# Poarta lui Ionele Cave

[Romania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/attractions) › [Transylvania](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/region/transilvania) › [Alba County](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/county/alba) › [Gârda de Sus](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/locality/garda-de-sus)

> A show cave in the Ordâncușa Valley near Gârda de Sus, with a 22 m high entrance portal, a stream that runs through it all year and small tufa cascades right at the entrance.

**At a glance:** Caves in Gârda de Sus, Alba County. Opening hours: daily 10:00 – 16:00. The visit takes 45 min. Information verified on 31 October 2026.

## Key facts

- **Opening hours:** daily 10:00 – 16:00 — The hours may change; the cave is run by Gârda de Sus town hall. Ring ahead, especially in winter and on public holidays.
- **Visit duration:** 45 min — guided tour and the walk up
- **With kids:** Yes — metal stairs, wet
- **Best season:** All year round — wet stairs after rain and in spring
- **Address:** DJ 750, ~2 km from the centre of Gârda de Sus, towards Scărișoara, Gârda de Sus, Alba County
- **Coordinates:** 46.46683, 22.83843
- **Phone:** +40 258 778 141
- **Website:** https://www.parcapuseni.ro/pesteri-amenajate-turistic/
- **Wikipedia:** https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pe%C8%99tera_Poarta_lui_Ionele
- **Wikidata:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12737964
- **Categories:** [Caves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/caves), [National parks and reserves](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/national-parks-and-reserves)

## About Poarta lui Ionele Cave

Poarta lui Ionele Cave opens on the right-hand slope of the Ordâncușa Valley, in the Bihor Mountains, a few kilometres from the centre of Gârda de Sus commune, on the road that climbs towards Scărișoara Ice Cave. It is cut into Triassic limestone, and the stream flowing out of it drops in small steps over tufa terraces just below the mouth of the cave. It was first reported in 1857 and was studied in 1921 by, among others, Emil Racoviță. Tourist development began in 1989, with a footbridge over the tufa cascades, a path and access stairs, and since 2011 the entrance has been reached by metal stairs and walkways.

The cave has about 386 m of passages, but only the main gallery can be visited; the narrower upper gallery is walled off to protect the bat colonies and the rest of the cave fauna. It has been a natural monument since 1999 and is part of Apuseni Natural Park, and since 1990 it has been run by Gârda de Sus town hall.

### What you can see

The first impression comes from the portal, 22 m high, with the stream emerging from under the rubble and running over the stones. Inside, the main gallery zigzags along an active watercourse that flows all year round; after about 50 m you turn left and come to a small waterfall. Near the end of the route is a periodic lake, usually dry: after heavy rain or when snow melts, water fills it and can flood the floor. The colours of the walls show how high the water has risen over time.

### Good to know

The entrance is closed by a metal gate, and visits are only with a guide, in a group. The stairs and walkways are wet, and near the waterfall spray reaches the steps: wear shoes with good grip. Cars cannot drive up to the cave: from the road you walk up over the footbridge beside the shingle-roofed hut.

## Don't miss

- The 22 m high portal, from which the cave's stream emerges.
- The small tufa cascades at the entrance, crossed by the access footbridge.
- The small waterfall after the first bend of the gallery, about 50 m from the entrance.
- The periodic lake at the end of the route, which fills only after heavy rain or when snow melts.

## Good to know before you go

### Getting there

**By car:** from the DN 75 (Câmpeni – Arieșeni) you reach the centre of Gârda de Sus, then take the DJ 750 up towards Scărișoara Ice Cave for about 2 km, through the Ordâncușa Gorge; the cave is on the left of the road, next to a hut with a shingle roof. It is ~34 km from Câmpeni (~45 minutes), ~100 km from Cluj-Napoca (~2h10), ~110 km from Alba Iulia (~2h30) and ~135 km from Oradea (~2h40). Scărișoara Ice Cave is ~15 km further on (~20 minutes).

**Public transport:** minibuses along the DN 75 from Câmpeni reach Gârda de Sus; from there it is about 2 km on foot along the road towards Scărișoara.

### Where to park

There is no laid-out car park in front of the cave: cars are left at the side of the county road, and from there you walk up over the footbridge beside the shingle-roofed hut.

### Rules

Visits are only in groups formed at the entrance, accompanied by a cave guide. The upper gallery is closed to the public to protect the bat colonies. The cave is a natural monument: do not touch the formations, do not leave litter and keep noise down in the gallery. Wear shoes with good grip, as the stairs and walkways are wet.

### Facilities

Metal stairs and walkways with handrails · lighting in the visitable gallery · no laid-out car park · the route has stairs and is not pushchair- or wheelchair-accessible · guesthouses and places to eat in Gârda de Sus and Ghețari

## Details

- **Protected area type:** natural monument
- **Part of:** Apuseni Natural Park
- **Total length:** 386 m
- **Developed and lit:** Yes
- **Guided visits only:** Yes

## Frequently asked questions about Poarta lui Ionele Cave

**What are the opening hours of Poarta lui Ionele Cave?**

Opening hours at Poarta lui Ionele Cave: daily 10:00 – 16:00. More under “Opening hours”.

**How long does a visit to Poarta lui Ionele Cave take?**

A visit to Poarta lui Ionele Cave takes about 45 min (guided tour and the walk up).

**Can you visit Poarta lui Ionele Cave with kids?**

Yes, Poarta lui Ionele Cave is suitable for children (metal stairs, wet).

**How do I get to Poarta lui Ionele Cave?**

Poarta lui Ionele Cave is located at DJ 750, ~2 km from the centre of Gârda de Sus, towards Scărișoara, Gârda de Sus, Alba County. More under “Getting there”.

**When is the best time to visit Poarta lui Ionele Cave?**

The best season for Poarta lui Ionele Cave: All year round (wet stairs after rain and in spring).

## Nearby attractions

- [Scărișoara Ice Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/scarisoara-ice-cave) — Caves · Ghețari, AB · 45 min · Top 100 · 4 km
  A cave in the Apuseni Mountains with the Scărișoara Glacier (Ghețarul Scărișoara), one of the largest underground glaciers in the world: a block of ice over 10,000 years old, reached by stairs down a 60 m wide shaft.
- [Ascension of the Lord Wooden Church in Arieșeni](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/ascension-of-the-lord-wooden-church-in-arieseni) — Churches · Arieșeni, AB · 30 min · 8 km
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- [Transursoaia](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/transursoaia) — Scenic roads · Alba County · Free · 2½ – 3 hours · 11 km
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- [Vârtop Cave](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/vartop-cave) — Caves · Casa de Piatră, AB · 15 lei · 12 km
  An undeveloped cave in the Bihor Mountains, with ice at the entrance and white formations, where a Neanderthal footprint at least 62,000 years old was found in 1974.
- [Vârciorog Waterfall](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/varciorog-waterfall) — Waterfalls · Arieșeni, AB · Free · 2 – 2½ hours · 15 km
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## Featured in the guides

- [Caves in Romania: the ones you can visit, by area, with a map](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/caves-in-romania) — 37 caves in Romania you can visit, by area: Bears' Cave, Scărișoara, Women's Cave, Ialomița, Polovragi. What is open now, tickets, map, what to bring.
- [Ice caves and underground glaciers in Romania: Scărișoara, Focul Viu, Vârtop, Borsec](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/ice-caves-in-romania) — Four ice caves can be visited: Scărișoara (the largest underground glacier, over 10,500 years old), Vârtop, Focul Viu and Borsec. Tickets, season, melting.
- [Apuseni caves: a 2–3 day route through Bihor and Alba](https://peplaiuri.ro/en/guides/apuseni-caves) — 13 caves to visit in the Apuseni Mountains, ~350 km from Oradea to Gârda de Sus: Meziad, Bears' Cave, Padiș, Scărișoara. Order, distances, what is closed.

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Last updated: 31 October 2026
Source: Pe Plaiuri (https://peplaiuri.ro/en) — Guide to tourist attractions in Romania