Lipa cave in Montenegro (or Lipska Cave) is the largest karst cave in the country and one of the largest in the Balkans. I will tell you everything you need to know to visit this cave. On the Internet, there are a huge number of reviews about the Lipa Cave as the best attraction in the country. Now let’s see if this is true or not.

Table of contents:


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stalactite waterfall in Lipa cave
This stalactite in the Lipa cave is called a waterfall.

A very brief history of the Lipa Cave in Montenegro

You can easily read a detailed history of the cave on Wikipedia, I will not reprint it. Or the guide will tell you already on an excursion in the cave. But briefly for the big picture:

  • The cave was discovered in the most ordinary way, like most caves in the world. In the middle of the 19th century, a local peasant fell into a pit on the side of one of the mountains. When he recovered consciousness he saw that the pit was endless in all directions.
  • He told about this find to the ruler. And the ruler had already given the order to explore the cave.

Interesting to know:

The Lipa Cave in Montenegro is located just 5 km from the first capital of Montenegro, the city of Cetinje. And not far from Njegusi – the ancestral village of the most famous family of the rulers of the country.
lipa cave in montenegro map
Map of the entire Lipa Cave. About 3.5 km have been explored today. Only 500 meters are available to tourists

In those days, the cave was used as a warehouse, a refrigerator, the locals took fresh water there. The rulers of Njegusi even hosted foreign guests here.

Until 2013, few tourists visited the cave. And in 2013 there was a severe flood, and most of the cave was flooded.

A private investor came here in 2014. He is said to have invested €1.1 million. And since 2015 Lipa cave in Montenegro has been opened for visitors. Locals who were in the cave before 2013 say the difference is huge.

General information: location, opening hours, prices, how to get there

Let’s go in order:

  • Official website of the Lipa cave in Montenegro: https://lipa-cave.me/. See all the latest information here.
  • Opening hours: from April to November inclusive (December-March the cave is closed). Daily: from 10 to 16.
  • Ticket price: 13.9 euros for adults, 7.9 euros for children from 5 to 15 years old and 1 euro for children under 5 years old. There is a 2+2 family ticket for 39.9 euros
  • Parking and ticket office coordinates, this is where you need to come: 42.36714915084467, 18.953079730488053
  • The entrance to the cave is 900m from the parking lot and ticket offices: all guests are taken back and forth by a train. This is included in any ticket.
lipa cave in montenegro
Ticket offices, parking and a train on which you will go

It’s important to know:

You cannot visit the cave on your own without a guide. In any case, you will go by train with a group of up to 15 people. But we had only 6 people in the group.
  • There is also a tour schedule. The duration of each tour is 1 hour. Tours start every hour and a half (during high season). Below is a schedule of excursions by months, it is better to check the current information on the official website.
Lipa cave tour schedule
Schedule of excursions to the Lipa cave by months. In order not to wait for a long time, I recommend arriving 20-30 minutes before the indicated time

If you arrive at the ticket office when the tour on the train has just left, then you will have to wait an hour and a half for the next tour. I recommend arriving half an hour before. There is a mini cafe, toilets, benches.

How to get to the Lipa cave: by bus, by car

I will briefly tell you how to get to the Lipa Cave in Montenegro. There are no problems with the car, of course. Put the coordinates in the navigator and come. The cave is located close to the coast, from Budva you can get there in 40 minutes. It’s only 30 km.

But it is difficult to get to the cave by public transport:

  • Buses run only to Cetinje.
    • From Budva and Podgorica buses leave every half hour. Travel time in both cases is 40-50 minutes. Ticket price: 3 euros from Podgorica and 3.5 euros from Budva.
    • From the center of Cetinje, it is only 4.5 km to the ticket office of the Lipa Cave. You can walk, in an hour you can easily reach the beautiful road. You can take a taxi. It will cost 10-15 euros round trip and the taxi driver will still be waiting for you.
    • All about taxi and transfer in Montenegro
    • Since you are in Cetinje, plan a couple of hours for a walk around the local attractions. A detailed overview of the city of Cetinje for tourists is at the link.
how to get to the Lipa cave by bus
Timetable and prices for bus Budva – Cetinje: daily more than 30 buses every 30 minutes. The same in the afternoon.

Lipa cave: what’s inside?

I’ll try to be as detailed as possible, but not too much 🙂

Good to know:

There are two types of excursions to the Lipska Cave. They are called: Adventure tale and Cave experience. I will talk about the second one which costs 13.9 euros. Since Adventure tale tour in 2024 is temporarily cancelled. This tour cost 50 euros per person. Visitors were given flashlights and raincoats. And the 1km long route goes to the underground lake.
Lipa cave stalactites and stalagmites
The stalagmite in the Lipa cave is called the Castle.

As part of the Cave experience tour, you will have a 400-500 meters route deep into the cave. You can only go with a guide. No one rushes the group, you can take pictures of everything. By the way, in many caves of the world it is forbidden to take pictures or for an additional fee.

In the Lipa Cave in 60 minutes you will see:

  • Several large halls
  • A huge number of stalactites (grow from top to bottom) and stalagmites (grow from bottom to top).
  • If you have been to other caves before, Lipa Cave in Montenegro is no different. There is a waterfall-shaped stalactite. There is also a stalagmite called the Castle. It looks like a fairy tale castle from Disney cartoons (photo above).
Lipa cave halls
Convenience for visitors: good lighting and a flat floor

Travel Tips

Let’s sum it up and I’ll list all the pros and cons, and then you decide:

  • In fact, the cave does not cause stormy delight: it is an ordinary cave with stalactites and stalagmites. And quite small. If you have been to other caves in Mexico, Georgia, Southeast Asia, then everywhere the caves are larger and much more interesting.
  • If this is your first cave, then you will love it here. Like your kids will love it too.
  • Benefits: excellent lighting throughout the cave, comfortable and safe paths and handrails.
  • About holidays in Montenegro with children, what difficulties may arise

Important:

It is +10 degrees all year round in the Lipa cave in Montenegro, it is humid and dripping from the ceiling. As in any cave. Bring warm clothes with you.

You will also be taken back by a train directly to the parking lot to the car. And if you are traveling by car, I also recommend visiting one of the two national parks of Montenegro, which are very close here: climb Mount Lovcen or take a boat ride on Lake Skadar. Read an overview of these national parks in the article at the link.

In conclusion: Lipa Cave in Montenegro will be interesting for tourists with children and for those who have never been to such places before. For everyone else, visiting is optional. The main thing: do not forget warm clothes with you. Otherwise you can freeze and the impression of the cave will be spoiled.


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