Scarisoara Ice Cave

One of the most unique formations of the Western Carpathians has to be the Scarisoara Ice Cave, the cave that hosts the biggest ice block in Romania. Situated at only 1165 meters, I was kind of surprised that such a big block of ice could be preserved here for the last 4000 years ( I expected it to be at much higher altitude before we got there).

Entrance costs approx. 1,5 Euros, and you aren’t allowed to go down to the grotto by yourself. There is a tour guide that waits for a group of 20-ish to gather, then opens the gate and leads everyone down the many stairs to the mouth of the cave. Unfortunately, the tour guide was a bit of a disappointment. He only spoke in Romanian (although there were a few foreigners with the group) and he only told the necessary logistics of the cave which could easily be read from the pamphlets you got along with your ticket.

As you go down the stairs, it gets more and more chilly. We were there last July, when the temperature went from 30°C to ~-5°C (so don’t forget your coat!) from the top of the stairs to the entrance of the cave. I have to admit that I enjoyed the intense green surroundings of the grotto more than the cave itself. It gives you the feeling that you’re not in Romania anymore (it actually reminded me of a scene from Karate Kid- haha!, the scene when the boy goes down a similar grotto to get a bonsai tree..if you remember 😀 )

Once you get to the cave, you’ll notice that much of the ice has melted. Because of the changes in temperature for the last thousands of years, it is said that a layer is melted every year in the summer, but is nourished and supplied a new layer each year during winter. They say that it’s melting even at it’s base, but is “fed” with new streaks from the top.

The Big Room hosts an ice block which is more than 40 meters thick – pretty impressive, huh? There is a smaller saloon that contains bigger blocks of ice which are much better preserved and are in amazing shape! However, only scientists can step foot among them, it is strictly forbidden for tourists- in the name of conservation.

6 Responses to “Scarisoara Ice Cave

  • The last picture is awesome! I remember going when I was little and we hiked for like 2-3 hours to get there so I was very disappointed by the cave, thinking “we walked all this way for THIS??!?!”, haha 😀

    • The guide was a total asshole. And I also thought it would be even more spectacular but, that’s what global warming does to you :))

Trackbacks & Pings

  • Cave Inside | The New Antiquated Taxi Dog Blues :

    […] Scarisoara Ice Cave […]

    10 years ago
  • Ordancusii Gorge & Ionele’s Gate Cave | CityoftheWeek :

    […] and cave can be easily accessed by car from Garda de Sus, very close to the path leading up to Scarisoara Ice Cave. The road is pretty good, only a little narrow, so you’ve gotta watch out for cars coming on […]

    9 years ago
  • The Bear’s Cave | CityoftheWeek :

    […] The entrance fee to the cave costs 20 Ron for Adults (around 4 euros), and 10 Ron for children (~2 euros). Photography is an extra 15 Ron (~3 euros), and filming is an additional 25 Ron (~5 euros).  Once you pay for your entrance, they usually wait for a group to gather, since the tour has a guide who will tell you additional information about the cave. When I was there we went with a Romanian guide who was quite charming and explained in detail and with a bit of humor the most important things, so I was quite impressed (not like with the guide at Scarisoara Ice Cave). […]

    9 years ago
  • The Detunata - CityoftheWeek :

    […] you’re eager to see a bit more of the area, check out Scarisoara Ice Cave, The Bear’s Cave or Ordancusii Gorge and Ionele’s Gate […]

    7 years ago

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