Arka-Yurt Cave

Arka-Yurt Cave is located in the Gafuriysky District of Bashkortostan, 4 km east of the village of Imendyashevo, on a forest clearing of the same name. Its passages run about 330 meters; the cave belongs to the Muradymovo series of caves in this part of the Southern Urals.

Inside the cave

The entrance lies at the bottom of a sinkhole, under a rocky ledge, and faces east; the opening is less than a meter high. Just past the entrance the passages split in two: one goes left and up, the other right and down, and a stream runs through both. The lower passage ends in a rockfall. One of the branches has a narrow squeeze that cavers call a "shkuroder" ("skin-peeler") — it narrows in places and is sometimes filled with sand. Beyond the squeeze begins a meander where you can only move sideways or crawl on your side. Deeper inside, a well has been found, next to which lies a large hall and underground water — by the description, this is already the far, water-bearing part of the system.

Arka-Yurt Cave is listed among the classified karst cavities of Bashkortostan, but the exact date of its discovery and survey is not given in the available sources. It belongs to the so-called Muradymovo series of caves — a group of karst cavities in this part of the Southern Urals, where limestone massifs are cut by sinkholes, grottoes and underground passages.

Surroundings

100–150 meters northeast of the entrance there is another feature worth a look on the way — a grotto 30–40 meters across. The nearest major cave in the area is Kinderlinskaya (Pobedy Cave), the longest cave in Bashkortostan, a few kilometers away and far better known than Arka-Yurt.

Getting there

A well-trodden forest path climbs uphill from Imendyashevo to the Arka-Yurt clearing. Along the way it is sometimes necessary to cross a river — the Zilim, for instance — by catamaran or boat to reach the right bank: during floods or after rain the crossing can become impassable. The entrance sits right on the clearing, in a sinkhole at the edge of the forest, so the clearing itself is easy to spot by the noticeable dip in the terrain.

The cave is not technically difficult in its first stretch, but the "shkuroder" squeeze and the meander beyond it require preparation, a helmet and your own light source: without gear it is best not to go beyond the entrance section. The stream running through the passages is a reminder that after heavy rain the cave holds more water and the tight spots become harder to pass.