Špilja Šupljara

Šupljara Cave is a small karst cave on the shore of Lake Kaluđerovac, right in the heart of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. It sits near Entrance I on the eastern side of the lake, and it's one of those rare stops on the hiking route that you actually walk straight through — the trail leads in through one opening and out through another on the far side of the rock.

How do you get there?

Šupljara lies directly on the walking trail through the Lower Lakes, not far from the Great Waterfall (Veliki slap). The easiest approach is from Entrance I, from where the path follows the shore of Kaluđerovac and the cave works as a short, natural passage on the way to the next stretch of the walk. No special gear or caving experience is needed — it's an ordinary section of the tourist path, just routed underground for a few dozen metres.

What will you see inside?

The cave is about 68 metres long and made up of three chambers connected by a corridor. It formed through the karst processes typical of the region: water seeping through cracked limestone slowly widened underground fissures and channels over thousands of years, until the floor of a sinkhole and the cave's ceiling eventually collapsed, opening a passage into what is now Lake Kaluđerovac. The two chambers closer to the main passage are fairly plain, with little to no formations, while the longest side channel is decorated with distinctive knobby, tuberous mineral deposits built up from calcium carbonate.

The lake's name, Kaluđerovac, comes from "kaluđer," a word for an Orthodox monk-hermit who is said to have once lived in this very cave above the water — the source of a local legend tying the spot to a solitary religious life.

Why is Šupljara known on film?

This modest natural cave picked up an unusual claim to fame through the German film adaptations of Karl May's Winnetou novels. In 1962, while shooting the first entry in the series, "The Treasure of Silver Lake," the crew used Plitvice as a Wild West backdrop, turning Šupljara into the on-screen gateway to a hidden treasure. Other nearby stretches of the Lower Lakes, including the areas around Galovački buk and Prštavac as well as the Great Waterfall, were used in the same shoot. Some visitors still know the spot for its western-movie history as much as for its geology.

When should you visit?

Plitvice Lakes National Park is scenic year-round, but the stretch of trail running through Šupljara is often at its most charming in spring and early summer, when water levels in the lakes are high and the surrounding vegetation is fully green. In autumn, the nearby forests turn red and gold, sharpening the contrast between the cave's dark interior and the lake view beyond it. During the peak season (July–August), expect some queuing on the narrow section of path that runs through the cave itself.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a separate ticket to enter the cave? No — Šupljara is part of the standard walking route through the Lower Lakes and is included in the regular park entrance ticket.

Is the cave difficult to walk through? No, it's a short, marked stretch of trail with no climbing or special preparation required, suitable for most visitors, including families with children.

How long does it take to walk through Šupljara? Passing through takes only a few minutes, but it's worth pausing at the exit, which opens onto a pleasant view of Lake Kaluđerovac and the nearby cascades.

Where does the name of Lake Kaluđerovac come from? From "kaluđer," meaning a hermit monk, who according to local tradition once lived in this very cave above the lake.