Mlynki Cave is one of the most interesting and extreme sights of Ukraine. The cave is located in the Ternopil region, not far (about 20 km) from the town of Chortkiv. It is located in the village of Zalesye. Attention, near Chortki, there is also the village of Mlynki – but it is located 40 kilometers away and has nothing to do with the Mlynki cave. Mlynki Cave is one of the most interesting and extreme sights of Ukraine. The cave is located in the Ternopil region, not far (about 20 km) from the town of Chortkiv. It is located in the village of Zalesye. Attention, near Chortki, there is also the village of Mlynki – but it is located 40 kilometers away and has nothing to do with the Mlynki cave. There is no particular point in telling the story of the cave, since many sites describe that it was discovered around the 1960s. The length of the cave is about 40 kilometers. The cave is horizontal, which means that you do not have to climb vertically there.
How to go to the Mlynki cave through the Tourist Club
There are several ways to get into the cave. The easiest way is to book a tour through the tourist club: http://www.tourclub.com.ua/ru/tours/speleo/. The cost of the cheapest tour, with three forays into the cave, in 2011, was 405 hryvnia per person. And the tour was called "Mlynka Cave: Children's Entertainment". That's the option we chose. The cost of the tour included accommodation, food, moving from Chertkov to Zalesye and back, 3 forays into the cave, clothes and a flashlight. In addition, we paid for the rental of a sleeping bag 15 UAH, a change of shoes 5 UAH per day, a shower – 10 UAH at a time. In total, 450 per person came out. In general, it was possible to find an option cheaper than a tourist club, but through a tourist club it is somehow more reliable, so for the first sortie, I recommend using a tourist club. If you want to save a little, then read the option of visiting Mlynki below.
How to go to Mlynki cheap
In the village of Zalesye, where the Mlynki cave is located, there are several organizations that organize trips to the cave. By the way, you can get to the cave only with the help of a guide, otherwise there is no way, the door to the cave is closed! And believe me, it is very easy to get lost there, so without a guide there is no way. So, you decided to save money and decided to go to the cave cheaper. There is an option to call Speleo House, or rather to the speleo club Crystal, at the numbers: +38 03552 217 10, +38067 712 18 84. There is essentially the same service as in the tourist club, but it costs a little cheaper and more and more at home. There is another option, to come there yourself. If there is a car, then it is good, if not, then by taxi to Zalesye it is worth to get 60 UAH. Well, then in Zalesye you can rent accommodation next to the cave and order forays. Thus, you can still save. By the way, about the prices for excursions to the cave. I was a little surprised that speleologists-guides are paid 50 UAH for a 2-3 hour excursion, regardless of the number of people. That is, a trip to the cave is essentially very inexpensive and if you negotiate directly, you can save a lot.
Mlynki Cave, what to take with you
1) Socks, a lot. For if the weather is rainy, the socks will need to be changed after each trip to the cave 2) Gloves. Preferably cheap, fabric. Such in Epicenter are sold for 2 UAH. Here are 2 pairs to take and everything will be OK. 3) Bondana. It is necessary that dust does not fall on the head. The cap will not work because it is not convenient to climb in it. 4) Shoes. There are nuances here. If it rains, rubber boots + sneakers for the cave are ideal. Because to get to the cave you can get dirty God willing. So rubber boots save.
Mlynki Cave, what not to take with you
5) DSLR or video camera. Surprisingly, in the cave of Mlynki, it is not convenient to shoot with a SLR camera! Pulling it with you isn't a big deal either. My camera was in the dust after the first sortie. The cover got dirty so that it had to be washed 3 times! There is no light in the cave, and there is little lantern light to shoot something decent. And there is also little time to get the camera. Therefore, if you want to make good shots with a DSLR, you need to take a good light with you and book an individual tour! Because together with the group, you will not shoot anything. 6) Expensive or slippery shoes. Believe me, in the cave it will be smeared. And if the sole of the shoe is slippery, then this is generally very bad. Because of it, you can fall into a crevice.
Hike to the Mlynki cave. Review
So, you have arrived, booked a tour. We put on our overalls, comfortable shoes and went to the cave. In fact, Mlynki exist to climb there! There are not many beauties in the cave! One of them is crystals, which glow very beautifully. And stalactites. The main feature of Mlynki is overcoming difficult places. There you can climb through crevices, crawl through very narrow places, crawl. The cave is scary in many places. You're afraid of falling. So after the cave, all parts of our body hurt… In short, I recommend going there to people who want to experience extreme sensations. And believe me, you will remember this trip for a long time! 
