Kap-Kutan Cave

Cupp-Coutunn Cave - Kop-Kotan Cave - Kapkutan Cave


Useful Information

Location: Kugitangau mountains, Tienshan. Eastern Turkmenistan, not far from the Afghan border.
Open: closed.
[2009]
Fee: closed.
[2009]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=27,000 m, VR=56 m.
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

Kap-Kutan Cave is one of those cave, we list only for completeness sake. This is a great cave, a big maze, influenced by sulfurous thermal springs with many chambers containing calcite, aragonite and gypsum minerals of great size and beauty. The cavers who explore this cave call it the most beautiful cave of the world, a predicate also given to several other caves on earth. Actually this is one of the most beautiful caves of the world, similar to the famous Lechugilla Cave in New Mexico, U.S.A. And like this cave it is completely closed to the public, but there are numerous publications, scientific papers and impressive coffee table picture books. So if you are interested: no, you will not be able to see this cave, but you may check out a good book shop or library.

The cave is sealed by a large metal door. It is closed for its protection, even cavers are only allowed with a very good reason. Once the cave was mined for the dripstone, which was used for the tomb of Tamerlane. They used the speleothems in the first passage, which is horizontal for 300 m.