Visit Ukraine - Optimistic Cave: travel through the longest gypsum cave in the world and learn its history

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2 min

27 Oct. 2024

Optimistic Cave: travel through the longest gypsum cave in the world and learn its history

The longest gypsum cave in the world is located in the Ternopil region. Today, there are 15 regions with bright stalactites and stalagmites, small lakes and research bases. Find out what Optimistic Cave is known for, how it was discovered and explored, how it lives today and how it welcomes visitors

There are hundreds of caves in the world with different lengths, depths and origins. Among them is Ukraine's Optimistic Cave: the longest gypsum cave in the world, the longest in Eurasia, and the sixth longest in the world. The cave has been explored for more than half a century, with 260 expeditions sent there, 15 research camps set up, and yet... it is still being explored. No one can even predict how long it will be discovered. Read more about Optimistic in the article on the Visit Ukraine portal.

The longest gypsum cave, the Optimistic Cave, is located in the Chortkiv district of Ternopil region. To find it, you need to move southwest from the village of Korolivka to a forest tract also called Korolivka. The cave is currently included in the list of geological natural monuments of national importance. The karst cave has only one entrance, and its maximum depth (i.e. the depth at which the passages are located) is 80 metres. The main record of the Optimistic Cave is its length: it stretches for 264,576 km and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest gypsum cave. Optimistic was discovered in 1966, and its official length is the passages that have been explored and mapped. However, it should be borne in mind that the record holder has not yet been fully explored. There is no lighting, the cave is heavily silted, and there are stalactites and stalagmites.

In addition to the main record, Optimistic Cave is also the longest in Eurasia and is officially among the five world record holders (in terms of length).

Since 2010, it has been part of the Dniester Canyon National Nature Park.

This is a question for geologists. They say that millions of years ago there was an ocean here. Later, it receded, and the gypsum that was at the bottom came to the surface. In unusual conditions, cracks began to appear on the surface of the gypsum, through which water seeped. Gradually, the future Optimistic was born.

There have always been many caves in Podillia near the Dniester. So, obviously, geologists and cavers spent all their time here. In 1965, representatives of the newly formed Cyclops caving club explored the Wind Cave here. Here, near the village of Korolivka, Borshchahiv district, local children showed the researchers a stream that went underground. The excavations yielded no results, so speleologists Oleksii Solyar and Myron Savchyn returned here in 1966. In May, they were able to pass through the clay siphon that prevented them from doing so last time (let me remind you that even now Optimistic is very silted up) and explore 400 metres of the cave. Just imagine: at first we thought the cave was no longer than 3 km! That's why it is called Optimistic - the researchers who hypothesised its great length were sceptically called ‘optimists’ by their colleagues.

Since then, the Lviv Cyclops Speleoclub under the leadership of Myron Savchyn has been actively exploring the cave. So far, 15 relatively separate regions are known, differing in time and method of formation. The research is ongoing, with more than 260 expeditions conducted in the cave by representatives of different countries.

Special camps were set up to explore the cave. Currently, there are 15 of them: the Oasis is the furthest from the entrance and the most comfortable.

Since 1971, the attraction has been managed by the Cyclops caving club.

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First of all, you should contact the speleoclub - you won't get to the cave on your own. They will help you with the ‘delivery’ to your destination. However, if you do decide to go on your own, you should take a route through Borshchiv to the village of Korolivka (the nearest village to the cave).

Find out the current bus schedule and buy tickets here.

The train journey from Ternopil to Borshchiv takes about 2 hours. You can depart at 4:13 and arrive at 6:53 or depart at 18:28 and arrive at 21:12.

It takes more than 10 hours to drive from Kyiv to Tovste (a village neighbouring Borshchevo). There is only one direct flight without stops - it departs at 20:29 and arrives at 06:53.

It takes 5 hours to get from Lviv to Tovste (a village neighbouring Borshcheve). There is only one direct flight without stops - it departs at 16:19 and arrives at 21:12.

You can see Optimistic and three other incredible caves on a special tour from Visit Ukraine.

To make your trip successful, entrust its organisation to specialists (Telegram | WhatsApp). Don't waste your time looking for a qualified guide, booking tickets, finding a hotel, and arranging insurance. Visit Ukraine specialists will do it quickly, efficiently and with maximum comfort for you.

Photo: Cyclops Caving Club

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Visit Ukraine - Optimistic Cave: travel through the longest gypsum cave in the world and learn its history