10 Caves You Just Have To Spelunk Quiz

Answer: high temperatures

These fantastic caves maintain a temperature of 136 degrees! Crystals cover the floors, wall, and ceilings. This is a cave that can be explored only by the most experienced spelunker. Even with proper gear, visitors entering this Mexican cave last less than 15 minutes--to stay any longer would mean certain death.

Answer: Ethiopia

The Sof Omar caves can be found in Ethiopia. The caves have been considered an underground religious center for centuries. These caverns were formed by the Web River. The river disappears into a huge underground paradise with arched portals, vast, eroded ceilings, and deep, vaulted echoing chambers. This vast cave system can be explored safely by novices and has a variety of formations.

Answer: a restaurant

The surprising answer is a restaurant! Spelunking no longer occurs as most of the cavern has been closed off. Special permission must be given by the owner to explore the areas not open to the public. This would be a nice place to dine in, just for its atmosphere alone. When you enter a cavern, you never know what you will find!

Answer: deepest cave

This mammoth cave is the only cave on the planet that is over 2,000 meters deep. In 2004, it was explored to a depth of 6,824 ft. Its name means Crow's Cave in native dialect, due to the large flocks of crows that nest at its single entrance. It has an extremely steep profile and exploring it is only done by those with a lot of experience.

Answer: The Blue Grotto

The Blue Grotto is a beautiful sea cave that is illuminated by vibrant blue light reflected from the sun. Originally called Gradola, for years it was avoided by the locals who believed it was haunted by evil entities. It is a single room sea cave and spelunking skills and/or equipment are not needed.

Answer: calcium carbonate

The deposition of calcium carbonate by drops of mineralized water over thousands and millions of years is what forms stalactites. One way to remember the difference between stalactites and stalagmites is that stalactites hang tight to the ceiling! Postojna Grotto has beautiful and unique formations in pristine condition.

It has so many types of formations and difficulty levels that all spelunkers will find this cave exciting. It is also the largest cavern in Europe!

Answer: it formed over a real skeleton

The Crystal Maiden is a real skeleton that has been crytallized by the natural forces in cave formations. Access to this cave is made by wading across a large pool of water and then climbing into the cave entrance. The cave was found with other artifacts that lead scientists to believe that this cave was used for religious ritual sacrifices.

This cave has an eerie aura and only those with experience should explore it.

Answer: they change in size

The Kunger Ice Cave has many unusual features, including snowflakes that change in size with the seasons. Some grow as large as a grapefruit! It also has many grottos and a lake inside that is fed by the Sylva river. Many who decide to explore these caves become very dizzy when they enter due to the very high oxygen levels inside the cave. Any visit here would be a spelunker's fantasy!

Answer: pink

Dolomite gives the many and varied formations in these caves a lovely pink color. The caves were discovered by accident in 1917. Unlike many caves, those in Hastings are spacious and well-lit. Anyone can spelunk here! Formations that can be found here include flowstone, columns, shawls, straws, helictites, and tendrils of calcite that flow from all directions in tiny filaments.

Answer: Kentucky

Kentucky is home to Mammoth Cave National Park, the longest cave system in the world! In 2009, over 365 miles of passageways that had been explored. Every year this figure grows as spelunkers from around the world swarm here to be the first to find a new grotto, formation, or passage. It is truly one of the world's natural wonders! It has areas for all levels of experience to explore.