Muškinja

Muškinja is one of the local names for a cave that forms part of the Panjkov ponor – Varićakova špilja speleological system, near the village of Nova Kršlja in the Rakovica municipality, Karlovac County, Croatia.

Where exactly is it?

The name Muškinja refers to the same cave that speleologists also call Varićakova špilja, Kršlja špilja, or Mitrovićeva pećina — the names come from the surnames of local landowners on whose ground the entrances lie. The system's official name is Panjkov ponor – Varićakova špilja, and it stretches beneath the limestone terrain near Nova Kršlja, a few kilometers from the center of Rakovica.

What makes it worth knowing about?

It's one of the longest cave systems in Croatia. In November 1983, cave divers Hrvoje Maligan and Stanko Plevnik connected two previously separate caves — Panjkov ponor and Varićakova špilja (i.e. Muškinja) — by diving through a siphon in the Main Channel. Since then the system has been treated as a single unit. During the international speleoriding expedition "Panjkov ponor 2010" (July 10-25, 2010), roughly another 1,400 meters of new passages were surveyed, bringing the system's total length to around 13 kilometers and returning it to second place among Croatia's longest cave systems. The entrance to Panjkov ponor itself is a distinctive rocky overhang about 20 meters high, with a low, wide opening at its base.

Can you actually visit it?

Muškinja and the wider Panjkov ponor – Varićakova špilja system is used for scientific and sport caving, not set up as a show cave for general visitors. Getting in requires caving equipment, experience, and usually organization through a speleological club. If you're looking for a cave you can tour without specialist gear, the Barać Caves (Baraćeve špilje) lie in the same municipality, about 6 km east of Rakovica — open to visitors with marked paths and guides since as early as 1892.

How to get there and what else is nearby?

Nova Kršlja and the area around Muškinja sit in Rakovica municipality, on the route between Karlovac and Plitvice Lakes National Park, in a landscape of intense karst dotted with caves, sinkholes, and springs — the area is fed among others by the Baraćevac spring, which forms the Kršlja stream. It's a solid base for anyone interested in karst geology and caving who's already planning a stay near Plitvice and wants to see the underground side of the region beyond the main tourist trail.

Frequently asked questions

Is Muškinja a separate cave? Not quite — it's one of the historical names for a cave that's part of the larger Panjkov ponor – Varićakova špilja system, named after a local landowner's surname.

Can you visit Muškinja on your own? No — it's a caving site without tourist infrastructure, realistically accessible only to prepared caving groups.

How long is the cave system? After the 2010 survey, the system measures roughly 13 kilometers of passages, making it one of the longest in Croatia.

Where nearby can you see a cave without special preparation? About 6 km east, in the same Rakovica municipality, the Barać Caves (Baraćeve špilje) are open for regular guided tours.