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03 July 2017 / 41 Comments

Punkva caves - underground boat trip in the Czech Republic

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Punkva caves are located in Blansko, just north of Brno in the Czech Republic. These large caves are filled with stalagtites, stalagmites and fascinating rock formations. However, what makes this cave particularly worth visiting is the green and grassy area in the centre of the cave and the underground river where you can glide along in a boat.

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Punkva caves

We went on a guided tour of the big cave, stopping from time to time to admire all the formations. The guide told us a lot during the whole tour, but since we don't know Czech we didn't understand anything... I think you might be able to get a guide in English as well, but the tours are popular so probably you have to book further in advance (instead of the day before like we did...).

Stalagmiter och stalagtiter som speglar sig i en underjordisk sjö
Stalagmites and stalagtites reflected in an underground lake
Punkva caves
Some formations in Punkva caves are mighty big!

Macocha ravine

After a short walk inside the dark and damp cave, you emerge into an area that is ... covered in green grass! Wow! Here, a hole suddenly opens up to the sky, light streams in and the ground is intensely green.

When I read up on the cave, it is part of something called 'the Moravian karst', a 92 square kilometre area with around 1100 caves and gorges. One of the most famous sites is this collapsed cave, with a 138 metre deep sinkhole. 

Macocha abyss
Suddenly, while walking in the cave, you come across ... this!

Boat trip underground in Punkva Caves

After some more walking, it was time to get into the boats! An underground river flows through the cave and it's a special experience to glide along here. Our captain was also (apparently) very funny, because the other passengers were rolling with laughter as he told stories - and some even applauded!

Unfortunately we don't know what he was talking about, but the boat ride was still cool! One tip is to watch your head for any protruding rocks, which I didn't... My bump went away quickly though, so no harm done.

Grotta båttur
Travelling on an underground river
Stalagtiter
Cool formations everywhere along the road

Practical info for visits

We found it a bit tricky to find good information for our visit to Punkva Caves, so here we have summarised what you need to know:

  • It's good to book tickets in advance, especially if you plan to visit the cave in high season. We booked by emailing the email address we found at Czechtourism websiteand it worked perfectly. Try to get a guided tour in English, if possible!
  • If you are travelling by motorhome, you can stop at Camping Olsovecwhich is a 15-20 minute drive from the cave, the night before or after the visit.
  • Bring warm clothes and comfortable, sturdy shoes. The cave is 8 degrees all year round and humid.
  • You can get to the cave by driving to the car park, which is located at Skalní mlýn 96, 678 01 Blansko.
  • Once you've arrived and parked, it's time to buy tickets. There are separate tickets for most things (cave tour, tourist train, cable car, photography licence) and you may not be informed of all the tickets you need unless you specifically ask for them.
  • The guided tour of the cave takes about one hour. To get to the place where the tour starts, you have to get from the car park - either by walking 2 km slightly uphill or by taking the "tourist train".
  • At the end of the tour there is a possibility to go higher up the mountain by cable car. At the top there are restaurants, hiking trails and a viewpoint (where you can mostly see trees).
  • To get back, you can either walk (2.5 km on a forest road with a slight slope) or take the cable car and tourist train.
Promenad i tjeckisk skog
Walk back to the car park

Camping Olsovec

Camping Olsovec is a large campsite in a beautiful location right next to a lake. The campsite is not very inspiring, but there are fresh service buildings and two simple restaurants.

Camping Olsovec
FREEDOM at camping Olsovec
All our top tips for the Czech Republic. Click on the image!

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03 July 2017 6:00
Czech Republic
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39 Comments

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  1. Ruth in Virginia says:

    What an amazing cave! Your photos are beautiful. It has
    really been an experience and an awakening for me.
    to be with you in Poland, which I never really got to grips with.
    The country seems to have it all, from beautiful beaches to high mountains.
    The rock formations are fascinating.
    My Don would have loved to be there. 🙂

    03 July 2017 - 7:24

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Glad you like our photos Ruth! We are travelling through both Poland and the Czech Republic during this trip, and this cave is in the Czech Republic. Both countries are beautiful and have a lot to offer, we think! ?

      03 July 2017 - 8:30

      Reply

  2. Matts Torebring says:

    How cool! We have made two cool cave visits ourselves. Postojna Cave, Slovenia and Vallon-Pont-d´Arc Cavern, France. Both cool and impressive to say the least. Both took almost an hour to walk/ride around. But going by boat inside the cave, we have never done as you did, it must have been awesome. In the cave in France, there was a whole rack of headphones for different languages. It was clever

    03 July 2017 - 8:18

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      We have also visited the Postojna cave, and I agree that it is a cool cave! The one you mention in France we have missed ... And yes, the boat trip made this trip special!

      03 July 2017 - 8:32

      Reply

  3. Ama de casa says:

    WOW!!! What an incredible cave! Absolutely fantastic. Too bad you didn't get an English tour, especially when it seemed to be so fun. But it's the experience and the visual impressions that are the greatest benefit after all.

    The Czech Republic undeniably seems to be able to offer many things of different kinds 🙂 .

    03 July 2017 - 8:36

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Yes, this was an occasion when I would have liked to master Czech 😉 The tour was good and exciting anyway, but of course it would be more optimal to have the guide in English!

      03 July 2017 - 8:46

      Reply

  4. LinizTravel says:

    But wow so beautiful 😉 enjoy the journey! Hugs

    03 July 2017 - 8:40

    Reply

  5. Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

    I say WOW! It is a nice journey you are making interesting.

    03 July 2017 - 8:54

    Reply

  6. Mr Steve says:

    You are good at finding fascinating environments where you offer exciting experiences.

    03 July 2017 - 9:18

    Reply

  7. Margaret says:

    I am so happy when I travel with the help of your beautiful pictures and stories and tips.This trip will be saved for next year!!!!!!!!!!!

    03 July 2017 - 9:24

    Reply

  8. åsa in åsele says:

    Firstly a question, how is your motorhome now, was it repaired and is it top notch or?
    I can't remember if I read anything about what happened to the workshop...

    Really like the pictures from inside the cave, powerful.

    Are Poland & Czech Republic similar to each other, like Sweden & Norway?

    Poland feels like a real Eastern European country...

    03 July 2017 - 9:34

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      The most important thing about the motorhome works, but it's not tip-top... The battery is charged when we drive, but whether it is charged by cable when we are stationary is unclear... nothing is visible on the panel. We have also discovered that the fog lights do not work ...

      Poland and the Czech Republic have similarities, but also differences. In Poland, for example, there is the beautiful Baltic Sea coast. There is nothing like that in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic feels perhaps a little more central Europe, with many magnificent castles and vineyards in the south.

      03 July 2017 - 11:07

      Reply

  9. Ditte says:

    Really exciting and adventurous caves! Very nice pictures and thanks for the good info about the roads leading here somewhere.
    Have been in similar caves in Mallorca and in southern China and also there with a boat trip. Memorable experiences in huge caves. Imagine what nature can do.
    Wishing you a safe journey.

    03 July 2017 - 9:56

    Reply

  10. Denandraresan.com says:

    Good to know that there is camping nearby for next time. Feels like we missed a bit because we didn't wander around afterwards. I have arthritis deluxe so we have to stick to pensioner activities! Which way do you go back to Poland? We're near Kłodsko now, it's just a stop on the road this time as it's too far to drive back to Prague. I can recommend this city too, it is called "little Prague" for a reason 🙂 there is a fun gold mine nearby. We were there last year and had a private guide in English. You get to ride a mine train and wash pyrite 🙂 there are caves there too. Have written in the blog about this. If you drive this way, it is well worth a visit. http://www.denandraresan.com/2016/07/en-guldgruva-en-anarko-kapitalist-och.html

    03 July 2017 - 10:11

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      We have travelled into Poland now and made it to Zakopane. Then there will be a visit to Krakow. Thanks for the tips and link. Looks nice! We looked at the map, but we will not go in that direction. From here we continue eastwards in Poland. Are you going back to Prague soon now?

      03 July 2017 - 11:11

      Reply

  11. Lennart says:

    Cool with caves!

    03 July 2017 - 11:49

    Reply

  12. Emma, sun like sun? says:

    Nature is truly incredible, it never ceases to fascinate and surprise you with what it offers us.

    I was a kid in some caves in France, may well have been the ones mentioned above. Remember that it was scary and exciting.

    But travelling in a boat there must have been special!

    03 July 2017 - 17:36

    Reply

  13. Marianne - Glimpses of the world says:

    Cool! Caves are so fascinating and this one seems very exciting to explore.

    03 July 2017 - 18:13

    Reply

  14. Lena - good for the soul says:

    What a lovely place! And what a wonderful tour you are on! Fun to follow along!

    Hug Lena

    03 July 2017 - 18:21

    Reply

  15. Husis blog says:

    Caves are special for travelling. The owners remember the visit to the Postonja caves where it was just as cold.
    It's great to follow your journey and take part in everything you share with us.

    03 July 2017 - 20:43

    Reply

  16. Role o Carina says:

    Cool places you visit and we follow along 🙂 .

    Take care and enjoy......

    03 July 2017 - 21:32

    Reply

  17. BP says:

    WOW!!! What pictures from the cave both here with you and with "Denandraresan". Think what nature can achieve - pure works of art I think - natural works of art simply.

    I have been on two boat trips to caves in France and Mallorca, but your cave is bigger and more impressive.
    As far as the "forest" is concerned, the Czech forest is very similar to the one in Poland. Both are so completely different from our Swedish forest. Delicious!

    03 July 2017 - 21:42

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      I agree that nature is amazing, and "natural works of art" are perhaps the coolest! 🙂 Agree that the forest in the Czech Republic reminds me of the forest in Poland, although we have seen a little more conifers in the Czech Republic. But generally it is a lot of deciduous forest, very dense, and sometimes so green that it almost feels unreal 😉.

      03 July 2017 - 23:23

      Reply

  18. åsa in åsele says:

    Sorry to hear that your motorhome isn't working properly,

    Ha ha didn't realise that Poland has a coastline close to the sea 😉.
    I got the impression that Poland, like the Czech Republic, was stuck "in the middle of all the other countries" 😉.

    03 July 2017 - 22:06

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Hi Åsa! The most important thing in the motorhome works anyway, so we shouldn't complain too much! Yes, maybe you don't think about the coast of Poland if you haven't been there ... We'll probably drive past the coast on the way back to Sweden so we can show some more pictures from there 🙂 .

      03 July 2017 - 23:25

      Reply

  19. Elisabeth says:

    Exciting trip! Another place I would like to visit! Keep up the good work!

    04 July 2017 - 20:19

    Reply

  20. Renate's travels says:

    How exciting! I've never heard of this place before, but it definitely looks like it's worth a visit. 😀 Great pictures!

    04 July 2017 - 21:39

    Reply

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