Speleotourism is a kind of sports tourism, the meaning is to travel through natural underground cavities (caves) and overcome various obstacles in them (siphons, wells) using various special equipment (scuba gear, carabiners, ropes, hooks, individual safety systems, etc.). The discovery of new caving routes is associated with the study of caves - speleology.

The main features of speleotourism are: the complexity of underground routes, due to the great variety of cave relief (wells, blockages, narrow cracks, underground rivers, etc.); as a rule, high relative humidity (up to 100%) at low temperatures; lack of natural lighting. Speleotourism requires strength, endurance, agility, the ability to use underground life support and safety equipment, swim and dive well (if necessary with scuba gear), climbing experience.

The route, as a rule, consists of two parts: aboveground and underground.
The complexity and conditions of the passage of the first part (on foot, on skis, by boat or in any other way), as well as its duration depend on the location of the cave, its remoteness from settlements, the complexity of the approaches, the time of year, etc.

The second part is characterized by the category of complexity, which is determined mainly by the relief and length of the caves and the climatic conditions in them. During the trips through the caves, various observations are made, routes are laid, interesting and accessible places for sightseeing visits are marked. When drawing up a plan of caves, a theodolite or a compass (or a compass), a goniometer, a ruler or a measuring cord, a hydraulic level and an altimeter are used; after completing the necessary measurements, they draw on paper a plan of the cave, sections and characteristic sections of underground cavities. A morphometric description of the studied part of the cave, indicating its hydrogeological, microclimatic, and other characteristics, is necessary information for speleologists in their preparation for further passage of the cave outside the studied section of the underground route.

Special requirements are placed on the ethics of cavers, their behavior in caves, their attitude to nature underground (for example, a broken stalactite is restored only after tens or hundreds of years). in sections and In clubs, speleologists receive theoretical training and master techniques for searching and first climbing caves, and compose routes.

Speleotourism is an extreme sport that involves exploring the various depths of our earth. In the world, speleologists are divided into two types, scientific speleologists and sports, the former study caves for science, the latter for interest. Speleotruzim as a kind of sports tourism is a complex, but extremely interesting way of active recreation. This is a kind of mix: here you have hiking, mountaineering, mountaineering, elements of rock climbing, and even scuba diving. In one cave you can meet blockages, wells, crevices, underground rivers, huge grottoes. Which, of course, is insanely interesting, but at the same time, this is also the main disadvantage of traveling underground - they require careful and long-term preparation.

Speleotourism can be excursion, amateur, professional. But tourists of any category will have to face specific features. The first is the lack of natural light. Simply put, there is eternal night in the caves, which in itself creates extreme conditions. Secondly, underground humidity is always very high, up to 100%, which is uncomfortable for travelers. Thirdly, the air temperature is reduced. Fourth, there are no easy routes in the caves! This is always a varied terrain that requires the use of safety systems, special equipment and, of course, endurance, agility, strength, and psychological stability. In addition, access to the caves, as a rule, is difficult for the transport we are used to. Sometimes, before descending underground, you have to travel for several days on its, dear, surface.

One of the categorical requirements for cavers is strict discipline in everything related to safety.
. In no case should you go down underground alone.
. It is forbidden to dismantle the rubble on your own without the participation of specially trained specialists.
. At the slightest threat to break, the use of safety systems is shown.
. It is strongly recommended to use speleological equipment - helmets, shoes, lighting equipment.
. In caves, it is customary to take care not only of one's own safety, but also of safety. fragile ecosystem. For example, a broken stalactite will take at least a hundred years to recover. And not only you want to admire it!

Speleotourism routes consist of two stages - ground and underground. The complexity and conditions of passing the first stage on foot, on skis, by boat or in any other way, as well as its duration depend on the location of the cave, its remoteness from settlements, the complexity of the approaches, the time of year, and so on. The second stage is characterized by the category of complexity, which is determined mainly by the relief and length of the caves, the climatic conditions in them. During the trips to the caves, various observations are made, routes are laid, interesting and accessible places for excursions and visits are marked.

When drawing up a plan of a cave, a theodolite or a compass (or a compass), a goniometer, a tape measure or a measuring cord, a hydro level and an altimeter are used. After completing the necessary measurements, they draw on paper a plan of the cave, sections and characteristic sections of underground cavities. A morphometric description of the studied part of the cave, indicating its hydrogeological, microclimatic and other characteristics, is necessary information for speleologists in their preparation for the further passage of the cave outside the studied section of the underground route. Thanks to the activities of speleotourists, new caves are constantly being discovered and explored, including giant underground labyrinths, such as the Optimistic and Ozernaya caves in the Carpathians. Speleotourists make trips along the routes already described both for training and for studying the nature of their native land.

Caves, the development of which will require special skills and tech. funds are usually divided into 9 categories: 1, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B.
The main criterion for establishing the category of difficulty of the cave is the duration of travel, the number of obstacles on the route and the difficulty in passing.

The 1st category includes passage caves, which require a minimum number of auxiliary means, with a depth of not more than one hundred meters. The most difficult categories are 4 and 5. To pass caves of this type, you will need one or more camps. Perhaps, there may be areas of difficult climbing, with the use of assault ladders, poles, etc. Depth such caves are sometimes more than 1100 m, and the time spent on passage can take more than eighteen days.

Specifications for the technical complexity of caving routes
category: accessible to beginners, easy to climb, usually dry cave. The duration of the trip is approximately 12 hours.
category (A, B): already more difficult routes, with blockages, siphons and flooded areas. Travel time - up to 16 hours.
category (A, B): such routes require high-quality training of tourists and special equipment. Hiking continues for several days.
category (A, B): there are areas of difficult climbing using assault ladders, poles, as well as areas of scuba diving. The duration of the route is up to 14 days.
category (A, B): routes for professionals. Underground camps are mandatory, the minimum travel time is from 14 days.

Actions in case of accidents
If suddenly an accident happened with several or one member of a group of tourists, and the group itself is not able to provide first aid to the victims and their transportation from the cave by the group, then experienced speleologists and rescuers are involved. In caves of increased complexity, it is necessary to think over the route for the safe transportation of the victims. As a result, upon the arrival of rescuers, an underground base parking lot is established, where the victims are transported. They change their clothes to dry and warm ones, provide medical assistance according to the experience and knowledge of healthy members of the group, and are fed warm food. To protect against hypothermia, each victim is placed in a sleeping bag (recommended - in two bags) and, if possible, 2 more people are placed there to create the optimal temperature.

In parallel with providing assistance to the victim, rescuers prepare sections of the cave for his transportation:
1. they look through the most difficult sections, think over the best way and method of transportation at each interval of the route (overcoming meanders, "bottles", close entrances, wells, etc.);
2. fill additional hooks on plumb lines for mounting the chain hoist, hang the railing;
.mark the most unsafe places in case of flood;
.mark all suitable places for halts and alternative camps;
.when it is necessary to conduct a telephone line "earth-cave"

Move the victim along the inclined and horizontal gaps of the cave, it is best in special (soft) stretchers of the "cocoon" type. Along the vertical and inclined intervals with the greatest steepness, the victim is transported on the lower harness, accompanied. When transporting from mines and wells, rescue technology is used, similar to that used on the surface of the earth. Underground rivers and lakes are crossed on special inflatable boats. When an accident in caves happens on the water, the rescue of the victims is carried out using special diving equipment, where the rescuer's wetsuit must be insulated, and the lighting under water must be powerful.

Significant difficulties are the search for lost people in the caves, especially if the caves are multi-level labyrinths. The more rescuers will participate in the search, the more likely it is to find lost people unharmed and alive.

Search instructions:
According to the footprints left by the victims (it happens that not all underground surfaces have