SpeleoNight
A NIGHT-TIME ADVENTURE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FIRST EXPLORERS
Speleonight It is an exclusive and evocative experience that allows you to explore the Castellana Caves in a completely different way: in the dark, accompanied only by the light of their headlamp and the profound silence of the underground world.
Guided by two expert speleologists of the Puglia Caves Group, participants follow the entire route up to the White Cave, along a alternative path to the tourist route, with the outward journey in total darkness. Only headlamps illuminate the rock walls, revealing hidden details and rarefied atmospheres, while the sound of dripping rain marks the passing of time in a silence steeped in mystery.
There are many moments that make Speleonight an unforgettable experience:
the outward journey in the dark with only the light of the provided helmets.
the exploration of an unspoilt, non-tourist section
the Corridor of the Desert, traversed alone, where each participant finds themselves immersed in the darkness and silence of the cave, in an intimate and profound connection with the underground environment;
the switching on of the lights in the White Cave, one of the most fascinating places in the entire karst complex, which marks the start of the illuminated return journey. A moment of great visual impact, which transforms one’s perception of the route just completed.
Speleonight it's more than a visit: it's an emotional and sensory journey, reserved for those who want to experience the caves with new eyes, in an extraordinary and timeless context.
INFO AND TICKETS
WHEN: consult the experience calendar for the scheduled dates
SUMMER 2026
25/07/26 h 20:30
15/08/26 h 20:30
21/08/26 h 20:30
31/08/26 h 20:30
11/09/26 h 20:30
25/09/26 h 20:30
PRICE: 28 € + online purchase commissions
PATH: about 3 km on foot and lasts no less than 2 hours (depending on the interest and pace of the group).
PGet to the ticket Office 30 minutes before. The experiential visit is organised for groups of maximum 25 people.
L'The excursion
A SENSORY JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF THE CAVES
A truly unique experience, designed to introduce participants to the most authentic dimension of speleological exploration. The tour begins in the majestic Grave, where the guides introduce the special visit, teaching the group to approach the journey like true explorers.They encourage greater sensory awareness, inviting participants to “see” not only with their eyes, but also through hearing, touch, and the perception of space and silence.
The tour continues in the dark of Wolf's Cave, where the water droplets that fall from the vault, illuminated by small LED lights, are transformed into silvery traces, almost suspended, creating an atmosphere of rare charm.
The route then reaches the Cave of Monuments, where the guides will explain the ancient acetylene lamps, the only sources of light available to the first explorers in 1938.
A total immersion in the cave's primordial darkness, leaving room for wonder and imagination.
At this point, you'll veer from the tourist trail to explore a little-known but very fascinating section: the Cave of Coral ConcretionsThis small branch holds a surprising variety of shapes and colors, offering a last, extraordinary glimpse into the hidden beauty of the underground world.
Once back on the tourist route, the experience continues in the Owl's Cave, where the focus is on the underground ecosystem. In this environment, made more intimate by the visiting method, it's easier to observe the animal life that inhabits the caves. Guides illustrate the characteristics of the underground fauna, explaining their evolutionary adaptations and their role within such an extreme and fragile habitat.
At this stage, the visit takes on an almost laboratory-like dimension, where observation, listening, and understanding merge. This narrative and logistical approach is designed to recreate the feeling of a real exploration, stimulating in participants the spirit of discovery and orientation inherent to the world of speleology. An experience that brings you closer to the unknown, but in complete safety, guided by the expertise and passion of the expert speleologists of the Puglia Grotte Group.
The final part of the route offers some of the most intense and exciting moments of the entire experience. At the beginning of the Desert Corridor, each participant is invited to proceed in complete solitude for about 500 meters, in a deep and enveloping silence. It is an intimate journey, which favors a direct and profound contact with the cave, a true internal dialogue with the Mother Earth, made of listening, respect and wonder.
Once the group has regrouped, we continue towards the Cavern of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, where attention focuses on the gradual changing colors of the rocks and the extraordinary variety of concretionary forms. The interplay of natural and artificial light enhances the chromatic and morphological diversity of the speleothems, creating images that seem sculpted by time.
We then enter the suggestive Dome Cave, where all lights, including the acetylene lights on the guides, are turned off. The darkness is absoluteIn this perfect darkness, the sense of hearing sharpens, and the drops of water falling from the ceiling take center stage. Their delicate, rhythmic sound accompanies thoughts and amplifies the perception of the environment: a natural concert as sweet as it is surprising.
The route ends in the White Cave, one of the most spectacular environments in the karst complex. Here, the transition from darkness to light is sharp: the pure white of the concretions is enhanced by artificial lighting, creating an extraordinary visual impact. This is the moment when we linger the longest, to observe these natural wonders up close, delve deeper into their formation, and understand the processes of speleogenesis and the geology that created such unique yet fragile environments.
The Return to the Light: From Depth to Awareness
The return to the Grave, the entrance and exit point of the karst complex, is illuminated by the artificial lighting of the caves' electrical system. After exploring the magic of the details in the dark, thanks to the direct light of the headlamps – capable of revealing niches, minute shapes and details hidden like treasure chests – the diffused light allows you to appreciate the majesty of the whole, the vastness and grandeur of the large caves.
It's a shift in perspective: from intimate look at the microscopic, we return to contemplate the broad breath of the macroscopic, with a new awareness of the complexity and beauty of the underground world.
Returned to the Grave, participants ascend to the surface with the panoramic elevator, to conclude the experience at the “Franco Anelli” Speleological Museum, where the helmets are returned.