Caving, also known as spelunking (United States and Canada) and potholing (United Kingdom and Ireland), is the recreational pastime of exploring wild cave systems (as distinguished from show caves). In contrast, speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment.

Since 1941 the National Speleological Society has been dedicated to protecting, studying, and exploring caves. With 8,000 members we are the largest cave focused membership organization in the world.

What is Cave Exploring? Cave exploring (also known as caving or spelunking) is the art of safely moving through a natural cave to a destination and returning to the surface without hurting yourself or the cave.

You should absolutely be familiar with these before you go on your first trip. You don’t need to be a master of any; you’ll learn them on the fly. But you should have a general sense of what it takes to explore a cave, and how to approach different challenges along the way.

Jul 4, 2018 · Here’s a tiny sampling of established cave tours around the world just to give you an idea of the options: – Cango Caves, South Africa: You can take an easy tour – called a “heritage tour” – or...

Exploring caves can be an unforgettable experience, but it is also important to respect the cave environment and its inhabitants. We will discuss how to minimize the impact of spelunking on the cave ecosystem and what to do if you encounter wildlife.

Feb 7, 2025 · 🌟 Top Beginner Caverns to Explore: 1️⃣ Luray Caverns (Virginia, USA) – Home to the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a natural rock formation that makes music! 🎶 2️⃣ Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico, USA) – Easy trails, massive chambers, and breathtaking formations.

Far underground cavers are pushing the boundaries of many national park caves and the result is new, previously unexplored cave passages, rooms, streams and lakes, fossils and cave formations. In the last 18 months, three national park caves have celebrated milestones in their ever-growing lengths:

Feb 28, 2022 · What does caving involve? How do you get into it? Where can you do it? How safe is it? What should you wear? We answer all these questions and more with our introductory guide to cave exploring.

Caving is the art of safely moving through a natural cave to a destination and returning to the surface without hurting yourself or the cave. In order to explore safely, you will need the right equipment and the right skills. The following sections will provide you basic information and links to help you get started exploring caves.