Pivka Cave is a karst cave near Postojna, carved by the underground Pivka River - the same river that first disappears underground in the famous Postojna Cave. It's a great pick for travelers wanting to experience Slovenia's karst underworld away from the biggest crowds.

Inside, the cave feels raw and dramatic, with the sound of the underground river running through the passages adding to the atmosphere. The entrance sits in a striking 65-metre collapse doline right next to a campsite restaurant, and from there you can already spot the Pivka River flowing below. The cave is part of the extensive Postojna cave system and is connected via a man-made tunnel, over 100 metres long, to the nearby Black Cave (Črna jama), allowing both to be explored on a single guided tour.

How to get there

• Entrance located at the Pivka Jama campsite, right next to the restaurant - easy access, no hiking required
• Guided tours only, following a fixed underground route

Practical information

• Visits are possible only as part of an organized guided tour
• The cave connects to the Black Cave via an artificial tunnel
• The Pivka River continues underground into Planina Cave, where it joins the Rak River to form the Unica

It's worth knowing that the Pivka is the final link in a long chain of karst rivers that eventually feed into the Ljubljanica - a fascinating example of Slovenia's karst landscape at work.