2 caves · down to 70 m · 1 suitable for an intro team
Cave diving in Russia
⚠ Dutch travel advice: orange (essential travel only), red for the North Caucasus and the areas bordering Ukraine (changed 21-09-2026). Because of sanctions, foreign payment cards don't work, and many dive insurances don't cover Russia. Check this before you leave.
- Caves2
- Max depth70 m
- Water temperature4–8 °C
- Dive centres1
Why come here
Cave divers come to Russia for Orda Cave in Perm Krai, on the western side of the Urals: the world's longest underwater gypsum cave, with a 935 m sump, 40–50 m visibility and water of 4–8 °C, so a drysuit is required. You dive through the dive base at the cave, ~115 km from Perm, and the gypsum is fragile: passages can change or collapse. Some 1,500 km away in Karelia lies the flooded marble quarry of Ruskeala, with adits on several levels where Saint Petersburg clubs run cavern, cave and mine training; beyond daylight only with cave or mine training and trimix for the deep parts, and only organised through a diving club. Read the travel advice first: orange, red for the North Caucasus and the areas bordering Ukraine, foreign payment cards don't work and many dive insurances don't cover Russia.
Don't miss
- Orda Cave (Ordinskaya): the world's longest underwater gypsum cave, with 40–50 m visibility in water of 4–8 °C, dived by Martyn Farr, Lamar Hires and Pascal Bernabé, among others.
- Ruskeala adits (Karelia): a flooded marble quarry with adits and 15–18 m visibility, where Saint Petersburg clubs train.
On a rest day
- Kungur Ice Cave: A karst cave with guided routes near Kungur, on the way from Perm to Orda, with ice formations, grottoes such as the Diamond Grotto and an underground lake.
- Ruskeala marble quarries: Walk along the clear, flooded quarries whose marble went into St Isaac's Cathedral and the Saint Petersburg Metro, among other places.
- Ruskeala waterfalls: A series of small cascades of 3–4 m on the Tohmajoki river, by the village of Ruskeala.
All 2 caves
| Site | Max depth | Type | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orda Cave (Ordinskaya)Entry or dive feeSidemount · Full cave | – | Sidemount | Full cave |
| Ruskeala adits (Karelia)Entry or dive feeBackmount · Cavern | 70 m | Backmount | Cavern |
Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training.
Map
Dive centres and fill stations
1 dive centres, fill stations and instructors
Orda Cave dive base
Orda, Perm Krai
Dive base at Orda Cave, with accommodation for 20 people. Gases and prices are not on the website: ask.
Order: partners first, clearly marked as partner; then dive centres by distance from Perm and independent instructors by name. Not a recommendation: check what they offer yourself.
On this list, or should you be? Get a free partner card →Practical info: rules, fills and emergency numbers
Emergencies
- 112.
Access and rules
- Orda: diving through the dive base at the cave, with accommodation for 20 people. Water 4–8 °C: drysuit required.
- Ruskeala: organised diving only, through a diving club; the quarry is in Ruskeala Mountain Park.
Closed or restricted
- Not open to divers: Shulgan-Tash (Kapova cave) in Bashkortostan has a sump, but it lies in a reserve and is not open to divers.
Getting around
- Location: the two sites are ~1,500 km apart. Orda is in Perm Krai on the western side of the Urals, ~115 km from Perm (train to Kungur, then the bus; or by car). Ruskeala is in Karelia near Sortavala, close to the Finnish border.
Good to know
- Read this first: the Dutch travel advice for Russia is orange (essential travel only) and red for the North Caucasus and the areas bordering Ukraine. Because of sanctions, foreign payment cards don't work, and many dive insurances don't cover Russia: check your travel and dive insurance before you leave.
News
No recent news found about the caves in this region.
Searched automatically, last on 5 Nov 2026.
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