Scarisoara Ice Cave
Scarisoara Ice Cave
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4.0
107 reviews
Excellent
53
Very good
32
Average
15
Poor
4
Terrible
3
Justine_Sade
Prague, Czech Republic226 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
The biggest ice cave in Romania is an unique place to visit especially if you are around the area.
Leaving the details aside the entrance to the cave is 13 lei per person.
Usually you get it each hour in groups of maximum 50 people. So depending on how busy it is you can wait just a few minutes or even an hour.
You get down on the iron stairs around 48 meters in the cave and on a wooden bridge. Basically you are sitting on the glacier and the small peaks you see are part of the overall glacier which is deep as a 10 story building.
The guide will tell you a few details to which point he will let you continue to the small formation in the back that it's called the "church". And then back again on the stairs up.
Overall it takes around an hour to get down, hear the details, take pictures and come back.
Be aware that inside is cold and I mean really cold as basically you are entering an ice cave. Also the last steps are a bit tricky as you go in the cave as they are covered with ice and might get slippery.
I have seen people with sandals and other type of summer shoes but I would recommend if you have to get some proper trekking shoes and a hoody on just not to be extremely cold.
There is a paid parking outside the cave for 5 lei per day. From the parking the sign says 10 minutes walk but it is far less than that.
On the road there are people selling forest fruit, honey and sirop so if you want to get also a different type of souvenir better take cash. Also take cash for the entrance as you cannot pay by card.
Overall an interesting site to visit and a very beautiful ride up the mountains to get to the cave.
Leaving the details aside the entrance to the cave is 13 lei per person.
Usually you get it each hour in groups of maximum 50 people. So depending on how busy it is you can wait just a few minutes or even an hour.
You get down on the iron stairs around 48 meters in the cave and on a wooden bridge. Basically you are sitting on the glacier and the small peaks you see are part of the overall glacier which is deep as a 10 story building.
The guide will tell you a few details to which point he will let you continue to the small formation in the back that it's called the "church". And then back again on the stairs up.
Overall it takes around an hour to get down, hear the details, take pictures and come back.
Be aware that inside is cold and I mean really cold as basically you are entering an ice cave. Also the last steps are a bit tricky as you go in the cave as they are covered with ice and might get slippery.
I have seen people with sandals and other type of summer shoes but I would recommend if you have to get some proper trekking shoes and a hoody on just not to be extremely cold.
There is a paid parking outside the cave for 5 lei per day. From the parking the sign says 10 minutes walk but it is far less than that.
On the road there are people selling forest fruit, honey and sirop so if you want to get also a different type of souvenir better take cash. Also take cash for the entrance as you cannot pay by card.
Overall an interesting site to visit and a very beautiful ride up the mountains to get to the cave.
Written 29 July 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.
Tiberiu_Baranyi
Timisoara, Romania17,107 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
When it comes down to beautiful places Romania has a lot of those. Here is why this is special:
- location - Garda de Sus - very close to the Ice Cave you can park - 5 lei / day is the parking (like 1 euro). You will have a nice stroll through the woods on a clear path - along the path you will find souvenir shops so if you are keen on having a memory it will be easy to acquire it. The Cave itself has an entrance - and you will visit it in groups - so you go by the cashier get your ticket - a little shy of 15 lei (like 3 euros).
- prepare - inside the cave is like 0 - 1 C allround the year - so get dressed properly it can get cold down there.
Put on some good hiking boots - you will make your descent on metal an wooden stairs that are usually wet and you will have to climb back. So given this I would say no sandals and other inappropriate footwear.
- it is physically demanding - especially on the way up - is several hundred stairs you need to climb - so just you know is not a regular hike.
-once you reached the cave itself is spectacular - like 80K cubic meters of ice inside the cave - biggest in Europe if I'm not mistaking - an entrapped glacier inside a cave. The area open for visiting is fairly small but still spectacular - the melting ice and the water dripping through plus the yearly change of seasons are shaping and reshaping constantly the ice to create unique "sculptures". It is very spectacular and definitely a must see.
It is a very unique and interesting place to visit. I recommend, if you are in the area take the trip to the Ice Cave of Scarisoara while is still there (you have to know is shrinking by the year - when I've been here more than 15 years ago it was much more ice inside the cave open for visiting).
So make trip it is worth it.
- location - Garda de Sus - very close to the Ice Cave you can park - 5 lei / day is the parking (like 1 euro). You will have a nice stroll through the woods on a clear path - along the path you will find souvenir shops so if you are keen on having a memory it will be easy to acquire it. The Cave itself has an entrance - and you will visit it in groups - so you go by the cashier get your ticket - a little shy of 15 lei (like 3 euros).
- prepare - inside the cave is like 0 - 1 C allround the year - so get dressed properly it can get cold down there.
Put on some good hiking boots - you will make your descent on metal an wooden stairs that are usually wet and you will have to climb back. So given this I would say no sandals and other inappropriate footwear.
- it is physically demanding - especially on the way up - is several hundred stairs you need to climb - so just you know is not a regular hike.
-once you reached the cave itself is spectacular - like 80K cubic meters of ice inside the cave - biggest in Europe if I'm not mistaking - an entrapped glacier inside a cave. The area open for visiting is fairly small but still spectacular - the melting ice and the water dripping through plus the yearly change of seasons are shaping and reshaping constantly the ice to create unique "sculptures". It is very spectacular and definitely a must see.
It is a very unique and interesting place to visit. I recommend, if you are in the area take the trip to the Ice Cave of Scarisoara while is still there (you have to know is shrinking by the year - when I've been here more than 15 years ago it was much more ice inside the cave open for visiting).
So make trip it is worth it.
Written 2 December 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.
mocapaull
Oradea, Romania503 contributions
May 2014 • Friends
Scărișoara Ice Cave is one of the wonders in Apuseni Mountains . The road which takes you there is very well kept. The climb down to the cave is well organised, with a tour guide, who speaks briefly about the „history” of the cave. Be sure to have a jacket, even if you visit the cave in summer, because down there the temperature it's around 5 degrees. Anyway, the tour is only about 15 minutes, because, heat emanating from the human body, can cause the melting of the ice, in time.
Written 24 November 2014
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.
avi_w669
Hadera, Israel8 contributions
Jul 2014 • Family
we spent a lot of time and miles to get there and paid a lot of lei for entrance and what we get was realy disapointing , a small cave in the length of 50 m with no much ice that was already dirty [a little black ] no real explanations and you cant compere them even a little to the real cave in austria . my advise keep out -nothing realy to see ! we were there a week ago
Written 26 July 2014
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.
Daniel_ros
Sibiu, Romania133 contributions
Apr 2011 • Friends
To get to Scarisoara cave we went by car from Garda until the forest ranger hut nearby the road and river. Then we hiked to for about 3 hours, at first quite steep but once on top at 1000m altitude it is quite flat, wonderful place and hamlets there.
The ice cave is chilly so you should get some warm clothes. it is quite small but impressive. There is a person who will climb down the stairs with you, he can provide breef information in Romanian. Nearby the entrance there are ladies selling donuts, jam and local drinks.
The ice cave is chilly so you should get some warm clothes. it is quite small but impressive. There is a person who will climb down the stairs with you, he can provide breef information in Romanian. Nearby the entrance there are ladies selling donuts, jam and local drinks.
Written 29 January 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.
jr8668
Haifa, Israel25 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
its an extraordinary cave with aglacier inside and green view outside.
even their are many stairs slippery down and up-children and eldery people can visit too.
take a coat
even their are many stairs slippery down and up-children and eldery people can visit too.
take a coat
Written 16 June 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.
Adam Y
Poland55 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Firstly, be very careful to check that you put in the right address on your sat nav, it can be misleading!
As others have mentioned yes it really is cold down there but a jumper would be ok, we saw plenty of people in shorts - a trip around doesn't take that long to be honest.
We were there in July and everything was still there, so dont worry about it melting!
The main problem, if any, was the stairs. They are not that wide so there is no such thing as two way traffic, so if you try to go down as a tour group comes back up you're going to be a while.
If you need to hold onto the rails to go down then take gloves, they are mostly metal save the very end so holding on will be a problem!
As others have mentioned yes it really is cold down there but a jumper would be ok, we saw plenty of people in shorts - a trip around doesn't take that long to be honest.
We were there in July and everything was still there, so dont worry about it melting!
The main problem, if any, was the stairs. They are not that wide so there is no such thing as two way traffic, so if you try to go down as a tour group comes back up you're going to be a while.
If you need to hold onto the rails to go down then take gloves, they are mostly metal save the very end so holding on will be a problem!
Written 27 July 2017
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.
Arthur M
Cluj-Napoca, Romania43 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
The ice cave is one of the wonders of the Apuseni mountains, a unique formation in Europe. However, while the descent using the stairs is more than interesting, don't expect a maze of tunnel that you can navigate. You are basically on top of a 130.000 ton block of ice, and further exploration into the cave is only done by scientists (it also looks dangerous). Worth a visit though!
Written 8 April 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.
UnNomad
Bucharest, Romania7 contributions
Your expectations should be set, it is not a maze cave where you can wonder for hours. With a knoledgeable guide (I recommend getting one in that area) you will invest a half of hour in that a bit more than a basketball field size cave. The highlights will be the stairs used to go down, the actual ice even in the summer and the facta about one of the few melting glaciers in Europe.
Written 12 December 2014
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.
bnbass
Utrecht, The Netherlands397 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
The ice cave in itself is not even that interesting since you will only walk over the top of the glacier (most of it is deep below the earth) and we've seen a more impressive one in Slovakia (where they drilled a tunnel through the glacier). Still this is certainly worth a visit because the phenomena remains impressive. And the descent into the cave is half the fun. You slowly go down a huge pit in the ground while you feel the tempature drop from 30 to 0 degrees (bring a jacket!). And you enter the ice cave itself.
Note for hikers / walkers: We walked all the way to the cave from Girda de Sus which is a steep 10Km climb but gives some stunning views. At the first crossing where the blue and red line split make sure you DON'T follow the gravel road which cars take. You're supposed to take the walk into someone's backyard instead up the hill. When you miss the sign you'll wind up walking along the asphalt road up (as we did) which is scorching hot in summer.
Note for hikers / walkers: We walked all the way to the cave from Girda de Sus which is a steep 10Km climb but gives some stunning views. At the first crossing where the blue and red line split make sure you DON'T follow the gravel road which cars take. You're supposed to take the walk into someone's backyard instead up the hill. When you miss the sign you'll wind up walking along the asphalt road up (as we did) which is scorching hot in summer.
Written 27 August 2013
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.
Lucach
Carcare, Italy
È possibile visitarla a inizio febbraio? O è chiusa al pubblico?
Written 29 January 2019
¿.Está abierto cada día ? ¿Y el horario de apertura?
Written 15 July 2017
can the ice caves be reached by public transport,we are going to cluj for five days the end of october and would love to visit the caves,
Written 28 September 2016
Hello, yes, I think you can take a local bus. Have a good journey
Written 29 September 2016
can the ice caves be reached by public transport,we are going to cluj for five days the end of october and would love to visit the caves,
Written 28 September 2016
The good thing is that there is asphalt up near the cave, you climb through the gorge Ordancusei, where the scenery is wonderful. Rent a car in Oradea and Cluj and enjoy the accessible caves in Apuseni.
Written 29 September 2016
ci sono punti esposti per chi ha vertigini?
quanto tempo occorrre in discesa ed in salita?
Written 26 August 2016
Dal mio punto di vista, non ci sono assolutamente problemi !
Non mi ricordo il tempo, ma sono circa 240 gradini ! Forse 10 minuti per scendere, 15 minuti per salire. Le scale sono sicure, in metallo, con corrimano
Prima di andare, qualcuno ci diceva che è difficile, che sono tanti gradini.... Per fortuna, non abbiamo tenuto conto del parere degli altri e siamo andati ! Vale la pena !
Con scarpe adatte (suola di gomma per non scivolare) e vestiti pesanti (fa freddo) è stato un piacere !!!
Guarda "Scari Pestera Scarisoara" su Google Immagini
Written 29 August 2016
האם ביקור במערה מתאים לילדים בני 7 - 10 ?
Written 19 June 2016
Yes! And they will enjoy but must wear gloves, please maybe light hats. Have fun!
Written 29 September 2016
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