The miraculous nature of Aggtelek

Aggtelek is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, located in North-Hungary. It is known for the vast stalactite caverns of the nearby Baradla-Domica cave system and the Aggtelek National Park, that has a miraculous nature to offer. This area is famous for its unique natural and cultural assets, which means, one day is not enough to discover this wonderful place.

Aggtelek National Park

It is the first Hungarian national park to be dedicated to the protection of abiotic values, superficial land formations and caves. The main task of the park is to protect its unique nature, and also develope the ecotourism. To achieve this, the owners have created a zone system: Zone ,,C” shows all the beauties of the national park, while causing the least disturbance to nature; zone ,,B” can only be visited on the marked trails; however, zone ,,A” is entirely dedicated to wildlife. The most famous treasure of the National Park is Baradla Cave, which is the biggest and the most magnificent cave in Hungary. Beside the cave tours, they offer special guided tours (eco-, zoological-, and botanical tours) in the national park area.

The Aggtelek National Park, which was founded in 1985 got famous all over the world, owing to the mentioned 25-km-long Baradla dripstone cave. Beyond it, more than 270 further caves can be found here. The cave system includes territory of Hungary and Slovakia as well, as it lies on the border of the two countries, and it’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

Walking tours, cycling tours and cave tours are provided for sport-, and tour lovers as recreation. You can get to know the cave system, by taking part of the mentioned tours, starting at different appointments of every day. Last but not least even extrem sport lovers will find something for their taste in special cave tours.

Dripstones: beauty of thousands of years

The unusual ornaments of the caves are the result of the work of many millions of water drops, which have been created in various colours and shapes. The name originates from the expression „dripping stone”. The formation of droplets is an extremely complex process, influenced by many factors. Rainwater, responsible for the formation of caves, becomes acidic by the carbon dioxide contained therein, so that the limestone can be dissolved, leaking into the surface’s cracks.

The most popular cave-tour is the shortest one: the starting point is the Aggtelek entrance, which is located about 2 kilometers from the village. It is only 1 kilometer long, and it takes 60 minutes. During the tour, you will get to know more about the ancient population of the caves, and the history of naming the rocks inside. The temperature in the cave is 10°C maximum, so prepare yourself for the cold weather by having warm clothes.

There are 2 more cave-tours, which are also popular, but not for the average tourists. It is more beloved for those, who likes hiking and can get the cold for a longer time. To sum up, Aggtelek has a lot to offer: the National Park’s miraculous nature is absolutely worth a visit, and if you get there, the Dripstone Cave of Aggtelek is a must.