A Tour to Rakov Skocjan and Krizna Cave

This day trip will introduce you to one of true slovenian treasures! The first landscape park on the territory of modern day Slovenia to appera in 1949 and it is called Rakov Skocjan. Rak is the name of river while Skocjan stands for Saint Kancian: an early Christian saint to die and be buried here in times of Roman chase for Christians. There is a ruined church, which is a possible location of his tomb.

Rakov Skocjan Valley is a part of Karst (Kras) region and perfectly reflects the peculiarities of stone destruction under the influence of natural forces. Those "karst structures" as caves, wells etc are hiding behind every corner and of tremendous sizes.

In the valley one can find two massive natural bridges (the little one is on the height of more than 40 meters); trails leading along the banks of the river, under the stone arches; cave halls of more than 50 meters high…all this leaves an unforgettable impression. One can walk the gorge by foot, it’s about 3 km one way, or proceed from one point to another with a car and thus minimize the walking distance. But, anyway, comfortable (sports) shoes is a must.

Our next stop is an outstanding Križna Cave (Cross Cave in translation). The 8500m of galleries on offer are merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Križna's attractions. The full galleries are only available to a limited number of people per year via a seven hour tour with one and four hour tours more frequently available. With 22 lakes of varying sizes, bones of cave bears ubiquitous and a vast array of animals indigenous to the cave (Križna is fourth in the world in that particular statistic), it is a veritable treasure trove of interest. One of the most exceptional experiences is a short boat travel by the cave lake!