Gaura cu Muscă

The entrance to the cave is on the left side of the Danube Gorge, close to the Babacai rock, 3 km downstream from Pescari, at an altitude of 92 m (28 m above the Danube). Access is on the paved road from the city of Moldova Nouă, 12 km away, with the possibility of hotel accommodation in Moldova Nouă.

The name of the cave is related to columba flies, according to the legend related to Iovan Iorgovan. In reality, the Simulium colombaschense species is not related to caves, developing in the water of the Danube. The first investigations of the cave were made in 1875 by J. A. Schonbauer, and faunal investigations began at the beginning of the 20th century. The cave was comprehensively studied between 1962-1969 by A. Negrea and Șt. Black.

The cave develops on a diaclase system in Jurassic limestones, with active and fossil galleries totaling 254 m. Access is via a path cut into the rock, the entrance having dimensions of 7 m wide and 4.5 m high. The cave has two main galleries: the Dry Gallery and the Water Gallery, the latter partially flooded by an underground stream. Various calcite formations, travertine gourds and dams, milkstone and odontolites are found in the cave. The main characteristic is the strong smell of ammonia due to the accumulated guano from the bat colonies.

The cave is not equipped, special equipment is required for exploration (rubber boots, helmet, overalls, flannel). The temperature is 12-13.5°C, with humidity of 96-100%. The duration of the visit is approximately one hour.

Source: Caves from Romania, T. Orghidan, Șt. Negrea, Gh. Racoviță, C. Lascu, ed. Sport - Tourism, 1984