Manita peć cave

General information

THE PROCLAMATION DATE: October 19^th, 1949

THE HIGHEST PEAKS: Vaganski vrh (1757 m a.s.l.) and Sveto brdo (1753 m a.s.l.)

INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATIONS:

- Velebit Mountain Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO MaB), February 10^th, 1978
- Ecological network NATURA 2000 December 1^st, 2014
- UNESCO World Heritage Site, July 7^th, 2017

"Manita peć" Cave

Among 115 speleological objects so far known in the Paklenica National Park, Manita peć is the most famous among the visitors, as it is the only show cave made accessible to the public through guided visits. The cave's broad chambers and the beauty of its speleothems have been enchanting visitors since 1937. It is located at an altitude of 570 m a.s.l, and the walk up from the parking lot at Velika Paklenica takes about 1.30 h.

Hiking trails

Hiking is the only way to truly get to know Paklenica. The Park area contains 150-200 km of trails and paths, from those characterized as tourist trails - leading from Velika Paklenica canyon to Manita peć cave, Lugarnica foresters house and Paklenica Mountain hut, to those characterized as hiking trails - leading to the highest peaks of the Velebit Mountain.

Climbing site

Paklenica National Park is the most visited climbing center in Croatia, also popular outside Croatia. The close proximity of seawater gives this climbing site a special charm, making Paklenica Riviera an ideal place to combine climbing and water sports. Today, there are about 500 well-equipped marked routes of different difficulty and length (from grade 3 to 8b+), set in the carbonate rocks, so each climber can find something to his/her liking.

Manita peć cave

REGULAR WORKING HOURS

April - Saturday from 10.00 to 13.00

May, June, October - Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10.00 to 13.00

July, August, September - every day from 10.00 to 13.00

Among 115 speleological objects so far known in the Paklenica National Park, Manita peć is the most famous among the visitors, as it is the only show cave made accessible to the public through guided visits. The cave's broad chambers and the beauty of its speleothems have been enchanting visitors since 1937 when the trail inside the cave was set up and visits began. It is located at an altitude of 570 m a.s.l, and the walk up from the parking lot at Velika Paklenica takes about 1.30 h.

The cave is abundant with cave formations or speleothems. They differ in form and origin of formation. The most frequent types of speleothems that you will find in Manita Peć are stalagmites, stalactites, columns and flowstones (cascading rimstone dams). Some of these formations got their names from their interesting shapes, such as the Helmet, the Organ and the Witch.

Manita Peć cave is rich in underground fauna. The research conducted so far has found a total of 52 taxa of invertebrates, 20 of which are true cave species. They have adapted to the underground environment and they usually cannot survive outside the cave. They are characterized by a lack of pigment and visual sensory organs, however, their other senses (olfactory, gustatory, tactile) are well developed. Several bat species (Rhinolophus spp.) use this cave for hibernation during the winter.

We suggest you plan the visit to the cave in advance so you could start hiking early enough because it is open only for a few hours a day. To reach the cave you need approximately 1.30 h of walking from the main parking lot in the Velika Paklenica canyon.

"The witch" of the Manita Cave

Our guides will welcome you at the cave entrance and accompany you inside in groups. The tour takes about 30 minutes and ends at the same place where you entered. It’s necessary to arrive at the cave at least half an hour before closing time.

If you’re bringing your dog along, please take into consideration that he’ll have to wait for you in front of the cave, because of the group tour and the sensitive ecosystem inside the cave.

We charge for the tour, and the tickets can be bought in front of the cave. Payment is made in cash only.