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Cold or Suuk-Koba cave is located on the Chatyrdag plateau. The entrance to the Kholodnaya cave is located on the northeastern slope of a large funnel, and is separated by a low isthmus from an even larger funnel where the Thousand-headed Cave (Bin-bash-hoba) is located.
The entrance to Suuk-Koba looks like an arch slightly more than 2 m high. The arch is formed by layers of limestone, and a large block of limestone, sandwiched between two other blocks, serves as the castle of the arch. Behind the arch there is an entrance to the cave 5.2 m wide.Immediately from the arch, there is a passage with a slope of up to 35 °, which, after 12.8 m, expands and rises, passing into a vast hall with a maximum width of 32 m and a height of up to 20 m. There is a small niche in the southeast corner of the room. The floor of the cave is dotted with numerous small boulders, and a large block of limestone that fell from the ceiling, where a deep niche remained, is located on the left side in the depths of the cave. At a large stone, the cave narrows and makes a turn.
Further on, the cave narrows more and more and its ceiling goes down. Still further, the corridor expands again, although the ceiling drops noticeably, forcing a passing person to bend down sometimes, and finally the corridor turns into a hall rich in drip formations. The water here oozes from the walls, ceiling and spreads over the uneven floor. In the western wall there is a gap - a watercourse with drip formations in the form of stalactites, stalagmites and columns, and at the end of the hall there are numerous baths with cold clean water. Water from some of the trays is poured in cascades into the trays located below. The water temperature in them is about 5 ° all year round. Further the cave turns to the east, steeply going down.
Behind a low and narrow arch formed by stalactites and stalagmites, going down a little, we find ourselves in a vast hall with developed drip formations in its eastern part, which separate this hall from the next. The maximum height of the hall is about 4 m, and its floor gradually rises to a height of 4 m. Further, the cave turns, reaching a height of up to 5 m, and here in the middle of the hall a huge column of accreted stalactites and stalagmites is found. This hall lies about 43 m below the mouth of the cave.
From the first hall there are passages that rise steeply from the main passage to a height of 1.5 - 2 m. Here one hall is very high, up to 12 m, it is separated from the passage by a whole limestone covered with tuff drip in the form of draperies. Another hall, up to 5 m high, is separated from the previous one by a threshold and well-developed stalagmites. And to get to the next low (up to 2 m) hall, you need to climb a steep rise to a height of 9.5 m. There are stalagmites in the hall, and its ceiling is decorated with beautiful stalactites, which are most richly developed near the southeastern wall. Finally, the cave leads to a low, but significant in area, hall. It is especially richly decorated with completely fresh drip formations. In some places there are fresh, but very small stalactites that look like a cylindrical crust, thin and transparent, at the end with a drop of water. The northeastern (back) wall consists of many small stalactites, columns and draperies, but the vast majority of the decorations, as in the rest of the cave, have been broken off. The ceiling is very low - about 1 m, in the lower part of the hall there is a small bath with water. The upper point of the floor of this hall is 18m higher than the point of the main passage.
Thus, the Suuk-Koba Cave is a combination of horizontal and inclined passages, which together form a complete rotation of the screw with a stroke height of 43 m, and the entire length of the main passage in terms of 128 m. Due to the accessibility of most of the cave to tourists, it radically changed its natural appearance. They show fresh breaks in the stalactites, which they continue to beat off for themselves "as a keepsake" ...
The world of caves is amazing. Its rivers flow in it, sometimes spilling into miniature lakes, its own stone trees grow, its stone flowers bloom. They will never be revived by a ray of the sun, they will not be illuminated for a moment by lightning - everything is shrouded in eternal darkness and deep silence. Everything that the world of caves is rich in is made by water. Water continuously destroys limestone, which, under its influence, easily dissolves and erodes. Calcium carbonate, dissolved in water, settles on the surface of the stone. Drop by drop, and gradually a tubercle appears, which eventually grows into a hanging icicle - a stalactite. Falling on the floor, a drop leaves a particle of the mineral on it. A stalagmite grows from the floor towards the stalactite. Later they will merge into one powerful column. A row of columns, continuing to grow, create bizarre partitions, whole forests of columns fill some caves. The originality, the richness of the forms created by nature defies description. The chatyr-Dag karst cavities can be divided into three groups:
Sports, which are difficult to access by natural obstacles; passing requires special equipment and certain knowledge, skills and abilities;
Public, these are not deep wells and horizontally inclined caves, visiting which do not require long-term sports training and special equipment (this group includes Suuk-Koba, Binbash-Koba and many others)
Suuk-Koba - a cave on the yayla Nizhny Chatyr-Dag. The name "Suuk-Koba" is translated as "Cold Cave". Probably due to the temperature of 6 degrees inside. Kholodnaya cave is located near the unequipped Tysyachegolova (Bin-Bash-Koba) cave, as well as the Marble and Mamontova cave.
Suuk-Koba begins with a huge, up to 25 meters high hall. Here grows a composition of stalactites, popularly called "organ": many stone icicles intertwined into one structure, similar to organ pipes.
Further, the Suuk-Koba hall narrows and branches out in two directions. If you want to go to the right, you have to climb some homemade steps. The steps in Suuk-Kobe, like in any other cave, are rather slippery, so you need to be extremely careful. If you go to the left, a passage through the numerous baths will lead to a hall with a column.
An extraordinary drawing is drawn on the wall of the cave near the fork. Don't be in a hurry to rejoice at having found prehistoric cave paintings: in those days, no one painted in colors and in proportions. They say that in the 90s, a film about cave dwellers was filmed on Chatyr-Dag, and Suuk-Kobu was not ignored. Now the drawing has become a local landmark.
Thousand-headed Cave (Binbash-koba) - a cave on the Nizhny Chatyr-Dag yayla. The name "Binbash-Koba" is translated from Turkic as "The Cave of a Thousand Heads". Hence its second name - Thousand-Headed. The length of the cave is 110 m. The cave is located not far from the Cold Cave (Suuk-Koba).
The name of the cave is not accidental. From the middle of the 19th century, Binbash-Koba was actively visited local residents, as it has been known for many centuries. The first "explorers" found a lot of human skulls and bones in the cave, and literally in fifty years all the skulls were taken out of the cave and sold to the first Crimean tourists at the Angarsk Pass as "souvenirs from Chatyr-Dag".
As usual, there are two options for explaining such a large number of human remains in the cave: according to legend and from the point of view of logic.
Legend has it that one day the local villages were attacked by nomadic tribes. Residents in a hurry took refuge in a long-known cave, taking with them all their belongings and food. And so they would have sat out the raid of the nomads, but there was no source of water in the cave. Therefore, every night the most beautiful girl of the tribe with jugs of water left the cave and went to the nearest source for water. This went on for many days, but here's the problem: when the girl was carrying water, she, splashing, irrigated the path, and after a while the path from the well to the cave was covered with beautiful flowers. The nomads discovered this, and tracked down where the fugitives were hiding. And since they did not want to surrender, the invaders lit a huge fire at the entrance, and all the inhabitants hiding in the cave perished.
There is also a more logical explanation. The Thousand-Head Cave has a very unusual shape: starting with a wide platform and a horizontal portal entrance, it passes into a gorge, and then opens into a huge hall with dozens of stalactites and stalagmites. The ideal burial place for the dead is majestic and quiet. It is believed that Bin-Bash Koba served as a ritual burial place for local tribes - this is confirmed by the fact that only skulls of adults were found in the cave.
The Thousandhead Cave has another feature. She is a perfect example of what becomes of a cave after opening it for "free access" to all comers. To our great regret, only traces of the rich and beautiful drip formations remained. Many giant columns of stalagmites have been knocked down to the floor, and traces of axes from lovers of exotic cave can be seen on the walls.
The cave is still worth a visit: even though it is desolate, you can feel some mysticism and awe of history in it.
Guggerjin Cave:
It has an entrance well up to 20 meters, with a total length of 60 meters. The cave is located in a forest 50 meters south of the Thousand-Head and not far from the Onyx shelter. Gugerjin is one of the most popular caves among aspiring speleologists. It has one hall, divided by leaks into six chambers. The cave is easy to climb / climb and is very beautiful.
Bottomless Cave is located in Crimea, on the lower plateau of Chatyr-Dag. Other names for this cave in Crimea are Bottomless Well and Bottomless Mine. By modern ideas geology, this Crimean cave is not a well, but a complex combination of a shaft that opens the cave and the cave itself. The Bottomless Cave has become known since the end of the 19th century. This cave of Crimea is of a vertical type, the entrance to it is located at an altitude of about 1 km, at the bottom of a karst sinkhole. The total length of the Bezdonnaya cave is 410 meters, its depth is about 195 meters.
The descent into the cave is not equipped for normal visits. You can get into this mysterious Crimean cave only with equipment, as part of a group of speleologists or athletes.
GPS g. 44.786886,34.287868 (format used in online maps)
GPS gm. 44 ° 47.213 ", 34 ° 17.272" (the format is used in navigators and geocaching)
GPS g.m.s. 44 ° 47 "12.79", 34 ° 17 "16.32"
In addition to the equipped paid caves, there are plenty of "free" ones, but they are no worse than the "official" ones. The latter, of course, are impressive and amazing, but the value of the latter is best determined by the remark of one of the visitors:
- All my life I thought that real caves should be like in the book about Tom Sawyer. Remember, there was a huge, multi-tiered and multi-pass cave in which you can get lost and get out from the other side of the mountain? And where they lead by the handle and tell excursions, of course, it's great ... But not that. There is no atmosphere.
Suuk-Koba, or Cold Cave, is located a kilometer from. Here you can already feel yourself in a real dungeon - one silt with friends, with an obscure flashlight beam you slide down a slippery clay slope somewhere down - no one has cut the steps for you. Nothing is highlighted, and you feel like a real discoverer.
Unlike equipped caves, here you can touch and lick everything (if you are not afraid that it has already been licked before you), because, however, the cave looks sadder - everything has been cut here, up to the fact that the calcite walls began to collapse. From the air on the walls near the entrance, a black coating settles - this is natural, but not very beautiful. Moreover, here even the stalactites were cut down with an ax. Apparently for souvenirs.
In the nineties, Bulgaria filmed a documentary here, for this they were drawn beautiful pictures... The main difference from natural rock art is that ancient people did not use multi-colored paints and did not bother to reckon with proportions.
The exit illuminated during the day is beautiful as always, it is found in all caves with a natural entrance.
The entrance is located in a cozy hollow, hidden by the greenery from prying eyes, so the best way to find the cave is to use the navigator, even though there is a well-trodden path leading to it. Suuk-Koba will not be forgotten, she is alive. There were many guests in her, but she continues to live her thoughtful and eternal life, like the earth.
It's amazing to be in a cave of snow and ice on a hot summer day! Tourists who have been there will agree that these mysterious places have their own microclimate. One of the few ice caves is located in the Shanxi province of China. Inside Ningwu, stalactites stretch from ceiling to floor. It is a dazzling sight, but not unique.
The mystery of the ice caves
These amazing ice caves are scattered throughout continental Europe. They are available both in Russia and in Central Asia, and North America. They have become attractions that tourists enjoy visiting. Travelers are attracted not only by appearance, but also the very mystery of the origin of such caves.
One of the first who decided to look into this wonderful world ice and cold, was George Forrest Brown. In 1861, he traveled to Switzerland and came across a small dark cave, the walls and ceiling of which were made of ice. Researcher Emil Racovita from the Romanian Institute of Speleology also wrote in his works that he will never forget his first trip to the ice cave. 
Why is the temperature below zero in these caves? What is the uniqueness of these places?
Scientists began exploring ice caves 150 years ago, and there is still no consensus about why the ice in them does not melt. The version has been repeatedly put forward that the processes taking place in caves are associated with geothermal heat (coming from the hot mantle of the Earth). In other words, not all parts of the Earth can see this phenomenon. Where it does not exist, caves with sub-zero temperatures have formed.
Hot "current" or cold air?
Everything would be logical, if not for the Ningwu cave (China). Scientists who conducted research in it unanimously assert that if the reason for the formation of these places was a hot "current", then the surface would also undergo changes. However, the temperature at the entrance to the cave is 0 degrees Celsius, and at the surface - 17 degrees above zero. 
Therefore, Chinese scientists put forward their hypothesis. In their opinion, the subzero temperature inside the cave is influenced not by geothermal heat, but by the air flow: cold, dense, winter air penetrates into the cave. If you measure the temperature inside every 5-10 minutes, you will notice that during this time a stream of new cold air comes in.
Form, passages, walls
It is worth paying close attention to the structure of the cave, which has a unique shape, a special arrangement of passages, as well as heat exchange with stone walls. All this together creates a unique microenvironment in which cold air is trapped and stays here. 
Mathematical model of the cave
Yaolin Shi created a mathematical model of the Ningwu Cave in order to show the movement of air. It can be compared to an 85-meter bowling pin, which is installed on the side of a mountain 2000 m above sea level. What is the air trap?
Cool air descends into the mouth of the cave in spring, summer and autumn. It heats up only slightly, so it cannot affect the warming inside. In winter, the air temperature in the cave drops to -15 ° C. This is due to the fact that cold air, penetrating downward, displaces warm air. That is, the temperature in the cave drops noticeably. 
But that is not all. The ice that forms in the cave acts as a buffer to stabilize the temperature. When warm air gets inside, some of the ice begins to melt. In this case, warm air stops at this stage of the path, as it loses all its energy. Therefore, the rest of the cave is protected from heating. The temperature inside is almost constant all year round. Some ice caves have multiple entrances. This, of course, affects the ice melting process.
Thus, we can say that the ice cave is the result of such processes as the exchange of air between the cave and the surface, geothermal "current", ice melting and freezing of water.
The caves are in danger
Ice caves are very vulnerable, they are in a rather unstable state, especially given the constant climate change on the surface. Chinese scientists are already claiming that some of them are in danger.
In the Heilongjiang province (China) there is the Wudalyanchi ice cave. To preserve it, a metal door was installed to protect the attraction from the warm summer air. However, this action puts the unique place at great risk: without an influx of cold air, the microclimate can change. And this threatens with serious consequences, that is, all the ice can completely melt within several decades. Do not block the flow of cold air.
Sometimes, in an effort to preserve the unique ice caves, people inadvertently harm them more. Good intentions are clear: a huge number of tourists come to them every day. Several caves are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Dobsinska Cave in Slovakia. Tourism can be used to preserve ice caves.
Ningwu Cave is visited by 1000 visitors every day (open to travelers from May to October). Tourists spend almost an hour there. All this time, the cave is illuminated, about 200 electric bulbs are installed in it. Tourists and light bulbs both generate heat. Scientists are sure that it is not enough for the glacier to start melting. However, one thing must be observed important condition: A seasonal flow of cold air must constantly flow into the cave. 
Also, climate change is a threat to ice caves. Winter has become shorter and warmer, as a result, the cave gets fewer cold air. Thus, the balance can be disturbed. Many ice caves have already been lost due to changes in the climate. To assess all possible risks, scientists measure the thickness and density of the ice every year.
Fount of knowledge
Ice caves are not only a tourist attraction, but also a storehouse of knowledge. Scientists say the ice contains pollen, leaf fragments and other biomass that can provide information about the life of our ancestors. The fraction of gases in the ice could shed light on the ancient composition of the atmosphere. A lot of valuable and useful information is hidden in the caves.
Montenegro never ceases to attract and amaze tourists from all over the world with the wonders of nature, not only in the summer with its warm Adriatic Sea and diverse or in winter -. In addition, there are many more interesting, unusual and memorable things in Montenegro. Throughout the year, fans of active and extreme recreation, rock climbers and cavers are literally lured to the majestic Montenegrin mountains, which have preserved their pristine wild beauty, and little-studied caves hidden from the eyes of people in the bowels of the earth for many millennia.
According to speleologists, in Montenegro there is over 10 thousand different caves, but, unfortunately, due to the complexity of the route, many caves are accessible only to specialist speleologists, as well as well-trained extreme lovers.
In fairness, it should also be noted that some caves in Montenegro are among the most beautiful speleological sites on a European and world scale. It is rather difficult to say which of the many caves in Montenegro is the most beautiful - they are all amazing and beautiful in their own way. In this article we will tell you about one of them ...
The Ice Age left behind impregnable rocks, deep canyons and many caves, one of which is the most famous, located in the central part of Montenegro and bears the name Icy.
Ice cave in Durmitor National Park.
Among all the attractions of Montenegro, it is very popular among outdoor enthusiasts and enjoys Ice cave lying in the bowels of the mountain at an altitude of 2180 meters above sea level in the central part of Montenegro. It is located 7 kilometers from the city, on the northeastern slope of the mountain, from a distance resembling a human head, which is why it is called by the people - Obla chapter(Obla Glava from black "round head").
Coordinates of the cave: longitude 19.1064 latitude 43.1549
The ice cave is one of the natural wonders in the territory, which, in turn, has been a natural pearl of Montenegro for many years and in 1980 was included in UNESCO World Heritage List.
The entrance to the cave is covered with snow throughout the year, since in this place the mountain has a steep slope and the sun almost never appears here. The descent directly into the cave goes at a very steep angle and the cover of packed snow is almost always icy. Even an experienced climber is not so easy to go down there, and an amateur will be safer to admire the frozen beauty in the distance. But if you have already decided, then when going down, be extremely careful and, most importantly, carefully look under your feet.
Lifehack: It is sometimes quite difficult to get inside the cave without special equipment and training, therefore, for amateurs, the hot summer months are the most convenient time of the year to visit the cave. Better yet, go on an excursion with an experienced instructor.
Inside the Ice Cave, there is an unusual natural museum of ice figures - numerous stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes and sizes that do not melt even in the hottest weather. Basically, they resemble tall columns with a hole in the middle, since they are formed from water dripping from above and then freezing in the form of an ice column.
The length of the entire cave is about 100 meters, and one of its ice halls is 20 meters wide and 40 meters long.
Interesting Facts: Even in the middle of the hottest summer months, so cold water constantly drips from somewhere from the ceiling of the cave that, typing it into the palm, blood freezes. It is these drops, dripping and freezing in a natural way, that form numerous bizarre ice decorations, from the smallest to those that reach human height.
The bottom of the cave is also covered with ice, and some of the depressions form peculiar pools filled with water. Several long corridors go from the main entrance deep into the Ice Cave, which attract many brave tourists who want to experience all the trails of Zabljak.
Lifehack: There is a lot of water in the cave - it drips literally from everywhere, besides, it is crystal clear. That is why this place is ideal for refilling drinking water tanks for the return trip.
Naturally, all this natural splendor, the bewitching beauty of the underworld, cold mountain air, the purest water, absolutely transparent ice and constant low temperature, preserving all the cave treasures in their original form, attract many different people visiting Montenegro every year. In order to conquer the peaks of the mountains in Durmitor and see an unusual cave, many tourists organize themselves as part of walking excursion groups, and some experienced climbers decide to do it in pairs or alone.
Hike to the Ice Cave.
The ice cave in Montenegro is available for visiting and inspection throughout the year. Several mountain hiking trails of varying complexity lead to it, many of which originate from the famous, located near the town of Zabljak. The one-way hike to the Ice Cave, with halts and stops for photo shoots, will take 2-3 hours, and the total duration of the route can be from four to six hours, depending on preparation. But, believe me, the hike along its mountain ranges, as well as the descent into the kingdom of natural ice sculptures, is really worth it.
Lifehack: In addition to all the well-known trails, there is another shorter path, which starts from the Sadlo pass in the Durmitor National Park. Whichever one you choose, you should not forget that in the mountains snow can lie until mid-June and, accordingly, you need to carefully select equipment for the hike.
Along the way, you come across pointers and special marks - red circles that help tourists not to go astray. But, despite this, it is rather difficult to find the Ice Cave on your own - therefore many tourists hire a guide for the hike. 
When you reach your goal, magnificent views of the mountain ranges Durmitor, forests and, hidden among centuries-old trees, Black Lake and the city of Zabljak.
If you really love real adventures, are ready to experience an explosion of positive emotions and are not afraid of difficulties, then do not hesitate to go to the Ice Cave and your trip will be 100% justified!
