Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAVING IN THE APUSENI NATURE RESERVE
The Apuseni Nature Reserve is prime caving territory. The area to the southeast of Oradea is filled with literally
hundreds of caves, of which several dozen are open to the public. For serious spelunking, the best source of in-
formation is the
Apuseni Nature Reserve Visitors Centre
(Bear Cave Branch; 0259-329 339;
www.parcapuseni.ro
;
Sudrigiu; 8am-4.30pm Mon-Thu, 8am-2.30pm Fri)
, with headquarters on the approach
to Bear Cave near the village of Chişcău or the branch (
Click here
)
near Arieşeni in the Apuseni Mountains.
Travelling from Oradea along Hwy E79 (local Hwy 76), the first major cave is
Meziad Cave
(Peştera Meziad;
4km from Meziad village; adult/child 15/10 lei; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm, closed Thu morning)
, 24km northeast of
the town of Beiuş. The cave features an enormous opening and is split into three levels, with some fairly treacher-
ous climbs. Wear sturdy shoes and bring a torch (flashlight), as there's no electric light in the cave.
Meziad Cave is not easy to reach with public transport. From Beiuş, take a local minibus to the village of Mezi-
ad and hike the final 4km. By car from Beiuş, follow signs to the cave for 11km. At the village of Remetea, bear
right at the Cămin Cultural building and continue for 9km to Meziad village. Pass through the village and eventu-
ally bear left across a small stone bridge to a gravel road, which brings you to the ticket office.
Bear Cave
(Peştera Urşilor; 0742-115 303; Chişcău; adult/child 15/10 lei; 10am-5pm)
, about 82km
from Oradea, is one of Romania's finest and worth a special trip. The cave was discovered by quarry workers 40
years ago. It's named after skeletons of the extinct cave bear (
Ursus spelaeus
) found inside. The magnificent gal-
leries extend over 1km on two levels. Guided tours allow you to spend an hour inside.
Without private transport, the region around the cave is tricky to navigate. Infrequent buses run between Beiuş,
Chişcău and Ştei. From Oradea by car, head south through Beiuş, follow Hwy E79 a further 8km along the Crişul
Negru River, then turn left at the turn-off for Pietroasa and Chişcău; continue for 8km. For an overnight option,
Pensiunea Laura
(
0741-358 092; Chişcău, near the entrance to Bear Cave; r 90 lei;
)
is a wooden
chalet with eight rooms and a charming restaurant.
Transilvania Tours
(
0259-318 491;
www.transilvaniatour.ro
)
offers guided excursions from Băile Felix.
The most famous cave in the Apuseni Nature Reserve is the chillingly named
Ice Cave
(Peştera Gheţarul de la
Scărişoara; 0742-010 347; accessible from Gârda de Sus; admission 7 lei; tours 9am, 10.20am,
11.40am, 12.20pm, 3.40pm, 5pm, 6pm, Sun to 5pm only May-Sep)
. The cave was first documented in 1863 by
Austrian geographer Arnold Schmidt. Believed to be one of only 10 of its kind in Europe, the cave is filled with
7500 cu metres of ice dating back to the Ice Age, when the Apuseni Mountains were covered in glaciers.
Tours of 10 to 50 people depart throughout the day. The tour lasts 20 minutes and involves a steep descent to
the opening, a quick peek inside, and then back up again. The cave can be reached on foot from Gârda de Sus
(9km, two hours). You can drive to the cave via a paved but treacherously narrow road (18km, one hour) that
leaves from the centre of Gârda de Sus.
