Photo by whl.travel
Ponicova Cave is one of the most important and large underground cavities from the Danube Gorges, taking birth in the wall of limestone which flanks Cazanele Mari. It is situated near the Dubova village, Mehedinti county, Oltenia.
Ponicova cave has two entrances and it’s accessible both on land and on the Danube by boat or motorboat. There is another entry near Ponicova brook, whose waters have carved a natural bridge of about 8 meters high and some gorges of a wild beauty. With a length of 1.5 km, its galleries cross the Ciucaru Mare Mountain. Ponicova Cave is not really designed for visitors, but can be explored by tourists, possibly accompanied by an authorized guide and safety equipment.
These are the main rooms: Ogas Gallery, Bat’s Gallery, the Gallery of concretions, Column Hall, Ladder’s Gallery and Clay’s Gallery.
Here, one can admire numerous shapes and sizes of concretions: stalactites and stalagmites, white calcite floor, cave pearls, domes, columns, curtains. Researchers have discovered in Ponicova cave bear bones and also cave hyena, as it is supposed.
