Czechia – Caves, Abyss & Mines

Czechia's caves are some of the most famous in cave diving, but almost none are open to visiting divers. The Hranice Abyss has been measured to more than 519 m in total, 450 m of it underwater, and is dived only by research teams of the Czech Speleological Society; a diver died there in August 2026. The sumps of the Punkva river under the Macocha gorge and the Amatérská cave system are explored only under permits from the nature-protection authority. The real option for visiting overhead divers is the flooded Hraničná iron-ore mine in the Rychlebské hory, where certified mine and cave divers can book guided or independent dives.

Facts

• Cave protection law: Act 114/1992 Sb. §10: caves are protected; destroying or altering them is prohibited, and exploration or research of a cave requires permission from the nature-protection authority (exemptions for monitoring, police, rescue, state administration, etc.).
• Who issues the cave-research permit: National park: the park administration; CHKO and national nature reserves/monuments: the regional AOPK ČR office; nature reserves outside a CHKO and elsewhere: the regional authority (krajský úřad). Free, no fixed form, apply 60 days ahead (ideally 90) via CRŽP form, data box or post.
• AOPK contacts: Moravian Karst: Správa CHKO Moravský kras, Svitavská 29, Blansko, +420 951 425 025, morkras@aopk.gov.cz. Hranice Karst: AOPK ČR Regional office Olomoucko, Lafayettova 13, Olomouc, +420 951 425 136, olomoucko@aopk.gov.cz.
• Moravian Karst diving rule: The AOPK page on diving in the Moravian Karst says diving is possible outside reserves in water bodies where swimming is also allowed; the only site named is the quarry in Šošůvka.
• Hranice Abyss status and accident: Hůrka u Hranic national nature reserve; dive work by ZO ČSS 7-02. A diver (Jan Enčev) died on an exploratory dive in August 2026, recovered from about 186 m by Cave Rescue Service and police divers; police opened a negligent-homicide case.
• Cave rescue: Cave Rescue Service of the Czech Speleological Society (SZS ČSS), a voluntary body founded 1982, part of the Integrated Rescue System, with Bohemian and Moravian units. In an emergency call 112. ČSS secretariat (not an emergency line): sekretariat@speleo.cz, +420 722 651 110.
• Hyperbaric chamber: Městská nemocnice Ostrava runs a Centre of Hyperbaric Medicine (new chamber from 2024; the hospital's main phone is 596 191 111 or 556 541 111, mnof@mnof.cz, Nemocniční 898/20a, Ostrava). Emergency availability of the chamber is not stated on the page: confirm by phone. A chamber at Nemocnice České Budějovice (opened 2020) is reported in a hospital press release (not fetched).

Season

• Best months: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
• Water temperature: 8–8 °C

In the Hraničná mine the water is 8 °C at every depth all year and the air underground is at most 11 °C, so the season does not matter. Research dives in the caves are scheduled by the research teams.

Dive sites (4)

Moravian Karst

• Amatérská jeskyně (CSAK KUTATÁS / research only) – advanced
• Macocha – alsó tavak és szifonok (CSAK KUTATÁS / research only) – advanced

Jeseníky & Rychlebské hory

• Důl Hraničná – 0–107 m, advanced

Hranice Karst

• Hranická propast (CSAK KUTATÁS / research only) – 0–450 m, advanced

Operators (3)

• ZO ČSS 7-02 Hranický kras – club, Hranice (Olomouc Region)
• Speleoaquanaut (ČSS ZO 1-10) – club, Prague
• Mine Diving CZ – Důl Hraničná – dive centre, Důl Hraničná, Skorošice / Javorník (Rychlebské hory)

Cave and mine diving is overhead diving: without the right training, gas planning and a guideline it can be fatal. Every Czech cave is protected by law and entering it for research needs a permit; the caves listed here are closed to recreational diving. Rules and contacts change; check with the authority or operator before you go.