The Aggtelek Karst boasts more than 300 caves of various sizes within its 20000 hectare (49420 acre) territory. In 1978 it received protection as a landscape protection area, and in 1985 was declared a national park. The national park designation protects both the karst surface and underground world. Ten years later, Aggtelek National Park, together with its Slovak karst counterpart, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
This amazing underground world can be visited for light, one-hour tours, half-day more adventurous tours, or a number of variations in Aggtelek’s six caves open to the public. Guests are accompanied by expert guides. The Park Directorate organises 5 separate tours in 3 caves, among which the Baradla Cave is perhaps the most well-known. The public are encouraged and invited to explore two sections of the stunning larger Baradla Cave, as well as the two smaller Rákóczi and Imre Vass Caves; rightly considered the pearls of the national park.
