Orlova Chuka Cave
Orlova Chuka Cave
4.5
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Chalkie52
Grimsby, UK148 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Visited today and it was very hot! ☀️ Parked and the top and walked down to the ticket office which is also a mini cafe. Lady in there was very friendly & pleasant. After buying tickets you walk down the cafe steps and a mud hill to a fantastic viewing area where you can see out over the ravine! From there it’s the 124 steps down to the cave entrance. Immediately you can feel the cool breeze coming out of the caves. There’s was two guys there today that were tour guides. Our guide took us in after explaining the route and a little history of the site. We did about a half hour route underground and the ended up back at the entrance. The guide was very helpful and showed us the different caverns and formations. We chatted outside for a bit to the two guides and their English was brilliant! Thankyou lads! We stomped back up the steps and had drinks, chips & icecream in the cafe. The caves are a super little visit and really good to see! Cheerful and helpful staff all over the site!
Written August 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriela F
2 contributions
Mar 2022
It is the second longest cave in Bulgaria, 40 km from Ruse. Few of the galleries of this limestone cave, which is said to be 13 km long, are open to visitors, the guided visit takes about 40 minutes, the narration is good, but only in Bulgarian. There is a camp in the immediate vicinity of the cave where you can stay in tents.
Written March 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nik R
Varna, Bulgaria6,654 contributions
May 2021
The cave is in a very beautiful place, just by the river of Cherni Lom in "Rusenski Lom Nature Park". There is a small parking lot on top from where you have to go down to buy tickets and continue downwards to the entrance of the cave descending the 124 steps.
Groups enter every hour, so you need to time your visit properly but there is a small sort-of-a-restaurant place where you can have a beer and eat some grilled sausages. The groups should be of no more than 15 people but our group was more than 60 which was not in line with the anti-Covid measures.
The guide was a very bright and colorful character who gave us not too much information about the cave but showed us some figures formed by the stalagmites and stalactites (you have to utilize your imagination though), sang a song in one of the halls called "The Concert Hall" where the acoustic was awesome.
The guide said "Orlova Chuka" was the 3rd longest cave in Bulgaria, about 13.5 kilometers long, but just a small part of it with flat floor and easy access has been arranged for visitors.
The visit lasts about 45 minutes and as the temperature inside is constantly 14°C, you may need something to put on. The cave is open for visitors from 1st April till 31st October only.
All in all, this was quite a unique experience.
Groups enter every hour, so you need to time your visit properly but there is a small sort-of-a-restaurant place where you can have a beer and eat some grilled sausages. The groups should be of no more than 15 people but our group was more than 60 which was not in line with the anti-Covid measures.
The guide was a very bright and colorful character who gave us not too much information about the cave but showed us some figures formed by the stalagmites and stalactites (you have to utilize your imagination though), sang a song in one of the halls called "The Concert Hall" where the acoustic was awesome.
The guide said "Orlova Chuka" was the 3rd longest cave in Bulgaria, about 13.5 kilometers long, but just a small part of it with flat floor and easy access has been arranged for visitors.
The visit lasts about 45 minutes and as the temperature inside is constantly 14°C, you may need something to put on. The cave is open for visitors from 1st April till 31st October only.
All in all, this was quite a unique experience.
Written June 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BORIME4KA
Sofia, Bulgaria530 contributions
Apr 2011 • Friends
Although hard to access without a car (the only way is 5 km walk from the small railway station Tabachka), it is worth of visiting this cave. The cave is open between April and October (inclusive), but no matter what time of the year you visit, the temperature is always 13-14 degrees Celsius. There are several halls which are accessible and lightened, and you can see 5 types of bats there. You can hear a very good acoustic in some of those halls as well. If you feel like a touristic person, there is a small hut nearby the cave which you can use for a bagpack sleep. The name of the cave means "Eagle's peak" because year ago its entrance had eagle's nest on the top.
Written January 8, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ainsley S
Hale, UK57 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
We stopped off here as we saw the roadside sign and had time to kill before arriving at Ruse - we’re glad we did. The caves are reached by about 100 steps down and are lovely and cool inside which was a welcome respite from the heat outside. The caves themselves are nothing special and not much distance is travelled however the experience was made thoroughly enjoyable by the guide who told funny stories (french and Bulgarian), pointed out funny shaped rocks and sang and played harmonica. At one point he got us ‘lost’ and we had to follow the music to reach him, and then he had us chanting ‘om’ as we walked through a low part. Totally bizarre but brilliant!
Written August 21, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SorinAcela
Iasi, Romania22 contributions
Aug 2015 • Couples
The cave itself is interesting and somehow beautiful as the walls are calcareous (I suppose), so they have nice curves. They look nice in pictures.
There is a lot of misinformation about it on the net. They say visiting hours are between 9 and 17, each hour. Actually, it is between 10:20 and 17, and it is not hourly. Those fixed hours are for guided groups. Individual tourist visit it al will, probably when they are a few. he ticket is 5 BGN (about 2.50 EUR), plus another 5 for taking pictures. The fee seems small, but you have to take into account that the cave is outside any tourist itinerary. To get there you need another 10 EUR for the gasoline and 1-2 hours of driving. The road is good.
Also the view over the gorges of Cherni Lom River is exceptional.
The guide also speaks some broken Romanian.
(We saw a bat flying in the cave!)
There is a lot of misinformation about it on the net. They say visiting hours are between 9 and 17, each hour. Actually, it is between 10:20 and 17, and it is not hourly. Those fixed hours are for guided groups. Individual tourist visit it al will, probably when they are a few. he ticket is 5 BGN (about 2.50 EUR), plus another 5 for taking pictures. The fee seems small, but you have to take into account that the cave is outside any tourist itinerary. To get there you need another 10 EUR for the gasoline and 1-2 hours of driving. The road is good.
Also the view over the gorges of Cherni Lom River is exceptional.
The guide also speaks some broken Romanian.
(We saw a bat flying in the cave!)
Written August 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ramutza
Bucharest, Romania600 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
This is truly a hidden gem. The cave is big, with great illumination and it's easy to walk through it and it's very beautiful. The visits are guided, 1 group per hour. The guide is really great and funny and ads value to the visit. He does not speak English, but he speaks French. He also highlighted the important things in Romanian. He does his best to explain things and to entertain the tourists. The tour lasts 45 min and it's chilly inside, so have a blouse with you. As per shoes, we went in sport sandals and it was OK, probably would be more comfortable in sport shoes, but the floor is flat and there's no need for special shoes. Would not go in flip flops though, because its wet and slippery. Would also recommend having water/some food (especially with kids) with you, as you may wait a bit for the next tour + 45 min the tour itself, and there are no shops outside the cave.
Written August 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steviegs
England239 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
This is a rare chance to visit a magnificent cave 15 km long, the second largest in Bulgaria. A tour guide accompanies groups of up to 15 people on an hourly basis, it is open officially from 9am to 5pm. We went on a Saturday at 10.50 am for an 11 am start. This was when it opened for the day, it may be prudent not to arrive before then; it is open from the april 1st to November 1st.
The cave is awesome with many chambers; the entrance is named The Concert Hall due to its acoustics, indeed music concerts are occasionally held here, particularly in August. It is home to several species of bats which can be seen hanging from walls or flitting around stalagmites and stalactites.
This is a trip not for the infirm as there are steep steps to and from the cave entrance, and several low tunnels to negotiate within the cave.
There is a café and picnic area with outstanding views of the rugged landscape below.
A treasure to be found off the beaten track between Ivanovo and Dve Mogili.
The cave is awesome with many chambers; the entrance is named The Concert Hall due to its acoustics, indeed music concerts are occasionally held here, particularly in August. It is home to several species of bats which can be seen hanging from walls or flitting around stalagmites and stalactites.
This is a trip not for the infirm as there are steep steps to and from the cave entrance, and several low tunnels to negotiate within the cave.
There is a café and picnic area with outstanding views of the rugged landscape below.
A treasure to be found off the beaten track between Ivanovo and Dve Mogili.
Written October 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BORIME4KA
Sofia, Bulgaria530 contributions
Sep 2016 • Family
The cave is open from April 1st to November 1st every day from 9 to 17h including the weekends. Entrance fee is 6 BGN for adults and the tour takes about an hour. Each tour starts at :00h so try being there at :30-:40h as you need time to buy tickets and climb lots of stairs. There is a good picnic area so bring blankets, balls, guitars and whatever you want if the weather allows it. Also keep in mind the temperature inside the cave is always 13-14 degrees Celsius no matter the weather outside.
Written September 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AlinaLutu
Nicosia, Cyprus33 contributions
Sep 2016 • Family
1. The guide is very smart and funny. He spoke in Bulgarian and French with us and often used some word in Romanian.
2. The temperature is 14•c constant so you might need to have a jacket.
3. The road is very good and clear. You have to reach Dve Mogili (30km from Ruse). From here to the cave you will have another 9km. You will reach a little forest and you can park you're car there.
4. Price : 6 leva(BGN) for adults and 3 for students. No extra money for photos.
5. The last tour is at 17:00.
6. It's a beautiful cave, the second in Bulgaria, discovered in 1941, all white because is chalkstone cretacic formed.
2. The temperature is 14•c constant so you might need to have a jacket.
3. The road is very good and clear. You have to reach Dve Mogili (30km from Ruse). From here to the cave you will have another 9km. You will reach a little forest and you can park you're car there.
4. Price : 6 leva(BGN) for adults and 3 for students. No extra money for photos.
5. The last tour is at 17:00.
6. It's a beautiful cave, the second in Bulgaria, discovered in 1941, all white because is chalkstone cretacic formed.
Written September 15, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello!
About how long does the tour take overall? Thank you in advance!
Written September 18, 2017
Hey there! How can you get to this place from Ruse by public transport? Thanks in advance!
Written November 10, 2016
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