Boilor Cave

The entrance to Boilor Cave is located on the left slope of the Nera Gorges, formed by Carsiile Dese, at an altitude of 210 meters and 7 meters above the river.

The cave measures 126 meters and is carved on a system of joints and pressure tunnels. Descending sections alternate with ascending ones. The entrance, quite large (4 meters in height), leads through a small corridor into a high hall of 7 meters, illuminated through a crack in the wall (the Window) with a diameter of 2 meters. This hall communicates with the main gallery through a labyrinth of narrow, partly inaccessible corridors, which are reached by climbing a 3-meter threshold. The main gallery, generally narrow, 2-4 meters high, and without branches, presents along its course enlargements through collapses, natural bridges, erosion rings, pressure tunnels with oval section, and siphon arrangements. Otherwise, the gallery, constantly turning to the right, becomes narrow and wide; it suddenly descends 3 meters and ends with a permanent siphon lake.

During strong floods, water infiltrated through cracks in the massif forms an underground stream that appears through the siphon lake and is evacuated through sinkholes and swallow holes in the floor, only occasionally managing to exit through the cave's mouth and reach the Nera River. Traces of water are visible everywhere: potholes, lapies, blades, hieroglyphs, and spoon formations. Here and there, the beginning of cave concretion can be observed.

The cave is of interest not only for karst hydrology but also for biospeleology. Remarkable terrestrial species of crustaceans, pseudoscorpions, and wingless insects live here, and in the marmites and siphon lake, typically subterranean species of microscopic crustaceans.

The cave is located within the protected area of the Nera-Beușnița Gorges Reserve, part of the national park with the same name. It is not developed and does not show signs of degradation. Although it is a cold cave, with small puddles, walls carved by water, and lacking the calcite beauties that usually attract tourists, being near the trail, it should not be bypassed. Equipped with a flashlight (temperature around 10 degrees Celsius and maximum humidity), a protective helmet, and rubber boots (after prolonged drought, hiking boots also work), the entire cave can be traversed round trip in just half an hour. Pay attention to the two 3-meter thresholds.

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