Pivka Cave

Pivka Cave, in Slovene Pivka jama, is one of the wilder parts of the great Postojna cave system, and it lies only a few kilometres from the main tourist entrance of Postojna Cave. The Pivka river, which collects water from the plains and hills of the surrounding basin, flows into the cave at the foot of a huge opening in the ground and then passes through a series of galleries before it joins the other branches of the system. In effect, Pivka Cave shows the river as it enters the underground world, with all its noise and force, and gives visitors a different impression from the quiet, dry halls of the main cave.

The entrance is dramatic. Visitors go down a long flight of stairs, hundreds of steps in all, into a deep, funnel-shaped chasm with walls of grey limestone, where the air grows cooler and damper as you descend. At the bottom, the cave opens into very large galleries, some of them almost as high as a cathedral, with the river flowing through. In times of high water, the river is loud and fast, while in dry periods it is calmer, and the passages around it show the marks of floods in the form of polished walls and deposits of sand and gravel. Formations such as stalactites and stalagmites can be seen, but the main impression is one of scale and power.

The cave is usually visited with a guide, who explains how the river carved the passages, how the cave system fits together and what lives in the cave. The system is home to specialised animals such as the olm, a blind salamander, and various small invertebrates that have adapted to permanent darkness. The cave is open for tours only at certain times, often in the warmer part of the year, so it is wise to check the schedule and book in advance. The route involves stairs and uneven ground, so sturdy shoes and warm clothing are important, and the cave is generally less crowded than the main one.

Pivka Cave is easily combined with other places. Postojna Cave, with its train and halls, is the main attraction, the Proteus Vivarium explains the life of the olm, and the nearby Predjama Castle, built into a cliff, includes a cave beneath the castle, so a full day can be spent exploring the underground and the history of the area. The Inner Carniola region, with its forests and karst fields, rewards slow exploration, and Pivka Cave offers a more adventurous alternative to the main tour.