The deepest known cave on earth measuring an amazing depth of 2197m is the Krubera Cave located in the Arabika Massif in Georgia’s breakaway regional district of Abkhazia. Following an expedition of the Ukrainian Speleological Association in 2020, the Krubera cave became the deepest known cave when its depth of 1710m surpassed that of the previously known record holder of the deepest cave in the Austrian Alps by 80m.
Krubera Cave also known as Voronya Cave, meaning crow’s cave is the only known cave till date that lies deeper than 2000m below the earth’s surface. Named after Russian geographer Alexander Kruber, Krubera Cave gained fame after Jules Verne’s inspiring novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth” drew explorers and scientists by and large to discover the world’s deepest abyss. Krubera cave is definitely every explorer, caver and adventure seeking tourist’s dream to travel to the depths of the earth and uncover the secrets of the deepest known natural cave in the world.
World’s Deepest Cave:
Krubera cave, the world’s deepest explored cave continues to remain a source of attraction for explorers on international expeditions, tourists, cavers and scientists.
Call of The Abyss:
Located in the Arabika Massif of the Gagrinsky Range in the Gagra district of Abkhazia, the Krubera Cave has drawn a huge amount of interest from cavers seeking to be a part of an ongoing international project called “Call of the Abyss”. 50 professional cavers from 11 countries were involved in the project ever since its inception in 2000. The Ukranian Speleological Association continues to accept applications for the same till today.
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Natural Wonder:
Of the several hundred caves in the Arabika Massif, the Krubera cave is one of the many natural caves plunging to an overwhelming depth of 7,188 feet. Its limestone formation is believed to date back to the Age of the Dinosaurs. This breathtaking picture would leave anyone in awe of this natural wonder.
Tough Challenge:
Exploring the world’s deepest cave is no easy task. A difficult and challenging descent, it has been compared to climbing an inverted Mount Everest by cavers who have been part of the international expeditions. Only by sheer will power and a strong determination to get to the lowermost point that the expedition has been met with success.
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Boaz Lang-ford:
A picture of caver Boaz Lang-ford who was part of the Israeli delegation on an international exploration mission that was organized by the Ukranian Speleological Association. Lang-ford posing here with the Israeli flag in the Krubera-Voronya Cave reached an astounding depth of 2,080 meters which was the deepest point reached by any Israeli explorer.
Species of The Earth:
Of the various endemic species like spiders, scorpions, shrimps and beetles existing at different levels of depth in the Krubera Cave, the most intriguing is that of a primal eyeless and wingless insect dwelling deep down at the bottom of the cave. The Plutomurus ortobalaganensis as it is called was a latest discovery by researchers in 2020 found at a depth of 6,500 feet. Belonging to a species of insects called spring-tails, the plutomurus ortobalaganensis lives in complete darkness and thrives on fungi and decomposing organic matter.
Team Up:
The descent into the deepest cave ever known entails scaling down jagged rocks and cascading through confined underground pools, some of which are reportedly more than 300 feet deep. Anyone embarking on this trail must be well geared up for the task at hand as it requires a lot of effort and a great deal of teamwork to see you through.
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Accessibility:
Owing to the remoteness of the area, the Krubera Cave is only open to access for maximum four months in a year.
Bottomless Pit:
Bordered around by the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the Krubera-Voronya Cave in the mountainous region of Arabika Massif is an incredible place to be for explorers, scientists and cavers wishing to delve deep into the chasm of the earth. Till this date there is speculation about whether the bottom most point in the cave has been reached, a glimmer of hope for those looking to set new records.
Images Source: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
