The cave in Tzoumerka, in the Greek region of Epirus, one of the most impressive and most visited natural wonders of Greece is an ideal destination all year round.
Tzoumerka is a mountain range found in northwestern Greece. These limestone peaks rise east of the Axeloos River and are surrounded by the main column of the Pindus Range.
Many of the areas are part of Natura 2000, a network of protected areas, as many species of flora and fauna, some of them endangered, are native to various areas of Tzoumerka.
The Anemotrypa cave in Tzoumerka
The Anemotrypa cave is located three kilometers from Pramanta, west of Stroggoula, and at an altitude of 900 meters (2,953 feet).
The uniquely sculpted, colored stalagmites and the three lakes in shades of gray, brass and white that have been formed over the years, create a unique, dreamy landscape.
According to voreiatzoumerka.gr, the cave interior was discovered in 1960. Two young men, Apostolis Lambris and Georgios K. Karakostas were told by the community chief to open a bigger slit in the rocks from which cool air was emanating in order to explore its interior, on the occasion of the arrival of the Honorary President of the Hellenic Speleological Society, the late Anna Petrocheilou.
The two men opened the hole and crawled for about 10 meters (30 feet) when they found themselves in front of a wide pit, but the lack of light did not allow them to continue the search. After that, a part of the cave – approximately 270 meters (886 feet) long – was studied and explored, and by the year 2000 the cave became accessible to visitors.
Inside the cave, there is a pond that tis completely blue — not because of its depth, but because of the quartz crystals at the bottom.
The cave has three levels
The highest, and oldest, has collapsed in the past and only parts of it are preserved. The middle level is where visitors walk and the third and lower level is the underground riverbed, which is seen at the end of the visitors’ trail, just before it creates a two-meter waterfall.
The visitors’ part has a length of 250 meters (820 feet). The unique stalagmites are of exceptional beauty, making curtain-like formations, adding to the eeriness of the atmosphere.
At the same time, Polyxenio, in combination with Calcite, creates cavities inside the cave, which are green in color and, especially in winter, are filled with water.
The temperature and humidity conditions in the cave are constant throughout the year. The air temperature is always at 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit), while the water is constantly at 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit).
The cave of Anemotrypa is considered the “whitest” cave in Greece, as it is made of pure limestone.