Apuseni caves: a 2–3 day route through Bihor and Alba
In the Apuseni Mountains you can visit 13 caves: 6 developed and lit, with a ticket and a guide (Bears' Cave, Scărișoara Ice Cave, Poarta lui Ionele Cave, Meziad Cave, the Crystal Cave of the Farcu Mine and Vadu Crișului Cave), plus 7 undeveloped ones, which you visit with a guide, on caving tours or on marked trails up to the entrance. Another 3 are closed. The full route, from Oradea through Pădurea Craiului, Chișcău and Padiș to Gârda de Sus, is about 350 km of driving and takes 3 days; in 2 days you can fit the developed caves, without Padiș.
Below are all the stops in one table, then each area of the route, the distances between the caves, the one, two and three day options and what to know on the road: the season, the mountain roads, the phone signal. Each cave is described on its own page and in the guide to the caves of Romania.
In short
- In the Apuseni Mountains you can visit 13 caves: 6 developed and lit (Bears' Cave, Scărișoara, Poarta lui Ionele, Meziad, Farcu, Vadu Crișului) and 7 undeveloped, with a guide or on marked trails; Unguru Mare, Coliboaia and Piatra Altarului are closed (October 2026).
- The full route, from Oradea through Pădurea Craiului, Chișcău and Padiș to Gârda de Sus, is about 350 km of driving and takes 3 days; in 2 days you can fit the developed caves.
- Bears' Cave and Scărișoara Ice Cave are about 70 km apart, roughly 1 h 35 by car, over the Vârtop Pass and through Gârda de Sus (calculated on OpenStreetMap, October 2026).
- An adult ticket costs 40 lei at Bears' Cave, Meziad and Farcu, 20 lei at Vadu Crișului and 15 lei at Vârtop; Scărișoara and Poarta lui Ionele have no officially published fares (October 2026).
- The trails to Cetățile Ponorului and Focul Viu Ice Cave are closed in winter, Vârtop Cave opens daily only between 15 June and 1 September, and the Ic Ponor – Padiș road, from the Cluj side, is closed until 1 December 2026.
- The villages to stay overnight on the route are Chișcău or Pietroasa, at the foot of Padiș, and Gârda de Sus or Ghețari, below Scărișoara.
The Apuseni caves on the route: list with tickets and visit times
The table lists all the Apuseni caves on the site in the order of the 3 day route, from west to east: Pădurea Craiului, Chișcău, Padiș, Gârda de Sus, then Huda lui Papară, on the way out towards Cluj. "Developed" means paths, lighting, a ticket and a guided tour; "undeveloped" means you need your own torch or the equipment provided by the guide, or that you only see the entrance.
The cave pages, by area: Vadu Crișului, Unguru Mare, Wind Cave, Farcu, Meziad; Bears' Cave, Coliboaia; Cetățile Ponorului, Focul Viu, Cetatea Rădesei; Poarta lui Ionele, Scărișoara, Vârtop, Coiba Mare; Huda lui Papară. All of them are in Bihor County or Alba County, except Piatra Altarului, in Cluj County, open only to scientific research.
| Cave | Village, county | How to visit | Adult ticket | Visit time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vadu Crișului Cave | Vadu Crișului, Bihor | developed, with a guide, booking 24 h in advance; Tuesday–Sunday | 20 lei | ~45 min + 30 min on foot each way |
| Unguru Mare Cave | Șuncuiuș, Bihor | temporarily closed for redevelopment | 20 lei (when open) | ~30 min |
| Wind Cave (Peștera Vântului) | Șuncuiuș, Bihor | undeveloped, only on speleotourism tours with an accredited guide | with the operator | ~2 h |
| Crystal Cave of the Farcu Mine | Roșia, Bihor | developed, with a guide, daily | 40 lei | ~25 min |
| Meziad Cave | Meziad, Bihor | developed, with a guide, entries every hour | 40 lei | ~50 min + 1.2 km on foot each way |
| Bears' Cave | Chișcău, Bihor | developed, with a guide, daily | 40 lei | ~45 min |
| Coliboaia Cave | Câmpani, Bihor | closed to the public | — | — |
| Cetățile Ponorului | Padiș Plateau, Bihor | marked trail to the entrance; closed in winter | free | ~4 h, the loop from Poiana Glăvoi |
| Focul Viu Ice Cave | Padiș (Pietroasa), Bihor | only up to the gate at the entrance; trail closed in winter | free | 2–3 h return from Poiana Glăvoi |
| Cetatea Rădesei Cave | Padiș Plateau, Bihor | undeveloped, crossing through water with your own torch, only at low water | free | ~2 h, the loop |
| Poarta lui Ionele Cave | Gârda de Sus, Alba | developed, with a guide | not published | ~45 min |
| Scărișoara Ice Cave | Ghețari, Alba | developed, with a guide, daily | not officially published | ~45 min |
| Vârtop Cave | Casa de Piatră, Alba | undeveloped, with a guide and your own torch; daily only 15 June–1 Sept. | 15 lei | 30–40 min + 30–45 min on foot each way |
| Coiba Mare Cave | Casa de Piatră, Alba | undeveloped, entrance only, free access | free | the descent to the entrance, on a steep slope |
| Huda lui Papară Cave | Sub Piatră, Alba | undeveloped, guided tours in neoprene, with booking | from 300 lei | 3–4 h, the classic tour |
| Piatra Altarului Cave | Răchițele, Cluj | closed, scientific research only | — | — |
Tickets, opening hours and status from the cave pages, checked on 31 October 2026; at Scărișoara, Poarta lui Ionele and Wind Cave the fares are not officially published. Children get discounts at Meziad, Farcu, Vadu Crișului and Unguru Mare; at Bears' Cave they pay the same.
Chișcău and Pietroasa: Bears' Cave, the centre of the route
Bears' Cave, at the edge of the village of Chișcău, is the most sought-after stop and the centre of the route: from here it is about 42 km to Meziad, 30 km up to Padiș and 56 km to Gârda de Sus, over the Vârtop Pass. From Oradea you drive about 90 km (1 h 40), from Beiuș 24 km. Chișcău is 6 km from Sudrigiu, on the DN 763, the road to Arieșeni; Pietroasa, the neighbouring village, is the gateway to Padiș.
The cave is open daily, all year round, from 09:00, and the car park at the pavilion fills up around midday at summer weekends: come in the morning. The guided tour takes about 45 minutes.
About 16 km away, in the Sighiștel Valley, is Coliboaia Cave, with cave drawings, closed to the public; why it cannot be visited is explained in the guide to the caves you cannot visit.
Top 100Arieșeni and Gârda de Sus: Scărișoara, Poarta lui Ionele, Vârtop and Coiba Mare
Over the Vârtop Pass, the DN 75 descends to Arieșeni and Gârda de Sus, in Alba County. Here there are four caves no more than 15 km from each other.
- Poarta lui Ionele Cave, about 2 km from the centre of Gârda de Sus, on the DJ 750, with its 22 m entrance and the stream flowing out of it.
- Scărișoara Ice Cave, at the end of the ~10 km asphalt road climbing from Gârda de Sus to the village of Ghețari; from Poarta lui Ionele it is about 15 km, 20 minutes.
- Vârtop Cave and Coiba Mare Cave, near the hamlet of Casa de Piatră, ~12 km from Gârda de Sus on a partly unpaved road; allow up to an hour. To Vârtop you walk uphill for 30–45 minutes, and at Coiba Mare you go down a steep slope to the entrance.
Scărișoara and Vârtop are underground glaciers, like Focul Viu on Padiș; how they formed and how much they have melted is in the guide to ice caves. Vârtop Cave is not in the Vârtop Pass: from the pass to Casa de Piatră it is about 30 km.
Top 100
Caves on the Padiș Plateau: Cetățile Ponorului, Focul Viu and Cetatea Rădesei
You go up to the Padiș Plateau from Pietroasa, about 30 km from Chișcău, with the last part on a forest road. There are no developed caves here: three places can be seen from marked trails, on foot, without a ticket, and each takes half a day.
- Cetățile Ponorului: the blue dot loop from Poiana Glăvoi, about 4 hours, with ladders and cables, to the entrance over 70 m high and the sinkholes above it.
- Focul Viu Ice Cave: about 1 hour on foot from Poiana Glăvoi, on the Galbena Valley loop (yellow dot); it can only be seen from the gate at the entrance.
- Cetatea Rădesei Cave: a loop of about 2 hours starting from the DJ 763, ~4 km from Padiș, with the 260 m crossing through water, at low water, with your own torch.
Cetățile Ponorului and Cetatea Rădesei fit into one day. The trails to Cetățile Ponorului and Focul Viu are closed in winter. From the Cluj side, the Ic Ponor – Padiș road is closed for upgrading until 1 December 2026, so access by car is from Pietroasa.
Top 100
Caves in Pădurea Craiului: Meziad, Farcu, Vadu Crișului, Unguru Mare and Wind Cave
Pădurea Craiului, between Beiuș and the Crișul Repede Gorge, is the first day of the route from Oradea or the last one from Cluj.
- Meziad Cave, about 20 km from Beiuș and 80 km from Oradea; you leave the car at the car park and walk 1.2 km uphill.
- Crystal Cave of the Farcu Mine, above the village of Roșia, about 25 km from Meziad: you enter through a mine gallery, and the short 25 minute tour combines easily with Meziad.
- Vadu Crișului Cave, about 55 km from Oradea, on the E60: from the car park at the entrance to the gorge you walk 30 minutes. Book the visit at least 24 hours in advance; it is closed on Mondays.
- Unguru Mare Cave, at Șuncuiuș, about 14 km from Vadu Crișului, is temporarily closed for redevelopment, with no reopening date.
- Wind Cave (Peștera Vântului), less than 1 km from Unguru Mare, can only be visited on speleotourism tours of about 2 hours, booked through local operators. It is the longest known cave in Romania; the records are in the guide to the largest caves.
From Vadu Crișului to Farcu it is about 56 km (1 h 15), and from Meziad to Bears' Cave 42 km (1 h).
Huda lui Papară: the cave at the entrance to the Apuseni from Cluj
Huda lui Papară Cave is in the Trascău Mountains, at the village of Sub Piatră, ~5 km from Sălciua de Jos, on the DN 75: about 85 km from Cluj-Napoca (1 h 45) and 50 km from Turda. It is on the Turda – Câmpeni – Gârda de Sus road, about 80 km (1 h 45) from Poarta lui Ionele, so it is the first stop if you come from Cluj or the last one if you leave towards Cluj.
You cannot go in on your own: the cave can only be seen on guided tours, with booking, in a neoprene suit, through the underground river. The classic tour lasts 3–4 hours and costs 300 lei with equipment included, so it needs a separate half day. No official source confirms that the tours run in autumn 2026: call ahead.
Distances between the Apuseni caves
The distances below are by road, between the cave car parks, in the order of the route. The times are without breaks; on the mountain roads, especially towards Padiș and Casa de Piatră, allow more. The "Vârtop – Bears' Cave distance" depends on which Vârtop you are looking for: to the Vârtop Pass it is about 37 km (50 minutes), to the cave near Casa de Piatră about 67 km.
| From – to | Distance | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Oradea – Vadu Crișului Cave | ~55 km | ~1 h |
| Vadu Crișului Cave – Unguru Mare / Wind Cave (Șuncuiuș) | ~14 km | ~30 min |
| Vadu Crișului Cave – Farcu Cave (Roșia) | ~56 km | ~1 h 15 |
| Farcu Cave – Meziad Cave | ~25 km | ~40 min |
| Oradea – Meziad Cave | ~80 km | ~1 h 40 |
| Meziad Cave – Bears' Cave | ~42 km | ~1 h |
| Oradea – Bears' Cave | ~90 km | ~1 h 40 |
| Bears' Cave – Padiș Plateau | ~30 km | ~50 min |
| Bears' Cave – Vârtop Pass | ~37 km | ~50 min |
| Bears' Cave – Poarta lui Ionele (Gârda de Sus) | ~56 km | ~1 h 15 |
| Poarta lui Ionele – Scărișoara Ice Cave | ~15 km | ~20 min |
| Bears' Cave – Scărișoara Ice Cave | ~70 km | ~1 h 35 |
| Gârda de Sus – Casa de Piatră (Vârtop, Coiba Mare) | ~12 km | up to 1 h |
| Poarta lui Ionele – Huda lui Papară | ~80 km | ~1 h 45 |
| Cluj-Napoca – Huda lui Papară | ~85 km | ~1 h 45 |
| Cluj-Napoca – Poarta lui Ionele | ~100 km | ~2 h 10 |
Calculated on OpenStreetMap (OSRM) between the cave coordinates, 31 October 2026, rounded; the distances from Oradea and Cluj-Napoca, Farcu – Meziad and Gârda de Sus – Casa de Piatră are from the cave pages. Bears' Cave – Scărișoara goes over the Vârtop Pass and through Gârda de Sus.
Apuseni caves in one day
In one day you choose a single area, depending on the city you start from.
- From Oradea: Meziad in the morning, then Bears' Cave, 42 km away, and back to Oradea: about 210 km of driving. With a 25 km detour, Farcu fits in too.
- From Oradea or Cluj, on the E60: Vadu Crișului, with booking, and, if you have booked, a tour in Wind Cave.
- From Cluj-Napoca, Turda or Alba Iulia: Poarta lui Ionele and Scărișoara, 15 km from each other, plus Vârtop in summer; or a tour in Huda lui Papară, 85 km from Cluj.
Bears' Cave and Scărișoara can be combined on the same day, with 70 km between them, but a return trip from Oradea or from Cluj-Napoca means over 6 hours of driving.
A 2 day route through the Apuseni caves
Two days cover the best-known developed caves, from west to east, without Padiș.
- Day 1: from Oradea to Meziad (80 km), Farcu (25 km) and Bears' Cave (45 km from Farcu, about 1 hour). You stay overnight in Chișcău or Pietroasa.
- Day 2: over the Vârtop Pass to Gârda de Sus (56 km), with Poarta lui Ionele, Scărișoara and, between 15 June and 1 September, Vârtop. From Gârda de Sus, Cluj-Napoca is about 100 km away.
From Cluj, the route works the same way in reverse: Gârda de Sus on the first day, with the night in Gârda de Sus or Ghețari, then Bears' Cave, Meziad and the return through Oradea or, on the E60, through Vadu Crișului.
A 3 day route: Pădurea Craiului, Padiș and Gârda de Sus
Three days link all the areas, with about 350 km of driving from Oradea to Gârda de Sus.
- Day 1, Pădurea Craiului: Vadu Crișului (55 km from Oradea, booking one day in advance), Farcu, Meziad, then Chișcău: about 180 km. You stay overnight in Chișcău or Pietroasa.
- Day 2, Chișcău and Padiș: Bears' Cave at opening time, 09:00, then up to Padiș for Cetățile Ponorului and Cetatea Rădesei or Focul Viu. You stay overnight on Padiș or back in Pietroasa.
- Day 3, Gârda de Sus: you go down through Pietroasa and cross the Vârtop Pass, then Poarta lui Ionele, Scărișoara, Vârtop and the Coiba Mare entrance.
Towards Cluj, the way out along the Arieș Valley passes Huda lui Papară: its 3–4 hour tour needs one more morning, with the night in Gârda de Sus or Ghețari.
On the road: the season, mountain roads and phone signal
- The season: the 3 day route can only be done in full in summer. Vârtop opens daily between 15 June and 1 September, and otherwise only at weekends, with booking; Cetatea Rădesei can be crossed at low water, usually from June to September; the trails to Cetățile Ponorului and Focul Viu are closed in winter, and on Padiș the snow can stay until late May. The developed caves stay open in winter, with reduced hours at Meziad, Farcu and Vadu Crișului.
- The roads: on Padiș the last part is a forest road, and towards Casa de Piatră the road is partly unpaved. In winter, the road to Ghețari can be snowed in. Fill up before you go up, in the towns on the DN 76 or in Câmpeni.
- Signal and payment: the mobile signal is weak at Bears' Cave, at Scărișoara and on Padiș. At Bears' Cave card payment does not always work, and at Scărișoara it is not guaranteed, so bring cash.
- The order: put the caves that need booking (Vadu Crișului, Wind Cave, Huda lui Papară) first in your plan and keep the Padiș trails for a day without rain.
The temperature in the caves, what to wear and the common rules are in the practical part of the guide to the caves of Romania.
Frequently asked questions
- How many days do you need for the Apuseni caves?
- Two days for the developed caves (Meziad, Farcu, Bears' Cave, Poarta lui Ionele, Scărișoara) and three days if you add Vadu Crișului and the Padiș trails; the full route is about 350 km of driving from Oradea to Gârda de Sus.
- How many caves can you visit in the Apuseni Mountains?
- 13 caves: 6 developed and lit (Bears' Cave, Scărișoara, Poarta lui Ionele, Meziad, Farcu, Vadu Crișului) and 7 undeveloped, with a guide or on marked trails. Unguru Mare is temporarily closed, and Coliboaia and Piatra Altarului are closed to the public (October 2026).
- Where does the Apuseni caves route start?
- From Oradea, Vadu Crișului Cave is 55 km away, Meziad 80 km and Bears' Cave 90 km. From Cluj-Napoca, Huda lui Papară is 85 km away and Poarta lui Ionele, near Scărișoara, about 100 km.
- How far is Bears' Cave from Scărișoara Ice Cave?
- About 70 km, roughly 1 h 35 by car, over the Vârtop Pass and through Gârda de Sus (calculated on OpenStreetMap, October 2026).
- Can you do the Apuseni caves route with children?
- Yes, at the developed caves: Bears' Cave, Meziad (with 1.2 km to walk uphill), Farcu, Vadu Crișului, Poarta lui Ionele and Scărișoara, where the stairs are steep. Vârtop does not admit children under 6, and Wind Cave, Cetățile Ponorului and Cetatea Rădesei are not suitable for children.
- Which Apuseni caves can you visit in winter?
- Bears' Cave, Scărișoara, Poarta lui Ionele, Meziad, Farcu and Vadu Crișului stay open, some with reduced hours. The trails to Cetățile Ponorului and Focul Viu are closed in winter, Unguru Mare is closed, and the road to Scărișoara can be snowed in.
- Is there a map of the Apuseni caves?
- On the site's interactive map each cave in this guide has a pin, and the cave pages have the coordinates and the access road. Their list, in the order of the route, is in the table at the beginning of the guide.
- Is Unguru Mare Cave open?
- No: it is temporarily closed for redevelopment, announced in 2025, with no reopening date (October 2026). Less than 1 km away, Wind Cave can be visited on speleotourism tours, and 14 km away is Vadu Crișului Cave, which is developed.
Sources
- Bears' Cave: official website
- Meziad Cave: official website
- Apuseni Natural Park Administration: caves developed for tourism
- Apuseni Natural Park Administration: Scărișoara Ice Cave
- Apuseni Natural Park Administration: Vârtop Ice Cave
- Apuseni Natural Park Administration: Cetățile Ponorului karst complex
- Apuseni Natural Park Administration: Focul Viu Ice Cave
- Pădurea Craiului: the crystal cave of the Farcu mine
- Pădurea Craiului: Unguru Mare Cave
- Pădurea Craiului: Wind Cave
- Crișuri Mountains: Vadu Crișului Cave
- Huda lui Papară: guided tours
- OSRM on OpenStreetMap data: road distances between the Apuseni caves (October 2026)
All guides
- Ski slopes in Romania: the ski resorts and ski areas by region, with a map
- When the ski slopes open and where the snow comes first: the ski season in Romania
- Sledging, alpine coasters and tubing in Romania: where to go with a sledge
- The longest ski slope in Romania and the other records: the largest ski area, the highest, the hardest
- The nearest ski slopes to Bucharest, Cluj, Brașov, Sibiu, Iași, Timișoara and Oradea: distances for a day of skiing
- Beginner and kids' ski slopes in Romania: where to learn to ski, ski schools and slope colours
- Caves in Romania: the ones you can visit, by area, with a map
- Ice caves and underground glaciers in Romania: Scărișoara, Focul Viu, Vârtop, Borsec
- The largest cave in Romania and the other records: the longest, the deepest, the oldest show cave
- The nearest cave to Bucharest, Brașov, Cluj, Sibiu, Oradea and Timișoara: distances for a day trip
- Famous caves in Romania you cannot visit: Movile, Topolnița, Vântului, Coliboaia, Peștera cu Oase (and what to see instead)
- Stalactites and stalagmites: what they are, how a cave forms and where to see them in Romania
- The Danube Delta: map, what it is, the villages and what to see
- Danube Delta trip: one, two or three days, where to start and how to get to Sulina and Sfântu Gheorghe
- Things to do in Tulcea: what to see in the city and around it
- Birds and wildlife of the Danube Delta: pelicans, where and when to see them
- Visiting the Danube Delta for the first time: the access permit, mosquitoes and when to go
- Fishing in the Danube Delta: the fishing permit, the 2026 closed season and where you may fish
- Sulina or Sfântu Gheorghe? The beaches of the Danube Delta (and Gura Portiței)
- Deltas near Bucharest: Văcărești, Comana (the Neajlov Delta) and Balta Mică a Brăilei
- The Romanian Black Sea coast: the resorts in order, north to south, with a map
- The best beaches in Romania (and the Blue Flag ones)
- The Black Sea season in Romania: when it opens, how long it lasts and when the water is warmest
- Wild beaches on the Romanian coast: Corbu, Vadu, Tuzla and the south
- Which Romanian seaside resort to choose: for young people, families, quiet, budget
- The Romanian seaside with kids: resorts, shallow beaches and what to do off the beach
- Things to do in Constanța: what to see in the city, on the seafront and nearby
- Jellyfish, sharks and lifeguard flags in the Black Sea
- Salt mines in Romania: the complete guide to the salt mines you can visit
- The largest, the deepest and the oldest salt mine in Romania
- The nearest salt mine to Bucharest, Cluj, Brașov, Sibiu, Iași, Timișoara, Oradea, Constanța and other cities
- Salt mines with children and babies: from what age, which one suits, what to bring
- Turda or Slănic Prahova? Which salt mine to choose
- Visiting a salt mine for the first time: temperature, clothing, how long, lift or bus, dogs
- Salt lakes and salt baths in Romania: where to swim, season and prices
- Salt mine therapy in Romania: what the operators say, how long to stay, which mines have a treatment base