Škocjanske jame - Details
Description
This walks starts with a 1,5 hours guided tour and it runs in the right direction, saving the best for last. The first caves are nice and beautiful, probably somewhat like other cave walks but once you enter the big Water Murmuring Cave (Šumeča jama) with 40 meters high ceiling above you and the Reka flowing 40 meters below you, you will never forget this tour.
After the official guided tour three options are presented. The first option is going back to the main building, the second option is walking back via the natural bridge along the Big Collapsed Doline (Velika dolina), the third option is continue your walk on your own by walking through the Marinič Cave followed by the big and impressive Mahorčič cave. The Mahorčič cave has spectacular light effects because of the large openings at the beginning and end of the cave.
This takes an additional hour. The third option is used in this walk.
About the © PSJ photos
The photos with subtitle © PSJ are kindly provided by Park Škocjanske jame on request and used with permission. Taking photos during the official tour is NOT allowed.
Copyright is owned by photographer Borut Lozej, source Archives Park Škocjanske jame.
Official website for timetable and prices
This page also shows the three options for walks after the official tour, with some figures.
https://www.park-skocjanske-jame.si/en/read/tourist-information/skocjan-caves-guided-tours
How to get there
On the highway from Ljubljana to Koper (A1/E61) take exit 46 to Divača and Lipica. On the roundabout turn right to Škocjanske jame. Later on turn left to Matavun and Škocjanske jame. When arriving at Matavun turn left to the parking and main building.
During the walk
This walk is different from other walks on this site, it is a guided tour and the additional walk is waymarked without any other options than the correct path. So here is only what you can expect.
From the main building you walk with a group to a doline (collapsed cave) nearby, a 45 meter descent. After the introducing words from the guide you enter the caves through a 30 meter tunnel and after that you enter the caves.
The path is easy and the ascents and descents are gentle. The leaflet says that you walk 400 stairs during the official tour. The last part is the rather long Šumeča jama or Water Murmuring cave. At the beginning you have an overview with the lighted path all along the wall of the long underground canyon. You also cross a nice bridge during that part. The walk through the Šumeča jama is absolutely spectacular.
At the exit you are also in a doline, the Big Collapsed Doline (Velika dolina). There you could go back to the main building, but in our case the walk continues without guide to two more caves. You age guided to the right path to do the walk.
From Velika dolina you enter the short Marinič Cave. Then you walk along another doline, followed by the large Mahorčič cave. At the end of that cave you walk a path back up to the road, an ascent of about 65 meters. The path from the exit of the last cave back to the main building is clearly signposted.
About the GPS track and trip information
I had my GPS on during the walk and of course it had no satellite reception in the caves. But in between the data seems quite correct so I added the track to give an impression of where you start and end. You don’t need the track because it is a guided tour, and the independent walk afterwards is perfectly signposted.
The duration is taken from our tour. The length is taken from the Škocjanske jame leaflet. The height difference is taken from the track and thus an estimate.
Trip information
Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Length: 5 kilometers (leaflet information)
Height difference: 130 meters (estimated)
Parking coordinates: 45.662841,13.988908
Send coordinates to maps app
Downloads
Waypoint of the parking (Google KML): Download
Waypoint of the parking (GPX): Download
Track of the walk (Google KML): Download
Track of the walk (GPX): Download