📜 A spectacular cave system and hiking destination in Romania's Bihor Mountains.
🏞️ Explore blooming meadows, adventurous rappelling, and a unique cave passage.
Why Go
🌍 Explore one of Europe's most renowned karst landscapes and its largest karst area
🌸 Hike through Poiana Florilor meadows and discover the Galbena River springs
🧗♀️ Experience adventurous rappelling on chains and ladders around rocks
🦇 Pass through the magnificent Cetățile Ponorului cave, a truly unique experience
⛰️ Witness Europe's largest cave portal, an impressive rock gate up to 74m high
🥾 Hiking
- Distance: 14 km
- Elevation Gain: 700 m
- Highest Point: 1300 m above sea level
- Best Months: April to October ☀️
- Starting Point: Padis village, offering camping and a pub 🏕️
- Trail Features: Steep descents with ropes and chains, ladders, cave passage with varying water levels
- Cave Passage: Approximately 400 meters long, requires a headlamp and suitable footwear (sandals recommended), descend to underground river up to 150m deep 🔦
- Wildlife: Expect free-grazing cows, sheep, and potentially friendly stray dogs 🐕
- Navigation: Trail is not well marked in some parts, making it easy to get lost 🗺️
Why Avoid
⚠️ Not a trail for beginners; requires good physical shape and suitable shoes
❄️ Not recommended from November to March due to snow/glaciers
🌧️ Cave and descent can be wet, slippery, and muddy 🚧
⏳ Descent to the cave can be time-consuming if encountering other groups
🥶 Caves are very dark and cold inside
✅ Checklist
- Standard hiking gear, trekking poles, hiking boots 🥾
- Headlamp (essential for the cave) 💡
- Helmet (recommended for the cave) ⛑️
- Water purification (e.g., Sanosil) for spring water 💧
- Sandals or water shoes for the cave passage 👟
- Sunscreen and sunglasses (in summer) 🕶️
- Tent, sleeping bag, mat, cooking equipment (if staying overnight) ⛺
- Secure your food from stray dogs 🍖
🚗 Getting There
- Access to Padis: Exit the highway between Beius and Stei 🛣️
🅿️ Parking
Free parking available by the side of the main road, but it can be limited 🅿️
🍽️ Food & Drink
A pleasant restaurant and pub are available at Cabana Cetatile Ponorului, a hut located a few kilometers from the cave 🍻
🚫 Restrictions
- Dogs: No dogs allowed on the trail 🐕🚫
- Accessibility: No wheelchair accessibility ♿