The complete guide for visiting the Škocjan Caves
The Škocjan Caves are one of the most important natural formations in Slovenia, and therefore, one of the most popular attractions in the country.
I am originally from Slovenia, and even though I’ve heard about the Škocjan Caves multiple times, I often dismissed them, thinking they would be the same as other caves we have here.
We finally visited it this year, and I can say I was so positively surprised. The Škocjan Caves are a must-visit place in Slovenia, and I am writing this guide to tell you everything you need to know to plan your visit.
Where are the Škocjan Caves located?
The Škocjan Caves are located in the karst region in Slovenia, in the South-western part of the country.
The caves are a UNESCO Heritage Site, so they are part of a protected area. The main visitor center is located just outside the village of Matavun and is easily accessible from the highway that connects Ljubljana to Koper.
You can find the exact location here.
How to get to the Škocjan Caves
Even though the Škocjan Caves are located quite remotely, this is a very popular site in Slovenia, so it is fairly accessible.
The main ways to get to the cave are by car, by bus, or on a tour. I’ll describe each of them below.
Going to Škocjan Cave by car
The easiest and most comfortable way of visiting Škocjan Caves is by car. The main visitor center is located only 50 min from Ljubljana or 30 min from Koper.
There is a parking lot right in front of the visitor center where you can park for free. You can find the exact location here.
Do you need to rent a car for your trip?
We always use DiscoverCars to rent our car. So far it has proved to be not only the cheapest option but also the most reliable one. We used DiscoverCars to rent our car for our trips through Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy, and so many other countries, and we never had any issues. We even convinced all of our friends and family to use it. So that’s why we are also recommending it to you!
How to visit the Škocjan Caves by public transport
The best way to get to Škocjan Caves by public transport is by taking the bus or train to Divača and walking or taking the free shuttle to the caves.
There are daily buses from Ljubljana to Divača and the trip takes 1h 40m each way – check here to see the timetable and prices. You can also take the train if you prefer – in this case, check the timetable here.
Once you get to the station in Divača, you can walk to the visitor center (it takes between 40 and 50 min on foot) or you can take a shuttle. During the summer, there is a free shuttle bus service that runs between Divača and the Škocjan Caves Visitor Center, or you can use this paid shuttle service.
Since we went with the car, we didn’t use this service ourselves, so please check it thoroughly before you visit, since the schedules may vary. For the paid shuttle, they ask you to book your slot in advance.
Book a day tour to visit Škocjan Caves
If you don’t have a car and don’t want the hassle of figuring out the bus route by yourself, the best option is to book a tour to visit the Škocjan Caves.
There are several tour options running from Ljubljana and from towns on the seaside like Koper or Piran.
The visit to Škocjan Caves is a half-day activity, so a lot of the tours from Ljubljana combine it with a visit to Piran to make it a full-day itinerary. This is a great day trip option from Ljubljana!
We always use GetYourGuide to book tours here in Slovenia, so we recommend you check out the options they have available. The best half-day tour from Ljubljana is this one:
Škocjan Caves: Opening hours
You can only visit the Škocjan Caves with a guided tour, so you need to plan your visit according to the park’s timetable.
The guided tour schedule varies depending on the time of the year. In the months of July and August, there are tours every hour from 9 am to 4 pm.
During the low season (winter time), they only have tours twice a day, and the timings are changing month by month.
Please check the complete timetable of the Škocjan Caves Park on their official page.
PS: The Škocjan Caves Park is always closed on the 1st of January and the 25th of December. The park is open on other festive days and holidays.
Buying tickets for visiting the Škocjan Caves
The price of the tickets for the guided tour of Škocjan Caves varies depending on the month of your visit, as described below:
| Period | Price (adult) |
| November – March | € 16 |
| May, June, September | € 22 |
| July & August | € 24 |
| April & October | € 18 |
They also have discounted prices for seniors, students, and children.
You can buy the tickets online or in person at the visitor center. I highly recommend buying your tickets online because the tours have limited capacity and they tend to sell out, especially during weekends and holidays.
We visited Škocjan Caves at the start of November, and we had to book our tickets 3 days in advance because all other days were already sold out.
Pro tip: Make sure you arrive in the visitor center a few minutes before the start of the tour. The entry point to the cave is in another location, and the guides take everyone together at once, so you don’t want to be late for this.
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What is the best time of the year to visit the Škocjan Caves?
The biggest advantage of visiting underground systems like caves is that you will have a very similar experience throughout the entire year. Since the cave is several hundred meters underground, the temperature is usually stable throughout the year at around 10-13°C.
However, I would say that the Škocjan Caves tour has two parts – the first where you walk underground through the caves, and the second where you follow an outdoor trail back to the visitor center.
In this second part, you will be able to choose between 3 trails with different levels of difficulty and also different attractions along the way. Some of the trails are very interesting, leading you through additional waterfalls and caves. Check the map below to see the trail options.
To properly enjoy this walk, I’d say that the best time of the year to visit the Škocjan Caves is between May and October. During this time of the year, the weather is still enjoyable for walking the trail in the second half.
PS: Between October and April, the park reserves the right to close the 2 longest outdoor trails leading back to the visitor center due to weather conditions. When we visited in early November 2024, trails 1 and 2 were open and we took the number 2, which was amazing! Trail 3 is the longest and it’s only open during the summer season.
The guided tour of Škocjan Caves: Our experience
The guided tour of Škocjan Caves uses local guides, which I think is a great thing because they know a lot about the natural formations of this area.
They offer tours in Slovenian, English, and Italian. During the high season, they may also offer other languages, like German, based on demand and availability.
The tour lasts for around 1.5 hours + the time needed to walk back to the visitor center, which depends on which trail you choose to take for your walk back.
Important: They don’t allow taking pictures or videos inside the cave, either with your phone or a professional camera.
Part 1 of the tour: The Silent Cave
In the first part of the tour, you will visit the Silent Cave, which receives its name because here you can’t hear the sound of the river.
Here you can see many of the rock formations, stalactites, and stalagmites. The guide will explain how they are formed and all the different colors you see on the rocks.
If you’ve never been to a cave before, this part will already feel quite impressive! If you have been to Postojna Cave, this part will look very similar to what you’ve seen there.
Read also: Comparison between Postojna and Škocjan Caves – which one should you visit?
Part 2 of the tour: The Murmuring Cave
The Silent Cave ends once you start hearing the Reka River. That’s how you know you are entering the Murmuring Cave.
This is the most impressive part of the visit to Škocjan Caves. In this section, the cave is more than 100 meters from the ceiling, creating a really unique sight.
I was actually impressed by how strong the Reka River was. The level of the water rises and falls depending on the rain and season, and the guide told us there are times when this entire canyon is flooded with water, which is hard to imagine considering how massive this place is!
Along the walls, you can see the old walking paths lightly illuminated below. The old path was discontinued because it used to get flooded too much, so they built the new one where you will be walking.
The original explorers built via ferrata trails along the walls as they were discovering the cave. The cables are still visible; your guide will show them with a flashlight.
Visiting this part of the cave was a really unique and cool experience. It’s different from everything I’ve seen in my life.
One of the highlights of the path is crossing the Cerkvenik Footbridge, a hanging bridge that stands 50 meters above the river.
Part 3 of the tour: The trail back to the visitor center
The guided tour ends once you come out of the cave and back into daylight. From here, you will have to choose between 3 walking trails to go back to the visitor center.
Trail 1: Shortest and easiest path, takes around 15 min. This path is open all year round.
Trail 2: Middle path, takes around 30min, and you will pass through the Tolminc Cave and two beautiful waterfalls (this is the path we took!). This path might be closed depending on weather conditions.
Trail 3: The longest path takes around 1.5 hours and has the most attractions along the way. This path is only open during the warm months.
I highly recommend taking one of the scenic trails (number 2 or 3). The additional caves and waterfalls you see along the way are really interesting and are definitely worth your time.
Practical advice for visiting Škocjan Caves
- Photography is not allowed inside the caves (with a phone or a camera). We urge everyone to respect that since this is a protected area. You can take pictures once you step out of the main cave.
- Wear good walking shoes, and avoid flip-flops or sandals. This is an active cave, and the path is always wet, at all times. Also, you will want to have good walking shoes for the trail portion after the caves.
- The temperature inside the caves is always around 12°C, so make sure you bring a jumper, even if you come during the summer.
- There is no need to bring your own flashlight because the guide will be showing you around, but if you wish to do so, you can.
- Book your tickets in advance! The guided tour tends to sell out, so I don’t recommend buying the ticket in person.
- Bring water for the walk. There are no toilets or facilities along the way, only in the visitor center.
- This tour is not accessible for people with mobility issues, considering there is a lot of walking in nature, and also a lot of steps along the path.
- Combine other nearby destinations to make this a full-day trip! One popular place to visit nearby is the Rakov Škocjan Valley, which is a really fun walking trail located around 30 min away. A lot of people mistake these two places because of the name, but they are two completely separate locations.
Where to stay for visiting Škocjan Caves
As I mentioned above, I highly recommend visiting the Škocjan Caves as a day trip. The caves have a very remote location, so there is no point in staying nearby when this is an attraction that takes only a couple of hours to visit.
I recommend staying either in Ljubljana or on the seaside.
Places to stay in Ljubljana
- Vander Urbani Resort: A boutique hotel located in the heart of the Old Town. Besides the rooms, which have a very modern touch, the hotel also features a rooftop pool (which can come in handy in the summer) and a good restaurant in front.
- Intercontinental: This is, in our opinion, the best hotel in town. Located right on the edge of the city center, the hotel has incredible views overlooking the whole city. As a five-star hotel, you get all the amenities and perks, including a spa and a rooftop bar.
Places to stay in the Slovenian seaside
- Hotel Zala Piran: A small and beautiful hotel located just meters away from the main square in Piran. This place has a lovely rooftop that guests can enjoy and an incredible breakfast.
- Hotel Grand Koper: One of the main hotels in Koper, with an amazing location. If you can, get a room with a sea view, and you’ll wake up with a view of the marina and the Adriatic Sea. It’s stunning!
FAQ – Popular questions about visiting Škocjan Caves
Are the Škocjan Caves worth a visit?
YES!
The Škocjan Caves are a UNESCO Heritage Site and a very unique place in Slovenia. You will learn a lot about the karst region during the guided tour, and I guarantee the views along the way will leave you fully impressed.
How long does it take to visit the Škocjan Caves?
The guided tour through the caves takes 1.5 hours, and after that, you need to choose a trail to walk back to the visitor center, which can last between 15 min and 1.5 hours.
So, if you choose to take the longest path, the total visit to the Škocjan Caves will take around 3 hours.
How to dress for visiting the Škocjan Caves?
- Wear comfortable walking shoes – avoid flip-flops or open sandals
- Comfortable walking clothes – you will be walking for a total of 3h
- Bring a jacket or a jumper because the temperature will be around 12 °C
- Bring water for the walk
Hiking Gear recommendation
Check out our favorite hiking gear and essentials which we always bring with us.
Can I visit Škocjan Caves with my dog?
No, pets are not allowed in the Škocjan Caves.
Are the Škocjan Caves suitable for kids?
Yes, kids are allowed on the Škocjan Caves tour. In fact, I think kids enjoy this type of attraction a lot!
There were a few families on our group tour, and the kids were having a blast.
That being said, I would not bring kids who are too young to walk by themselves. There is quite a lot of walking involved in the tour, so make sure this is suitable for your little ones.
Also, the cave can feel claustrophobic, and I don’t think it is the best place to visit with a baby. But, as I always say, you know your kids best!
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Organizing your trip
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- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
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- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
- Slovenia Map: Check out our custom-made Map with 290+ must-see spots!
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- Recommended hiking gear: Check our recommendations on Amazon if you will be hiking in Slovenia!
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