Caves in Region Banska Bystrica

Cave Bystrianska jaskyňa

Cave Bystrianska jaskyňa is located on the southern slope of Low Tatra in the village Bystrá, Brezno District. It is not far from well-known tourist places Tále and Mýto pod Ďumbierom and only 40 km far from the city of Banska Bystrica.

The cave was formed in the dark grey Middle Triassic limestones and dolomites by the erosion and corosion activity of the Bystrianka underground stream.  All forms of sinter decorations are present in the cave. Most flowstones in form of stalagmites, stalaktites and "draperies" or "curtains" were created in Treasury. They are all highly glossy and  yellow-white. Interesting are ringing stalaktites, elsewhere petrified waterfalls and small sinter lakes. In the Hell Abyss occurs Aragonit.

There is aIso Lower Hall in the cave, not on the guided tour, which has been used for speleotherapy for kids and adults since 1971. Stay in the cave is connected with activities, which increase the effect of inhaled aerosol. Therapy reguires 2 hours daily stay in the cave and last 14 days.

Access to the cave: very comfortable, entrance into the cave is ca 120 m far from parking place with minimum elevation gain 

Guided tour:  580 m lenght and minimum elevation gain, only 26 stairs, cave is accesible also for disabled people. During the tour you can see 3 abysses and interesting are also various show cave areas.

Duration: 45 minutes

Temperature in the cave: 5,7 - 6,7 °C

Cave Harmanecká jaskyňa

Cave Harmanecká jaskyňa is located in the village Dolný Harmanec, District of Banska Bystrica. The cave is only 12 km far from Banska Bystrica.

Cave is known because of white sinter occuring here often. Notable are large rooms (Dome of Pagodas, Large Dome), big pagoda-like stalagmites, petrified waterfalls with pink "courtains" and sinter lakes. There are in Large Dome 2 pagodas 12 m high and diameter about  3 m.

The cave is one of the most important localities of bat occurrence in Slovakia.

Access to the cave: from parking place leads a serpentine path - 1420 m long with 260 elevation gain  - ascent takes ca 40 minutes.

Guided tour: 1020 m

Duration: 60 minutes

Temperature in the cave: 5,8 - 6,4 °C

Dead bats cave

The cave is located in the central part of the Low Tatra ridge  - in high mountain karst of Ďumbier. The entrance into cave is 1520 m above sea level. The cave got its name according bat little bones found almost euiereverywhere. Their age is estimated up to 6000 years.

The cave contains untill now 14 floors and 2 parallel branches. The  largest subterranean chamber - the Bystrický Dom - is located on the 7th floor at a depth  180 m and has volume of 52.500 m3.

Interesting are also volcanic rocks wrinkled into karst layer group, which contains agate lentils of pink-white hue.

To visit the cave requires good physical condition. Just the access to the cave, depending on which direction u come from, is already a hike.

At entrance u will get cave suit and helmet with head lamp; the path is illuminated only by head lamp.You will overcome big elevation gains,  climb rope ladders or ropes, climb into chimneys upward. You should count with it.

Visiting the cave by appointment only.

Access to the cave: there are more possibilities - via mountain path from Trangoška - ca 2 km with differences in hight 400 m, takes ca 1 hour - or from Srdiečko with chairlift to Kosodrevina or to final station Chopok and then by mountain path to M.R. Štefánik chalet. From chalet to the cave it takes ca 30 minutes.

Guided tour: there are 3 guided tours A, B, C - tour A is less physically demanding and you will visit the part with most decorations, at tours B and C you will overcome elevation gains and climb rope ladders or ropes

Duration: A=1,2 hr, B=2 hr, C=2,5 hr

Temperature in the cave: 1-3,5 °C