Subterranean adventures

The exploration of the mysterious underworld, where the light of day never shines, is a special adventure on its own. You can explore the underground on foot, with kayaks or cycle from one valley to another by bike.

The ore deposits between Mount Peca and Uršlja Gora were discovered already by Romans. In the years of active mining, more than a thousand kilometres of tunnels were dug out, where you can still hear stories of the miners’ life and be amazed by nature’s wonders. The Peca Underground – Tourist Mine and Museum is one of the central tourist attractions of the cross-border UNESCO Karavanke Geopark with its selection of unique subterranean adventures and experiences. You can take a train to the heart of the mountain and continue on foot to explore the underworld. If you are looking for a more adrenaline-packed visit, you can explore the underground by cycling or rowing a kayak to the flooded parts of the tunnels. An even longer tradition of tourist exploration of the Koroška underground is held in the Huda Luknja cave, which is a real subterranean marvel of the isolated karst. Here you can experience a true adrenaline-packed trekking adventure with the help of a guide.

Subterranean kayaking adventure

You can take kayaks to the flooded parts of the tunnels almost 700 metres under the Earth's surface. The path will take you back in time to when silence was muffled by the sounds of machinery and tools.

The subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and dugouts almost 700 metres under the surface can be explored by kayak as well.

You can take the mine railway from the mining museum at Glančnik in Mežica to the Unionski Vpadnik slope mine through the 3.5-kilometre-long Glančnik tunnel. From there, you can descend the stairs less than 100 metres down to the water level. Equipped with protective gear, you will enter the flooded tunnel and get into your kayaks. The tour guide will guide you down a small subterranean river to the tiny lakes, where the magic of this ride begins. Rowing the calm and clear water, you will explore the subterranean labyrinth of tunnels and dugouts. And you will learn how it once was, in the times when silence was muffled by the sounds of roaring machinery and tools.

How did the water enter the mine? In 1994, the Mežica mine concluded their excavation of the ore. At the same time, they stopped pumping the water and it flooded the lower parts up to the water tunnel, where today this water flows out of the mine without any obstruction. The water also flooded large dugouts, made by miners, which today seem like magical subterranean lakes.

Since 2019, the kayak adventure in the underground of Peca has been awarded the Slovenia Unique Experiences – Recommended by Slovenian Tourist Board brand. It is a unique experience included in a carefully selected collection of experiences marketed under the Slovenia Unique Experiences quality brand and supporting the story of green boutique Slovenia and the I feel Slovenia brand.