Insuyu Cave

In a region of limestone mountains, famous for its fine marble, water and time have opened numerous tunnels and passages under the rock. One of the area’s most popular and accessible caves is the Insuyu Cave, just outside the city Burdur.

Insuyu Cave was the first cave to be officially opened for visitors in 1965. There are nearly 600 metres of walkways through natural galleries and man-made tunnels, ending in the cave’s largest gallery. Along the easy to walk main route and branches of the walkway you’ll come across stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstones. Historically there were numerous ponds scattered throughout the cave, though, due to the opening of wells for agriculture in the area these have dried up.

The receding water revealed a second portion of the cave, continuing from where the largest lake was at the end of the walkway. Access to the second cave is limited to groups with special equipment and proper caving gear.

If you look at other articles about Insuyu Cave around the internet, you may come across some pretty wild claims. One is that it’s the second largest cave in the world, a claim that couldn’t be further from the truth as the largest caves are hundreds of kilometers long rather than hundreds of meters. Another claim is that drinking the waters of Insuyu Cave will cure diabetes. While this is highly dubious as diabetes doesn’t have a cure, the healing waters have all dried up and the theory cannot be tested.

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Just outside the cave there’s a restaurant, space for picnickers, and a playground.  Whether Insuyu Cave is record setting, diabetes curing or not, it’s a beautiful cave perfect for families looking for a break along the Istanbul – Antalya highway.