ELATA CAVE

Overview

Elata Cave is located in Ponor Mountain, which is part of Stara Planina. The hikes in the cave start from the town of Svoge, which is the starting point. The cave is located near the village of Zimevitsa, in the plateau above the picturesque Iskar gorge. The capital Sofia is 60 km away.
"Elata" is one of the smaller caves, but it is extremely beautiful and interesting. It cannot be visited easily. Entry is only with special equipment and descent on alpine ropes through the so-called "vertical chimney". During the descent you reach a large hall with interesting rock formations, and through it you reach a unique underground lake. To get out, again go through a steep cliff and climb alpine ropes.
The transition to the mountain passes into the mountain around the area of ​​the Srebrenica peak. From there reveals an incredible panoramic view of the entire western part of Stara Planina. In the summer the hikes are more interesting and visited because they also include a bike ride and a descent to the river valley. In winter, when a lot of snow falls, you can go skiing on the way back by descending the beautiful northern slope and the untouched snow. To visit the cave you only need dry spare clothes and a guide.
There are organized visits, which are for groups of up to ten people. And if the group is larger, it can choose the date on which the visit will take place. Many companies also organize programs for a few days, which include the cave and the area around it, which includes many more interesting entertainments. There are boat descents on Iskar, climbing on the Lakatnishki rocks, cycling and hiking.
Experienced guides and speleologists do not recommend visiting Elata without organization and equipment. There is a great risk that needs to be weighed. The cave is one of the favorites of mountaineers and climbers from clubs in Bulgaria.