The Punkva River

The Punkva River is the longest underground waterway in the Czech Republic and the heart of the famous Punkva Caves. During the cave tour, you'll see it at the bottom of Macocha Abyss, and most excitingly, you'll take a boat ride along it. This is one of the reasons why the Punkva is one of the most visited waterways in the Czech Republic. The river also accompanies you on the walk from Punkva Caves back to Skalní mlýn, before joining the Svitava River at the edge of Blansko.

The Punkva River forms at the confluence of the Sloupský potok stream and Bílá voda, with a total length of 29 km. Its catchment area covers 170 km², with an average annual flow of 0.96 m³/s. In 2004, the underground Punkva was added to the list of threatened wetlands under the Ramsar Convention. Every year, cold-water swimmers brave the river's chilly waters – a constant 8 degrees – for a polar dip.