Unguru Mare Cave

About Unguru Mare Cave

At a glance: Caves in Șuncuiuș, Bihor County. Ticket: 20 lei. The visit takes 30 min. Information verified on 28 September 2026.

Unguru Mare Cave opens at the foot of a tall limestone cliff on the left bank of the Crișul Repede, in the wide loop the river makes between the villages of Bălnaca and Șuncuiuș, on the northern edge of the Pădurea Craiului Mountains. Its entrance, more than 30 m high, is described by the custodian as the most impressive in Pădurea Craiului, and to reach it you cross the river on a suspension bridge. Scientific literature also calls it Peștera Ungurului; it has been open to visitors for nearly a century.

The cave is about 554 m long and climbs roughly 40 m from the entrance to its far end. The broad, naturally lit space by the entrance was lived in as early as the Neolithic: archaeologists have found chipped and polished stone tools, painted pottery and bone needles here. The most valuable finds date from the Bronze Age: an incineration cemetery was identified in the last passage, known as the Sacred Gallery, and the cave has yielded hundreds of bronze objects and a Baltic amber bead, a sign of long-distance trade.

Good to know before you go

Getting there

By car: from Oradea take the E60 (DN 1) towards Cluj-Napoca as far as the Vadu Crișului turn-off, then the DJ 108I through Vadu Crișului to Șuncuiuș; carry on towards Bălnaca and, at the level crossing where Bălnaca begins, take the local road to the cave. It is about 60 km from Oradea. From Beiuș you can come along the DJ 764 through Roșia, Damiș and Bratca, then Bălnaca.

Public transport: regional trains between Oradea and Cluj-Napoca stop at Șuncuiuș station; from the village it is about 2 km on foot to the cave, along the road that follows the Crișul Repede upstream.

Where to park

Leave the car in the car park on the right bank of the Crișul Repede, by the suspension bridge, which also has room for coaches; from there you cross the river on foot. Park only in the marked areas. The official website does not say whether parking is charged.

Fees & discounts

Prices published by the custodian: adults and children over 14 20 lei, children aged 5 to 14 10 lei, children under 5 free. Payment is in cash only.

Rules

Visitors go in with a guide, in groups of at least 10 and at most 35 people; follow the guide's instructions. No photography with flash or a phone torch, and do not disturb the bats. Do not touch the formations or the walls and do not pick up stones from the path. Pets are not allowed inside the cave and can only wait at the entrance. Barbecues, picnics and camping are forbidden in the car park and around the cave. Inside it is 9–12 °C: bring a jacket and suitable shoes.

Facilities

Car and coach park · toilets · picnic area · restaurant and accommodation nearby · campsite next to the cave · souvenir shop · cash only · via ferrata and climbing routes in the area