Demänovská Cave of Liberty or Ice Cave? Prices, Times and Tips

Which cave to go to

In the Demänovská valley, on the road from Liptovský Mikuláš to Jasná, two caves are open to the public. Both belong to the Demänovská cave system, which is over 40 km long and the largest in Slovakia.

The Demänovská Cave of Liberty (Demänovská jaskyňa slobody) is its most varied part. The underground Demänovka river flows through it, and there are pools, passages shaped by the river and, on the upper levels, lots of stalactites. It has been open to the public since 1933, and you can visit all year except on Mondays and the holidays on 1 January, 1 November and 24 - 31 December.

The Demänovská Ice Cave (Demänovská ľadová jaskyňa) is the northern part of the system, with massive passages and domes. It got its name from the ice that once lasted in it all year. According to the cave administration, however, after several warm winters even the last remnants have disappeared. After a good winter the ice may come back for a while, but today you are more likely to see the ice decoration in old photos. The tour is shorter, 45 minutes, and the cave is only open from mid-May to the end of September.

If you only have time for one, we recommend the Cave of Liberty. From October to mid-May it is the only one of the two that is open anyway.

How to get there from the cabin

Both caves are by the road from Liptovský Mikuláš to Jasná. The Ice Cave is about 10 km and the Cave of Liberty about 13 km south of Mikuláš. From the cabin you drive via Mikuláš and on up the Demänovská valley; you can open the exact route with the button in the box at the top of the article. There is a car park below both caves, but the parking fee is collected by someone else, not by the cave administration.

From the car park you walk uphill to the entrance:

• To the Cave of Liberty about 400 m up hairpin bends, 10 to 15 minutes.
• To the Ice Cave along a forest path past Kamenná chata and then up hairpin bends, about 20 minutes.

Rest for a moment before you go in; your body will feel the change from warm air to the cold cave.

Without a car you can take the bus; the stops are called Demänovská dolina, Jaskyňa slobody and Demänovská dolina, Ľadová jaskyňa.

What the tour is like

You can only visit the caves with a guide. From June to August tours start every hour from 9:00 to 16:00, outside summer at 9:30, 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00.

You cannot book, so arrive with time to spare, so that you also manage the walk up from the car park.

The classic tour in the Cave of Liberty takes an hour and leads past stalactites, the underground river and pools. The long route takes 100 minutes and also takes you through the Great Dome (Veľký dóm), the largest underground space open to the public in Slovakia, and the Pink Hall (Ružová sieň) with the King’s Gallery (Kráľova galéria), where there are cave lily pads and cave pearls. It is physically more demanding and starts at 13:00, in summer at 13:15.

Since 2026 you can take photos during the tour free of charge, but without a tripod or flash and only where the guide allows it. Do not photograph bats up close; they need peace, especially in winter and spring.

What to bring

• Warm clothes. In the Cave of Liberty it is 6 to 7 °C, in the Ice Cave only 0.4 to 3 °C in summer.
• Sturdy shoes; steps and wet sections are common.
• Cash, because according to the administration card payment may not always work.
• A carrier for small children. The administration specifically recommends one for children up to about 3 to 4 years old.
• Leave the dog at home or outside with someone; it is not allowed into the cave.

When to go

The Cave of Liberty suits any weather. In a hot summer you cool down inside, and when it is raining or the snow on the slopes is poor, it makes a good alternative to skiing. In summer tours go every hour, outside the season only four times a day, so plan your day around them. It is closed on Mondays, 1 January, 1 November and from 24 to 31 December; you will find other closed days in the calendar on the cave’s website.

What to combine it with

The Demänovská valley continues all the way to Jasná below Chopok, where you can ski in winter and take the cable car up to the ridge in summer. On the way back, it is worth stopping in Liptovský Mikuláš at the Slovak Museum of Nature Protection and Speleology. And if you want to end the day in warm water, the Tatralandia water park is 2.5 km from the cabin.

How to combine a cave with Chopok and an evening in Liptovský Mikuláš is in our guide Demänovská valley in a day. More trip ideas: the UNESCO site of Vlkolínec and the Celtic hillfort of Havránok above Liptovská Mara.