Deepest known cave

What to remember

In the Arabika Massif, in the Gagra Range of the Western Caucasus, Krubera-Voronja Cave goes down 2,224 m. Depth is measured from the highest to the lowest accessible point of the cave, wherever the entrance happens to be.

The title has changed hands. It became the deepest known cave in 2003, when the Ukrainian Speleological Association reached 1,910 m, 80 m more than the previous record holder, Lamprechtsofen in the Austrian Alps. It later lost first place to Veryovkina Cave, and took it back in 2024, after a re-evaluation that also brought Veryovkina down to 2,209 m.

For cavers, a cave only truly counts once it has been found, inventoried, surveyed and published. The depths given are the maximum surveyed depths as of 2025.