Dupnisa Cave

Dupnisa lies in the wooded Strandzha hills near the Bulgarian border, and it is the largest developed cave in Thrace - three connected caves on two levels totalling some 3,200 metres, of which several hundred metres are open to visitors on lit concrete walkways; the name comes from the Bulgarian dupnitsa, from the word for a hole. The upper Dry Cave is the decorated one, with stalactites, columns, curtains and flowstone; the lower Wet Cave has a stream running through it, loud and cold, and the connecting Kız Cave links the two. It stays at around thirteen degrees year-round, which makes it a relief in summer and a shock in the shoulder months. The cave is closed from 15 November to 15 May to protect its bats - some 60,000 of eleven species - so the open season is set by the bats rather than by demand. The forest around it is good walking country and the drive in is through beech and oak.

What you'll find

• The dry upper gallery - columns, curtains and flowstone.
• The wet lower cave - the stream running through the rock.
• The connecting passage - the Kız section between the two.
• The Strandzha forest - beech and oak on the approach.

When to go

Mid-May to mid-November - the cave closes in the colder months for the hibernating bats.

Good to know

Closed for a large part of the year, and dates shift with the bats. It is cold and wet inside - bring a layer and expect slippery walkways. A car is effectively required.

Nearby

İğneada's flooded forests are on the coast; Kıyıköy is further south.

Key facts