Rocky mlin. Moravian Karst (Karst), Czech Republic. Moravian Karst. Punk caves. On foot or by train

IN Czech Republic there are a lot of amazingly beautiful palaces, temples and cities, various sights made by human hands. But even the brightest emotions fade over time, and perceptions become dull. In this case, the best way to avoid this is to change the environment and get new emotions, for example, to get acquainted with the sights of the country that were created by nature itself.

To renew the brightness of your emotions, you can walk through the caves or take a boat ride along the underground river. All this can be done if you visit the famous Moravian Karst caves.

Today there are four caves accessible to tourists. This is where it all usually starts sightseeing tours through the caves. In most cases, excursions are conducted on Czech language, but you don’t have to worry about this at the box office where you will purchase entrance ticket, the cashier will give you an audio guide with a booklet in Russian.

The very first you can see is the Punctual Cave, it will lead you to the Matsokha Cave, then there will be the Baltsar Cave, in which you can see what stalactites look like. In Katerzyn Cave you can see what rare stalagmites look like. The famous Vypustek cave was considered a secret military facility in ancient times. When visiting the Stolbsko-Shoshuvsky caves, you will be amazed by the huge size of the abyss.

In the caves you can wander through corridor labyrinths and gorges created by nature itself and see what stalactites look like. And another feature of the caves is that bats live in them.

In Moravian Kras everything is thought out especially for people. Cycling enthusiasts can ride on routes both easy and difficult. Lovers hiking can safely stroll along the footpaths.

There are signs on all the paths, so you won’t get lost in the caves.

The entire territory in which the caves are located occupies about twenty-five kilometers, and the number of caves that are located in this vast territory is more than a thousand, the entire area of ​​the national Czech park more than 90 kilometers. Bats live in the caves, there are a huge number of their species, and a variety of spineless animals also live next to them. And for your information, most of all the animals that live in these caves are still not studied.

Macocha Abyss

The most important asset of the Moravian Karst is considered to be the Macocha Abyss. At the very edge of this 138-meter gorge there are two specially equipped observation platforms, reminiscent of a balcony over the gorge. To the top observation deck you can get there by cable car. You'll get there very quickly, but you'll just have to wait in a long line to buy a ticket and to board the funicular. At the top of the cave, the ceiling has collapsed and a piece of the sky is visible. Walking along the underground Punkva River, which flows into the lake, is extremely popular among tourists.

Moravian caves on the map of the Czech Republic

Are located Moravian caves at this address:

• South Moravian Region, Czech Republic

The length of this system is approximately 25 kilometers. These caves are the largest in Europe. They are located near the city of Brno, Prague and the city of Blansko.

How to get there from Prague

From the capital of the Czech Republic, you can get to the caves if you take a direct train that goes to the city of Blansko. You will spend about 3.5 hours on the road. Further in this city you need to change to a bus and go to the Skalny Mlyn stop, or you can use a taxi, drive close for about ten minutes.

It is best to travel to the caves from the capital by car along the E65 highway to the city of Brno, then move onto the E461 highway, then take the small road number 379 and follow the road signs to the Skalny Mlyn stop, and already on the spot you will see a parking lot where you can leave your car.

How to get there from Brno

If you are getting to Moravsko Kras, it is best for you to go first to the city of Brno, and then take the train and get to the city of Blansko. Next, change to bus number 226 and go to the Skalny Mlyn stop.

Operating mode

Excursions to the caves are conducted from March to November according to the following approximate schedule:

• In March, excursions are held from Tuesday to Sunday three times a day: at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.;
• In April, tours run from Tuesday to Sunday, every hour, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m.;
• In May-June, excursions take place from Monday to Sunday, from 8.20 am to 16 pm;
• In July-August, excursions take place from Monday to Sunday, from 8.20 am to 16.30;
• In September, tours run from Monday to Sunday, every hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
• In October, tours run from Monday to Sunday, every hour, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays there is an additional tour at 15:00;
• In November, excursions are held from Tuesday to Sunday three times a day: at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.;
• In December, January, February, the entrance to the cave is closed.

Cost of visit

To get to the Baltsarka cave you will need to pay an entrance ticket: for adults it will be 100 CZK, for people of retirement age - 80 CZK, child ticket– 60 CZK.

Tickets to Katerzyn Cave: adults – 690 CZK, for people of retirement age – 70 CZK, children’s ticket – 50 CZK.

Tickets to the Puncture Cave: adults 150-110 CZK, elderly people - 160-90 CZK, children's ticket - 100-70 CZK.

Hi all! Today is my first review with a new name (yes, it happens, almost 4 years have passed on the site and I wanted something new). But my passion for independent travel does not change, so I would like to tell you about the amazing place that I was able to visit on the last day of this autumn.

I travel around the Czech Republic a lot, but it was this place that opened up this magically beautiful country from a different side for me. We are used to the fact that the Czech Republic is Prague, castles, etc. In fact, there is a lot of splendor here created by nature (well, people know how to maintain this beauty).

Moravian Karst (or, as they also say, Moravian Karst).

There are over 1,100 caves throughout the territory, of which only four are open to visitors.

How to get there? If you are by car, then I think you can get there without any problems following the signs. There is a large parking lot in Moravian Kras. But if you travel by transport, I can advise the following. The easiest way is to first get to the city of Brno (the second city in the country after Prague, the capital of Moravia). Here at the main railway station there are frequent trains to the town of Blansko. The drive is very short, about 40 minutes. Or from Prague you can go straight to Blansko, but the road will be very long. In Blansko, next to the railway station, there is a bus station, from where buses go to Skalny Mlyn (where we need to go). Drive for another 10 minutes. The fare costs 10 crowns (less than 30 rubles). IN summer season there are a lot of buses. We went on November 30, so there was only one bus there and only one back. I had to adapt to him. By the way, all the information on public transport is on the Internet, everything runs strictly on schedule. If you have any questions, write in a personal message, I’ll give you useful links on transport in the Czech Republic. You can also write to the administration of Moravian Karst, even in Russian, they will answer all your questions and tell you how best to get there in your case. Attention! If you are traveling during the SEASON (April-September), then tickets for excursions must be booked in advance!

What to do there? So here we are. It is best to go straight to the information center. They speak your language there. You will be given a map of the area and a working schedule for the caves. There you can buy tickets for Moravian transport - train and funicular. I advise you to take a combi ticket, it’s cheaper. They will also sell tickets to the caves, although you can buy them on the spot. We bought tickets to Punkwu Cave there and took the train going straight to it.

We were the only tourists. And on the train, especially for us, they turned on a recording of the introductory tour in Russian! The train travels for about 10 minutes through very picturesque places.

Punkva Cave. They were already waiting for us there. We were the only visitors! Just some VIPs! It was incredibly cool, because the place itself is very touristy and during the high season there’s nowhere to fall, but here everything is just for us! The guide took us into the cave...

We were warned in advance that we were not allowed to touch anything with our hands. It turns out that a stalactite or stalagmite can stop growing forever if you touch it.

In the cave itself everything is done for tourists. Convenient paths and stairs, beautiful lighting. The excursion is started by remote control! Yes, yes, the conductor did not speak Russian, but turned on Russian text in the right places with the remote control.

The first part of the cave is completely pedestrian. I've never been to such places before (adits don't count). Mesmerizing beauty.

But the most beautiful thing was ahead of us! Coming out of the first part of the cave, you find yourself at the bottom of the Macocha abyss. And this is a must see!

The Macocha abyss, with a depth of 138 meters, is the largest abyss of its type in the Czech Republic and Central Europe

Looking up...

But ahead of us is the second part of the cave, where we will have to move by boat along an underground river! A boat was waiting for us, driven by a very funny Czech. He asked us what language we spoke, we said Russian and a little Czech. Well, that’s how we talked. More precisely, we sat in the boat, and he told us about the depth of the river at the moment, underground waterfalls and lakes.

In general, it is forbidden to take photos from the boat. But we were allowed! Maybe because they liked us, maybe because there were only two of us.

The only thing is that it’s difficult to take a high-quality photo there, especially since you often had to bend over so as not to hit the ceiling of the cave with your head. This route lasts almost half a kilometer.

Alas, time passed very quickly there. It was as if the hour had never happened. We took the boat almost to the place where the train had originally brought us.

Is it cold in the cave? Everything is relative. The fact is that the temperature there is almost constant. About +8. In summer it will seem very cold, you need to take a jacket! But on the last day of autumn, when it’s +1 outside, you can warm up in a cave.

Souvenirs from Punkva. There is a souvenir shop near the entrance to the cave. A very cool woman works there who speaks excellent Russian and has a wonderful sense of humor! We chatted with her for probably 40 minutes. And, of course, we bought souvenirs. The store has everything from literature about the Moravian Kras (in Russian too) to rare minerals. Well, and, of course, magnets and decorations.

Funicular to the top of the abyss. You can climb to the top using this transport very conveniently and quickly. From Punkva Cave it is a 5-minute walk.

At the top there are hotels and cafes (alas, they are not open in the off-season) and observation platforms, from which you can view the abyss.

From above it's blue lake It just seems like a puddle. By the way, suicides used to love this place very much. And there were employees on staff who removed their bodies from the bottom.

From the top you can go down a little lower to the middle platform. Great place for selfies, by the way.

From there you can see the very place where we were when we left the first part of the Punkva cave. Everything seems so small.

The length of the upper part of the abyss is 174 meters, width - 76 meters. There are two observation bridges along the edges. The upper one was built in 1882, it is located in highest point Matsohi and is called the Upper Bridge. The second was built in 1899, located 92 meters above the bottom of the abyss and the bottom is clearly visible through it.

Having admired it enough, we set off on foot (we decided to see the area) to another cave - Kateřinskaya. The road was difficult.

So if you want to repeat our feat, keep in mind that your shoes must be ready for rocky serpentine roads.

We bought tickets to the cave at the ticket office near it. Our excursion was scheduled for exactly 14.00. This was the last day of operation of this cave this year. Needless to say, we were the only visitors here too? The conductor spoke good Russian.

The name of the cave comes from the name of a girl who, according to local sad legend, got lost in the cave and died. But let's not talk about the bad. The cave has excellent acoustics, which is why concerts are held there in the summer!

The tour in this cave lasted only half an hour.

The museum is very modern, there are a lot of interesting things and interactive games. Even children will not be bored. There is a cinema.

At the House of Nature museum

There is a hotel with a working restaurant near the bus stop. There you can have a good meal or just drink coffee.

About prices. The most expensive ticket to Punkvu Cave for an adult is 180 CZK (this already includes a boat trip). Other tickets are around 100 CZK. There is a system of benefits. In general, prices are very low.

There is a lot to see in Moraský Kras. I already want to go back there, especially since there are a couple of caves left that we never visited!

I recommend a trip to Morasvsky Kras. In the OFF-season, without crowds of tourists, the impressions were incredible. This is a fabulous place. And I would especially like to mention the wonderful, responsive workers and guides.

Thank you for your attention! Dasha was with you, no longer Sowing, but Shadow Crystal

Have a nice trip!

And my others travel reviews you will find

The Moravian Karst is the most famous tourist area in our region. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the Moravian Karst every year. They admire the beautiful nature of the Moravian Karst, are enchanted by the dizzying depth of the Macocha Abyss and look forward to a tour of the caves.

On this page we would like to give you some practical tips on how to spend your holiday in the Moravian Karst so that you have the most pleasant impressions of it.

Possibilities of arriving at the Moravian Karst and moving around it

Let's take a look at the fact that the Moravian Karst is visited very large number tourists, vehicle travel is limited and replaced by environmentally friendly transport. Cars are prohibited from entering Pusty Zhleb, which connects Punkevnye Caves with the village of Slope, and part of Dry Zhleb (from Katerzynska Cave to the turn to upper bridge Masokha abyss). The car must be left in the parking lot near the Skalni Mlyn hotel or near the upper bridge of the Macocha Abyss.

An ecological train runs from Skalny Mlyn to the Punkevni Caves, and a suspended train runs from the Punkevni Caves to the upper Matsokha bridge. cable car. The train and the cable car cabin run depending on the schedule for entering the caves (the train runs every 20 minutes, the cable car cabin – continuously). Tickets for the ride can be purchased at the information center at Skalny Mlyn and at both cable car stations. We recommend that you buy COMBI tickets. This is a discount ticket for round trip train and cable car travel.

You can arrive to Skalni Mlyn by regular or seasonal bus. tourist route“Krasobus”, which transports tourists from Skalny Mlyn to the center of Blansko. Additional information You will find it on the website: www.krasobus.cz.

Ticket booking system

To enter the Punkevnye Caves, especially at the height of summer tourist season, you must book tickets in advance, We recommend doing this at least a week before your planned visit! A limited group of visitors is allowed into the caves, which can fit in a boat.

Reservations must be received no later than 40 minutes before entering the caves. Otherwise, the reservation for tickets is canceled and they can be purchased by visitors who do not have booked tickets. Every day, especially in the early morning hours, there are tickets available that have not been received by customers. This situation may repeat itself throughout the day, so you can contact the information center from time to time with questions about the possibility of purchasing tickets.

Entrance tickets to the Baltsarka Cave, Kateřinskaya Cave, Vypustek and Slopesko-Shoshuvska Caves are sold without prior reservation.

Each cave has its own guides; you can order a visit to the caves with a story in various foreign languages.

Return to Skalni Mlyn and board the ecological train, which will take you to the Punkevni Caves. The tour in the cave is divided into two parts: land and sailing on the water by boat, the duration of the tour is about 60 minutes. Important warning: children under 3 years old are prohibited from entering the caves. Not far from the entrance to the caves there is the lower station of the cable car, which will take you to the upper bridge of the Macocha Abyss. In a similar way (or hiking trail) You will return to Skalni Mlyn.

Baltsarka and Slopesko-Shoshuvskie caves
Through the village of Vilemovice you will get to Ostrov pod Macochoy, the Balcarka Cave is located in front of the village. From Ostrov, head to Sloup, which received the title of village in 2000. The Slopesko-Shoshuv caves have recently been reconstructed, and the complex also includes the Kulna cave, famous for its archaeological finds. You can go along two routes: a short and a long loop. The excursion along the short ring lasts about 60 minutes; for those who are more resilient, we suggest walking along the long ring; the excursion lasts 100 minutes and during this time you will walk 1670 meters.

Vypustek Cave
From Blansko you will reach Jedovnice, then turn in the direction of Brno and end up in Kštiny. Vypustek Cave is located in the Josefos Valley, approximately 1 km from Kštin. Several centuries ago, the cave was an extensive and unique system. However, in the twentieth century it was clearly marked by the extraction of phosphate clays and the actions of the Czechoslovak and German armies. In the 60s of the twentieth century, an anti-nuclear shelter was built in one of the corridors. During the excursion you will get acquainted with the history of the cave, including the former secret military command post. Currently, the cave is finishing the preparation of the exhibitions “Vypustek Cave in the Kštin Valley” and “Cave of Ancient Rituals”, which present Vypustek as a ancient cave among the caves of the Moravian Karst, open to visitors, the cave of “dragons and unicorns” and the largest bear cave of the Moravian Karst.

And finally, important advice: do not forget to dress warmly, the temperature in the cave does not rise above 7-8°C!!!

Blansko and surroundings

It is not for nothing that the unique nature is called the main treasure of the Czech Republic. One of the most beautiful places Central Europe is protected by the state and is a hilly region of a thousand square kilometers. The largest karst massif, the Moravian Karst, is the most famous miraculous landmark of the country.

Protected area

In the protected area, scientists have discovered more than a thousand caves with traces of the life of primitive people, but only four of them, equipped and illuminated, are accessible to tourists. In the rest, only professional speleologists are allowed to enter.

Declared a nature reserve, the unique Moravian Karst is a wonderful option for exploring natural beauties Czech Republic. A mesmerizing journey through the karst region will amaze you with the grandeur of the underground world.

It is noteworthy that special trains run through the protected area, delivering guests to all interesting points of the reserve.

Labyrinths of Punkva

The caves of Moravian Karst attract visitors to the Czech Republic with their unusual beauty. Mysterious grottoes, picturesque canyons, the deepest chasms, underground lakes arouse great interest among enthusiastic travelers.

The hidden labyrinths created in limestone rocks are known far beyond the borders of the country. The most popular cave is considered to be Punkva with the Macocha abyss and the river of the same name, along which rafting is organized.

Colonies of limestone formations

Discovered relatively recently by speleologist K. Absolon, who walked all the way to the end, the attraction welcomes tourists all year round. Moravian Kras (Czech Republic) is famous for a corner of amazing beauty with entire colonies. Limestone bizarre formations, similar to “Romeo and Juliet” stretching towards each other, reminiscent of a silk cape “Stole” will make the hearts of tourists beat with admiration.

Punkva is known for her most wonderful figure, reminiscent of an angel with folded wings, who protected people for a long time and became weak. Tired and having lost the ability to soar above the ground, he found his refuge in the underground galleries.

Mirror Lake

In one of the halls it reveals its charms to the guests. underground lake with a mirror surface that is not disturbed by anything. Inverted stalactites are reflected in the pond, and this sight is simply unforgettable. Near the lake there is a gigantic stalagmat “Salma”, delighting everyone who finds themselves in the underground kingdom with its size.

The most beautiful grotto

During the construction of artificial passages, a small grotto was accidentally discovered, decorated with teardrop-shaped and stick-shaped stalactites. Guests arrive at the hall named after it on a silently gliding boat along a dark corridor filled with water. A stop is made at the Masaryk Grotto so that all tourists can admire the limestone formations up close. The hall, reminiscent of a human dwelling, is considered the most beautiful in the cave.

Macocha Abyss

The fascinating walk ends at the bottom of the deepest Macocha abyss, which is associated with chilling ancient legends. Tourists take a cable car to the top and view the hole from the top of the mountain.

The large gorge of natural origin with Punkva has a depth of 138 meters. For guests of the reserve there are two equipped bridges, from which a charming and at the same time terrifying panorama of the abyss opens.

Katerzyn Cave

But Moravian Karst is famous not only for the underground treasures of Punkva. No less beautiful is the Katerzhinska Cave, the magnificent acoustics of which are known to all guests who arrive at the reserve. The largest “Main Cathedral” often hosts musical performances and vocal competitions.

The so-called Witch Stalagmite, shimmering in different shades in the light of the spotlights, makes an extraordinary impression. It seems as if the unusual formation really became the product of dark forces.

“Bamboo Forest” is a whole cluster of tall stalagmites, reminiscent of wild thickets. And in one cave, researchers discovered the remains of a prehistoric giant bear.

Baltsarka Cave

The Balcarka Cave, of scientific interest, is another natural attraction for which tourists rush to the Moravian Karst. Found here greatest number skeletons of animals of the Pleistocene period, human tools made of bone and stone. Well, the main decoration of Baltsarka are fancy shapes and flowers, numerous stalagmite laces that transport visitors to a real fairy tale.

Only here are unique rock formations- helictites that grow parallel to the ground.

Slopesko-Shoshuvska system

Two-tier complex underground caves with dome-shaped vaults and branching galleries, it attracts tourists with a special charm. Guests seem to find themselves in magical world with bizarre formations and the quiet whisper of an underground river. But the most breathtaking sight of the Sloup-Shoshuv system is the amazing view that opens from the bridge to the bottom of the Stupnovita abyss.

Moravian Karst: how to get there?

How to get to the reserve on your own? From Prague you need to get to the city of Brno (about three hours by bus), from there by train or public transport get to settlement Blansko.

Bus number 226 takes you to the Skalní mlýn stop, from there you will have to walk more than a kilometer to the reserve.

Excursions

You can take a tour to Moravský kras from different sources. For example, for a tour from Prague, including travel and sightseeing, you will have to pay about a hundred dollars per person.

You can buy tickets at the entrance to the caves before the start of the hour and a half tour (170 CZK for an adult, 40 CZK for photography). Independent travelers will have to wait until a group is formed. As experienced travelers say, Russian visitors should not have complexes, because everything that a guide says can be learned from a guidebook. The main thing is the feeling of being in the underground galleries.

Remember that you will have to pay separately for the opportunity to take photographs, but during the exciting rafting on the underground river it is strictly forbidden to take pictures so as not to blind the boatman.

All tourists agree that the Moravian Karst, the photo of which perfectly conveys the magical world natural wonder, is an unforgettable sight. A fascinating journey into the caves and acquaintance with the protected area leaves an indelible impression. A place that has no equal, a must-visit for everyone who is in a hurry to get there.

Moravian Karst is one of the largest karst regions in Central Europe. Its main attraction is the Macocha Abyss.

Next, your eyes and legs are offered a walk of one kilometer, during which you will see various bizarre figures: mushrooms, castles, long needles. And in one place, a colony of stalactites resembles wings; the guides call this figure “Angel Wings”. The journey through the caves is beautiful and mesmerizing.

Macocha Abyss

The walk ends at the observation deck of the Macocha Abyss. Many tourists are already starting to freeze by this time. And therefore, when entering the site, guides always hear the same thing:
- It's finally getting warmer!
- What a beauty!

The chasm is considered the largest natural chasm in eastern and central Europe.

A legend tells how it got its name. Not far from the abyss lived a family in which there were two boys - a stepson and a son. The stepson was healthy, but the son was very sick. The mother, in search of a medicinal potion, turned to a witch, and she advised her to destroy her stepson, and in return her son would recover. The woman followed this advice, went with the boy into the forest, led him to the edge of the abyss and pushed him. Returning home, she saw that her son was dead, mad with despair, she ran back to the abyss, jumped down and crashed. The stepson remained alive because he got caught on tree branches and was later found by his father. After this, the abyss began to be called Matsokha - stepmother.

You cannot drive a car within the reserve; there are no tourist buses. Allowed transport includes a cable car and boats, and of course, your own legs.

Tourists get to the transport stop by cable car. This trip is paid, and takes a few minutes. After leaving the cabin, you will have to overcome 500 meters, where there are various cafes and snack bars.

How to get to the Moravian Karst and Macocha Chasm?

To get there on your own, you need to come from Prague to (3.5 hours by RegioJet bus), then to Blansko, the same by bus or train, about 1 hour. Look at the train schedule for the day and time you need. There you fill out a simple form, and everything you need will be displayed.

Next, bus number 226 (see the schedule) will take you to Skalny Mlyn, from where you need to walk 1.5 kilometers. The second option is bus number 232 to the stop Vilémovice, Macocha, rozc., and then walk 2 kilometers.

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