Slovenia
Bilpa
- CertificationFull cave
Diving and fills
Dive here with
What it looks like
All 3 videos and posts
Videos and posts
From other divers, via YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. They only load when you click; after that, Google's or Meta's privacy rules apply.
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Other people's footage, not advice: how someone else dives here says nothing about what suits your team. Dive within your training.
The dive
Bilpa is the karst spring where the Rinža re-emerges, after sinking a few kilometres downstream of Kočevje. Bilpa creek flows straight into the Kolpa.
Profile and sections
Bilpa is the karst spring where the Rinža re-emerges, after sinking a few kilometres downstream of Kočevje. Bilpa creek flows straight into the Kolpa. In dry spells the flow drops sharply. A Slovenian dive school's cave team dives here year-round.
In May 1978 Slovenia's worst caving accident happened here: cavers blasting to widen a narrow passage ran into toxic gases. In January 2009 six Italian divers made a dive of several hours without notifying anyone; the cave rescue service was called out, and all six surfaced unharmed.
- Depth and profile
- Depth and length not published — ask Slovenian cave divers
- Configuration
- No published details on passage size or restrictions.
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable
- Motorised craft are banned in Slovenian caves; electric scooters only for sump research (ZVPJ art. 18).
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Near the hamlet of Spodnja Bilpa on the Kolpa, the border river with Croatia. The spring flows from a cave below a high rock wall; inside you can kit up at the water's edge. Border area with police and army checks: carry your passport. Notify the police before diving and don't leave gear unattended — in 2009 gear and a buoy at the entrance triggered a rescue alert.
Around Bilpa
FillsNo fill station known nearby
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