Orlova Chuka Cave
Visit Orlova Chuka cave and discover the underground "magic" of the second longest cave in Bulgaria. The cave, Orlova Chuka, is situated 45 km south of the city of Ruse in north-eastern Bulgaria. The Orlova Chuka cave is located on the left slope of the Cherni Lom River in the Rusenski Lom Nature Park. The entrance of the Orlova Chuka cave is elevated 40 metres above the river. There is a parking spot near the area of the cave. From there, you will see several signs that lead you towards the ticket place. After buying tickets and heading for the visit of the Orlova Chuka cave, you will come across a small terrace with a stunning panoramic view of the Rusenski Lom Nature Park and the spectacular rock formations of the river valley.
Bear in mind that after enjoying the beautiful and peaceful view of the Rusenski Lom Nature Park and deciding to head towards the entrance of the Orlova Chuka cave, you will go through steep stairs. Nevertheless, the stairs are not very difficult to walk through. The entry to the cave is on every hour and there is a tour guide with the groups. The groups are not bigger than 15 people. Even though the total length of the Orlova Chuka cave is 13,500 metres, the walk around the cave is approximately 40–50 minutes as there is no access to every hall of the cave. However, when you walk inside the Orlova Chuka cave, you have the feeling that you are in an "underworld fairy tale".
The Orlova Chuka cave was discovered in 1941 by coincidence by a local shepherd and opened for tourists in 1952. According to some findings, the cave was inhabited by humans thousands years ago due to its constant temperature of 14 degrees Celsius. As evidence of the human habitation in the Orlova Chuka Cave are discoveries like spearheads, flint tools, pieces of pottery, and others. In addition, the Orlova Chuka Cave is the home of 14 species of bats. Overall, the visit to the Orlova Chuka Cave's magical underworld is an exciting journey and a fulfilling adventure. In addition, not far away from the Orlova Chuka Cave are the magnificent Rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo. You can visit both of them in a day and have a memorable adventure by visiting astonishing places that are connected to nature.