Postojna Warnings and Dangers

It is forbidden to photography in the vivarium. Do not take any photo in the vivarium, cave animals would be disturbed if not harmed by flashlights.

It is forbidden to photography in the cave (sign posted at the entrance). However, everybody take photos with flashlights and the guides do not say anything. Then, if you want to take forbidden photos like everybody else but want to get good photos, unlike (almost) everybody else, here are a few guidelines.

1- Light is dim, then all photos will use a flashlight.
2- Most flashlights give enough light up to 4-5 meters, not further. Small cameras may even be less powerful, not to speak of telephones! All “landscapes” in large caves will be dark. Take photos only of objects (or people) close enough.

What about cave animals living in the cave and flashlights? Cave animals require darkness and quietness. Given the number of visitors in the cave have left the route of the visits for quieter dwellings!

Postojna was a less strenuous cave to visit than Skocjan, the train brings you in and out of the cave but there is about 45 minutes to an hour of walking, some of it uphill and downhill but not nearly as steep of inclines as Skocjan. I didn't find either particularly challenging although since I come from a very flat part of the world, my "up and down" leg muscles weren't very happy the next morning!

Regrettably, or maybe not so regrettably, no photography is allowed inside the caves which is bad for putting up a VT page but ultimately the wise thing for a tour-the guide isn't held up by people lagging behind snapping pictures and the whole experience isn't detracted from with the flash from all those cameras. People took a few on the train ride and tried to sneak a few in while on the tour but stopped when reprimanded by our rather humorless guide.

I took a few before I knew I wasn't supposed to while on the train, you'll just have to go see the rest on your own!

I ran into this problem more than once so i thought i'd pass this along as well. A lot of stores and shops have prices listed in both Euro and SIT (slovenian tollars) however this does not mean that that particular store accepts Euro. More often than not my Euro would be turned away.

It is expensive to visit the caves – 4,200SIT for a standard individual adult was a bit of a shock at first. But this does include the train trip which lasts about 15 minutes and then the hour or so long guided tour but as the tour party was so big, you don’t get to hear everything the guide is saying as you’re walking at the back trying to keep up. I don’t really think the guides are necessary and so, in reflection, the admission price could be a lot lower. I suppose they’re really there to keep everyone all together and moving in one large group instead of letting everyone have as much time as they want and so the caves would be very busy.

You are not allowed to take pictures or use a video camera in the cave.
This because two reasons; the flash can destroy and harm the walls of the cave and the organisms that lives there. The second reason is that there are kiosks outside the cave that sells photos and postcards that are over priced…

If you want to take picture anyway, do it carefully and show respect to the guides. Use film with high ISO, ISO 400 is not enough. Digital cameras where you can set the ISO manually are better…

Good luck with your “forbidden” pictures… =0)