Caves Predajná

On Slovakia we have many well-known and extremely visited caves. Have you already been in Dobšinská ľadová jaskyňa, Harmaneckej jaskyni či Domici and are you looking for some less known one? We have a good tip for you. It is Bystrianska jaskyňa.

It is located in the Nízke Tatry, just like its sisters, the well-known Demänovské jaskyne – Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa and Demänovská jaskyňa slobody. You will find it a piece from Brezno, right before Mýto pod Ďumbierom. It lies in the namesake village of Bystrá. Why visit it?

The character of the cave is somewhat different than the others. In them you will find large spacious domes and halls, but Bystrianska jaskyňa differs from them. In it you will find primarily narrow and high corridors, in which you will feel like a true caver. The cave is mainly from limestone and dolomite, which easily forms and similar karst forms arise in it. In the cave there is also the Peklo abyss, deep up to 56 meters. Despite the narrow corridors, you will also find beautiful halls with dripstone decoration here, for example Sieň Baldachýnov or Zrútený dóm. Company will be made for you during your visit by up to 8 species of various bats.

The entry parts of this cave were known by locals already very long ago. Into their interiors they however didn't dare for a long time, for the first time it was in the year 1923. The cave consists of two parts, Stará and Nová jaskyňa. Into that Nová one was descended through the aforementioned Peklo abyss. To opening for the broad public the cave lived to see in the years 1939-1940.

Today opened route of the cave has a length of 545 meters. It is suitable also for immobile visitors, since you will find here only 20 stairs, which with the help of others is not a problem to overcome. A curiosity of the cave is that the entrance and exit are in two different places. Other caves are sometimes longer, however along one place you go twice. Here you pass through almost all parts of the cave only once and you see more of it. Prepare yourself however for a low temperature and therefore dress yourself better. The whole route is almost without elevation change and you will enjoy it in every age. Do not forget, that on Monday is the cave closed for the public and select yourself for the visit on another day.

The surroundings are full of opportunities for spending free time. You can go to the massive Ďumbier, visit the nearby jaskyňu Mŕtvych netopierov or play golf. As a starting point will serve you stylish mountain accommodation, for example in nearby Mýto pod Ďumbierom, or Bystrá. Popular are cabins in nearby forests or cozy guesthouses or apartments with complete equipment. The Nízke Tatry are interesting also on their southern side and a visit to Bystrianska jaskyňa is ideal to find that out on your own skin.

Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov is one of the most extensive and most important high-mountain caves in Slovakia. It is also the only accessible high-mountain cave in the country. It is located at an altitude of 1,520 m a.s.l. on the southern side of the Ďumbier massif in Nízke Tatry.

Accessibility to the cave is possible from several directions. From the village of Bystrá towards Trangoška, and from there on foot for approximately 1 hour via a mountain trail to Chata M. R. Štefánika. The second route also leads from the village of Bystrá, but towards Srdiečko, where you will take the cable car to the Kosodrevina intermediate station, or all the way to the top of Chopok peak, and from there on foot to the aforementioned mountain hut. From the Liptov side, a hike on foot is possible from Liptovský Ján, or from the Jasná - Biela púť ski resort by cable car to Chopok and from there on foot to Chata M. R. Štefánika.

The cave is accessible from March to December on weekends, and during the summer holidays, it is open daily. In the months of January and February, it is completely closed. Before you head out for a trip here, check the admission fees and opening hours directly on the official website. Every entry must be reported and reserved in advance by phone or email.

The cave tour is possible on three routes. Route A, approximately 1 km long, can be completed even with children. It leads through the central 7th floor of the cave and consists mainly of rock paths and wire-rope ladder belays. For the more demanding, there are routes B and C, speleotrekking tours made accessible by the speleological guide service. These are accessible only to physically fit persons over 18 years of age. The first of them is slightly less demanding and takes approximately 2 hours. The second one is for advanced visitors with climbing experience, as the truly demanding cave terrain is exposed almost continuously. It lasts approximately 3 hours.

Kozie chrbty, a relatively small limestone massif with deep folding, is 2 km long and 300 m wide. In its depths, it hides an intricate tangle of corridors across a total of (so far known) 14 floors and 2 parallel branches. The currently mapped length of the cave is 19,885 m, with a depth of 324 m. The largest underground space is located directly under Chata M. R. Štefánika. It is the well-known Bystrický dóm hall with a volume of up to 52,500 m³. It is located on the 7th floor, at a depth of 180 m.

An interesting feature is a huge find site of bat bones, the age of which is estimated at 6,000 years. It is precisely to this largest bat burial ground that the cave owes its name. Besides these, however, bones of small rodents, martens, brown bear, and goat were also found on the edges.

Another interesting feature of the cave is the occurrence of volcanic rocks from the Cretaceous period. These are folded into the limestone formation and appear in several cave passages. You can recognize them by their reddish-brown or green color. White-pink agate is also present here.

Since 2001, the cave has been declared a national natural monument. Its environment is cold, humid, and dark, but it has a beneficial effect on the upper respiratory tract. Its average temperature reaches 3.5 °C, while some of its parts do not exceed a temperature of more than 1 °C year-round. For this reason, warm clothing and, of course, suitable sturdy footwear are required to enter the cave.

To become a real cave explorer for a moment and visit what is probably one of the oldest caves in Slovakia. Are you still hesitating? There is nothing to think about, but we recommend taking enough time for the tour and not rushing. It will be ideal to book accommodation near Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov so that you don't rush the excursion, but fully experience it, or combine this unique experience with other nearby attractions.