4 caves · down to 129 m
Cave diving in Romania
- Caves4
- Max depth129 m
- Water temperature4–9 °C
Why come here
Romania is for cave divers looking for cold sumps and expeditions: there are few documented cave dives, almost all cold (4–9 °C), deep and full cave. Izverna in Mehedinți, close to Baia de Aramă, is the only place where visiting cave divers come regularly, with a black sump of more than 400 m; the cave is behind a locked gate and where you get the key and permission is not clearly published, so ask the geopark and the commune. The Apuseni springs, such as Cotețul Dobreștilor, Tăuz and Izbândiș (-129 m), are expedition terrain on trimix, with approval from the speleological heritage commission and a permit from the park. Rain makes Izverna rise fast and turns Tăuz murky, so don't go in heavy rain, and no trimix fill station was found in Romania: expeditions bring their own booster and gas.
Don't miss
- Peștera Izverna (Isverna): an active resurgence with a permanent stream and a protected bat colony, visited by Cousteau's team in 1990/91, where the black sump was passed in 2005.
On a rest day
- God's Bridge (Ponoarele): A natural rock bridge, protected as a natural monument, in Ponoarele commune near Izverna, with Bulba Cave and Lake Zaton in the same commune.
- Scărișoara Ice Cave: A show cave at Gârda de Sus, next to Cotețul and Tăuz, holding an estimated 75,000 m³ of underground ice, up to 20 m thick in places.
- Bears' Cave: A show cave near Chișcău in the western Apuseni, named after the cave bear skeletons found inside, with one on display in the Bones Hall.
All 4 caves
3 closed not shown ·
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peștera Izverna (Isverna)Permission neededSidemount · Full cave | 42 m | Sidemount | Full cave |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Where to stay
Find a place near Baia de Aramă, Gârda de Sus
Villages that work well as a base for the caves in this region. Find a place for your team:
- Baia de AramăBooking.com ↗
- Gârda de SusBooking.com ↗
The links to Booking.com are affiliate links: if you book through one, DiveTripPlanner earns a small commission. You pay the same.
Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- 112 (Salvamont/Salvaspeo for cave rescue); DAN Europe +39 06 4211 5685. Chambers: since February 2026 a public chamber in Cluj-Napoca (Spitalul Clinic de Recuperare); private ones in Oradea and Bucharest; the navy in Constanța can treat diving accidents. Whether they take civilian diving accidents is not confirmed: call 112 and DAN.
Access and rules
- Izverna: in the Platoul Mehedinți Geopark; the cave is closed to tourists and behind a locked gate. Where you get the key and any permission is not clearly published: ask the geopark and the commune. Transilvania Cave Diving (Arad) offered guided dives (2022 programme: from 1 April, by reservation, groups of 4–8, permission for ~20 days a year) and a tour of the Apuseni springs; their site shows no later dates, so ask whether it still runs. SubAquaSport (Constanța) has a page on Izverna for certified cave divers, without dates.
- Apuseni: organised underground visits in the Apuseni Natural Park need approval from the Comisia Patrimoniului Speologic (environment ministry) and a permit from the park administration.
Gas and fills
- Gas: no Romanian fill station with trimix found; expeditions bring their own booster and gas. Ask the operator at Izverna about fills.
Water and season
- Water: 4–9 °C. Rain makes Izverna rise fast and turns Tăuz murky: don't go in heavy rain.
- Season: the Izverna trips ran (2011) from mid-December to May.
Getting around
- Travel: Izverna via Craiova (~2 hours) or Timișoara (~3 hours); the Apuseni via Cluj-Napoca or Oradea (~2–2.5 hours to Gârda de Sus).
Rest day
- Rest day: the Ponoarele natural bridge (near Izverna), the Scărișoara ice cave (next to Cotețul and Tăuz), the Peștera Urșilor and the Nera gorges.
Good to know
- Read this first: Romania has few documented cave dives, almost all cold, deep and expedition terrain. Izverna (Mehedinți) is the only place where visiting cave divers come regularly; the Apuseni springs (Cotețul Dobreștilor, Tăuz, Izbândiș) are for expeditions on trimix.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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