Activities

Slovak Caves Administration

Specialized organization of nature protection providing the protection of all the caves in Slovakia and in case of show caves their safe and sustainable use. The SCA was established in 1970, restored in 1990.
The Slovak Caves Administration is allowance organization under direct management of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. It works on tasks of cave protection, operation and development for opening to the public and on other uses of caves.
It takes care for the spaces and devices underground and in show caves entrance buildings including the maintenance. It also participates on methodic regulation of care for karst landscape and all caves in the Slovak Republic.

Protection of caves

Every cave is natural monument according to the act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic no. 543/2002 of the Legal Codes On Nature and Landscape Protection. The 12 show caves have an important role among the educational localities. They represent important geomorphological phenomena with rich and specific flowstone, aragonite or ice fill, some of them with significant archaeological findings or cultural features. Since they are the most attacked caves by man, they require a special protection. Their sustainable use resides in observation of visitors’ influence on natural environment of caves, including its regulation. All show caves are designated national nature monuments. The Ochtinská Aragonite Cave, Domica Cave, Gombasecká Cave and Jasovská Cave are inscribed on the World Natural Heritage List since 1995 within the „Caves of the Slovak and Aggtelek Karst“ site, which was extended by the Dobšinská Ice Cave in November 2000.

The protection and operation of show caves in the Slovak Republic is carried out by the Slovak Caves Administration in Liptovský Mikuláš, as a specialized organization of nature protection under the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic.

Cave operation

providing a safe operation and use of show caves within the carrying capacity with respect to the visiting rules and opening times
guiding service in show caves
opening new caves to the public
construction and reconstruction of operation buildings for show caves
creating conditions for regeneration and recuperation speleoclimatic stays and speleotherapy in selected cave spaces in cooperation with health institutes
offering basic services for show caves visitors

Environmental education and promotion of caves

preparation of expositions, permanent exhibitions and educational boards in cave visitors’ centres, preparation of educational trails along the access paths to the caves
promotion of show caves
publishing of Aragonit magazine, publications on show caves, conference proceedings

News

Card payment - recommendation

Dear visitors, we would like to inform you that due to the technical conditions of payment terminals, there may be situations when card payment will not be possible. For this reason, we recommend that you have an adequate amount of cash available if you want to be sure that you will be able to visit the cave. Thank you for understanding.

Demänovská jaskyňa slobody - long tour reopened from 1st July 2024

Dear visitors,

after a longer period we reopen the long tour in the Demänovska Cave of Liberty from the 1^st of July 2024. The tour is open once a day at 13:15 from June to August (3 months) and at 13:00 during the rest of the opening days. Number of visitors is limited, the tour is demanding, with many steps and it takes more than one and a half hours. Cave temperature is around 7°C whole year round. We are looking forward to your visit.

15. vedecká konferencia: "Výskum, využívanie a ochrana jaskýň" / 15th scientific conference "Research, utilization and protection of caves"

Konanie: 24.- 26. september 2024. Bližšie informácie o tomto podujatí nájdete na odkaze.

The conference will be held from September 24 to 26, 2024 in Liptovský Mikuláš. More on the link.

Cave visit with small children

Dear visitors, due to increased visitation of parents with very small children (circa up to 3 - 4 years of age), we would like to kindly ask you to have a rucksack baby carrier with you for visiting the more demanding caves in given time. This recommendation concerns all caves but the most concerned are the following ones: Demänovská Cave of Liberty, Belianska Cave, Dobšinská Ice Cave, Demänovská Ice Cave, Harmanecká Cave. We also ask you to consider visiting the cave with your crying child, which could disturb the other visitors. Thank you for understanding and we wish you a nice experience.

Cave tour guides for download

Dear visitors, cave tour guides are available for download