of this grotto is Lake Ledyanoe. The move on the left will lead to the next grotto - the Ice Palace. Lake Main is located here, and a little further - Lake Teploe. Through these lakes, divers enter the mysterious underwater part of the cave. The water here is extremely clean, transparent, bluish in color and very cold (+ 4 degrees).
Carlsbad Caverns, USA
Under the arches of the mountains of Guadalupe in the state of New Mexico, there are endless labyrinths of halls, tunnels and corridors, the main inhabitants of which are the bats. The charm of Carlsbad caves becomes more charming and mysterious with the advent of twilight. The park and the caves got their name in honor of the nearby city of Carlsbad.
Barton Creek Cave, Belize:
This cave has not only extraordinary natural beauty, but is also a living witness to the household items of the ancient Maya, who inhabited this territory more than 2000 years ago. In it you can see many grandiose stalactites and stalagmites, ancient jugs and religious bowls of the May Indians, traces of religious human sacrifices.
Jeita Grotto Caves, Lebanon:
a complex of two caves in Lebanon, 20 kilometers north of Beirut. In 1836, the upper cave was discovered by William Thomson, and the lower cave was discovered by Lebanese speleologists in 1958. The length of the Upper Cave is 2200 meters, but only part of it, which is 750 meters long, is open to tourists. There are three halls in the Upper Cave, each of which is 100 meters or more in height. There are unique underground reservoirs, very beautiful crevices, various stalagmites and stalactites. The length of the Lower Cave is much larger than the Upper Cave and is equal to 6900 meters.
Kango Caves, South Africa:
Caves Cango (Cango Caves), tacitly called the wonder of the world. The caves are famous for their "Organ Hall" - stalactites descending along the walls form something reminiscent of big organ, which, combined with music and lighting effects, makes an indelible impression on visitors.
Aven Armand Cave, France:
A special funicular lowers visitors 50 meters deep into the tunnel, which is 200 meters long. There suddenly turns out to be a huge hall in which Notre Dame Cathedral could easily fit.
Son Doong is a cave in Central Vietnam, currently holding the title of the largest cave in the world. It is located in the heart of Phong Nha Kebang National Park in Quang Binh Province, near the Vietnamese-Lao border. Its dimensions reach record levels - the height is 200 meters, the width is 150 meters, and the length is more than 5 kilometers. Overall volume unique education has 38.5 million m³.
Deep in the jungle, the entrance to the cave was first found by a local resident named Ho Han in 1991, but the roar water flow and the steep descent prevented him from exploring it from the inside. Only in 2009, a group of British scientists led by Howard Limbert managed to discover and successfully study Son Doong in Vietnam, after which they announced the official discovery of the cave and confirmed that the dimensions allow it to be given the status of the largest on the planet.
“Hang Sơn Đoòng” is Vietnamese for “mountain river cave”. It really has an underground river with fast current, which floods parts of Shondong during the rainy season. In addition, it has its own jungle, climate and even real clouds, which are formed due to the large temperature difference. The giant underground cavity's two huge windows allow light to enter many parts of it, creating a lush jungle with 3m trees inside.
Shondong is famous not only for its impressive size, but also for best examples cave formations all over the planet. Here you can find interesting ancient fossils, stalactites and some of the tallest stalagmites in the world up to 70 meters high. Particularly impressive formation is the "Hand of the Dog" and a place called the Cactus Garden. Also in the cave there are examples of giant cave pearls that fill the limestone layers.
The flora and fauna of Shondong is a godsend for any scientist. Many plants grow in the cave rare species plants, and recently even a number of new animal species have been discovered. Monkeys, hornbills and flying foxes all live in this unusual underground jungle.
The unique cave was formed as a result of a long process of washing out limestone by a water stream. about 2-5 million years ago.
In early August 2013, the first tourist group went on an excursion to Shondong. To get inside the attraction, you need with a ropego underground to a depth of 80 meters. Tourists set up camp there, spending time in the labyrinths of an underground cave or sitting comfortably by the fire. The cost of such entertainment is $ 3,000. In the period from September to March, access to the cave is closed, as the rainy season sets in, during which many areas are flooded. The tour schedule for 2015 will be posted on the tour site later this year.
The world's largest cave, called Sơn Đoòng, attracts great attention many film companies such as the BBC, National Geographic, as well as well-known Japanese and Brazilian teams. In 2011, she appeared on the pages of the popular magazine National Geographic.
No human building can compare with the greatest caves in the world in beauty and grandeur. We offer you a selection of the twenty most stunning caves and grottoes from all over the world.
Caves are one of the most amazing creations of nature. Among the many dirty and damp "sheds" come across real palaces and temples, as if created in mockery of the architectural tricks of people. No human building can compare with the greatest caves in the world in beauty and grandeur. We offer you a selection of the twenty most stunning caves and grottoes from all over the world.
1. Crystal Cave (Cueva de los Cristales), Mexico
The Cave of Crystals was discovered in 2000 by the Sanchez miner brothers, who were digging a new tunnel in the mine complex. It is located at a depth of 300 meters under the city of Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico. The cave is unique in the presence of giant crystals of selenite. The largest of the found crystals has a size of 11 m in length and 4 m in width, with a mass of 55 tons. This is one of the largest known crystals. It is very hot in the cave, temperatures reach 58 ° C with a humidity of 90-100%. These factors make it very difficult for people to explore the cave, making it necessary to use special equipment. Even with equipment, being in a cave usually does not exceed 20 minutes.
2. Waitomo Glowworm Cave, New Zealand
The Waitomo Caves are truly a masterpiece of nature, over which she has worked for many millions of years. For many centuries, the ocean has ruled here, creating bizarre limestone outgrowths and mysterious intricacies of passages. And then the water receded, forming a system of about 150 caves. The most famous of them is Glowworm Cave. It is inhabited by amazing creatures - Arachnocampa Luminosa. These are fireflies that can only be found in New Zealand. Their green-blue glow makes the arch of the cave look like a starry sky on a frosty night.
3. Blue Grotto (Grotto Azzurra), Italy
This beautiful cave is only accessible from the sea. The name "Blue Grotto" comes from the bright blue color of its waters. The entrance to the cave is very small and lets in a small amount of light, which gives the water its bright color.
4. Vatnajokull Glacier Cave, Iceland
Sunlight, scattered over the surface of the Svínafellsjökull glacier, draws amazing pictures on the vaults of the ice cave, creating the illusion of being at sea depth. The depth of the underground passage does not exceed 50 meters, and the width of the cave is only 10 meters. During the winter months, a crackling sound is heard inside, caused by the movement of the glacier.
Such pure azure and blue hues are the result of the absence of air bubbles in the ice. You can see colored ice under certain weather conditions; one of them is the absence or minimum amount of snow on the surface. Intense sky blue ice is best seen in January and February; it is during this period that shades of azure, framed by snow cover, look fantastic.
You can get into the cave only in the winter months: narrow ice passages are accessible to tourists only with the onset of frost. At other times, being here can be dangerous; melting ice vaults often collapse under a mass of snow.
5. Phraya Nakhon, Thailand
It's not actually a cave, but a huge valley that is 65 meters deep and 50 meters wide, with overhanging walls covered in plants and stalactites. At certain hours of the day, light enters the interior, illuminating the small temple.
6Marble Caves Of Patagonia, Chile
Despite their name, they are made of ordinary limestone, but there is an opinion that in the depths of the caves there are the purest deposits of marble. The walls of the Chilean landmark have a surprisingly beautiful bright blue color, and the blue water of the lake doubles the impression of what they see. It is also worth mentioning that the caves consist of many labyrinths and tunnels, over the creation of which the coastal waves worked hard.
7. Ice caves near Mutnovsky volcano, Russia
A small and very beautiful snow cave on the slope of the Mutnovsky volcano.
8. Dongzhong Cave, China
Dongzhong Cave (whose name is simply translated as "cave") is located in the village of Mao in the Chinese province of Guizhou. Since 1984, the cave has been equipped as an elementary school.
9. Fingal's Cave, Scotland
The famous sea cave, washed into the rock by sea water, on the island of Staffa, part of the Inner Hebrides group. The walls are made up of vertical hexagonal basalt columns 69 meters deep and 20 meters high. For three centuries it has been a place of artistic pilgrimage and has inspired the work of many famous artists, musicians and writers.
10. Reed Flute Cave, China
Reed Flute Cave (Ludi Yan) is an amazing creation of nature, located in the city of Guilin (China). A special type of reed grows around the cave, from which in the old days the best flutes in all of China were made, this fact served as the basis for such a beautiful name. Ludi Yan Cave, like Waitomo Cave, has illumination, but not natural, but "artificial" - artificial. With its help, the Chinese successfully emphasize the beauty of the flawless creation of nature. Multi-colored lights playfully paint stalactites and other bizarre rock formations, making the cave even brighter and more fabulous.
11. Fantastic Pit at Ellison's Cave, Georgia, USA
If you are an extreme, and besides, an amateur speleologist, then Allison Cave is ideal for you, namely its Fancy Mine, 179 meters deep.
12. Kyaut Sae Cave in Myanmar
Few people know about this cave, but nevertheless it impresses both with its size and the fact that a Buddhist temple is located in it.
13. Son Doong Cave, Vietnam
The largest cave in the world. It is located in Central Vietnam, in the province of Quang Binh, in the Phong Nha Kebang National Park, 500 kilometers south of Hanoi and 40 km from the center of the province - Dong Hoi. This cave has been known to locals since 1991, in April 2009 it was discovered by a group of British speleologists. The cave has an underground river that floods some parts of the cave during the rainy season.
14. Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave, Austria
The Eisriesenwelt caves are the largest system of ice caves on our planet available for viewing. In translation, Eisriesenwelt means "giant ice world." The caves are located in the Alps in Austria at an altitude of 1641 meters and consist of 30 thousand cubic meters. meters of ice. These caves were formed by the waters of the Salzach River, which eroded limestone rocks over thousands of years. Currently, the riverbed is below the entrance to the caves.
The Eisriesenwelt caves were discovered by accident as early as 1849. For a long time only hunters and poachers knew about them. The date of the official discovery of the Eisriesenwelt caves is considered to be 1879, when the Austrian naturalist from Salzburg, Anton von Posselt-Czorich, first penetrated 200 meters deep into the caves. A year later, he published a detailed account of his discovery in a mountaineering magazine, but this information did not arouse due interest.
15. Orda Cave, Russia
Orda Cave is the longest underwater gypsum cave in Russia and one of the longest in the world. This place is a real paradise for divers. The cave begins with the Crystal Grotto. In the northwestern corner of this grotto is Lake Ledyanoe. The move on the left will lead to the next grotto - the Ice Palace. Lake Main is located here, and a little further - Lake Teploe. Through these lakes, divers enter the mysterious underwater part of the cave. The water here is extremely clean, transparent, bluish in color and very cold (+ 4 degrees)
16. Carlsbad Caverns, USA
Under the arches of the mountains of Guadalupe in the state of New Mexico, endless labyrinths of halls, tunnels and corridors are hidden, the main inhabitants of which are bats. The charm of Carlsbad caves becomes more charming and mysterious with the advent of twilight. The park and the caves got their name in honor of the nearby city of Karlsbad.
17. Barton Creek Cave, Belize
This cave has not only extraordinary natural beauty, but is also a living witness to the household items of the ancient Mayans who inhabited this area more than 2000 years ago. In it you can see many grandiose stalactites and stalagmites, ancient jugs and religious bowls of the May Indians, traces of religious human sacrifices.
18. Jeita Grotto Caves, Lebanon
a complex of two caves in Lebanon, 20 kilometers north of Beirut. In 1836, the upper cave was discovered by William Thomson, and the lower cave was discovered by Lebanese speleologists in 1958. The length of the Upper Cave is 2200 meters, but only part of it, which is 750 meters long, is open to tourists. There are three halls in the Upper Cave, each of which is 100 meters or more in height. There are unique underground reservoirs, very beautiful crevices, various stalagmites and stalactites. The length of the Lower Cave is much larger than the Upper Cave and is equal to 6900 meters
19. Kango Caves, South Africa
Caves Cango (Cango Caves), tacitly called the wonder of the world. The caves are famous for their "Organ Hall" - stalactites descending along the walls form something resembling a large organ here, which, combined with music and lighting effects, makes an indelible impression on visitors
20. Aven Armand Cave, France
A special funicular lowers visitors 50 meters deep into the tunnel, which is 200 meters long. There suddenly turns out to be a huge hall in which Notre Dame Cathedral could easily fit.
In 1991, in Vietnam (near the border with Laos), the unique Son Doong Cave was discovered, recognized as the largest and most beautiful cave in the world. Its length reaches nine kilometers, its height is 150 meters, and its age is several million years. Some halls, which will take more than one month to inspect, 150 pieces were found in the cave.
In 2009 and 2010, speleologists from the UK worked in Son Doong Cave. They spent two weeks underground and described in detail unusual phenomenon nature. Scientists were amazed by the deep chasms and the magnificent stone columns that they met on their way. They are sure that modern skyscrapers will fit in the halls of the cave.
Path to Son Doong Cave
In 2015, the cave was officially visited by the first small group of tourists, each of whom did not spare three thousand dollars, for the sake of a dangerous trip to the dungeon. They had to go down the 80-meter rope and use climbing equipment in dark labyrinths to see 70-meter stalagmites and unusual pearls, underground clouds, jungles and amazing animals, as well as hear the roar of a turbulent river, the waters of which formed in rocks large rooms and carved rock paintings.
How to get to Son Doong Cave?
To get to the entrance to the cave, you need to move through the impenetrable jungle for more than a day, which not everyone can do. Only the most hardy tourists descend into the cave. Each group of eight people is accompanied by experienced guides and speleologists. Below, a fire is made and food is prepared, and a tent city is also being created. Tourists are waiting for a multi-kilometer walking route with crossing water obstacles.
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